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Live on £4000 for a Year, 2009 Challenge, part 1

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  • JennyBee_2
    JennyBee_2 Posts: 390 Forumite
    Right...updated my total - went to Asda today to stock up on some of the toiletries they've reduced in price but half of the stuff hadn't had the price updated. As we don't actually need it yet I'll wait til another day rather than have an argument with customer services!

    However, fruit corners are down to £1.50 for 6 so got some of them, and some comfort fabric conditioner (£1) and some other bits. Plus 5 Christmas pressies for next year for £9 and a 15m roll of wrapping paper for 40p. Also needed some batteries for the camera, 8 pack of AA batteries are £4.46 or 2 packs for £5. We normally have rechargeable ones but they seem to be draining quickly at the mo and we wanted to be on the safe side for the lovely photos of me looking like a train wreck once the baby has arrived!! Maybe it would have been safer if we had no batteries!!!

    OH also filled up with petrol for the new and improved price of 82.9p a litre (hurrah!) However, it has pushed us over our petrol budget that I was planning. Never mind. Full tank in both cars so won't get caught short on a midnight trip to the labour ward!

    Total spend today £57.89
    Jonathan Douglas born 20th January 2009 - 9lb 4oz
    Alexander William born 30th December 2012 - 10lb 2oz
    GC June 2014 £79.04/£150
  • lingojingo wrote: »
    Well I've finally sorted my budget, I think.

    Spurred on by Eilo :A i've reduced our virgin package, as we don't need mega fast broadband now DS not here all the time playing his video games, and DD says if we don't have all the TV channels she won't be distracted from working for her A levels, and I've decided we can manage on just evening and weekend phone. Yesterday I spoke to a really unhelpful lady who said it would cost us more (due to losing a discount) but today a nice man sorted it all out and we'll get a refund of £21 on our next bill! :j

    2009 budget (preliminary)

    Buildings and contents insurance £250
    TV licence £145
    Gas & Electricity £1008 (might reduce, we are using less)
    TV/phone/broadband (virgin) £345.40 (just changed, includes £21 refund!)
    Mobile (contract) £180 (might reduce or PAYG when contract up)
    Groceries £1500 (£300 stockpiling and £100 per month)
    Presents (21xbirthday(4x50th:eek:),18xXmas) £[strike]400[/strike] 350 (already sorted 4 Jan, including a 50th, and 1 Feb birthday with vouchers from last year)
    DS will be 21, but I already have money put aside to cover that
    Haircuts £100 (might reduce)
    Clothes & shoes £150 (losing weight, so will need new clothes!)
    Travel (visiting family) £150
    Cat (food, meds & insurance) £200
    Window cleaner (plus gutters) £60 (v necessary, all windows v tall + attic)
    Other (going out etc.) £511.60

    Total £5000


    Walked down to Somerfields to stock up on 1/2 price Charmin loo rolls, but they had sold out :mad: and it's all uphill to get home (good for getting fitter not fatter). Got carrots, onions, tomatoes, spinach and parsnips all £1 per bag, that should see us through the week with what we already have, unless I do a stockpile shop.

    I had exactly the same happen with Virgin when I tried to cut down our services - the first lady tried to tell me we would lose all our discounts and the cost would go UP if I tried to remove anything. Apparently when I took their VIP package last year I had agreed to a new 12 month contract too grrr. Anyway in the end they put me through to a nice man who managed to halve our bill by us cutting to 10 mb broadband (the speed tests show it was only 12mb anyway so we have hardly lost anything) removing the phone we never use (we have a VOIP phone connected to our router that gives us really cheap or free calls) and the extra box upstairs - result!
  • Sarah147
    Sarah147 Posts: 177 Forumite
    Long time lurker over here who loves reading what you have all been up too and getting tips, don't think I will be doing this challenge this year (have not got around to doing budgets etc yet) but I will be aiming to cut back and spent as little as possible this year.

    Had a big spend today as bought myself an annual travel pass which cost £425... eek. It goes up tomorrow to £450 so I just bit the bullet and bought it. Will probably not sound much to you forumisters down south who probably pay that on public transport in a week ;) but I nearly fainted when I had to hand that (electronic money) over. It is worth it though, as a normal monthly pass is £58 which works out at £696 in a year, so I made a saving of £272. And I won't have to pay out any more for public transport over the year (bar trains) so am really going to make the most of it with trips out etc with my pass. Had a lovely day out to the beach today. It was freezing but went for a very brisk walk along the pier and beach which was relaxing and (apart from the hideously priced travel pass), the only spends were 75p for a cheese pasty from Greggs (which I instantly regretted as it tasted rotten), Peter Kay's autobiography for £2.50 from a charity shop (which will give me a laugh), 15p for a packet of Space Raiders (I remember the days when they were 10p... ;) ) and £4 admission to a non league football match. My team won. Yippeee.

