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

bails

Just realised will need to adjust totals as not all App Food order is groceries, also same with Mr M so less money from 4k than thought.

Decided not to complete Qype - it's a shame but health had to come first. Well done to all who did though!

(Freed up space in PM box too)

Penny2myName

Well end of month 1 on here is my breakdown for what I have included.

£4k Budget Challenge
BILLS
Jan 2009 £152.11
BOOKS
Jan 2009 £6.24
CHARITY
Jan 2009 £4.00
CLEANING
Jan 2009 £0.65
DELIVERY
Jan 2009 £21.26
FOOD
Jan 2009 £59.18
GIFT
Jan 2009 £14.97
HOUSEHOLD
Jan 2009 £108.65
MOBILE PHONE
Jan 2009 £10.00
OTHER
Jan 2009 £13.26
TOILETTRIES
Jan 2009 £108.70
TRAVEL
Jan 2009 £4.80
TOTAL £503.82

sophiesmum_2

JANUARY END OF MONTH TOTALS

Food for stockpiling £136.66
Fresh foods £8.50
Toiletries for stockpile £5.55
Gifts for stockpile £10.08
Shoes/clothing £32.99
Car Tax (annual) £120.00
Gym membership £32.00
Life insurance £14.49
Cable /broadband/telephone £82.00
Miscellaneous £5.05

TOTAL MONTHLY SPEND FOR JANUARY £447.32

EXTRA INCOME MADE BUT NOT YET ADDED TO BUDGET £59.43


Quite happy with this months spends as includes annual car tax and stockpiling for food and toiletries.:D

Pips_Mum

Hi all
So I have just added the months spends up properly and EEEEEEK:eek: overspent by £69.64. As I said before in my defence there were a few baby bits that I hadnt anticipated but think we are all set now so hopefully next month will be better.

Here is how I aim to spend my £330 budget in February:
£10 - Petrol, probably wont need this as still cant drive for another 3 weeks due to C section.
£24 - TV licence
£130 - Food - up a little on last month as I would like to try to stockpile a few bits for when I am no longer recieving maternity pay.
£166 - Other - Ideally I will pay back the £70 overspend and again stockpile a few toiletries for when I have no income.

Any more tips for stockpiling?

fallen_angel_shelley

Good evening all. I have come in well over budget for the 1st month but I did have my blow out at b00ts and lush, most of which will be christmas gifts for this year, so this should even out over the year. I have just been working out a meal plan and we should have enough for 21 meals, only other bits we will need is, veg, milk, cooked meat and some tined toms and kidney beans, so with abit of luck, I should only need to spend about £20- £25 on the extras for 3 weeks:rolleyes:.


Today started of so well, then when I got out the shower one of the neighbours knocked on the door to tell me that at 2.30am a gang of 6 'lovely boys' :mad: :mad: :mad: had tried to steal the car last night, it's not even my car I had borrowed it of the ex to go shopping at Mrt's last night and do some running round today. They have cut all the wiers, ex tried to fix it but its going to be a garage job. The ex isn't p!$$ed of about the car what so ever, it seems to be me thats more up set and its not even my car.


Looks like I came of lucky with my 1st proper elec bill with new heating system, one of my neighbours bill was £600+:eek: mine was £330-ish :T maybe I should go and teacher some frugal ways:rotfl:


I'm sat here now with a bottle of wine, which is going down very well, and trying to talk my self out of oredering a chinese take away.


Big hugs for everyone.

Shelley x

ilovetea

Hello:hello: ,
Set myself a target of £150 for spending on every thing except utilities,b/b and T.V. licence. Spent £74.85:j .That included a present to put by for later in the year and newspapers,which I've decided to cancel.Maybe just get one if there is a special offer.The biggest outlay was fruit and veg £32:eek: .
Decided to use the £75 I've got left on a "big " shop from Mr.A.Stock up on all the non-perishable stuff that costs a fortune in the coop.
Thanks for all your helpful tips.
I'm in quite a good position really,no mortgage,too old and haggard to work,so no job to loose and children all grown up.I can only imagine how some of you must be feeling.The recession in the 80's is only a distant memory.
Hugs to all that need them.

ilovetea x

sophiesmum_2

Pips_Mum wrote: »

Hi all
So I have just added the months spends up properly and EEEEEEK:eek: overspent by £69.64. As I said before in my defence there were a few baby bits that I hadnt anticipated but think we are all set now so hopefully next month will be better.

Here is how I aim to spend my £330 budget in February:
£10 - Petrol, probably wont need this as still cant drive for another 3 weeks due to C section.
£24 - TV licence
£130 - Food - up a little on last month as I would like to try to stockpile a few bits for when I am no longer recieving maternity pay.
£166 - Other - Ideally I will pay back the £70 overspend and again stockpile a few toiletries for when I have no income.

Any more tips for stockpiling?

Pips mum you are allowed to budget £4000 + child benefit if you like - in which case you will be under budget;)

Pips_Mum

Oooooohh I like that idea!!!
Havent actually received the child benefit yet though as I only sent the form this week.

cw18

doesn't matter - they'll backdate it to date of birth.... so that's an extra £20/wk

and then I'm guessing you'll be due CTC as well

Pips_Mum

Need to get my backside in gear and ring them up to ask about the CTCs
Thinking of putting the Child benefit into my " I dont want to go back to work yet" account as I figured the money is to benefit him and he will benefit by having his mummy at home for longer. If I save the £80 P/M for the next 5 months then that will be at least an extra month I could take off work. My Full pay finishes in May but I would like to try and hang on and not go back to work until next January. All well and good on paper but trying to survive and pay off debts with little/no income will be VERY tricky.