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

nickynoo08

Morning everyone,
not had chance to catch up the last few days, will try to later.
Just been going over this months spends and i think i've confused myelf. I've got different budgets for different things and i've not been keeping track of which pot i've been spending out of. i know i've still got gc money left, i know i've put my saving away, but i cant seem to figure out the rest. Think i may have mis placed a recipt or two:o . Not really been on the ball with things this last week, had a mega busy week back at work and had extra money coming in form o/t so i decided not to include a few things. Think i'm just rammbling now. Sorry.
I must start writting things down!!!!!

Today......
Go through figures PROPERLY for the rest of the month
Start writting things down
Storecupboard lunch and dinner
Pick up some milk and bits n bobs after work
Plan meals for next week
Go on wii fit

MrDT

Marru, don't go. If you splurge a bit in one area, just see if you can trim it back somewhere else It's not a "have no life challenge" it's a "4k challenge".

Checked online banking this morning, £15 payout from getpoundsback has arrived already, very impressed as I only put a claim in three days ago. I also received my £20 TAB scratchcard cashout, not quite so impressed with that lol it has been about a fortnight since I requested the withdrawal! Still, money for nothing and chicks for free, can't really complain Anyone doing littlewoods scratchcards, there's a free 50p just for signing in today by the way

Third coat of paint went up on the kitchen walls last night. It looks great. One more coat and it'll be totally done. Could leave it as it is now, but an extra coat won't do any harm. I'm very impressed with the cheap (focus brand) paint I used, about £8.50 for 2.5 litres, got nearly half a tub remaining (small kitchen) and it's done a decent job. Tomorrow I'll be buying some more paint as I've decided to repaint the kitchen cupboard doors too The cupboard doors I'll remove to clean and paint, so kitchen should still be back in proper use by Sunday.

Hope everyone has a good Friday 13th!!! :eek:

Mollymop5

sophiesmum wrote: »

Nyk - if you had left your challenge in it's previous home there are many of us who would never have focused our frugal endeavours to the extent that we are doing now.

I don't post often but i'm still about.I agree with sophiemum 100%.

SiannieLaz

Morning All:hello:
I seemed to have missed a lot since yesterday lunchtime!
Marru - please don't go, i thought the point of this thread was for all to support and encourage each other, not to make people feel bad?

I am finding this challenge extremely difficult, I'm not used to being frugal all the time (just skint!!) and it is very hard work changing your behaviour. I have a hard time with the food bill as I can't eat so many things (potatoes, tomatoes, pasta, sugar, white flour,any processed food at all, red meat, dairy) whilst my OH wants a traditional diet. I can't take advantage of the approved foods site, as I can't eat any of the stuff on there and it's very hard trying to think of meals that are cheap, and both of us can eat (he hates 'veggie' food and lentils!). If I give in and make huge portions for the freezer of curry, bolognase or cottage pie, for example, I get ill if I eat them and he says frozen food is horrid (although he eats it if I don't tell him!!! - fool). Sometimes it feels like I spend all my time going from shop to shop, trying to find all the bargins as if I just go on a Sat morning and buy enough fish, fresh veg and fruit + the carp OH wants to eat, it always goes way over my weekly budget.

I realise I am by no means the only person who struggles with this, but I honestly don't think I would still be here if it wasn't for everyone else on this board (CW18, NYK, JTB, S_L, SF, Marru, BB and everyone else I've forgotten) who provide constant inspiration, encouragement and great ideas. What with working full-time, studying for a degree, a part-time accounting job and trying to run a house on a budget, i sometimes feel totally overwhelmed and it is then that you guys all come into your own. Thanks sooooo much to you all, everyone makes a difference, even if they only post once a month!

On the upside, I got a new job today!!!! Am now officially a relief funeral arranger!!! Start on 2nd March, straight after my current contract finishes, so haven't got anytime out of work. Am really happy and feeling super positive!!!

I can only read the board from home, not post, so if I don't get a chance to pop in before I leave work today, have a fantastic weekend all. And give yourselves a hearty pat on the back and a round of applause for a job well done!!:T

grandma247

siannielaz why cant you post from home?

slowlyfading

Afternoon everyone.