    Won't be doing much this evening. Thawing out from the cold, sipping tea and watching DVDs sounds like a plan. Have a great evening everyone! :)
  • Aril
    Aril Posts: 1,877 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hello no 1 frufan sticking her head up over the parapet for the first time this year!!
    For Christmas this year I made a book up of unusual recipes for jam and chutneys for my Dad as he's very keen on preserving [we tease him that he should become the WI's first honorary male:D] and some of them involved carrots. If you google carrots there's a recipe for carrot and ginger chutney and another one for carrot and cardamom jam amongst many others. I even found a website about the carrot museum www.carrotmuseum.co.uk and that had other recipes on.
    Right oh back to lurkdom
    Aril
    Aiming for a life of elegant frugality wearing a new-to-me silk shirt rather than one of hair!
  • FrankieM wrote: »
    Afternoon all,

    I've got some money in paypal from surveys and I'm currently watching a copy of delia's Frugal Food on ebay. Its at £1.99 at the moment with £5 postage. I've got £12 so thats my limit.

    I got a copy from AMAZON for 99p!!! plus £2.75 p&p.
  • dND
    dND Posts: 801 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    As everyone says keeping up with this thread is a challenge in its self :D but it's really great that everyone is so enthusiastic and willing to share their tips and finds :A

    Another NSD as I spent most of the day starting to remove the 120 ft poplar tree that's been felled across where I want to put a poly tunnel. Once I've cleared this one I've another slightly smaller one to do and then I can plough the area.

    Tomorrow will hopefully be another NSD. First thing I'm off to practice that old art of gleaning. Apparently a friend of a friend has a maize field where there are lots of cobs that have been left behind by the combine. They are happy for people to come and pick them up as this saves them having to clear them. This should give me free maize for the chickens; I even have a very old hand cranked machine in the barn that is supposed to strip the grains off the cob :j

    After that it will be back to the poplar trees. It wasn't to bad at all today as the sun shone and I was down to my t-shirt but the colder weather is on it's way here too, not looking forward to that
    Aiming for a Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget
    DECLUTTERING CAMPAIGN - 2023 🏅4*⭐️ : 2024 🏅💐2*⭐️ : 2025 ⭐⭐
    FASHION ON THE RATION - 2024 62/66 coupons : 2025 36/66 coupons


  • Went to lidl for my bread flour as the tesco one was marked up at 75p in the extra store?

    Hi
    Can you let me know how much you paid for the lidl flour please? I'm trying to work out whether I'm cheaper buying everything at Asda and having it delivered or going through in the car to trawl about for it.
    Is it wholemeal/white/multi grain?
    Thank you
    Catriona
  • Hello,

    The flour was 48p for 1.5kg bag and was white. I'm trying itout as I read on here somewhere that it's the best flour to use.
    Payment a day challenge: £236.69
    Jan Shopping Challenge: £202.09/£250
    Frugal Living Challenge: £534.64/15000
  • JennyBee_2
    JennyBee_2 Posts: 390 Forumite

    Hi
    Can you let me know how much you paid for the lidl flour please? I'm trying to work out whether I'm cheaper buying everything at Asda and having it delivered or going through in the car to trawl about for it.
    Is it wholemeal/white/multi grain?
    Thank you
    Catriona

    I was in Lidl today and it was 48p a bag for white bread flour :)
    Jonathan Douglas born 20th January 2009 - 9lb 4oz
    Alexander William born 30th December 2012 - 10lb 2oz
    GC June 2014 £79.04/£150
  • fizzel81
    fizzel81 Posts: 1,623 Forumite
    lidls is same price as asdas then i stocked up in asda the other day, never tried lidls one am interested to know if its any good iykwim
    DFW nerd club number 039 :p 'Proud To Be Dealing With My Debts' :money: i will be debt free aug 2010

    2008 live on 4k +cb £6,247.98/£6282.80 :T
    sealed pot 2670g
    2009 target £4k + cb £643.89:eek: /£6412.80
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