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

Skint_Lynne

Hi folks,

A busy day for me today, drove to Ayr for work and back again, done some paperwork and checked my kit case for forthcoming open days (2 this week). I'm driving to Sunderland tomorrow, then home, carlisle on Wednesday then home, no appointments on Thursday then 3 in the newcastle/durham area on Friday.:eek: I've an open day on Saturday afternoon, then will collapse in a heap on Sunday. Oh, and I done a jewellery party tonight and I have one on Thursday as well.:eek:

Good thing is, that I won't have any time for spending money.:p I am enjoying my job, but I have came to the conclusion that I am not getting enough cash from it. I am going to look for something else in that line, I actually applied for something today. It will take me a while to get anywhere, so an acceptable time will pass before I get offered another post. I don't regret knocking the better paid job back as this was in another industry altogether, and I think it would have been difficult to achieve the desired results.

DH is away this week, will be back on Sunday until the beginning of June.:eek:

Good thing that I have lots of food, but will it be enough??? I will need to get cooking I guess.

Nickynoo, I would stay in with the wee one, if I could, I would quite happily stay at home and not work. Unfortunately, I can't afford to do that but I can't wait until the day when all of my time is my own.:rolleyes:

Speak later. xx

[Deleted User]

Morning all

Things are alot better here on the Daisy front...

DH's first day back at work yesterday and he was given a months notice!! :mad: :eek:

Got to look on the internet at redundancy calculator etc, very small company as in him and his boss. Things have been tight for a while with hardly any work, but its not exactly great timing. I'm just so glad that we tightened our belts a while ago, and I have a hhuuuuge food stash!! He's phoned up about 2 jobs and is waiting to hear about them if no joy there, he's going to go back self employed. (He's a carpenter btw but does general building too)

Dont think its really sunk in yet, not too worried yet. And I realise that worrying doesnt change anything xx

Frugaldom

Good morning fruguys and gals! We've made it to the end of the first quarter! :beer: Congratulations to all who are still 'with us' and commiserations to those who fell off the wagon and forgot to attempt the climb back on - thanks to all who did climb back on, too! :T

Hope everyone is doing well, hope all the babies are thriving and has anyone seen whitewing? She's been very quiet of recent, as has Janey and several others. Hope everything's OK with you guys.

Nickynoo - don't think of it as 'giving up work', think of it as a career change - with practiced good housekeeping skills, you could find yourselves better off in the long run, as you'll have the time to concentrate on frugality, home cooking and won't need to worry about the xpenses involved in work travel, child care or spare babysitters if/when little ones are poorly. I would go with your instincts and do what makes you happy, even if it means a complete overhaul of the current budget. We want happy frugalites on here

OK, it's time for my end of month/end of quarter challenge assessment figures. We can write off the council tax, as it's been paid up front to take advantage of the 3.5% discount, it was better than the miniscule interest offered by the bank but I don't know how to work it all out, so won't even bother trying . I'll go and check my spreadsheets and then return with my final figures.

Edited in - :eek: Loopylou, just read your post! Oh nooooooooo.......... make the most of the month's notice and you're doing the right thing by not getting in a panic; everything for a reason. Hmm... a carpenter and self-employment. Could he consider part-time contracts to cover absolute essential bills and self-employment fitted around it so it was the best of both worlds? If he goes back to self-employment there could be tax rebate, working & child tax credits and hours that suit family life. How about a side-line in affordable housing for hens? Working for a one man band doesn't sound too hopeful of any great redundancy payments, especially if the guy is cash-strapped enough to pay off his only employee. Fingers crossed for you all.

jtb2412

Morning everyone ..... I can't believe I've made it to the first 1/4 and pretty much on target too :j !

I know i've said it before but huge thanks to NYK and all the regulars on here who have inspired me (and kept me on track, several times I thought about dropping out but you lot kept me going xx)

My figures for this month (quarter end too) as follows:

March Spending

Food - £500.17 (hugely over budget but have been stockpiling again)
Window Cleaner - £10.00
Mobile (PAYG x 4) - £10.00
Sky - £37.50
BT - £0.00 (quarterly billed, due April)
Gas - £0 (quarterly billed, waiting for correct bill after being estimated)
Elec - £0 (quarterly billed, as above)
Internet - £14.00 (down from £19.99, negotiated a reduction :T )
Toiletries - £23.90 (stockpiled a few 'ladies items' after seeing them on offer )

Total spending for March = £595.57 which is over budget but due to the stockpiling. Next month should be much better as I've plenty in now and my 1/2 lamb is coming this week and the 1/2 pig next week. Food spending for April should be no more than £200 . Must come in under budget next month to allow for the Gas and Elec :eek: . No stockpiling next month .

First 1/4 spending

Not going to re-write the last 3 months but my spending for the first 1/4 is £1619.66 which is £79.66 over budget so not too bad. I'm sure I've got more than that stored in my food cupboards .

