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

redglass_2

Belated birthday wishes, SL! :bdaycake:

CW - your DS's college careers adviser should give be able to give you info on loans, etc. I work in a college and our advisers do talks for students and also an evening for parents, with a presentation and FAQs. Even though your DS isn't starting uni yet, they can probably help.

Sophiesmum and others: thanks, I did google Sw**po. Very interesting reading!

Penny2myName

I have gone bust.:o:mad::o After finally adding in this weeks spends to spending dairy and looking at this month's total so far, I am already -£260.90 That is after I ended up adding my child benefit to my £4k.
Ah well roll on next year, and hopefully the bulk buys I have been doing last few weeks (not added to spending diary yet as its all stuff for next year) will help me to keep within my designated budget next year.
Will do full break of my negative budget at end of month/year.:o

Masomnia

Cheryl,

Good on your son for deciding he wants to go to uni, I truly hope he makes it, best year of my life so far.

Have you tried here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/educationandlearning/universityandhighereducation/studentfinance/index.htm

Aimed at 09/10 uni-goers but should give you some idea of what's on offer. It's all very confusing if you're not used to it, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have about it, and if I miss it on here don't hesitate to PM me.

All the best!

cw18

Thanks to all for the pointers, and offers of guidance, over Uni costs. Will read through the various articles over the next week or so - and will see just how depressed it makes me :rolleyes2

I know that if it came down to it my parents would help out as much as possible, but a lot of their money is tied up in the stock market (that's how they inherited it) so can only assume the value of it has been dropped somewhat I'd hate to leave them short......

Looks like yet another reason for me to get my @rse in gear and clear the house so I can get registered as a childminder (and get more money coming in) -- though I'm sure I'll also find that works against some of the things he could possible qualify for

carolbee

sophiesmum wrote: »

I always wanted to get sent to boarding school after reading those books, and I asked every xmas for a trunk and a tuckbox:rotfl: I never got one:p

now I know I belong here, I always wanted to go to boarding school. there was a convent with boarders in our town, about 10 minutes walk away and I used to want to go there. I think it was the tuckbox.

I have loads of the Enid Blyton books, could never bring myself to part with them, in fact they live on the bookshelf here in the living room.

what larks girls, anyone for a pillow fight before Matron comes?

sophiesmum_2

Good morning frunchkins:D

Cooking brunch for oldies this lunchtime, then this evening we have the local guides coming to put on a xmas play and sing some carols. Lots of mince pies at that one:rolleyes:
However i have decided that I am quite roly poly shaped enough so no more mince pies etc for me this year, started cutting down this morning not a good time of year to try and get smaller but I figure is better cutting stuff out now than trying to lose the extra weight after the festive frenzy. I just need to try and apply the determination I hve with other things to shifting the weight
Anyway now I have declared on here i will have to get on with it:eek:

Have a good day everyone.

FrankieM

Hi All,
I've been looking over my budget for next year and thought I would post it up in preparation for the new thread in the next couple of days..
I'm not doing specified amounts for areas but rather a lump sum amount that I have to make last.

Things I'm not adding:
Mortgage
Council tax
Water rates
Gas & electric DH works from home and currently has various servers here which makes our electricity consumption huge. He is supposed to be sorting those out and if he does then I will add it but its just too stressful at the moment!
Broadband/ home phone These are covered by DH's expenses
Children & DH's pocketmoney DH's covered by expenses, children's is their allowance
Mortgage protection Insurance
TV License We don't have a tv
Anything to do with DH's car Again covered by expenses

So, things I'm adding are:
Food
Clothes
Presents
Holidays
Fuel
My mobile phone
My car

My budgeted amount for the above is £9780 for the year but using this challenge of £4000 and child benefit my new amount is £7099.20

It's quite a difference and I'm not sure how I'm going to manage. I also realise that there are quite a few things I'm not adding but I figure I can always tweak as I go or just wait till the next challenge to change how I do it.
It feels do able with how I've done it and I've got to start somewhere..!

If you think I've left anything out then let me know. I couldn't think of anything else.

cw18

Most people don't include holidays, as they're a luxury that could be given up if the crunch really hit -- that might help your figures match up a bit better

shaz_mum_of__2

Cheryl

You can do a prediction of entitlement here(this year)

http://www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk/portal/page?_pageid=53,1259548&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

It is accurate ........................well mine was

Sophiesmum WE have the same kitchen tiles as you


Shaz

Janey51

Penny2myName wrote: »

I have gone bust.:o:mad::o After finally adding in this weeks spends to spending dairy and looking at this month's total so far, I am already -£260.90 That is after I ended up adding my child benefit to my £4k.
Ah well roll on next year, and hopefully the bulk buys I have been doing last few weeks (not added to spending diary yet as its all stuff for next year) will help me to keep within my designated budget next year.
Will do full break of my negative budget at end of month/year.:o

:rotfl: :rotfl:
Join the club!
Now, write 1000 times
I will do better next year
I will do better next year