Live on £4000 for a year - Part 3

Frugaldom

This is it, the final readings from the Spending Diary - I use www.spendingdiary.com for these figures

September 2008

EVERYTHING ELSE
2008-09-12 Cardigan £4.50
2008-09-13 Cardigan £3.00
2008-09-14 Electric Steamer £10.00
2008-09-17 2 x aprons £4.00
2008-09-17 Cake rack £1.00
2008-09-21 Travel £24.00
2008-09-29 Sweeping Brush £1.50
TOTAL - £48.00

GIFTS
2008-09-01 NTS Membership £6.50
2008-09-29 Treats & sweets for us £8.98
TOTAL - £15.48

GROCERIES
2008-09-01 Mr T £70.80
2008-09-17 Mr S £16.42
TOTAL - £87.22

INTERNET ACCESS
2008-09-18 Broadband £14.99
TOTAL - £14.99

UTILITIES
2008-09-01 Telephone £37.50
TOTAL - £37.50

TOTAL SEPTEMBER SPEND - £203.19

Spending diary to date - 1st January to 30th September 2008

GROCERIES
Jan 2008 £86.09
Feb 2008 £103.68
Mar 2008 £99.52
Apr 2008 £97.05
May 2008 £264.78
Jun 2008 £75.65
Jul 2008 £47.93
Aug 2008 £67.05
Sep 2008 £87.22
TOTAL FOR GROCERIES £928.97

GIFTS
Jan 2008 £49.23
Feb 2008 £16.97
Mar 2008 £4.49
Apr 2008
May 2008
Jun 2008 £20.47
Jul 2008 £38.97
Aug 2008 £28.17
Sep 2008 £15.48
TOTAL FOR GIFTS £173.78

EVERYTHING ELSE
Jan 2008 £58.90
Feb 2008 £7.58
Mar 2008 £38.50
Apr 2008 £32.34
May 2008 £20.00
Jun 2008 £44.00
Jul 2008 £14.75
Aug 2008 £26.10
Sep 2008 £48.00
TOTAL FOR EVERYTHING ELSE £290.17

UTILITIES
Jan 2008 £419.44
Feb 2008
Mar 2008 £64.72
Apr 2008 £534.14
May 2008
Jun 2008 £55.69
Jul 2008 £163.95
Aug 2008 £5.00
Sep 2008 £37.50
TOTAL FOR UTILITIES £1280.44

HOUSEHOLD
Jan 2008 £52.40 (contents insurance via cashback site)
Feb 2008
Mar 2008
Apr 2008
May 2008
Jun 2008
Jul 2008
Aug 2008 £139.50
Sep 2008
TOTAL FOR HOUSEHOLD £191.90

INTERNET ACCESS
Jan 2008 £24.99
Feb 2008 £6.92
Mar 2008 £14.99
Apr 2008 £14.99
May 2008 £14.99
Jun 2008 £14.99
Jul 2008 £14.99
Aug 2008 £14.99
Sep 2008 £14.99
TOTAL FOR INTERNET ACCESS £136.84

TOTAL £3002.10

The only things that have NOT been counted in the above spending are:
DD's 21st birthday - savings already set aside for the purpose,
DD's surprise engagement party/buffet - used my cashback savings,
DS's birthday - savings already set aside for the purpose
Items bought for the garden - bought with my £2 savings challenge.
Rent
Council Tax
Water (included in above)
Buildings insurance - we rent, so have no buildings insurance

During the next quarter, we may need to factor in a house move as well as a change to the way we currently budget to reflect certain lifestyle changes, but I still plan on sticking to the 4k target, regardless of whatever else happens. My budget currently stands as follows, red indicating spends, blue representing balances, and I have not had to touch my small contingency fund, although this could soon change.

2008 budget


TOTAL FOR GROCERIES £1098 / £928.97(£169.03)
TOTAL FOR GIFTS £400 / £173.78 (£226.22)
TOTAL FOR EVERYTHING ELSE £366 / £290.17(£75.83)
TOTAL FOR UTILITIES £1500 / £1280.44 (219.56)
TOTAL FOR HOUSEHOLD £200 / £191.90 (£8.10)
TOTAL FOR INTERNET ACCESS £240 / £136.84 (£103.16)
CONTINGENCY FUND - £196


TOTAL £4000 / £3002.10 (£997.90)

Brighton_belle

They are excellent figures NYk.
I am so proud of myself - I haven't spent a penny in cash since last thursday and am not going out again today, so I got through to the end of the month with money to spare in the bank which I shall move over to a short term savings account:j . This is really helping me focus on not frittering away a £1 here and there as it so adds up. Walked home from work again today - it just gave me an extra push to acknowledge I felt strong enough today to so to do so, so another £1.30 saved. Last night we went to asda, but that was the oct food budget money and we haven't touched any of the purchases and won't until tomorrow, it was just more convenient for us to go last night.

bails

Well done BB, that is a real achievement which you deserve to feel proud of. I love how this challenge (can't think of a less American phrase) empowers us to hone our already small budgets and brings great satisfaction. It's brill that you could walk home today, and now there will be money saved for days when you can't :T x

Confession time here - I put a vase of flowers on the outside table over the weekend and just heard it smash when it was blown off the table by the wind :mad: I also started filling up the car yesterday with what I thought was normal unleaded but the hoses were all tangled up and it was super unleaded, which was 6p dearer :mad: I did realise though so only put £5 in but still annoyed as I thought I was getting a bargain (much cheaper at that station than in Bath). Oh well, the new thread will bring better things

