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

slowlyfading

Hello everyone, remember me?!

Well, the interview went really hopefully, fingers crossed as for letting me in! I should know by the end of this week, which is quick, so that's cool. The written exam wasn't great, as I only had 45 minutes to write which isn't that long when you're sitting there. I only played about 10 bars of my audition piece when he said to stop and said that it was fine, and the sight reading piece was baa baa black sheep! lol :rotfl: so, i'm not trying to count the chickens before they've hatched, but i think it went well

Budget wise, I'm doing pretty good too. I've not been spending a lot, and as petrol isn't included in this, as I couldn't get to work without it, my budget is looking healthy! I've just got to keep this up, lol

In other news, I think I've met a guy My best friend's boyfriend is his best friend, and so my friend set us up, but its going really well. Early days I know, but he's lovely, and really sensitive. My friend says she's not seen me smile like this for a long time, so I know there's something there, lol. He lives about an hour's drive away, so I can't see him all the time, but he's coming across tomorrow for the day so I'm looking forward to that. I'll let you know how it goes! lol

I hope everyone else is okay, and I've got a lot of catching up to do on this thread - can you believe its a week since I was last on here?! :eek: Just not good enough.

sf xx

xnatalie81x

Have updated siggy - spends are up but have just ordered 6 packs nappies (pampers) from boots as they worked out cheaper than tesco own brand! at the moment (3.5% TCB and £3.20 adv card pts) - they are 2 packs for £13.50 - i know tesco are 2 for £13 BUT get 46 in tesco ones and 48 in pampers plues cashback and points are better than tesco - plus they are pampers so donate to unicef

I ordered 6 packs so enough to last 6weeks ish tesco shop due wed and should see us through feb (bar milk and a few bits about £30) so £75 to add for groceries and dd's so should be well under!!! wahoo

kittiej

Great news Slowly, hope your new acquaintance works out.

[Deleted User]

cw18 wrote: »

Not linked it anywhere (normally email spreadsheets around when sharing), and it's not quite complete. Will have a play this week and then see if I can link it up somewhere for you to have a look at

cw18. Thank you so much, that would be brilliant:T . But please don't go to a lot of trouble if you are busy at the moment (and who isn't ??????). I've managed all this time without a spreadsheet so a bit longer won't hurt me. It might make my accounting and budgetting a bit more foolproof and a bit of fun though:j . As Mr T says....'Every Little Helps'

sophiesmum_2

Nothing much exciting happening here, snowing on and off but not very deep at moment. Cooked lovely brunch for oldies so they are all fed and warmed up. Took huge pile of pictures to charity shop earlier - we have decorators in now - and persuaded oldies to use some of money in funds to buy new pictures for the corridors, currently a mish mash of stuff left in flats over the years, and in desperate need of updating.So we have set aside £500 to buy some lovely new pictures and bring us up to date, will make people feel better too by improving their surroundings. Off at 2pm with a delegation to start shopping for the new ones, we need about 35 - 40 large pictures and a couple of large mirrors :eek:

Will need to get marmalding this week to boost the funds at coffee morning. Although we currently make around £100 a week for funds so the picture spends will soon be recovered;) when the decorators get to the lounge area will persuade them to splash out on a decent clock and some new pots for the plants:D . To be fair though they don't mind spending the funds to improve things for everyone.

andromache_2

slowlyfading wrote: »

Hello everyone, remember me?!

Well, the interview went really hopefully, fingers crossed as for letting me in! I should know by the end of this week, which is quick, so that's cool. The written exam wasn't great, as I only had 45 minutes to write which isn't that long when you're sitting there. I only played about 10 bars of my audition piece when he said to stop and said that it was fine, and the sight reading piece was baa baa black sheep! lol :rotfl: so, i'm not trying to count the chickens before they've hatched, but i think it went well

Budget wise, I'm doing pretty good too. I've not been spending a lot, and as petrol isn't included in this, as I couldn't get to work without it, my budget is looking healthy! I've just got to keep this up, lol

