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

sophiesmum_2

Skint_Lynne wrote: »

Sophiesmum, how do you top up DS's phone, online or instore? I can't see anything for it online, can you tell me how to find the link?

Thanks very much, xx

You have to do it instore SL just ask at checkouts, handy for extra points if you will be near store anyway. DS tops up about £40 month so 160 points for me for free:D His GF is currently in Dubai on holiday for a month so he is going through more top ups than usual at moment;)

Boots have recently started doing points for recycling phones and certain printer cartridges too, so something else to bear in mind with that. My kids go through phones like nobody's business so might be some old ones up for grabs soon

Edited to add OH just gave me an old u600 - checked out boots but only 1245 points for recycling with them, mazuma mobile best bet so far at £28.00 plus £1.50 through quidco --- £29.50 free money not bad that will be going into sealed pot when it arrives, or adding into my everything else budget for 09 .

grandma247

Just got a couple of mins on here
Nykmedia I have nothing to compare my readings with as they are no longer putting any readings on the statement just how many units I have used over the year. That is why I feel they think they can do what they like as far as charges go.

Frugaldom

grandma247 wrote: »

Just got a couple of mins on here
Nykmedia I have nothing to compare my readings with as they are no longer putting any readings on the statement just how many units I have used over the year. That is why I feel they think they can do what they like as far as charges go.

Hello again I meant input the figures to the i-measure site so you can compare your gas useage with everyone else on there, it just means reading your meter every week ro see how many units get used. I usually add mine to the site on Monday mornings but have a spreadsheet (I know :rolleyes: ) that I fill in every morning.

bails

Hi everyone, thanks for the well wishes, I am not really bad though, just a bad cold - I've done really well to be so 'well' for so long Hopefully a good night's sleep will help enormously (as will not being cold - every part of OH's parents' house is baking except his bedroom which has no heating at all and is in the roof - body didn't like that :eek:)
I caught up with the whole thread, writing down notes to remind myself what I wanted to reply to...and left it on the desk in Brighton :rolleyes: So sorry I won't remember everything. I'm glad to hear everyone seems to have had a good Christmas overall; I hope it wasn't too painful for those with lost loved ones :grouphug:

Thanks for the advice about the parttime/childcare balance chamichelle - of course I won't really know what I can manage til I get there but I really hope to be able to have some kind of balance with both, as I don't think I could bear to spend loads more time at home not working. I reassured myself by having another chat with OH about it all tonight and we're singing from the same hymnsheet (and I checked he'd be chipping in with everything ).

I'm enjoying all the resolutions for next year; have of course been thinking about mine too, sill refining them
Darn, there was so much more to say and it's gone! OOH, orchard pack sounds fab Nyk, and thanks for reminding me I need to replace our plum tree this year so ee can hpefully have fruit from it next year. I'm getting quite jealous of all the gardening plans - I'm still going to do a few things though. Sophiesmum, we eat lots of sprouts here, we just mix up mungbeans, sunflower seeds, aduki beans and pumpkin seeds, whatever really and they're ready in 3 or 4 days; yum! I love the sunflower planting idea too, OH doesn't think the yield would be very high though
Thanks again for the extra mortgage info, very helpful. One point - I won't be earning any rental, in that it's my dad's house (and therefore mortgage, although I feel responsible for it due to circumstances) so he'll be renting it out, as he does to us. Still not made a decision as need to redo my finances properly but looking like interest only with overpayments is the sensible option (I hate sensible sometimes )

Whitewing, I hope your family problems are sorted in the long run and is worth the current situation. Keep smiling hun, you've always got us x

Lynda and Andromache, I hope your nans get well soon x

I'm ready for the challenge mentally Nyk, I'm just struggling to get my figures sorted in time. I'll be working it on the first 7 months (ie UK spends) and then will work out a second budget once we have firm plans. Just need to get Budget 1's numbers done

Marru

Good evening all,

I have been spending evening with BBC catchup. DD is still out with her dad :eek:. I hope they are ok. I will have one very tired girl here soon.

Bails - as soon as you have your headings for your budget send them over and I can start working on the spreadsheet.

Off to continue watching SCD Christmas special that I missed this week, I don't want to start my supper as it is sod's law that as soon as I get my first forkful they will turn up and I need to go and get the child seat back to my car...

grandma247

Thanks I thought you had to maybe had to input an actual previous reading to get started but I havent actually looked at it yet so will do that maybe tomorrow. Short on time till Thursday as GD1 staying till then as nursery shut and mum lives too far to come very day.

bails

Thanks so much Marru, I've made a list so will dig it out in the morning. Enjoy SCD, I wasn't allowed to watch it :rolleyes:

I knew there was something else...Taka, I was so pleased to see your Christmas was a success and to hear how happy you were with your decluttering :T I hope you can finish the bedroom before work starts, what a fab start to the year indeed!

sophiesmum_2

Good morning frunchkins:D
Enjoying not having to go into work, need to free some time up today to get to gym for swim and jacuzzi, been so busy last few weeks have hardly been:o
Ordered a sprouter, and book online last night so another £25 to come off 2008 budget, 2 more days to blow the last £25+;) . I know I could just do it with empty jars etc but I m a bit of a neat freak in my kitchen and I know this would end up getting on my nerves and being discarded so have gone for proper option which will then get used.
Bails - re aduki beans - do you just soak the ones from supermarket? I have piles in stock, also sunflower,chickpeas etc - have you sprouted lentils??? I have gone for the 4 tier sprouter to ensure I have some on hand all time once I get going;)

bails

Hiya SM, yes just the ones from the supermarket (well, Jul1an Gra@ves sale ) and we do lentils etc too. We've got the 4-tier one as well I just do them altogether though as I like the mix - my favourite lunch ever is wholemal pitta with houmous, salad and sprouts, YUM! Must get some on the go when we get back from NY.

Been working on my figures and I must say, I find it really annoying having to put in [STRIKE]some[/STRIKE] most of OH's costs too. I come up with final figures that make me go :eek: until I remind myself that I don't have to find that amount on my own :rotfl:Still, it would be much easier if either I just did my own spends or incorporated everything, but if I did the latter I would have no hope of ever sticking to a budget :rolleyes: I can't possibly include the spends I can't control, it'd drive me insane! I was reminded just how far he's come though by being at his house over Christmas - financial savviness does not exist in those four walls! And MiL is officially a snob to boot :mad: She was reading an article in the paper and commented that she thought it was incredibly sad that a woman was buying next year's presents in the sales...I pointed out that lots of people do it, and only just managed to draw the line at not telling her her darling son is doing the same, as I wanted to get out of the house in one piece! The time will come though when I'll just slip it into conversation :rotfl: She never fails to amaze me on the money front - she knows how little money we have and about the new cutbacks and still managed to ask 'Why don't you just go travelling round the world?' :eek: Cueless, I tell you, financially clueless!

Oops, mini rant escaped I had to get a few things off my chest with OH yesterday too, can't have it building up inside me now can we?

Still Poorly Land here which is not so great as we really want to get to the Lakes for NY. It's a long drive and I'm thinking we may need to train it, but aside from the extra expense it means we won't be able to pop into several people on the way back down, including my pregnant SiL who's been very ill and in hospital with it. Hmm, decisions...

Have a lovely day everyone, whatever you're up to. I'm trying to brave the new thread but as BB says, it's moving way too fast!

sophiesmum_2

Thanks bails:D Like the idea of mixing them,