System

yipeeeeeee

i bought a nice skirt n top on impulse on ebay a few days ago, then regretted it as i am trying to declutter and i already have several 'twins' of the skirt...

but then it arrived this morning and the skirt n top are different sizes (the listing said they are the same) so i have been in touch with the seller and she will refund me postage and everything

so i am happy now

Frugaldom

Does anyone here collect ipoints? I've been collecting them for the past couple of years and have done really well, despite having a few problems when they upgraded their site. However, I'm now struggling to find anything worthwhile to exchange them for. Last time I used them for a magazine subscription and some toys & gifts that I have stashed away for Christmas but they have now stopped offering mag subs and toys! Now I can't decide whether to trade in for some perfume or risk saving them in the hope something better comes along. I'm always scared these types of offers end and I lose all my points, hence the reason I cash in as soon as I can. But I don't really want any CDs and I'm nowhere near enough to get a £30 voucher... would the J-Lo Glow 50ml make a good gift when working to a £15 per person budget? I've Googled it and shop compared it and it ranges from £14 to £20+ for the identical item, but I haven't a clue what it retails at in the High Street and would hate to find out it was cheaper.

taka

I collect them as I used to get a few surveys from them (I never seem to qualify anymore :rolleyes: )... now I just get points via the 10pt email things but was trying to save up for a breadmaker but they no longer do them :mad: I don't know what to use mine on and it'll take me the next decade to reach a £30 voucher at 10pts (~2p) a shot. It looks like either
(A) people I know will be getting very random Xmas pressies... :rotfl:
(B) I could do with some kitchen scales... and use the rest on randon xmas pressies
or
(C) I keep collecting as it has my fave perfume on there (only need another ~1500 for that one :eek: ) They'd probably remove that too by the time I save up points in about a years time :rotfl:

Looks like JLo Glow Eau de Toilette 50mls is selling for £17.31 on boots online (reduced from £25 due to the perfume promo on). The 30mls is £13.80 reduced from £19.99

Frugaldom

Thanks for that Taka, I was also saving for the breadmaker that they had, it was one of the items that went on by mistake at the wrong points value then got dropped. I've just made it to the 5200 points mark after actually qualifying for a survey last month (surprise!) but their 10pt emails are becoming fewer and the £30 vouchers looking further off than ever. I'm finding P*gsback even worse! I fear that advertising revenue will take a serious hit if/when this recession thingy kicks into gear, just my opinion. I guess it's a case of take what we can get whenever we can get it or risk never being 'paid' in the long run. J-Lo 50ml sounds like a good bet for me, although the smoothie maker looks kind of fun too!

PS: That was a bit of luck with the eBay return, JB.

taka

Yeah I think I'm around 5100... I may have a nosey on there when I get home... I think you can possibly get the perfume for less on one of the online perfume sites but I've never used them. My current perfume was a birthday pressie and I'm trying to make it last...

Penny2myName

Decided to post my final figures for september in this thread, since thats what it relates to.

Total spend for 01 Sep 2008 - 30 Sep 2008 470.05

TOTAL FOR ALLOTMENT £1.20
TOTAL FOR ANIMALS £5.84
TOTAL FOR BAKING £5.72
TOTAL FOR BILLS £188.97
TOTAL FOR CHARITY £4.00
TOTAL FOR CHRISTMAS GIFT £1.48
TOTAL FOR CLEANING £0.59
TOTAL FOR CLOTHING £5.00
TOTAL FOR COLLEGE DRINKS £3.00
TOTAL FOR COLLEGE FOOD £0.39
TOTAL FOR FOOD £93.76
TOTAL FOR GLASSES £15.20
TOTAL FOR HOUSEHOLD £11.74
TOTAL FOR OTHER £3.08
TOTAL FOR SAVINGS £41.00
TOTAL FOR SCHOOL £12.54
TOTAL FOR SOCIALIZING £24.50
TOTAL FOR TOILETTRIES £10.42
TOTAL FOR TRAVEL £31.80
TOTAL FOR TREAT £9.82
TOTAL £470.05

Live on £4000 + CB for the full year #005 - £5778.40/£4342.46/ Weekly Budget £ 109.25/ October 483.82 for 31 days.

Frugaldom

I almost forgot about my personal mini-challenge for the month, my September500 challenge! I have just copied my own signature into this post so I can look back and see my progress, as the September500 will need to be deleted from my signature now it's over. Here's how things are on the last day of September 2008. As you can see, I completed my September500 challenge with £8.90 to spare! :j :j :j I have to admit, though, that I'd never have done it if I hadn't had some birthday money to start off that pot.

Live on 4k: £3002.10/£4000 Day 274, 92 days to go Interest Beater £231.03/£260 Quit smoking 31/12/07: saved £369.90 Grocery Challenge £1098/year for 3, so far £928.97 Sealed Pot 066: Aim £100 Cashback £465.18 Vouchers £135.50 £2 coins: £116 September 500/£508.90 Housefund 34.47% £1000 in 100 days from 22/09/08 - £77.40/£1000

My next target is my £1000 in 100 days, as this seems like the most difficult, however, I really would like to be at least 3 months ahead of the game next year and this seems the only way to do it.