Vikki,
I think what you're doing is GREAT!!! Yes, 150 pounds a year is a lot, but so is 600 (40 pound difference in your service charges times 12 months), right? A lot of people try to get the cheapest bank account to save money, but if your service fees exceeds that, you may not be saving at all :( [ I work for a financial institution, so I see this often, especially with ODP ] Talk to a Financial Advisor at your branch about which account best suits your needs : )
Something I found helpful was to write everything down that I spend, either on paper or using an excel sheet, adding up how much I spend and how much is left. It also helps me visualize how much I actually have to spend... AND ONLY USE CASH!!!! When I get paid, I leave in my account what comes out automatically and take out the rest in various denominations for the 2 week pay period. There's a show called "Til Debt do us Part" (I don't know if you've heard of it; I recommend watching an episode or two... let me know what you think?) that has a lot of helpful tips, too. From this show, I've gotten "jars" out to separate money for various things so I don't spend say, grocery money on ridiculous things like my now-given-away Chicken Soup for the Soul book collection that I never read. (I often bought things and stored them away, never using them)
Finally, I just wanted to add that managing money is hard for a LOT of people... even though I work for a bank, I'm on STD right now and had to file for Bankruptcy.
I know, LOL, you probably don't want advice from me now, but I can manage other people's money better than my own... and now that I'm Bankrupt, I feel free from financial stress. I will NEVER again get credit, except a mortgage (of course), and dealing strictly with cash has actually greatly helped me in managing money better. I feel I will be able to save better now since I don't have that credit card telling me "you can buy that now and make the minimum payment later"
OH, btw, look at your credit card bills... if your interest rate is 18% and your minimum payment is 2% than on a monthly basis you are only paying the interest :(
I could go on forever but I need to stop, lol, I've already written a novel...
hope this helps! please let me know...
and if you have other questions, feel free to PM me ; )
Joined: 05-21-2008