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

sophiesmum_2

I think a hap is just a tarpaulin or similar covering to keep the wet out.

Janey51

Good morning from a moon washed corner of Frugal Land
It is truly beautiful out there at the moment if a little nippy.
I have just trodden on a present from one of the cats which is not recommended :eek:

I sold another book on Amazon so am about another £1.50 in profit.
I think I may have to think of a special savings plan for this money.

I am going to take a leaf out of Nyk's book and draw up an annual budget plan for next year. Things sort of took over my life this year and I have jumped on and off the wagon so many times I am dizzy.

One thing I am going to do is get pet insurance for the mogs. I did see a link elsewhere on MSE for a good value plan so I will have to find it again.

I am going to examine the contents of my freezer today...I may be some time.
And review the Christmas Present situation. I am going to make some ear warmers for my BIL because it gets very cold where they are.

Mum's Memory of the Day

Every Saturday, Mum used to have a bet on the horses. I grew up knowing about Doubles, Trebles and Round Robins.She was really good at it. She usually went for grey horses and number 7 was her favourite jockey number. Very scientific. Once, she won £400...and that was in the 70s when it was worth £400.

sophiesmum_2

Janey51 wrote: »

Mum's Memory of the Day

Every Saturday, Mum used to have a bet on the horses. I grew up knowing about Doubles, Trebles and Round Robins.She was really good at it. She usually went for grey horses and number 7 was her favourite jockey number. Very scientific. Once, she won £400...and that was in the 70s when it was worth £400.

Janey your mum sounds like such fun

One thing i have suggested to some of my oldies who have a partner with dementia - find a photo from when they were younger, one that shows them at their liveliest, having fun, getting a degree anything like that - have it framed and put in their room. It is a reminder to care staff and visitors of the person they were and can make a difference to how they see them and treat them. They weren't always a little old lady with memory issues:D :A

cw18

Just think Janey -- 10 wins like that now and you'd have all the money you need to live off for a year

Another great memory

All I won in the '70s was a box of sugar lumps!! Having done a quick Google it appears that must have been in 1974, as I know they were first prize in the raffle -- and much wanted by everyone due to a sugar shortage :eek: My brother and I would have been 6 and 8 at the time, and I remember my parents putting them on top of the top kitchen cupboards (so we couldn't reach them) and then a few times a week we got one each to crunch on (or to allow to dissolve on our tongues) like sweets

Janey51

I found a photo of Mum at her retirement do and she was a mass of smiles as she cut her cake.
Think I need the reminder myself.

bails

That's a great idea Sophiesmum; glad you found a happy photo for yourself Janey. You're building up a wonderful picture of your mum, really enjoying it!
Like you and Nyk, think I'll have a look at next year's budget as I am falling on and off so much this latter part of the year! I was meant to be wedding dress shopping today but am too poorly (thankfully, sort of ) so this sounds like a much nicer plan. Sadly I'll still have to go shopping tomorrow though, but at least it's not my money

EDIT: Nyk, I know I've asked this before but your 4k is for EVERYTHING?? I've just done my essentials, and although I know some of them are estimates, it still comes to £4140! That includes house insurance and the animals, but not a million other things that are luxuries or my 'health and wellbeing' section. Tell me you spend on other things outside the 4k...please :rotfl:

Janey51

Good news! I have just managed to cut my BT bill in half :j

Following the fire last year BT had to re-site the phone. We will get the insurance money at sometime but of course the BT computer insisted that my monthly payment should go up to £112:eek: :eek:
Every time I contacted BT to get it reduced it was a case of "The computer says no" :rolleyes:

But I checked my account online yesterday and it said I could reduce my payment to between £77 and £47. (This includes internet and I have no mobile).
So I have reduced it to £50 for now :T

Frugaldom

bails wrote: »

Nyk, I know I've asked this before but your 4k is for EVERYTHING?? I've just done my essentials, and although I know some of them are estimates, it still comes to £4140! That includes house insurance and the animals, but not a million other things that are luxuries or my 'health and wellbeing' section. Tell me you spend on other things outside the 4k...please :rotfl:

Umm... I really am that [strike]tight-fisted[/strike] frugal. I have tried for so long to save to get a secure roof over my head but everytime I start to get somewhere, 'family events' intervene and/or I need to move house. As a result, I tend to live for as little as possible whilst saving every penny for the next 'event' to take place. This year, I have spent nothing extra other than DD's engagement party (cashback savings) and doing the garden (£80 from my £2 coin savings), both documented here. The only 2 items not included in my challenge total have been 2 laptops, one each for DD and DS for their birthdays, but I had already set aside their birthday money from savings. I don't go out socialising, don't go overseas holidaying and no longer have a car, although I do borrow OH2B's when going to visit other family, as it's cheaper than public transport when trying to travel from this location northwards. In my defence, this seemingly 'boring' lifestyle also means loads of time for the garden, picnics, BBQs, trips out and exploring castles & public gardens (National Trust membership) anytime I want. I'm self employed and work my hours around whatever else I am doing, be it cooking, laundry, gardening, babysitting, visiting relatives or just gallivanting. I could NOT do any of this if I was back in fulltime employment, nor could I find fulltime employment that paid enough to mortgage a house. I almost have the 'good life', I just need to get both offspring past the age 21 mark (2010) before making a proper go of it.
But that's not to say I (or we) won't have a major splash-out when HS graduates to OH :rotfl: :beer:

PS: Insurance only £47.50 for full year, I'm guessing it's because we are rural. Cashback on insurance, if it pays out - £68. I'm guessing if it pays out that I'll be £20.50 in profit

Frugaldom

I have just had the estate agent on phone - they are coming to view THIS house next Tuesday on behalf of the owners for the purposes of LETTING! :mad: Can you believe that?!!
Anyone want to rent my current house?
It has a fab garden that you could do a lot with! :rotfl:

deedee_3

Sorry to jump in on your thread but just to let you know that Robert Llewellyn is going to be on Loose Women soon to talk about how he didn't buy anything for a year. Might be interesting to some of you.