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

In_Search_Of_Me

Evening all...have updated my figures but have gone over budget because of allotment fee for the year and also buying some beads - I will sell them but leaves me over meanwhile IYKWIM! A friend has comissioned me to make a set of stuff for her so had to get the bits - plus she wanted chunky so theyre more expensive to make! On the good side have got extra regular babysitting, sold more beads and my garmin forerunner - just need to find it so I can take it in and collect my cash!! Have decided to just keep paying off as much as I can and instead of having the money back IYKWIM!
Love the metal detector janey - how much was it? Think this would be good excercise as well as fun? Plus v. exciting when you find sommat!! candygirl I also had lovely cuddles from "my boy" today...hes a bit special and am also excited because weezl will be producing a Fergus soon!!

liloandstitch

Hi, not too bad today, but sadly not a nsd - and even worse none were essential expenditure. I had the call I was waiting for re being referred to the Marsden which was really good and what I wanted. So, as I hadnt eaten up to that point (couldnt!!) I went to local sandwich shop and had a baguette and coffee (£3.50) to celebrate. Then had to take little'un swimming so that was 70p parking and 50p spectator fee (planned) and then I lost my rag with the secretary of the consultant I have been referred to as they havent got my referral, and if I dont get it there by tomorrow, I wont go on the review list for next Tuesday, and will have to wait another week. This was supposed to have been sent a week ago - its soooooo frustrating that no one seems to be even remotely efficient and its us who are powerless at the bottom who lose out. So its now a month since diagnosis and have nothing done, or any dates for surgery:mad: :mad: I think I was so high from the news that nothing had spread, that I dropped to the basement and the extreme was too much for my poor little brain and it fused!!!!!:rotfl:

So that was another coffee and a coke (2.15) so from a planned exp of £1.20, I managed to spend £7.85. My spending problem is definately little treats like coffee and lunch, so that is what I need to work on.- not to mention the weight I will put on .........

So 10% of my weekly budget on nothing really - I must write 100 lines - I must not spend money on coffee, I must not spend money on coffee.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Its not even that its babysteps really - I have known for ages that I should do something about it and still havent, at least after the op I wont be going out for aaaaages, so I cant spend - maybe that will break the habit!!!

Lilo

grandma247

Liloandstitch I think your spends are perfectly understandable. I can imagine the frustration. I too am fed up with people not doing their job properly.
Hopefully things will work out the way you want them and that all goes well.
Had a scare myself a few years ago and had to be tested yearly for 5 years but the problem went away on its own thank goodness and now they want it done every 5 years which I am not entirely happy about but what can you do other than pay private which is not possible at the moment.
Keep your chin up. Things will get better. I am sure if it was an aggressive kind they would have acted very quickly.

angelatgraceland

liloandstitch-it was therapeutic money! It was medicinal! Sometimes it is justified and this seems justified to me!
Well I popped into Waitrose and got 4 packs of reduced chicken-cooked-the fancy stuff and paid 89p,89p,1.35 and 1.35. Value was 2.49,2.49.3.99 and 3.99 so a huge discount. That was tonights tea with 2 bags of chips from the chipper and 3 fried eggs for 4 people. I just had half a pack of chicken as ~I really must lose some weight.
Still enough chicken for a couple of snacks tomorrow.Spent about £17.50 in there and also got reduced bread, 29p 29p 49p39p39p so again-a huge saving. 12 pints of milk-2 pints now decanted into 1pt bottles and diluted ratio of 3:1. Rest hidden in other fridge. Filled up with fuel for £18 and that will last a month hopefully. Got some stamps as I needed some. Spent just under £50 today so Im happy with that as that also included the veg shop. I bought chick peas aduki beans and mung beans for sprouting so I want to grow those for salady stuff for my "diet"(mmm well so I say)
DD and myself sorted out the turkey carcass and the meat is a good amount-that will now be frozen in portion sized bags for the cat. Im not doing any batch cooking for a few days as I plan to use up what I have so that it is all fresh supply in the freezer and also to make more room for more bread when I see it reduced.
DH keeps nagging me about premium bonds-I guess its something we should do all things considered. Filled out the child tax credit form for 2003-just need to sign it and post it tomorrow.
DH has to go to dentist as his last trip has gone wrong-extraction left a bit of tooth behind and root filling is hurting like mad and that was all done on the 9th so should be ok by now. Guessing it will be a script and another £7.10 for that! Going to leave the chutney making until tomorrow now. I got the ingredients today though so its all ready.May get DH to help me with the mangoes and the garlic as I hate doing garlic.
Spent some more time in the dreaded bedroom tidying and sorting-no chance of the knitting project or the alterations getting done today though. Onto tomorrows list they go!

