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

Frugaldom

JAMIEDODGER wrote: »

does anyone do the free games on kingjackpot? if so how often do they come up?

I tried for one week but gave up after finding out that you cannot prebook tickets, they don't schedule long in advance and they only release one game per hour. I 'played' the first week and they 'forgot' to include the second hour's free game! I wasn't amused, so gave it up as a waste of time unless you're a diehard bingo fan who likes to spend time in the chatrooms there.

cw - what would happen if you just said 'stuff it' and paid the debts and insurances anyway?

cw18

SL - thanks for the info re: CAB. I will see if I can find a phone number to try doing it that way, but I think it's going to be easier face-to-face as we can be looking at the same figures at the same time and seeing where to go from there May try and find an alternative office instead, but don't have a clue what a law centre is or how I'd find one!!

It would be nice just to be able to come up with a workable budget that the Benefits Agency would agree to us using..... and that would also mean I could set up my budget for the 2009 challenge

Have to say that just following you lot through this is a great help though -- really gets my little grey cells working overtime looking at ideas (especially the ones to save money) and seeing if/where I can fit them into our plans as we move forward..... it's all useful information I am very grateful to you ALL for sharing

bails

Getting yourself straight with benefits is a fulltime job in itself; it took me literally ages to get my situation completely sorted. It's a real shame you haven't had great success with CAB - I had a lovely woman help me out with several problems and she couldn't have been more helpful. Perhaps you could try seeing a different person at the office and see if you have more luck?
Nyk, nooooo, I'm still not getting married - it's a dress for my brother's wedding next Friday OH keeps telling me if we keep talking about getting married then it won't be a surprise when he asks me :rotfl:

The_Shiner

thriftylass wrote: »

Hi Shiner, I'm test running the challenge at the moment too. And the way I do it is that I'm not too fixed on the 333pounds a month yet. I basically just write everything down I spent, try to be more money concious of course, and then in December look at what I've spent. Then I'll see where I could cut down and generate a bugdet for next year. The way I understand it it doesn't neccesarily have to be 4000pounds, there are people in this challenge with different amounts depending on their circumstances - mine will probably be about 4500.................................

Good stuff and thanks for posting it. I think I will try to manage with the £4000. However, by writing it all down to generate next year's budget, it should be a great help. Whatever I do, I anticipate drastically curtailing my spending. Looks like I'll be giving up the chocolate then :easter_os .

cw18

bails - I never actually got to see anyone at CAB. My DD needed some advice that I didn't feel 100% confident in helping with (I've never had to deal with child maintainance people) -- so I towed her down. The first available appt was 4 weeks down the line, and while we were there they had people turning up for appts (that they'd already waited 4-6 weeks for) who were being sent home with a new appt (in another 4 weeks) as an advisor was off. One of those being sent away mentioned that she'd never managed to see someone on the first time of trying, and she'd been waiting over 3 months for this latest one -- which got lots of rumblings from others along the lines of "and me" !!!

From what I hear locally the situation hasn't improved any/much in the last 12 months either - and I don't have the time or energy to be messed around like that.


Been doing some major checking of paperwork and small-print, and then some pretty serious number crunching -- and it appears that if I risk using the £8k that we can "keep" to pay off some debts then I can get my budget down to within benefits level -- and even to a point I have about £20/month for the bits I couldn't afford to give a budget to

This does rely on my s/sheet 'rough calcs' of "what if" scenarios on the repayments being correct -- so I guess my next job needs to be to contact some companies to see how far I'm out !! Won't be happening tomorrow as I'm in and out too much, so I'll probably leave it until Monday and start afresh with a new week

The_Shiner

nykmedia wrote: »

:eek: :eek: :eek: BAILS - WHAT HAVE I MISSED? I know my memory is bad, I'm easily confused and extremely forgetful but do you mean you were trying on wedding dresses for YOU? Have I missed a post somewhere? Or am I still mixed up and now think you were play acting an episode of 'Friends' where Monica tries the bride's dress?

