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

Skint_Lynne

Penny2myName wrote: »

Well just been to boots for their final Christmas Shopping Evening, and spent £73.54 on shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste:o. Made a saving of £42.10:j and collected 1292pts. 292 for costs and 1000 for spending over £50 on a CSE. Anyhow the money will be deducted from next years budget, as That is what I was buying for. But wanted to get the Head & Shoulders 400ml whilst at 2 for £5.

Just got soap and toilet paper to bulk buy in for next year now and then that's the basic toiletries sorted for 2009.

Wishing you and your boys strength and lots of hugs for tomorrow CW.

Penny,

It's £5 for 24 charmin toilet rolls in A*da just now, so that is around 20p per roll I think. I just got 3 of them tonight, and might get more. I've already got some costco rolls in stock, but thought that was a good deal. DH is a bog roll monster, so I always need plenty of it in anyway.:D

Skint_Lynne

I've just had a thought actually,

I have started to stockpile as you all know and have a nice supply of shower gel, bubble bath, toilet rolls, coffee, tea bags etc. I will need to hide some of this stuff from my DH, he will steal it and take it back to his work if he is going to be in the UK next year. How frugal am I getting!!:D

redglass_2

Hugs to (((((((all those people out there who need them))))))).

(ahem) I think Tufty might be older than you might imagine - I have a feeling we had the Tufty Club at school and I'm nearly 53. Those squirrels are very longlived!

Have no idea why the font has got so big - it was normal size on the preview!

purplevamp

Haven't been around for a few days, but just want to say...

cw - will be thinking of you and your family tomorrow. xxx

candygirl

Hi everyone.Due to being unemployed for the first time ever, I am quite keen on joining the challenge.What does the 4k cover?I've looked and can't see the rules, but might be having a blonder than usual moment:rotfl: :rotfl:

cw18

** Warning ** Long post alert :eek:


[FONT=&quot]I’ve been re-working my budget for 2009, and this is how it currently stands on an “all in basis” which I think is going to work best for me......[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Council Tax - £1000.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – I’ve included actual payment for January, and 9 out of 10 payments from April (the ones that fall in 2009) after allowing for an increase of just over 5% on last years full figure. This is after my 25% single person discount[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Water - £350.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – This is a total “guesstimate” as we’re on a meter. Last month I reckoned I knew pretty much where we’d be with this for 2009, but with one less permanent resident and with my GDs spending more time here (especially the elder one from after the Christmas holidays) I’m no longer as confident. So I’ve based this on it going down by more than it goes up, but not by reducing it by a third as a starting point.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gas and Electricity - £720.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] - budget set at payment level I negotiated last week.
Central Heating cover - £210.00 – This allows for a small increase against 2008, as it’s due for renewal in May.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bldgs & Contents insurance - £ 350.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] - budget set as renewal quote for Dec 2008 plus a few quid.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Phone line rental - £126.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] - based on current. see b/band for potential savings
Phone calls - £60.00 - based on last 12 months. see b/band for potential savings
Broadband - £239.88 - based on current. On minimum term contract until Jan/Feb, at which point I'm going to shop around for the last three items and compare packages against individuals.
TV Licence - £143.16 - part of the year is paying for the 2009-10 licence and part for 2010-2011, so this is what I expect to go out of my bank rather than a single licence fee.
Mobile phone contract - £348.13 - I think I'm right in calculating the figure to the end of my minimum term (August), at which point this will be going and I will be running a PAYG at approx £10 every 3 months.
15 year savings plan - £40.00 - I think there’s two premiums left before it pays out[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Endowment policy - £345.60[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] - No longer needed for mortgage, so has now become a savings vehicle.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Groceries (incl cleaning & personal hygiene) - £1440.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] - budget set using a total “guesstimate” of a monthly average figure of £100 for food (for myself and younger son - apart from lunches he buys from his EMA a couple of days/week during term time), and £10 for everything else. I’ve then added in £80 to cover 24 lunches for younger GD (one day/week, term time only until Summer hols), 3 snack teas for both GDs for 17 weeks of same 24 (not when DD is on early shifts) and 2 snack teas/week for just elder GD for the same 17 weeks (total of 160 meals). No idea how much elder DS is likely to be home on leave during the year, but the remaining £40 will either have to make the budget stretch to that as well – or he’ll have to cough up something while he’s home!!!
Car Insurance - £300.00 – Closest I care to “guesstimate”, as not due until July. Will hopefully be lower as current costing includes a charge for paying over a year (and I haven’t knocked off the cashback I got either)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]MOT - £45[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – Last MOT cost, so will probably go up![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Road Tax - £115.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – As best I can tell this will be my renewal cost next time around[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Servicing - £117.50[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – Cost of last service in July, so another that will probably come in higher[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Petrol - £470.59[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – Based on £1 per litre average over year (so hopefully some scope for a saving here), doing 4,000 miles a year (may come in fractionally under) at 9 miles/litre (normally a touch over that)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Window Cleaner - £104.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – Have costed at £4 a time. I’m currently paying £3.80, but they’ve not raised the cost on me since early last year (someone else I think has been very good to us due to our problems since mid 2006).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dog Food - £440.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – Have based this on having to put the larger dog back onto the dearer foods. We’re having some “issues” with him at the moment which just may be down to having taken him of a hypo-allergenic diet in an attempt to save money.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Boosters / Drontal / Frontline - £140[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] – This is a couple of quid up on what I’ve paid in 2008, but I anticipate it coming in slightly above this!!![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
These give a total of £7104.86 (if I’ve done my sums right)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Anything else - £895.14 - this has to cover dental costs, prescriptions, clothes and shoes for me and DS (though he’ll probably buy most for college from his EMA as he’s good with money like that), presents (potentially birthday and Christmas for 13 people, all close family and including my three 'darlings' and 2 GDs! Will make things where I can though), plus increases in bills I can't cover by reductions or cash-back offers on others.

