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

JennyBee_2

cw18 wrote: »

Oooooo...... getting all excited now :j
I smell a possibility of a frugalmite holding on long enough to share my birthday :j

Well I'm late for everything so I don't imagine I'll be breaking tradition with something as minor as birth!!!

mini_huny_money

Hya Nyk, can I rejoin again this year, and thanx for keeping my name on the original list. I've swithered over the past few days bout rejoining but I;ve lurked for the past few months and I really do hope I can do it this year

I managed ok till about May and then felt as if I failed.Only because of the way I was feeling at the time. I bought a house in October 2007 after renting for years and I was really starting to think I'd made a really bad decision.

Over the past year I've managed to get my weekly shopping bill really down, from £80ish a week to under £50, usually round about 35 a week now, but I'm really struggling with energy bills and really need to get into the habit of checking my elec and gas meters. For years when renting I was on a prepayment meter for gas and tho they're not economical, I was always really aware of how much I was spending a week. so am taking steps there and have checked tnite what my gas meter is sitting at

Must thank CW for that fantastic post at the beginning of this thread, it really really made sense to me breaking evrything down like that

Anyway, looking forward to 2009 and hello to evryone

2NDTIMEROUNDER

Hello everyone. Have been a guest on this forum for a few months now and have finally decided to take the plunge. Hats off to nykmedia that thought of opening the threads on this subject in the first place,inspiring and helping people out and everybody that has taken part during the previous years. Please add me on to your list and shall give a figure for 2009 for my budget very soon.

Lets hope that this recession will not last for ages and I pray that not many people will lose their jobs or homes.

Some personal info in case somebody is interested.:rolleyes: I have always been frugally-minded BUT sadly for me I succumbed to social pressure and was embarassed to put it in action. I was a saver instead of a spender BUT had I had the courage to be more frugal I would have retired by now. I guess its not too late. Im only 37, after all....:D

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE AND ALL THE BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR!!

cw18

mini_huny_money wrote: »

Must thank CW for that fantastic post at the beginning of this thread, it really really made sense to me breaking evrything down like that

Awwww, Shucks!!

Sticking it into word like that made it easier for me to remember why I'd set things as I had -- and I've printed a copy for my daughter to try and help her figure out how to look at hers..... just seemed sensible to stick the lot on here as a reminder to me when I need it



As to monitoring G&E - there's a thread here where a number of us are doing just that (along with a whole bunch of other folks). Why not come on over and join in

Snow_White_5

Evening everyone!
I think I've got my budget sorted. :j It might need adjusting up to £4,000 but for now it is £3,392 for all non-essentials or things I can cut down on or control the cost of:

Snow White's 2009 Budget

Food: £780 (i.e. £15/week - just my food - not a family!)
Toiletries/cleaning stuff: £150 (no haircuts planned as am growing out a short cut )
Electricity: £264
Clothing: £360
Local travel: £300
Landline phone calls: £48
Mobile: £60
Entertainment/hobbies: £800 (includes craft/ present-making stuff)
Lunches out: £120
Exercise class: £240
Gifts: £50 (but planning to do them money neutral via dooyou, Ebay etc.)
Contingency: £120

There are some things there that could be cut down, but I don't want to start out too strict as I'd just give up straight away. My essentials budget is separate; it includes all the non-negotiables such as rent, pension, loan repayments, internet etc. as well as courses I'm doing to further my career. I'm due a payrise next year but have not counted this as I want to use it to pay for driving lessons :j. Holidays will be paid for by whatever I manage to save, but the bulk of what I'm saving will hopefully go towards doing an MA.

At the moment I feel quite scared when I look at the budget :eek:, but if I didn't do this I'd never be able to save up. How are other newbies feeling?

If any more experienced peeps notice anything I've overlooked, it ould be great if you could let me know.

Roll on 1st Jan...:rotfl::eek::rotfl:

2NDTIMEROUNDER

2009 SPENDING BUDGET
DAILYMONTHLY YEARLY% OF TOTAL

FOOD/WATER 2 60.83 730 11.76
HOME CLEANING 0.03 0.912 10.95 0.18
SHAMPOO/SOAP ETC 0.15 4.56 5 4.75 0.88
HAIR CUTS 0.35 10.64 127.75 2.06
CLOTHES 0.93 28.28 339.45 5.47
TRAVEL1.95 59.31 711.75 11.47
MOBILE PHONE 0.495 15.05 180.67 2.91
AIR TRAVEL 2 60.83 730.00 11.76
RENT/ROOM 7.09 215.80 2589.675 41.74
HOLIDAYS 1 30.41 365 5.88
EMERGENCIES1 30.41 365 5.88

TOTALS: DAILY 17 MONTHLY 517.08 YEARLY 6205.00 100%


NOTES: 1. Air Travel is high due to having to visit parents abroad 2-3 times per year. 2. Holidays are separate of above travel 3. I have included ALL expenditure and will aim to keep it below 6000 for the whole year. 4. I have already sold my car and this will be my first time ever with no car! 5. I am renting a room in a flat with all water/gas/council tax/internet/electricity included in rent 6.Budget is for (1) adult. 7. ALL income above this amount gets saved for my EARLY RETIREMENT FUND as I own one property, which is currently rented out, with the mortgage already paid.

