Organisational skills... or lack of (Money edition)

I have now been in my own apartment for about 6 months. I love it. But what I don't love - the organisation which comes with a home. I am doing it all alone, it's my place and noone else's. I don't share the burden with a friend or a guy, - it's all me.

This brings it's problems though. I like to think I am organised but I just can't be organised in my own home. In my job, as a teacher, I strive to be organised and in fact too organised sometimes but in my home I struggle. I have bills and such to think about.

I hate bills - not just in the I have to give people my money sense (because who likes that?) but in the fact I have check paper work and make sure everything is correct. This freaks me out. I feel the pressure is immense and I tend to freeze and push things to the side. This is not my best feature, I know that! I am beginning to recognise my anxiety when it comes to dealing with things like this.

Argghhh.... I have to sort papers!!! [Source]

Not only that, because everything is direct debit these days I kinda just go with the flow. I could not tell you how much I pay out a month. I just know it is not as much as my wages. It is the money left over (which I have an approximate idea) which I think let whittle away. I was finding my lifestyle before having a mortgage was not something I could uphold once I moved in. I am not in any means struggling, however trying to do the same which I was doing before moving in is not something which is viable.

So what are my options? I am wanting to travel again and that costs money - who would have guessed huh? But alas money is what is needed. So I need to get saving and organise - ASAP! My Mam got straight onto the case and bought me a sensible file to keep all my postal correspondence in ( from bills to payslips to medical).

Now that I have that in place as well as a to do list which I work on to make my jobs easier to manage, I needed to focus on my saving routine. This is when I came across 'the envelope idea'. Through Travel Babble's twitter I found this post:

Envelope System for Budgeting @ Treasure Tromp

The method basically states that you live via cash as far as you can. You look at your budget and work out how much you need for utilities etc. I will still be using my direct debit as due to anxiety issues this helps me. I will then get a collection of envelopes and label them with titles e.g. meals out, fitness etc. Whatever things you may spend cash on. I will then have this budgeted for the month and once I have spent my money in the envelope that is it. This will allow me to keep more of an eye on spending rather than using my card for a little here and there.  Any extra left over that month I will then put into a saving's jar.

Obviously I have not started this method but since I get paid tomorrow it seems like the best time to start don't you agree? I may fail or it may be the best thing ever ... all I can do is try! Wish me luck! I will try post again to update you on my progress.

Have you any saving tips? Have you tried the envelope saving idea?