So my overall total is £8,000 - which is £7,020 + £980 child benefit[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
But I still have nothing built in to the budget for unexpected house/car repairs or vets bills !!!![/FONT]

I've decided that any cash-backs I get will be deducted from the cost of whatever it was (unless it's one of the 'no purchase' ones!). Anything else -- including vouchers from Mr T and 'share of profits' from c00p, vouchers for getting quotes etc on-line, payments for surveys, or anything I can claw back from the free daily scratchcard(s) -- can be used for treats. If I use them for something that's within budget (eg. the MnS vouchers I've had have bought me some jeans I was in need of), then I'll take the same amount of that budget and use the cash for "fun" unless my "anything else" is in dire need of a top-up (in which case I'll add the value to that part of my budget!).


[FONT=&quot]Have also just done a very rough calculation of what I might have coming in as regular income other than CB (Dependant Parents Allowance, Occupational Pension and Child Tax Credits, though it will be a while until I have total confirmation on these – and April before I can confirm the CTC guess), and have to say that -- after thinking my above total looked horribly high for just 2 of us – I’m totally shocked to discover that (if I’m anywhere close with my “guesstimate” of income) I’ll still be left with around £235/month for “fun” purchases/expenses or “the unexpected” or “things I want doing round the house” – and that’s without having to touch the capital left after paying off debts or even the interest I can get on it !!! So quite a lot of scope for being wrong with my calculations, though I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'm pretty close :rolleyes:
[/FONT]

cw18

candygirl wrote: »

Hi everyone.Due to being unemployed for the first time ever, I am quite keen on joining the challenge.What does the 4k cover?I've looked and can't see the rules, but might be having a blonder than usual moment:rotfl: :rotfl:

Nyk's original list of what she included is here

looby-loo_2

Hello everyone, I haven't posted for a while but I have kept reading. Sorry to read all the bad news. It makes me realise how lucky I am to have my DH around. He had cancer at late stage 3 two yeas ago and so far all is well. A lot of luck as well as fantastic treatment was on his side. He certainly makes to most of life now, finished work and concentrates on his hobbies whilst I am at work. Two more years and I will stop working full time as we never know what's round the corner and he's 10 years older than me.