I'm pretty pleased with that, especially since I'm new to this and find it hard to stay out of the shops (especially garden centres :rotfl: ).

Right off into the garden to 'potter'. Hope everyone else is happy with their figures xxxx

TTFN Xxxxx

mama67

As everything has gone through my bank that is included in the challenge here is my spending up to 31 mar 2009.

Car Running 446.00/1500.00

Heating Oil 171.00/685.00

Electricity 180.00/720.00

Coal & Logs 30.00/250.00

Mobiles 41.07/180.00

Phone & internet 91.49/405.00

Boys pm etc 247.00/900.00

School lunch 260.00/780.00

Grocery 455.00/1820.00

Boys clothing 120.00/520.00

General clothing 65.00/260.00

School Uniform 60.00/260.00

Presents 75.00/340.00

All other 42.75 }/240.00
Stockpiling 48.71 }


TOTAL SPENT £2333.02



Saved 13.44 against the cost of phone calls and mobile

kindofagilr

Hi all

I am not going to do this challenge this year, we are just moving into our own home so dont really know where I am with bills etc yet.

But can I just ask if I have worked all this out right?

1. Add up entire annual income after tax (£26,400)
2. Deduct entire years mortgage (£7416)
3. Deduct Year council tax and water (£1250)
4. Deduct annual insurance (£600)
5. Deduct all costs with work (£1416)
6. Deduct all regular debt repayments (£4,416)
7. Deduct annual health costs (£100)

Total left £11,202

So then the budget for the year.

Groceries £1,800
Electric + Gas £1200
Internet/Sky/Phone Calls £480
Line Rental £120
Mobile £600 (my god!! lol)
TV License £137
Clothes £100
Car Tax £70 (I think)
Car Insurance £140
Everything else £709 (Birthdays (Big family) and cross stitch mag subscription)

Total £5356

Is that right? have I missed anything??

Can it be true that we waste £5,846 a year!!!!!! My god, this has really made me think!

cw18

kindofagilr wrote: »

Is that right? have I missed anything??

Can it be true that we waste £5,846 a year!!!!!! My god, this has really made me think!

It's only since finding this challenge late last year (after various big reductions in income) that I've also come to realise how much I've "wasted" in the previous 24 years (since I started working)!!!


I don't see anything on your list for life insurance - but you have a mortgage so I assume you probably gave some Or is the 'annual insurance' your building/contents and life?

Frugaldom

OK, here are my Frugaldom figures for the first quarter:

Groceries - £442.64/£1095
Toiletries - £14.53/£50
Cleaning products - £5.67/£20
Electricity - £350/£1000
Coal - £61.60/£200
Logs - £80/£240
Internet - ££59.97/£240
Mobile - £5/£40
Telephone - £12.88/£160
TV license - £0/£145
Clothing & footwear - £3.20/£100
Gifts - £55.56/£300
NTS membership - £19.50/£78
Travel - £32.50/£180
Insurance - £47.50/£47.50
Contingency - £0/£104.50

Total spent during first quarter = £1,190.65
Balance remaining for remainder of 2009 = £2,809.35

Over average by £190.65 to reflect extra costs of electricity, coal and logs for winter heating.

On my cash neutral mini-challenge for all other spending, including on DD's wedding plans, I have spent a grand total of £890.47 and recouped £453.93 of that so far. If I can neutralise all the extra spending during 2009 then I'd have met another of my targets!

Welcome to the thread, Kindofagilr. Setting your budget is a bit of an eye-opener for most people when they find out just how much goes on non-essentials. LOL You'll soon get the hang of it and have your debts paid and ISA filled. New thread started for part 2 here, nobody's noticed it yet

kindofagilr

cw18 wrote: »

It's only since finding this challenge late last year (after various big reductions in income) that I've also come to realise how much I've "wasted" in the previous 24 years (since I started working)!!!


I don't see anything on your list for life insurance - but you have a mortgage so I assume you probably gave some Or is the 'annual insurance' your building/contents and life?

Yes sorry the annual insurance is life and house insurance, the life is £16 a month and the home insurance is £34 a month

Wow its insane isnt it!

Maybe I can join in half way through the year? like to start on July 1st with half my budget to spend (if that makes sense)

Cos me and fiance would love to get married one day and have kids

boring_beige

i assume that i to post march's spend here.
This is the second time i've tried to post. so i hope that i don't post twice

£3.10 craft
£1.19 stuff
£36.78 food
£30.00 mobile top up with free phone
£30.00 my share of three months internet

total £101.07

that over my montly average but i am still less than a quarter of the way throught my £1200 target (without keep)
Got to go to the dentist in April. Last time he said something about x-rays. so i image that it will cost a fair amount.
I've got less craft things left so i will have to watch what i spend when i do go out to get some more.

Loopylou i hope your husband finds work soon.