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

cw18

I though people might like the warning - especially if, like me, you tend to only fill the fuel tank of your car when you're down to fumes.

Just received an email, with information on an upcoming rise in fuel tax - you can see the info here

I filled up a week ago, so didn't expect to need another fill-up until the end of April - but may now 'top up' at the end of this month if I'm near one of the cheaper petrol stations in the area !!

Blairweech

:mad: I will fill up my tank before the end of April now too, CW :mad

I planted 3 x 3 leeks, 3 x 2 brocolli and 3 x 1 sweetcorn. I will plant more seeds in a few weeks to ensure a long harvest.

Debating whether or not to go into town to the charity shops today...there is nothing I particularly want, and tbh I am not too in the mood for trudging around town.

I am thinking of moving over to a cash economy - withdrawing the cash I need for the week, splitting it into 'pots' and only using those pots. This will make balancing my bank statement so much easier. The only downside to this is that if I want to purchase something on the internet, the money for it would already have been taken out of the bank account so essentially I would be spending it twice. I do not live near my bank, so I cannot just put it back in easily. How do you all deal with this problem?

cw18

You need to fill up before the end of March

Must admit this only means about an extra £8.50/yr for my personal purchases of petrol - but I'm more concerned about how this will impact on the cost of things from the shops..... especially food

Could be time to stock up the 'high mileage' things like rice and pasta again me thinks

grandma247

Blairweech wrote: »

The only downside to this is that if I want to purchase something on the internet, the money for it would already have been taken out of the bank account so essentially I would be spending it twice. I do not live near my bank, so I cannot just put it back in easily. How do you all deal with this problem?

I have a prepaid virgin credit card which I top up for free in the post office or for a small fee at a paypoint. I only use paypoint if I want to use it the same day.
It does cost a small amount to use the card but I feel safer using it than my bank card.

lilac_lady

"I am thinking of moving over to a cash economy - withdrawing the cash I need for the week, splitting it into 'pots' and only using those pots." - blairweech

This is the only method that works for me. I sometimes still wonder where the cash has gone but I'm not into accounting for every penny (yet!) so as long as I stick to the cash budget I can buy anything I think I need.

This method cons me into thinking I'm not doing a budget - but I am!

cw18

My new TV Licence has arrived this morning - along with payment schedule for the rest of the year. As such, I've just done a minor adjustment to my buget 'pots' - and moved £4.56 from the TV Licence section to my 'anything else' :T

candygirl

Hi everyone:hello:
Just updated my totals for this month so far and I have spent a lot, but mostly on baby stuff, as DGD is due next week:eek: :eek: Can't wait!!:D
We have a new massive Home Bargains opened up near us too, so the temptation is huge, and I have got a few luxuries recently such as a new lounge rug:D
Hope you're all ok and are doing better than me:A

slowlyfading

Afternoon everyone

I managed to have another nsd yesterday, bringing my total to 9 for march so far, which is always good! Today won't be one I'm afraid - me and the bf are going on a date we're going to the cinema! which probably doesn't sound much, but the nearest cinema to me is an hour and 10 min drive away, and about 15 mins from his end :rolleyes: so I'm sadly very excited :rotfl: We're going to see 'He's Just Not That Into You' (my choice!) so I'll let you know if its good - its a chick flick and has some good actors in it.. so we'll see. I'm taking some crisps with me to eat there - unless he offers to buy popcorn as its so expensive just to get a ticket! If you add food onto that, it becomes very expensive.

cw18, thanks for the link - as if petrol isn't expensive as it is! :mad: I only drive a small car, so its not that bad, but its still a rip off, and just another way for the government to get our hard earned cash. It really bugs me that they keep rising the prices on things such as petrol, which is a need for most people to get to work to earn money in the first place, and with the current situation like it is, it makes me even more mad! :mad: lol but don't get me started :rotfl:

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

sf xx

DdraigGoch

Hello everyone

sorry not to have been around to catch up

just nipped in to say for all of you that are buying baby goods look here:

http://www. ethical superstore. com /special-offers/? page=1&sortby= most_popular&limit= 80

as they are having a "sale" on quite a few baby items

when using the link above, please take out the spaces I had to put in as, for some reason, the site didn't like this link - odd?!?

hope that helps
DG

Vixstar

DDraig and anyone else visiting Ethical Superstore they have 10% cash back on Qu!dco and I'd guess on some of the other cash back sites. Though not sure if this applies to "sales"