My son has just got himself his first job at a place I got a job at over thirty years ago. (But in a different department.) The difference is that my mum said it was too far away from home and wouldn't let me go. She found me a 'nice little job locally'. I'm wishing my son all the best and my mum is still questioning why he is going so far away. I am so [STRIKE]jealous[/STRIKE]happy for him.

On a frugal note I have been busy making jam and chutney. I've cross stitched 5 special Christmas cards from off cuts left over from previous projects. I've done these for the same people in the past and they frame them and put them out each year - I should have kept a better record of who had each design:rolleyes:

I did lots of Christmas shopping at M&S using 241 and 20% off so the bill was less than 1/2 price and all done in one trip so saved on petrol. All wrapped and ready to go. Oh, and I used M&S vouchers which I had exchanged for over a years worth of Goldfish points so in fact I only paid 40p for over £120 of goodies.

I managed to keep budget records until 3rd July when I lost the plot. I can work out what we have spent and saved this year, but not how much wasn't 'frugal'. I'm going to try again next year as I want to know how much we need to live on in retirement so when I got part time I'll realistically know how much I need to earn.

candygirl

cw18 wrote: »

Nyk's original list of what she included is here

Thanks hun, and ((hugs)) to you at the moment too:A
I will join the challenge but just need to finalise my benefit entitlements in the next couple of weeks, then i'll be back.I need something to help me stay solvent:D

Paulgonnabedebtfree

cw18 wrote: »

** Warning ** Long post alert :eek:


[FONT=&quot]I’ve been re-working my budget for 2009, and this is how it currently stands on an “all in basis” which I think is going to work best for me......[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Council Tax - £1000.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– I’ve included actual payment for January, and 9 out of 10 payments from April (the ones that fall in 2009) after allowing for an increase of just over 5% on last years full figure. This is after my 25% single person discount[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Water - £350.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– This is a total “guesstimate” as we’re on a meter. Last month I reckoned I knew pretty much where we’d be with this for 2009, but with one less permanent resident and with my GDs spending more time here (especially the elder one from after the Christmas holidays) I’m no longer as confident. So I’ve based this on it going down by more than it goes up, but not by reducing it by a third as a starting point.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gas and Electricity - £720.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]- budget set at payment level I negotiated last week.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Central Heating cover - £210.00 – This allows for a small increase against 2008, as it’s due for renewal in May.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bldgs & Contents insurance - £ 350.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]- budget set as renewal quote for Dec 2008 plus a few quid.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Phone line rental - £126.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]- based on current. see b/band for potential savings[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Phone calls - £60.00 - based on last 12 months. see b/band for potential savings[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Broadband - £239.88 - based on current. On minimum term contract until Jan/Feb, at which point I'm going to shop around for the last three items and compare packages against individuals.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]TV Licence - £143.16 - part of the year is paying for the 2009-10 licence and part for 2010-2011, so this is what I expect to go out of my bank rather than a single licence fee.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mobile phone contract - £348.13 - I think I'm right in calculating the figure to the end of my minimum term (August), at which point this will be going and I will be running a PAYG at approx £10 every 3 months.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]15 year savings plan - £40.00 - I think there’s two premiums left before it pays out[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Endowment policy - £345.60[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]- No longer needed for mortgage, so has now become a savings vehicle.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Groceries (incl cleaning & personal hygiene) - £1440.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]- budget set using a total “guesstimate” of a monthly average figure of £100 for food (for myself and younger son - apart from lunches he buys from his EMA a couple of days/week during term time), and £10 for everything else. I’ve then added in £80 to cover 24 lunches for younger GD (one day/week, term time only until Summer hols), 3 snack teas for both GDs for 17 weeks of same 24 (not when DD is on early shifts) and 2 snack teas/week for just elder GD for the same 17 weeks (total of 160 meals). No idea how much elder DS is likely to be home on leave during the year, but the remaining £40 will either have to make the budget stretch to that as well – or he’ll have to cough up something while he’s home!!![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Car Insurance - £300.00 – Closest I care to “guesstimate”, as not due until July. Will hopefully be lower as current costing includes a charge for paying over a year (and I haven’t knocked off the cashback I got either)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]MOT - £45[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– Last MOT cost, so will probably go up![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Road Tax - £115.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– As best I can tell this will be my renewal cost next time around[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Servicing - £117.50[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– Cost of last service in July, so another that will probably come in higher[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Petrol - £470.59[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– Based on £1 per litre average over year (so hopefully some scope for a saving here), doing 4,000 miles a year (may come in fractionally under) at 9 miles/litre (normally a touch over that)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Window Cleaner - £104.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– Have costed at £4 a time. I’m currently paying £3.80, but they’ve not raised the cost on me since early last year (someone else I think has been very good to us due to our problems since mid 2006).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dog Food - £440.00[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– Have based this on having to put the larger dog back onto the dearer foods. We’re having some “issues” with him at the moment which just may be down to having taken him of a hypo-allergenic diet in an attempt to save money.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Boosters / Drontal / Frontline - £140[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]– This is a couple of quid up on what I’ve paid in 2008, but I anticipate it coming in slightly above this!!![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]These give a total of £7104.86 (if I’ve done my sums right)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Anything else - £895.14 - this has to cover dental costs, prescriptions, clothes and shoes for me and DS (though he’ll probably buy most for college from his EMA as he’s good with money like that), presents (potentially birthday and Christmas for 13 people, all close family and including my three 'darlings' and 2 GDs! Will make things where I can though), plus increases in bills I can't cover by reductions or cash-back offers on others.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]So my overall total is £8,000 - which is £7,020 + £980 child benefit[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]But I still have nothing built in to the budget for unexpected house/car repairs or vets bills !!!![/FONT]

