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

LollopyBear

jtb2412 wrote: »

Edit: I've just read about Mr T's monopolising Cambridge and have to say I did think that was the case (used to live there), they're opening a new one on the Clifton Road shopping area aren't they - where the old Choices music/dvd shop used to be?

Glad to hear they didn't get the go-ahead for Mill Road though.

JTB - I'm not in Cambridge itself, but in Ely. However, I am also very glad they didn't get the go-ahead for Mill Road as it would have spoilt the vibe of the road completely. At least Cambridge has a big Asda, Sainsburys, an Aldi just down Histon Road etc. and some other bits and pieces, which offsets the Tescopoly somewhat. Though it is ridiculous how many Mr Ts are in and around Cambridge.

angelatgraceland

Penny2myName wrote: »

I have started a Original price v's Sale price document, so that at the end of the year I can see what I have saved. Must remember to keep filling it in. Can also use it for whoppsi shopping not just sale sales...lol.

That sounds interesting! Trouble is-if I did that it would be huge! Would be very satisfying though-I do admit I'm tempted to start one now-just for January I'm thinking as it may turn out to be a lot of work. Are you doing it in Excel? You could do graphs as well-showing your percentage savings etc. Oh now I'm getting carried away! Have started using the memo function on my phone to record my spends. Great-I could go to Waitrose today with a tenner in my pocket and my phone-no bag! Yippee. Thanks guys-it was ? Paul or 2ndtimerounder who suggested this-one of the guys anyway.
Just bought whoopsied bread and milk for the week and used up some vouchers-£3 worth-spent less than a fiver.

Frugaldom

JennyBee wrote: »

Am upset now as I only want £8 worth of things from the appr0ved f00d site and the £5.25 delivery charge makes it uneconomical.

going to go and sob into my hot chocolate....

I would have this problem with several sites, so I offer up the chance of a frugal food party and split an order with friends and DD so it's 1 delivery charge and then the all collect from here

Frugaldom

Penny2myName wrote: »

After reading our glorious leaders post, I took a little cyber stroll to a certain gardening site and...
Grand Total £234.83 +20% discount -£46.96 = £187.87 - 23.48 + 10% cashback £23.48 (£164.39 overall after cashback is factored into it) £362.17 before sales and discounts. Works out at 45.5% of original costs.
Now I am deciding do I add my items into budget or class them as luxuries
Have both original price and sale prices wrote down.
Potatoes
Potato Planter Bags - 3 Pack £14.99 £12.71
Potato Barrel Planter £39.99 £19.56 60cm x 43cm
potato 'Charlotte' £7.99 £3.99 Harvesting period: mid to late June
potato 'Lady Christl' £7.99 £3.99 Harvesting period: early June
potato 'Peach Blom' £9.99 £4.99 Harvesting period: September - October
potato 'Bonnie Dundee' £9.99 £4.99 Harvesting period: May - June
#Grand Total £90.94 £50.23


Strawberries
Strawberry Tub with Strawberry Net £39.99 £19.56 60cm x 43cm
Strawberry Planting Bag £9.99 £8.80 30cm (12") diameter x 50cm (20") high. 8 pockets
Fragaria × ananassa 'Cambridge Favourite' £13.99 £6.99 12 runners mid-June to mid-July
Fragaria x ananassa 'Honeoye' £13.99 £6.99 12 runners mid-June to mid-July
Fragaria × ananassa 'Elsanta' £13.99 £6.99 12 runners mid-June to mid-July
Fragaria × ananassa 'Florence' £13.99 £6.99 12 runners mid-July
Fragaria × ananassa 'Albion' £13.99 £6.99 12 runners July to November
#Grand Total £119.93 £63.31

Other Veg
Vegetable Patio Planter £14.67
Diameter: 35cm, 40cm, 45cm
Height: 45cm, 30cm, 25cm

Children's Vegetable Patio Planter £14.67
# Diameter: 35cm, 40cm, 45cm
# Height: 45cm, 30cm, 25cm

Topsy-turvy Tomato Planter £14.99 £12.71

#Grand Total £42.05

+
Mini Raised Bed and Support Frame £39.99 £29.35 Capacity: 115 litres of compost Size: 97cm length x 51cm width x 25cm height
Raised Bed - Extension Kit £26.99 £21.52
Raised Bed £39.99 £28.37 Capacity: 230 litres of compost Size: length 97cm x width 97cm x height 25cm
#Grand Total £106.97 £79.24

. Subtotal:
£234.83
Delivery:
£5.82
Discount:
-£46.97
Total:
£193.68

I know it means next year its just the seeds required :j:j, so will be alot lower then. Stuff it will add it in under other, but do I do it with just the extra 20% off or also include the 10% cashback deduction???

I include the price I pay at the time and then have any cashback logged as a source of extra (free) income that can neutralise other spends or go towards savings.