All suggestions always welcome, naturally....;)

Im ready for 2009! Its high time to put into action what I have learned from life, the hard way ....

cha97michelle

What a lot of frugalmites on the way. Good. I will have someone to share tips on baby money saving with. :beer:

I haven't posted on this one yet as my finances are a little higgledy piggledy at the minute. I got paid on the 15th. I have calculated that is pretty much it for my wages until April the 15th, apart from one more week of Stat Maternity pay - £112.50, so i am not going to be too excited about that. DH has organised his wages to go in early (today rather than 1/01) and we already only have £25 in the bank, so i need to calculate what to transfer from my rapidly dwindling savings. I can look on this in a few ways.

good points:

• I'm well motivated for starting this challenge
• I do have some savings to cover the next few months, and this challenge will help
• I have about £100 cashback coming to me from quidco in Jan/Feb all being well from insurance/christmas presents
• all xmas stuff is bought, even though some of it is on CC, most is already paid thanks to being organised and buying early.
• i have to buy a few veggies and some baby formula, but i have the morrisons £20 off voucher for that shop
• mortgage payment is dropping by about £80 a month in January due to finally sorting out a seperate insurance policy
• my gas bill was nearly £30 (a month) in credit - they don't want to alter my payment but i will get onto that
• I have enough tea bags and soap powder from costco to last all year probably, and enough toiletries from previous bulk buys for several years
• although i clean a lot, i have several years worth of cleaning stuff also in the cupboard. I only tend to buy new bottles of bleach at the minute, and fabric conditioner.
• I have about a months worth of nappies in, and i'm hoping to potty train DS1 sometime soon
• I will not need to cook for us between the 26th and the 4th or 5th of Jan, and my dad got me a 6Ib worth of bacon as a present, so i know what we will be eating lots of in Jan along with Turkey leftovers

bad points:

• MOT due on both cars in January
• we are away for 5 days in Jan (good side, self catered, and if we offer to cook we can hopefully stop the ILs spending all of our money and otherwise not spend much)
• cat is due his treatment on his teeth and matted fur in January once he has lost some weight.
• 2 weeks of nursery being closed so that saves me £50.
• DH is trying to organise some nights out over xmas while we are stopping at his parents. I know we need to socialise as we don't any other time of year due to lack of funds/babysitter, plus we really need some R and R time alone, but the spending factor in London is scaring me

I have so much whizzing around in my head unfortunately. I know i am luckier than most, but i think i am really going to need this thread in the next few months to stop my head from going under. I know i could probably go back to work a few weeks earlier, but it wouldn't make me much better off and i really don't want to, so i will have to be crafty here and see how far i can stretch it in January particularly.

fizzel sorry to see your start to xmas is not that good. I will be thinking of those people along with my good friend who just died and left two grown up kiddies. They were in enough of a mess, so god knows how 2 small kids would cope. I look at my own 2 yo and think how lucky i am not to be going through it.

Enough of my rambles anyway. I'm, glad to see so many of you tried the approved foods and it was ok. I suggested it and then didn't get round to trying it as funds were tight.Will definitely look into it again though when cashflow improves. The sauces looked really good value.

Michelle, x

Snow_White_5

2NDTIMEROUNDER wrote: »

I have always been frugally-minded BUT sadly for me I succumbed to social pressure and was embarassed to put it in action. I was a saver instead of a spender BUT had I had the courage to be more frugal I would have retired by now

Hey another newbie :T. That's a good point about social pressure. Do you think there is less of a stigma attached to being frugal now that the recession has hit?

Pips_Mum

Poor Fizzel, just read your news. Hugs for you x x

Jennybee , yay another frugalmite! Congrats.

Snow white - very scared too especially now I have fully confronted budget and lack of income.

Well I have sat and worked out my VERY, VERY complicated finances. Some months I will be getting full pay, some SMP and some NOTHING at all!!
Its made even more complicated by the fact I have part ownership in a flat that I have to contribute to even though I dont live there......long and messy story dont ask!!!:mad:

I have decided to do the challenge as a monthly £330 as I think this will be easier for me to keep control of than £4000 annual.

I havent counted gas or electric as OH pays that so my budget will be:
£20 Birthday presents
£50 Petrol
£150 Groceries, toiletries, nappies, other baby items and cleaning bits.
(I have set this as an absolute maximum but aim to come well below each month to multiply into an emergency fund)
£26 TV Licence
£84 Clothes, Leisure and anything else that crops up (again hopefully can come well under this)

Looks easy when looking at it on paper but considering my income will be less than £9000 next year it will be a struggle especially with the debt repayments I will have to keep making :eek:.
Going to see if i can get us a mortgage payment holiday from Halifax so fingers crossed. Was thinking of giving up doing Avon but really dont think I will be able too and will continue Ebaying and doing the surveys online.

Any other ideas people have on managing on a low income will be greatly received.

Ooooh really long post, sorry!!

Edit -
cha97michelle you just reminded me that my car is also due Tax and MOT in January aaaaaaagggggggggghhhhhhh!!

2NDTIMEROUNDER

Snow_White wrote: »

Hey another newbie :T. That's a good point about social pressure. Do you think there is less of a stigma attached to being frugal now that the recession has hit?

Hey Snow White.:cool: I think that people will generally be more subdued with their spending habits and more importantly attitudes but personally the only (enemy) was myself. Now I have finally managed to say (I dont give a toss any more). I will do what I have always known to be right regardless of the recession.:o