I've decided that any cash-backs I get will be deducted from the cost of whatever it was (unless it's one of the 'no purchase' ones!). Anything else -- including vouchers from Mr T and 'share of profits' from c00p, vouchers for getting quotes etc on-line, payments for surveys, or anything I can claw back from the free daily scratchcard(s) -- can be used for treats. If I use them for something that's within budget (eg. the MnS vouchers I've had have bought me some jeans I was in need of), then I'll take the same amount of that budget and use the cash for "fun" unless my "anything else" is in dire need of a top-up (in which case I'll add the value to that part of my budget!).


[FONT=&quot]Have also just done a very rough calculation of what I might have coming in as regular income other than CB (Dependant Parents Allowance, Occupational Pension and Child Tax Credits, though it will be a while until I have total confirmation on these – and April before I can confirm the CTC guess), and have to say that -- after thinking my above total looked horribly high for just 2 of us – I’m totally shocked to discover that (if I’m anywhere close with my “guesstimate” of income) I’ll still be left with around £235/month for “fun” purchases/expenses or “the unexpected” or “things I want doing round the house” – and that’s without having to touch the capital left after paying off debts or even the interest I can get on it !!! So quite a lot of scope for being wrong with my calculations, though I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'm pretty close :rolleyes:[/FONT]

I'm astonished that you are paying as little as £3.80 to have your windows cleaned - though I see you are in the frozen North and pricing often seems to be regional. I'm in the Southast and have had a £10 minimum charge for new work for a couple of years now. You may be able to save money on that. The two weekly service that you currently have is fairly unusual nationally speaking. It seems to be a Northern thing. I'm told that it dates from when a lot more of the heavy , dirty industry was n the North and that the pollution made two weekly necessary. Nationally, it is much more normal to have a less frequent service. Normally, monthly is the minimum gap and on my round, I provide a six weekly service - though I do stretch to 12 weekly on much larger jobs. Maybe ask your window cleaner about going 4 weekly and save £52 a year but don't be surprised if he ups the price a bit to partially compensate.