Not feeling too great today I had a viral infection in my chest about a week ago, and I can't seem to shake it off. I feel really ache-y today, and my back is in quite a lot of pain. I've rung the doctors but they dont have any free appointments today, or monday, so I'm just gonna have to sit it out I guess. I hope I feel better tomorrow, I'm so looking forward to it. I've not even eaten yet, which just shows how rubbish I'm feeling, because nothing can put me off my food! :rotfl:

I think that today will be a NSD, but that may change as I'm at work later and I may want some junk food as comfort. Bad I know, especially since I'm on a diet! So I'm going to try and resist, but who knows. I'm working 4-7pm at the bakery, and then I'm babysitting at 7pm til goodness knows when, so we'll see. I'm doing pretty well with NSDs so far in Feb, so it doesn't matter too much if I dont make it one today.

I think I may have missed undercurrents in this thread but I just want to say that I love reading about how every single person in this thread deals with and lives their life. I love reading all your triumphs, and when you have down days, and there's so many helpful hints and tips on here, that half the time I wish I lived on my own just to try some of them out! I think that everyone always has something valid to say and contributes plenty to the thread. Goodness knows, I ramble on here something rotten sometimes!

Sending a big (((HUG))) to those who want/need one.

sf xx

SiannieLaz

Gma, I don't know.
When I use my laptop at home, it lets me start a post, but then says I didn't write enough, even if I've spent half an hour doing it! It also lets me hit the thanks button, but when I sign on at work, it comes up that I never did!? I think it's my vintage laptop - I need to get some more memory stuck in it!!!:rolleyes:

Frugaldom

Good afternoon, Happy Friday 13th to all and I hope everyone manages to enjoy their weekends. Have fun if you're doing anything exciting with OHs

http://www.mexgrocer.co.uk/ This is a link that sells tortilla presses and has all sorts of Tex-Mex info. (£16.99 for tortilla press, SM )

Brighton Belle & Bails - have a brilliant time meeting up, I love hearing about frugal-meets! :j :T BB, enjoy trip to observatory, sounds like a great day out to me

Grandma, thankyou so much for the recipe suggestion - guess what I'll be doing this weekend? I've tried doing stuffed crust pizza before vut would never have thought about doing that. even thinking about making them is making me hungry! :rotfl:

Marru, you might feel differently after Valentine's Day - these kinds of events make (some of) us narky because they make (some of) us think about how we were hoping things would be. They actually serve to remind (some of) us of how things aren't, and that's how 'they' get to us and make us spend our hard-earned cash. If there's nobody else treating you to whatever makes you feel better then you need to treat yourself in a way that compensates. I'm just a scrooge who refuses to get back into any sort of debt and I like to think I have met like-minded frugalmates on here. In saying all of that, do you really think I'd turn down diamonds and a palace from Prince Charming if he galloped up on a white steed? :rotfl: I'm not THAT mad!

Back later to catch up properly, lunch needs making, eggs need turning and seeds need sowing. (And I still haven't sewn the curtains. Do I get to visit the dog/duck house for that? Please? )

SiannieLaz, well done & congratulations on getting the new job!

Slowlyfading, hope you feel better in tme to enjoy your Valentine's treat

xnatalie81x

Tortilla press as above link, is sold out - i am sad lol as i quite fancy one, even though we don't even eat them here lol.

Frugaldom

Grandma when you make up the hot pockets with bread dough do you make them as soon as the bread dough is mixed or do I need to let the dough rise first then punch it down, roll it then leave it to rise again? These sound great for using up bits and pieces of all sorts, especially if partly cooked and can fit in a toaster for speedy lunches during busy gardening days. I'm guessing that anything could go into them, sweet or savoury. I usually make jam tarts or rolled sultana 'pop tart' type slices with the extras of dough I have from pie making, but I can't wait to try these. Simple things amuse and entertain me, so I can't wait to [STRIKE]stuff my freezer full of[/STRIKE] make these