Live on £4000 for a year - part 4 (Oct - Dec 2008)

Penny2myName

Checking a rough budget for next year going from this years and allowing for slight increases (taken totals from this year so far, % by 10 x 12) and my run down for next year is roughly as follows.

405.00 School
222.00 Animals
534.00 Gas
365.00 Electric
405.00 Water
141.00 Tv (anyone know what next years tv licence costs yet?)
154.00 Phone (BT for another 7 months)
221.00 Broadband and phone (cable)
124.00 Toiletries
40.00 Baking
1080.00 Food
60.00 Cleaning
48.00 Treats for 4 of us
201.00 Other/Gifts/Household.

Have kept savings and college costs out, though debating removing the school costs and including the savings. What do you think?

pennib

NYK sorry to hear about your housing dilema. We have moved twice in the last 17 years and we got both houses through word of mouth. My hubs told everyone we knew (and even those we didnt particularly) that we were looking for a property, they in turn told their contacts and that's how we got our present house. It was never on the market, the owners were wondering what to do with it (holiday home/renting) and they heard about us and phoned and here we are today !

What about an ad in local shops/newspaper etc? Some of my family had to go through estate agents and its horrible the amount they charge folk. We did have to pay a month upfront but that is normal.

Frugaldom

Mumzy, I'll leave that up to your imagination.

Penny2myname, are you going to include gift shopping, insurance, socialising, entertainment, travel etc? I'll get a list drawn up of what we are hoping to include (assuming I get the full backing of everyone else in this household :rolleyes: ). I want to be realistic about it and start off as if I have the money in the bank so I simply deduct each of the spends over the space of the year.

Marru, I have to admit that if I lived somewhere that I was allowed to keep pets then I'd probably need to work nights to pay the upkeep. Once I start, I don't know when to stop, even when it gets to the bigger stuff like ponies and horses! Hope you have a relaxing weekend

Tonight, I baked a tray of cookies whilst oven was on for dinner and they got the thumbs up all round. Rather than use oats, as per the Twinks recipe, I used Mr T's saver muesli (29p per box) topped up with extra oats, wholemeal flour and sultanas... delicious with a cuppa!

The dehumidifier seems to be doing it's job well on the ground floor, that's almost every day that it has had to be emptied! If anyone decides to go down this route and is also on metered water, what comes out the dehumidifier seems fine for the plants, no ill effects so far. It would be a small saving had we been metered. It's all good practice for my self-sufficientish life in the future.

Penny2myName

No idea why I forgot the insurance, entertainment and socialising are rare and far between, so no way to even guess that one, and gift shopping comes under this £201.00 Other/Gifts/Household.

Frugaldom

pennib wrote: »

NYK sorry to hear about your housing dilema. We have moved twice in the last 17 years and we got both houses through word of mouth. My hubs told everyone we knew (and even those we didnt particularly) that we were looking for a property, they in turn told their contacts and that's how we got our present house. It was never on the market, the owners were wondering what to do with it (holiday home/renting) and they heard about us and phoned and here we are today !

What about an ad in local shops/newspaper etc? Some of my family had to go through estate agents and its horrible the amount they charge folk. We did have to pay a month upfront but that is normal.

Hi Pennib, how are you doing? I'm quite well versed in the housemoving / private rent market 'nightmare', as this is my eighth address since 2001 after 3 major relocations ranging between Aberdeenshire and East Anglia. Long story, probably not one for on here but, suffice to say, we have been looking for something else since about April and it's getting closer and closer to winter and we are no further forward. Last one we applied for we even offered to pay 6 months' rent up front but we still didn't get as far as their checking any of our references. I guess they just wanted someone with fulltime employment in a 9 to 5 job rather than self-employed. :rolleyes:

pennib

My hubs is self-employed as well, we didnt have a problem with the owners, probably because our house is private and not through an agency. Also we were recommended thru a friend of a friend etc. I hope that you find somewhere soon it can be very stressful when your not settled.

looby-loo_2

Good evening
Marru - guinea pigs are addictive aren't they? My friend used to keep broody chickens in runs but after moving house she no longer has them. Last weekend she gave me three runs and a hutch. Today someone asked me if I had space for an unwanted pair. So I will have 5 too - three girls and two boys.

I have had a quite depressing week at school. I've been attending planning meetings for various students with behavoural difficulties to arrange the support we can put into place at school and at home. Lots of different agencies involved all doing what they can but it seems it is never enough and can be totally frustrating and dishartening. Altogether I attended meetings for 12 children, 10 of them living in single parent homes. It's so sad. So many of them are damaged in so many ways but I can honestly say that all the mums and dads are trying their best but are struggling and are often at the end of their teather with worry about being able to manage the situation. It sometimes seems that the little we do at school counts for nothing when these children face such a terrible home life, yet of course we have to try.
Sorry to be so depressing

Janey51

lilac_lady wrote: »

Ist October and I feel renewed regarding saving instead of spending. I'd like to know the one best tip you have learned from posting in the past 9 months

I have started using the spendingdiary online tool and it's amazing to see how the budget is spread out.
Biggest problem for me is trying to think of a "catch-all" title for each section or my chart is illegible.

Janey51

A very good early morning fellow frugalistas

I am not a very happy bunny at the moment I'm afraid.
My Mum is really struggling to settle into the Residential Home. The staff are lovely but it's all to much for Mum at the moment and she is dreadfully confused.
I am finding it very upsetting but the staff assure me she will be fine.

Frugally....when I arrive at the home, I am offered tea or coffee and it comes on a tray with biscuits :T I have to say they are really nice biscuits...3 different kinds.
And I get to use their toilets:j

Emptying Mum's cupboards has given me enough cleaning stuff to last me for the rest of next year

I will have to try and sort out my budget this week as I have loads of receipts but have not had time to sort them out.
I did make an effort to make a shopping list on Sept 30 for the whole of October and went to Mr T's before visiting Mum so I made good use of the car. I spent £95 but that included 4 bottles of wine because so many people keep asking me to eat with them I need to take a gift of some kind
I also filled the car at Mr T's because fuel is 6p/L cheaper there. And, of course, I got my points.
I have bought Mr T own brand cat biscuits for the 3 moggies to see if I can save there but it's not looking good at the moment. There's a lot of flicking tails, dirty looks and backs being turned :rotfl:
I have used the last of DH's Mr T Clubcard points to pay for a magazine subscription with Tesco deals for a Christmas present.

I have just realised that all the Christmas presents I carefully wrapped before DH died will need to be re-labelled to reflect him not being here

So, I am trying to carry on but life seems pretty empty at the moment.
Lots of money to save but am struggling to find a reason at the moment.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Skint_Lynne

Janey,

I am sure that your mum will settle down when she gets used to her new surroundings. Things will get better very soon, I'm sure of that. I am having a real run of bad luck myself just now, but we will both need to be optimistic and wait on it passing.

Have a great day, hope it's not too wet where you are, it is pouring down here!!

SL x