In_Search_Of_Me

lilo there are time when what you spend isnt the priority and a day like that is certainly one of them!! "Reraming it" if you work out on a day by day am't/average youre £3 under!! Hugs for you - hope they pull fingers out soon - must be v. frightening plus frustrating...have you got anyone who can kick butt for you?

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!!
Well have 43.5 reviews finished for Qype. So hopefully should finish the rest by Friday. Then I can start looking forward to the Voucher. Still a bit confused about what you can buy with it. Read somewhere theatre vouchers, wine, virgin vie and jewellery. Is that correct? Do feel a bit tired as its extra work in an evening.
Great to read how everyone is doing.
Hugs to those having a harder time and well done to all those who are doing so brilliantly.
See you all tomorrow!! SFT
Lilo-Hope things get sorted out for you xx

liloandstitch

My dearest DH has offered to drive the stuff up to the Marsden himself if necessary!!! Now Ive calmed down a bit I know I have tomorrow to sort things out so all is not lost. I am just frustrated that even when you have a condition just like this, you still cannot rely on people and you have to fight and be vigilant for everything - and I just dont feel up to dealing with things like this right now. And I stop work on Sat for 3 months to have the op, with not a date in sight - I am self employed so cannot just go off sick when I feel like it, I have to arrange cover, and hope to keep the contract. So the longer it takes, the less recovery I get, and I need 3 months!!!! The trouble is that my job involves mostly driving, and my head just isnt there at the mo to concentrate and I am terrified of having an accident so I need to stop.

At least the £7.00 is my only spend this week, so still £63.00 left - and I need to pay £50 into bank account to cover a dd which will go out before a cr will come in - so I will def have some left to carry over this week!!!

Thanks all Lilo

DdraigGoch

Hello from Wales

It's been a very long [too long] time since I've been anywhere near MSE and our family on here so my apologies. We had a rather traumatic Christmas and New Year [family tragic bereavement, still coping with fallout] but it's really about time I got down to sorting out the mess which is our finances and putting us back on the straight and narrow. I've done it before and I have both my son's and my husband's full agreement to WHATEVER!!! I need to do to get it done - can't ask for better, can I?

Now, to sit down and actually get it done..... there's the hard bit, but with you beside me I'm sure I can win.

Thank you all, and Nyk in particular, for just being there and I know I can come in whenever I need.

love and hope for 2009 for and to everyone
DG

bails

Your spends are totally understandable Lilo so don't be hard on yourself. I hope you get a date soon x
Sorry to hear you're feeling unwell SM, hope you feel better soon x

Been busy today - after getting my leg dressed at the doctors I've spent the day decluttering my office, and making tea/lunch for the workers (OH and Dad ). I've now sorted all the piles in my office and just need to file them tomorrow so I'm really pleased :T And just as exciting is seeing the attic start to turn into a real room :T:j The insulation will really help with our heating bill and hopefully in the not too distant future we'll have a lovely new bedroom. I'll post a pic when it's finished.

off to chill out with my book as I'm off shopping with my mum tomorrow - none of this :eek: though as my mum has a voucher she has to spend by the end of this month and can't find anything she likes...;) I hate shopping but it'll be nice to spend some time together just the two of us.

Have a good evening and day tomorrow x

ps Thanks for PMs, will respond soon.
Draig, so sorry to hear about your bereavement. You know you're always welcome here and we'll help you out however we can x

xnatalie81x

Today i got one of my birthday presents early, a slicer from argos!!!! I love it - i can get 10 slices of bread out of 1 loaf now (use breadmaker) so going to save even more on grocery shop - also went to MR M and got quite a few stock cupboard items

Updated spend below but total was 23.33 - tesco order coming next wed - i need a larder lol