Live on £4000 for a year - Part 3

whitewing

MrsHayes,

Have a hug.

Frugaldom

Good afternoon to all, today it is really cold but the sun has, at last, decided to shine. Typical of such rare occasions, I didn't put a washing on last night, as it was raining when I went to bed.

I keep reading about fuel poverty! Then I come here and read about winter woolies by way of thermals and I think we should make them ultra trendy! I'm prepared to join the thermals club as soon as I can find some! Aldi doesn't open in our area until December.

Next, I have had to do some more number crunching to ensure we survive the year on the strict budget. The 4k has now been divided as per the following:

New targets


TOTAL FOR GROCERIES £1098 (£1 per day per person)
TOTAL FOR GIFTS £400
TOTAL FOR EVERYTHING ELSE £366 (£1 per day)
TOTAL FOR UTILITIES £1500 (Electricity, telephone, mobile)
TOTAL FOR HOUSEHOLD £200 (insurance, TV licence)
TOTAL FOR INTERNET ACCESS £240
CONTINGENCY FUND - £196


TOTAL £4000

What with all the fuel increases and this being an extremely cold, all electric house, the contingency fund will possibly need to be used for heating and the £400 gifts allowance for the entire year is doable, as I will also be using any vouchers saved from surveys, points etc. The grocery bill HAD to be increased as it includes all cleaning, laundry and toiletry products as well as food and, what with the increases in these items, it was beginning to look impossible.

Janey - re the weevils in flour, I think the eggs are already there and it's time that tells, but the freezer method and starving them of air should prevent them hatching. I'm led to believe that they are harmless once baked into stuff but feel a bit queezy thinking about it.

MrsHayes, make the most of your budgeting preparations and try not to worry yourself or get upset by financial stuff. Just make a nice cuppa then start a spreadsheet or chart with how much comes in excluding your salary and then work it back the way from that. With practice, you'll begin to see what is essential and what isn't, meaning that your fulltime job, for a while at least, will be as the household manager. Have you ever sat down and worked out how much you actually earn from going out to work after you deduct all the expenses involved with that? Workwear, lunches, childcare, travel, convenience food when no time left to cook from scratch etc, etc, etc... and don't forget that you'll have at least the statutory amount of child benefit plus any working tax credits and child tax credits that you're entitled to if OH is on an average income. It'll be fine, things will work out alright

EagerLearner

MrsHayes as nyk says start with Martins spreadsheet and if it helps, after that use mine, which is more for the daily spend stuff and may also help with debt - see my siggy x

I am not doing great on the challenge as too scared to add up August - we bought a load of house items that we had been hankering for, around £60 worth in the end, so not proud of myself there. I tell myself we won't need anything else now and hopefully it will be true.

With luck this Sunday I can sit down with MS Money and do a bank reconciliation, to see what the figures were for August.

To reconfirm, I am including everything we spend on the joint account apart from rent, water and council tax.

Frugaldom

Hi EagerLearner - I wouldn't worry too much about £60 or £70 of house items as us frugalers usually don't buy them until we really need them or have ensured that they won't incur long-standing debt. I've just totalled up my budget and have spent £242.17 this year (so far) on 'stuff' for us and the house :eek: and then I read your signature; if I was able to do the same as you in free clicks, it would almost have balanced itself out! Well done on those clicks - [strike]do you fancy sharing your secret?[/strike] Found your MSE thread here

I include everything except rent, council tax/water in my budget too and every penny left over from that goes into savings. I'm now in free bingo claiming a few tickets once again convinced that the law of averages will allow me a small win, hence a contribution to my tax free interest beater challenge.

EDITED IN! I just won £50! :j :T Going to update my IB challenge balance in sig!

MrsHayes

Thanks alot Whitewing, Nyk & Eagerlearner.

I do have a spreadsheet as I try to be careful with our money (after being rubbish with it for years) and I like to know where every last penny goes! It is doable things will just be tighter than I expected/wanted. I should still be able to drop a day as nursery fees are £40 a day and I earn £50 so there is only a £10 deficit really. I think I am just worried about not having any savings as what we save a month now (for xmas, car, diy etc) will be taken up by the nursery fees (even though it is only 2 days a week!)

I am sure we will get by though and all the preparation now will definitely help. I think I am just having abit of a hormonal day for some reason. Thanks alot everyone you're all lovely xx

Frugaldom

MrsHayes - If you have your heart set on returning to fulltime employment after having the baby then you could request nursery vouchers from your employer. I'm sure there's a thread on MSE about them somewhere, as they were discussed in one of Martin's TV shows. Hope this helps, sorry I can't help with details about the vouchers but they weren't invented when I had my kids. :rotfl:

MrsHayes

Thanks Nyk. I have heard of them so I will have a look. If we aren't eligible for the childcare element of tax credits then we will definitely go for these - every little helps! I have to go back to work as I am the main earner (until Dh qualifies) and I do like my job. Ideally I would like to work maybe 3 days a week but 4 days is better than having to do 5 and hopefully I can reduce again when Dh qualifies. Frugalmite will go to mother in law 2 days and then nursery 2 so hopefully won't feel too abandoned xx

MrsHayes

Ps. I have got my first star! That has cheered me up ;-)

EagerLearner

Well done nyk! That's great news... wow, I have rarely won on bingo or anything else (only do it when I get more cashback than the bet was!).

Yes the daily clicks do certainly help he he Christmas was free last year and will be free this year (we will be in Portugal at my mums, so a free Christmas abroad).

MrsHayes hope it works out ok, you are welcome over on my Q&A thread to make a bit more cash - it all helps and I am happy to coach you through :T

I will come and confess whatever my August total is on Sunday

MrsHayes

Thanks Eager Learner I will go and have a nosy now xx