Mumzy, that's great news about your mum offering to pay the debts. If you do accept, please promise to try your best not to run up any more... my DD is similar age to you and umm, I have helped with the finances several times and it gets me so upset every time she goes and does something else that gets her into more debt. (Sorry, not nagging, just concerned. Didn't you say your rent was already paid up front by your mum?) This could be an excellent time to make a huge effort to quit the ciggies, that way, at least, you can have some extra money and NO DEBTS

Brighton belle - I only count my own clothes into the 4k challenge as DS now buys his own. Thank goodness! He's does look for bargains but 'discounted' for his stuff is like £20 for a T-shirt instead of £40 or £60 for a pair of boots instead of £120.

The Shiner - private health insurance etc is not counted because it isn't something that everyone has, so that's one of your extras. I have separate mini-challenges for most of my extras, such as the Interest beater challenge, which pays for my savings bond and life assurance policy and my quit smoking fund, which is money being saved for DD's wedding. My £2 coin savings are allocated to my 'garden & livestock' fund, vouchers contribute to extra Christmas & gift shopping and cashback is for special occasions.

Life is one series of challenges and that's how I like it
I used to have a challenge for my 'racehorse fund', but don't think I'll be trying that one again, as it's too much like hard work. :rotfl:

I don't have private health insurance myself BTW. I put the wrong terminology into my post. I actually meant life/critical illness insurance and personal accident/sickness insurance - essential if self-employed. If any of my bits go wrong, I will still be relying on the good old NHS to finish me off rather than paying for the privilege .

Janey51

Morning Frugal people :wave:

It's really interesting reading through the posts each morning because it really highlights how everyone is wrestling with their own problems which are so varied.
It's nice to be able to offer advice on a subject you have already encountered or maybe look at your own situation in a different way when another MSEer posts a comment

Weather not looking too promising today. I am having a quiet day today and I think I will start getting things ready to list on Ebay at the weekend.
All of my items on at the moment have bidders which is fantastic :j
I still need to think of a special project to save for with this money. I have a feeling it may have to go towards DH's headstone for which I have had quotes of £700+

A friend has offered to make one but I don't know how much he would ask for. It would be a Celtic Cross in wrought iron..friend is a blacksmith. But I would still have to go to a stonemason for the inscription.

Seems sad to even have to think of a savings plan to mark the life of such a great man _pale_ :undecided

Mum's Memory of the Day

Mum was a typist for all of her working life. None of your Word Processors when she learned...just old fashioned typewriters with ribbons. No photocopiers..just carbon sheets. Mum's typing speed was an amazing 84 words per minute!! In later life, she also qualified as an Audio Typist. She loved her job and was hardly ever off work. Even when there was 2 foot of snow and the bus couldn't get through, she started walking the 10 miles to her office...until she got picked up by a snow plough.

cw18

Wow Janey! That's some serious dedication on the part of your Mum!! I can't think of [STRIKE]many[/STRIKE] any people who would do that nowadays !!!!

bails

Lovely story Janey. Once again, about that book... It could be a great way to honour your DH and mum.
Sorry to hear that CW, that's shocking service! Hope your figures work out when you phone round next week, it is such hard work I know.
In other news - OH has just booked flights to Morocco! :eek::j I caught him just as he was about to pay, did a quick search and saved £148 :eek::T

cw18

Morocco ! You lucky thing you!! I'd (almost) be happy with a weekend in Blackpool ATM !!!

(Sorry to anyone who likes Blackpool, but I'm from 'up that way' so it's all a bit "bland" and "samey" to me - plus a weekend there would mean spending it all with family as DH's brothers and sister all live in B'pool and my parents are only 10 miles our side of them)

I've not had a 'holiday' since I had a weekend away (with other paper crafters) in January 2006, and don't see me having another while we have dogs -- especially the large one (who's not yet 6) due to not wanting to leave him with anyone 'cos of his allergies. There's no-one I can get to house & dog sit either

The lack of holidays doesn't really bother me (as a child I only had holidays if we were staying with family or on Brownie/Guide holidays), but just once in a while I feel I could do with spending the day looking at a different set of walls

And at least it's one less thing I have to try and work into my budget :rolleyes2