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

sophiesmum_2

cw18 wrote: »

rent wouldn't normally be included -- so if the utilities are in your rent, then I'd say to ignore those too.

debt payments also aren't included, so the loan and credit card are ignored.

cars are/aren't included, depending on whether you need it to get to/from work or just for leisure. as I no longer work (and didn't use it to get to/from work anyway) I'd have included mine even if it wasn't doing an "all-in" version of the challenge

This is what I do, OH 's car is exempt from the challenge as he needs it for work but all the costs of mine are included in challenge as I could do without it. I don't include petrol costs though as these are covered by expenses for the times I use it for oldies.

sophiesmum_2

Penny2myName wrote: »

Hi Jenny
As you utilities are a fixed amount that you cant cut back on, you can always class your petrol as am 'energy' source if you want. Sure there is someone else that doesn't pay utilities too, But you are correct in the fact its about cutting down on day to day living expenses which we are in control off. Such as taking a pack up to work instead of eating out etc (we still need to eat one way or another)
Guess the other way is to calculate how much goes to your parent's for utilities, and subtract that from your equation, then just stick to food and other basic daily stuff. Debt repayments are NOT added into the £4k by most of us. After all, many of us are doing this so we can over pay on our debts.

Penny

I don't pay utilities as mine come as part of salary pakage along with flat:D
This year I added cash to my sealed pot in lieu of electricity costs out of my challenge money which is why I ended up with over £1000 in there:j

JennyBee_2

Thanks cw18 and Penny As I'll be on maternity leave from Christmas Eve, my car won't be used for going to work, but OH's will still be going to and from work each day. We don't really have any other work expenses as we take either sandwiches or homemade soup for lunch anyway and if we have to go anywhere then it gets claimed back. If I can stick to my 'challenge' spreadsheet that I've done it'll save us £1100 a year so just over £90 a month which would be nice. If it doesn't quite fit in with how this challenge is run then I shall just keep quiet and read everyone elses posts for motivation

JennyBee_2

nyk & sophiesmum... thanks!

I'm already on the grocery challenge although I fell off the wagon for the second half of the year. December is my first month back on it properly

I'm all fired up for this moneysaving thing next year...anything that means I can stay at home longer without having to go back to work!!

MRSMCAWBER

Hi Jenny

I can get myself in trouble - all by myself
I have PM'd you the link to the site where we can swap details
I must remember to think what site I'm on in future

1274

nykmedia wrote: »

If your name isn't on the following list, please pm me so I can get it added. Thanks

1. 1274

oooh get me, I'm number 1. AND with the biggest budget of everyone I bet, £16K all-in:eek: . I can still say I'm a member of the £4K challenge though, except mine is per quarter!!!:rotfl:

Frugaldom

cw18 wrote: »

Wow!! Almost 200 of us !!!!


If/when we get more join in are you just going to add them to the bottom, or might our numbers change again before the new thread starts up? (Just wondering whether I can add mine to my signature now or not )

I wasn't going to bother with the numbers for 2009, as I have a feeling we have many more lurkers still to come out and join us in next year's fun. It's easiest dealing with the list in alphabetical order when checking for names etc, so I have never included a challenger number in my signature, just the 'Live on 4k' part.

It is getting exciting seeing all the days ticking away! I'm struggling with my budget (and my signature), I am wanting to count everything in but it just won't all fit! :rotfl: For my budget, I'm going to include everything except DD's wedding (savings set aside for that), rent and council tax. I'll be trying to neutralise as much of my spending as possible, using 'free money' from wherever I can get it.

For anyone who also does the Interest Beater and/or the £1000 in 100 Days challenge, I'll still be continuing with them next year, too

JennyBee_2

Will definitely be in for the £1000 in 100 days challenge when it restarts in the new year too

Frugaldom

Well, this is what I have come up with, so far, and I can't seem to work anything else into it without having to cut back on essential stuff, like heating and eating, which account for almost 60% of my entire budget! :eek: But that is still for 3 of us plus visits from friends or family who come to stay. We do not live a luxury lifestyle, can you tell?

Contents Insurance - £47.50
TV Licence - £139.50
Electricity - £1000
Coal - £110
Logs - £160
Telephone & mobile - £200
Internet - £240
Groceries (Foodstuff) - £1000
Groceries (Toiletries, cleaning & laundry products) - £100
Entertainment - £100
Gifts - £400
NTS Membership - £78
Life Assurance Bond - £180
Travel - £100
Everything Else - £145

Total budget = £4,000

sophiesmum_2

Just been browsing through my River Cottage cookbook, it's really good, lots of info about growing veggies, herbs etc and smallholding matters along with recipes and stuff for foraged goodies.Think it will be one I will be dipping in and out of a lot:D would make a good buy/pressie for frunchkins about to grow their own etc - especially if you also use the £5 voucher up for grabs:D Best £5 i hve spent in a while;)