Trying desperately to get through all the posts, apologies if I miss some now, I'm in a rush but will be back later.

Penny2myName

Yeah, Have decided to do the cash back as part of my gift neutral, so when I added these into my spending diary, I only deducted the 20% by adding some items as 1p, till I had made up the difference. My delivery charges are going in a totally separate column.

skint_chick

charlie davis -Congrats on your dmp - it feels so much better to be dealing with your debt than ignoring it. I really feel like I'm achieving something.

Sophiesmum - your meals always sound so interesting - I'd love to be able to cook as well as you. I can do basic stuff but have no idea how to put meals together.

Yesterday I bought carrots, leeks, mushrooms, sausages, salami and lots of potatoes. I also got the Branston baked beans stockpiled. I wanted to make some sort of chunky soup/stew with the sausages and salami if possible - I have some tins of various kinds of beans/tomatoes in my storecupboard too. Any suggestions for simple things I can make anyone?

To make carrot soup do I need a blender? I was thinking about carrot and parsnip? I'd really like some ideas for pasta bakes/hot pots/stews too

I'm going to make-
-chicken and veg soup -salami and sausage pizza on ciabatta bread
-potato and leek soup -mashed potatoes
-bacon, mushroom and tomato pasta sauce

Stockpiled BOGOF d/w tablets so I have enough for the year now, although I did buy myself a magazine as a treat - instead of my usual 2 Sunday papers. Also bought my friend a new home card for 79p but I'm going to stock up on materials to make cards from now on as I enjoy it and it's more personal.

Tomorrow I'm going to study - as I have a new decluttered study now - and read my library books so will be a NSD. Tuesday I'm going for pizza with OH -but it's a mystery shop so I'll get the money back for it - a nice treat for free. OH has finally committed to an OU course -this is outside our budget but I'm going to do enough mystery shopping to cover the cost of this as well as my evening course, and hopefully my household insurance too, which I didn't include in my £4000 but is due in May. Once my mobile contract finishes in March I'm going PAYG which should be about £10/month so I'll have £180 from the budget to go towards my car insurance.

Really enjoying this challenge and determined to finish under budget!

savingfortravel

Get better soon nickynoo09, FallenAngelShelley and charliedavis!!

Bails-Great idea to note 'savings' from not having treats in a total... I'm having a virtual total for M.O.Cs but my Mum used to put the equivalent in a jar when I was growing up.

Skint-chick-Wish I could find some Branston Beans. Tesco only has a small section for them so it will probably be another raincheck voucher later.

Kittikins-Very envious of the 2nd hand remoska. Have hinted for one as a group wedding present for us.

fizze-81-Great goals for today.

Mrs MC-Still snowing!!

Paul-Love your view of life.

Angela at Graceland-I agree with the 'pay it forward' approach to life. Must start applying it more.
I have used some theatre vouchers this year to see 2 London shows. Its very motivating and I was given these as a present so will only need to save for train fair and a cheap meal (prob MSE). We're seeing James McAvoy is 3 Days of Rain (I love him and his acting) and A view from the bridge by Arthur Miller.

dnD-We are trying Sutton seeds this year.

Good luck with all the batch cooking dnD and WOMOT

SM-Fantastic goals as always. Must look at my F and V content each day. Congrats on sharing those winnings.

Will catch up on more posts later.

SFT

Annie021063

Hi ALL
Just had my asda delivery and the silly packers have given me 2 kilos of brocolli instread of the .20 I asked for. They have refunded the difference and let me keep the brocolli. So....... what to do with it? I have used one bunch (do you call it a bunch?) in my batch of free SW Veg soup I made this morning, I can eat some with my dinner tonght but what about the rest? There is tons of it.
Any ideas?

glendam

Thanks for that Bails even though I wrote about the not spending I didn't think of that in the long term.
Go to costa 2x a week = £8 x 52= £416
I cant believe I wasted that much money and If my daughter was with me its double.
That alone would help me towards my goal.
Glenda

fizzel81

oh well not even today i need to.
go to asda for activfizz DONE
need some storage box's for the boys xmas toys from there dads
ironing :rolleyes: nope not sorted
sort my room (its not bad just not perfect either) DONE
wait in this afternoon for the toys ive given away via freecycle now waiting for them to turn up

hoover and dust, DONE

today i must remember to keep filling out diary adding yesterdays as i didnt last night before bed

Breakfast weetabix or porridge
Lunch Chicken soup and bread/ ended up being a snadwich as i left the soup out last night
Dinner Chicken casserole with potato's and trifle if i make it (how lazy does that sound)


oh well not done it all, toy boxs will be wedneday now that way i can carry them easier, ironing will be done tonight and then i will have a full ctch up on the thread, had to notch heating up its freezing, its on 17 so not mega high if id have put anymore clothes on id look like michalin man