In other news, I think I've met a guy My best friend's boyfriend is his best friend, and so my friend set us up, but its going really well. Early days I know, but he's lovely, and really sensitive. My friend says she's not seen me smile like this for a long time, so I know there's something there, lol. He lives about an hour's drive away, so I can't see him all the time, but he's coming across tomorrow for the day so I'm looking forward to that. I'll let you know how it goes! lol

I hope everyone else is okay, and I've got a lot of catching up to do on this thread - can you believe its a week since I was last on here?! :eek: Just not good enough.

sf xx

eeeee lots of exciting things going on there, sf!! good luck with everything I've done plenty of music exams in the past and have never had something I recognise for sight-singing - I'm pretty sure I would start laughing as soon as I recognised it! And I'm really excited for you about the new guy, keep us posted the early days are lovely.

I've got so many career-type things going on at the moment... I wish it could just be sorted out so that I can forget about it and get on with my academic work but I keep obsessively refreshing my e-mail inbox to see if I've been invited to any interviews My lovely mum has offered to give me some money for interview clothes so I need to pop into town and see if there's anything appropriate - need some shoes at least.

OK, speaking of academic work, I'm going to crack on with my essay...

sophiesmum_2

SL - Hope the interview goes well:D will wait for your catch up tonight.

SF - Good luck with the new relationship, hope things work out well for you, and fingers crossed for career move:D

Brighton_belle

CW - your spreadsheet post has been brilliant. I knew I was missing something form my accounting that helped me keep running tallies etc. So I have now used your system, with a few extra columns and feel totally on top of things now. Below are my Jan totals (the blank list underneath are all the things not included in the challenge that I will update for my own records. All have their own budget and hoping to make savings there too).
I still hope to reduce spends on 4k items to build a contingency fund with in the 4k for unexpected extras, so that all 'essential' spends are accounted for within the challenge.

• The ^ & * marks are for my own use - I have a broken down list of everything that comes under these so I can really see exactly where my monies goes and budget better in future.
• The radio times is on a super cheapo deal this year It is a luxury but we really would hate to be without it.
• Utilities - I am in credit at the mo and after the april bill will reclaim, once the expensive months are over so hope to make reductions here.
• I may be being over optimistic on phonecalls (free weekend calls) so may need to take money from something else in the challenge. Hoping to reduce estimated cleaning materials costs as now started using stardrops & soda crystals.

shaz_mum_of__2

Hi all been missing due to being poorly sick..................right in the middle of mil's big move

Had to have the doc out on friday night he says its a UTI but i didn't know it could make you throw up for 3 days ???

Anyway my January spends are:

Groceries £248.88
Gifts £15.58
Garden £50
Telecoms £110.09
Utilities £122.97

total £547.43

A little more than i would have liked but i have had 5 prescriptions inc in grocery i am going to buy a prepay cert to help with this

Also hubby did the shopping last week ...............big mistake plus a couple takeaways for him and kids while i was ill (he can cook but was spending all day sorting his mums bungalow so can't blame him)

I really need to do a freezer inventory and start using stuff up as its chokka block and a bit disorganised at the min and also going to try a storecupboard challenge for the rest of month

Shaz

ps anyone know if pesetas, french francs and yugo dinars can still be exchange found wodges in mil 's junk

Janey51

Afternoon everyone.
Very picturesque here today.
Went out to look for unicorn tracks in the snow but no luck

While wheeling wheelie bin back from the end of the drive, discovered that the wheels collect snow and become the size of cartwheels very quickly.
It would have been quicker to pick it up and carry it :rolleyes: :rotfl:

Snow means no going out = NSD...unless I get tempted by Ebay "bargains"

My oil supply is going down far too fast. I hardly have the heating on but the gauge says it is on "3" already which means only about 3-4 weeks left :eek:
I only filled it on Dec 30 and I know prices are going up again.

Having frugal lunch of HM soup with added pasta + part baked rolls from freezer.

Has anyone listened to the group "Fleet Foxes?". I absolutely love them and have bought their album...cheapie off HMV website with Quidco cashback & free delivery :T

SF well done you for finding someone to cuddle :T
CW..very envious of your spreadsheet. I know nothing about spreadsheets and wouldn't know where to start.