Live on £4000 for a year - Part 3

Frugaldom

Burlesque_Babe wrote: »

AQA'ing today to try to get an amoun this month to live on. I keep dipping into my savings but I need to stop that. Problem is it means a long old 7 day week - permanently - just to have enough to the pay the bills.

Sounds familiar, apart from the AQA part, of course. But the way I look at it, if I'm here 7 days per week, I don't need to be anywhere else, like at work in a really rubbish place to be with deadlines that I can't hit because I'm working with a bunch of numpties. (Just in case any of my old Suffolk colleagues are on here... each of you was a pain in the b*m, but you were an OK bunch on the whole, especially when I got to yell at you to meet the Friday deadlines.) :rotfl:

BB, Have you thought about getting in a houseshare or joining the rent-a-room scheme to take all the pressure off your having to pay everything on your own?

Burlesque_Babe

no room nyk - I've got a 2 bed/1 reception room bungalow. Second bedroom is used as an office for half the week and the weekends.

I used to be on a fantastic salary (28k) when I was made redundant - that level of income would mean I would have £500 a month spare to save!!! Howevr, when I took the decision to completely start again career wise I knew it would bring a very low wage with it. I get a tiny increase now I've been in my job 6 months (about £10 a month if I'm lucky!), there is the inflation pay rise being fought over at the moment still to come and I've got teaching hours starting in September.

My income is currently £525 after tax in my p/t office job and I need £1200 a month to break even.

Teaching 2 hours a week will give me around £100 a month extra after tax but that won't be all year - just between September and March at the moment.

There are other admin jobs at the council on the next band up for the exact same job spec. I'm doing - which is £1500 more full time, so would be £750 a year more on on 18.5 hours. We are more than likely going to merge in 2009 and there will hopefully be a job review.

Frugaldom

Bails - I had another read through your post and came up with the following:

*I think what you are experiencing is probably an episode of what's known as SMMS, or "Semi-Modern Man Syndrome". It's what happens when traditional belief systems are challenged by the modern 'ways'. This species, known as 'semi-modern man', stands apart from most others by their inability to take complete responsibility. I think it's because nobody ever showed them a dictionary with a clear and easily understood definition of the phrase, 'husband material'. :eek:

The 'Semi-Modern Man' species seems to expect a housekeeper, a wife, a mother, a broodmare, a companion, a carer, a maid, a cook, a nanny and someone to pay half the bills, which many of us cannot (or will not) do, for whatever reasons. In exchange, semi-modern woman has agreed to give up the right to be happy as an 'old-style' or traditional wife. However, I'm reliably informed that certain combinations are, apparently, perfectly 'normal' in this modern society and that the terms 'husband' and 'wife', in the traditional sense, may soon be removed from all dictionaries in a bid to avoid such conflict. :rotfl:

If anyone can enlighten me, please do. I don't believe 'old-style' is old because it's MY style, and I'm not old!

PS: Could be worse! It could be MODERN MAN SYNDROME - where you are expected to breed and then leave him in complete charge whilst you self-finance the lifestyle. :eek:

* None of the above is meant to be taken too seriously or too literally. It is simply a light-hearted look at modern society as I see it. My personal views do not reflect the personal views of the 4k challengers, nor should it be assumed that any other 4k challenger even shares such views. I accept no responsibility, whatsoever, for any ill-effects suffered during the reading of such drivel, nor do I accept any responsibility for subsequent events as a result of having read the above etc, etc, etc and all the other small print that comes within the term 'small print'. Terms and Conditions Apply. E & OE and all that stuff too :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Brighton_belle

nykmedia wrote: »

:j :T Yeeeeees! We've frugalised another one!
Cheers fru-guys and Fru-gals! :beer:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Had great time at the butchers. Bought most of meat for the month and he is putting by a couple of pigs trotters for me next week for a few pence:D (sorry veggies). Decided if I do meat spends all at beginning of the month, I then know that's it, it has to last, so I have to be more creative with more veggie dishes. He gave me a discount too on my bulk purchases today:j .
Loo roll hunt slightly postponed - forgot it was the massive pride parade today right past local somerfield so everything too difficult to reach til later

BurlB - I know you really probably don't have the room, but OH and I use our sitting room as a bedsitting room (got one of those single beds with a matching one stored under that we put up in a minute every night and makes a kings size double. That way, we rent the other double room to lodger under rent a room scheme. Or anyway you can move the office into your bedroom?

Marru

nykmedia wrote: »

The 'Semi-Modern Man' species seems to expect a housekeeper, a wife, a mother, a broodmare, a companion, a carer, a maid, a cook, a nanny and someone to pay half the bills,

Nyk, I didn't know that you knew my ex!! :rotfl:

Except in my case I would also add: gardener, painter and decorator, PA and accountant...

DdraigGoch

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Brilliant!

gotta dash, OH is helping me clear up kitchen and bedroom, I hear the TV on, so, off to stomp on THAT idea!! can't complain, I've sneaked up here on the excuse of sorting out electrickery and in-sewer-ants .... must get on, love to all

DG

Frugaldom

Marru wrote: »

Nyk, I didn't know that you knew my ex!! :rotfl:

Cor! He certainly gets around! :eek: I should perhaps rephrase the definition to omit the politically incorrect word previously known as 'wife', but it seemed much less harsh than [strike]xxx[/strike], err, I mean 'bed' buddy. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Marru

nykmedia wrote: »

Cor! He certainly gets around! :eek: I should perhaps rephrase the definition to omit the politically incorrect word previously known as 'wife', but it seemed much less harsh than [strike]xxx[/strike], err, I mean 'bed' buddy. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Have been thinking about this today. I was good enough for all the rest but not good enough for the wife bit. That would have meant letting me have his name and half of his assets. :mad: You might understand why I will never put another engagement ring on my finger unless the wedding date and place has been all set.

Ok, moving on as I got the highest value asset of all: DD :T who wants pasta so off I go to cook it with her.

sophiesmum_2

Been and picked today's harvest from the garden, lots more cherry tomatoes, more green tomatoes for chutney making, more lovely blackberries and my first few runner beans:D





The runner beans don't look very big in the pic but are about 8 inches long:D

I have chutney simmering in the kitchen, and in a minute will be making a blackberry pie for the freezer. Nyk cooking is my relaxation, I really enjoy it, but I will be making time later to go for a swim etc.

Whitewing - have a lovely weddingmoon, we will all be thinking about you on 8/8/8 - doesn't get much luckier than that:D

DdraigGoch

What a lovely attitude, Marru - well done!

DG
ps I agree, I lost mine, apparently, due to "bad housekeeping" and "stubbornness" -- fair enough, but then that's how I was when he fell for me!!! Luckily my new and vastly improved DH is well aware of my "shortcomings" ROTFL