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

sophiesmum_2

Good morning frunchkins:D
I am so glad I wasn't drinking last night at the party as i have spent the night on and off dealing with one of my oldies who has been poorly through the night. May as well stay up now as i am wide awake again anyway:rolleyes:

Hope there aren't too many hangovers about this morning:p Have decided to have a different layout to my main post of the day so I can have a clearer picture of what I' m trying to achieve.

Day one of the new challenge
My general aims for today are:

• menu plan for the rest of the week
• make a loaf in breadmaker
• get some curry/rice out freezer for OH to take to work
• update storecupboard inventory to add on all the tins of biscuits, xmas cakes, chocs etc we have been given over xmas
• join Nyk on the "fitter not fatter" challenge and make time to go swimming
• start all new spending diaries and spreadsheets:j
• reduce. reuse or recycle at least one item - today's item rehoming blender to friend:D
• Do one thing just for fun - HM popcorn and Stuart Little today

Today's frugal menu:

• HM seeded bread toasted with HM rhubarb jam and glass of OJ
• batch cooked portion split pea,leek and ham soup from freezer
• smoked salmon and prawn omelette (excess seafood frozen xmas day) with variety of veggies (3) from freezer.

F&V portions - 1 Fruit, 4 Veg,1 Pulses

Today's extra income / expenditure

• Aiming for no spend day:p
• £8 to add to pot as played bingo with oldies at party and won:rotfl:

That should clarify things a little. Have a good first day of the year everyone:D

wornoutmumoftwo

Happy New Year to you all. It's so nice to be back on this challange.

Today I am making a steak pie, as is the tradition up here. Maybe a rice pudding as well and I am definately making some bread.

I found a great recipe for baguetes, it's the only bread that works in my breadmaker.

I'm going to have a sit down today and do some meal planning/ garden seed sort out and have a big diary in which to write everything in. I don't have a freezer full of food so I will be no doubt be shopping early on this month (like tomorrow!)

DawnW

Hi,
I just wanted to thank Nyk for starting this brilliant thread, and all of you for contributing. It is my daily 'must read'

I am a 'lurker' from the previous (2008) thread, and have tried out many of your fabulous money saving ideas. I would love to join in properly, but just know I would end up dropping out due to my stressful job :mad: Needless to say my main aim is to be able to afford to give up said job! I don't have any debt except my mortgage which I am busting as quickly as I can. If it is ok with all of you, I will continue to lurk throughout 2009, and chip in if I have anything of use to add!

January20

I meant to do it last year - but didn't - so can I join this year please?
I probably won't post very much as I tend to be too busy (and tired) during term time but I need an incentive to keep on budget. Or even just keep a tap my spending!
Will go and work out a budget now

nickynoo08

Morning everyone,
happy new year:j

Sophiesmum - your so organised, wish i was. Hmmm Maybe that should be one of my many resolutions:p

Have re done my finances and have managed to save some money here and there so my monthly allowance is now £250, which is £3000 over the year, or £750 a quarter.

Today will be my first nsd of the month as all i'm planning to do is tidy mess from last night, sort, move, hide little uns mountain of toys and meal plan for today. Still havent got my head round this yet so i'm taking it slowly.

Have a good new years day everyone

cw18

I'm off to do some housework in a minute :eek:

And I want to start the grocery cupboard stocktake I've been promising myself I was going to do since last weekend!! If I leave it much longer it'll be pointless as we'll have used some and added to it with grocery shops as well :rolleyes2

I read my gas, electricity and water meters after I got home from babysitting though -- so that's one job down for today I can already tick off

skintwellie

Well, I'm offering a toast to all fellow frugalites with my first cup of coffee of the day.:beer:

Here's to the first day of the challenge, unfortunately I have to spend some money as the leccie key needs charging and I need some sausages for the toad in the hole for lunch today.

We have bought the wood etc to make our chicken arc and run, but noticed yesterday that our local agricultural college sells free range eggs at £2.00 for two dozen! What a bargain - might be cheaper than having my own chooks. Need to look into this a bit more methinks.

Have a frugal day everyone.
xxx

Mollymop5

Happy new year and heres to a new budget and new aims.Good luck to you all

looby-loo_2

Good Morning! HappyNew Year!

JennyBee_2

Happy New Year everyone! I am quite impressed with myself! I was awake until 1am last night! Now I know for an average 27 year old that shouldn't be too difficult but considering I've spent the last couple of days randomly falling asleep during the afternoon I was quite chuffed!! OH keeps informing me that it's ok to be tired when pregnant but I'm a little stubborn!

By the way....We're having a baby this year!!! Sorry, but it's the first thing OH said to me at midnight So it's a Happy New Baby Year down in Somerset for us!

Anyway, am raring to go to crack on with the new budget and am determined to attempt to keep this house tidy this year so might go and hunt out a housekeeping thread too. (I know having a small baby and housekeeping aren't necessarily compatible things but I'll give it a go!!)

PS - well done us to have managed 32 pages of posts before the year even started!!!!