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

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Morning all,

Not spent anything in 2009...yet.

My month started on the 23rd so it looks like i've spent loads already. Well i have I guess! that included all the Christmas food shopping and last minute bits too. Also some cheap gifts and wrapping paper in the sale. Went mad on Tuesday with whoopsies so am avoiding Mr Ts for a week at least .

I wrote in my 2009 spending diary yday with my current balances so I can keep track of my spending. Also wrote in my cc so that I can also update it as it goes down

Am off today to get a new suit for my interview. Am using a bit of my sealed pot money/£1 a day pot from 2008. So am not going to include that in my totals as it is not part of my £4000.

Off for another :coffee: I think before facing the day.

LMMS

Mollymop5

Morning everyone.My new years resolution is to try and post more!
A NSD for me I hope.I'd like to stay away from the shops until Monday at least.i've got plenty of food in my freezer and cupboards so will try and meal plan too.Goint to get back into making my own bread and soup this trailed away towards the end of last year so need to jump on that wagon again.I'm also hoping to make DD's play area into a veggie garden so I will be askig for lots of help this year as I do'nt know where to start.I have 3 compost bins almost ready though as these have been goin about 3 yrs now and have rotted down nicely.Well thats me for today

errrmmmm.I'm back.Went to do some washing and realised I was out of washing powder.I use Simply Active washing powder fromAquados and buy online.My DD has sensitive skin and I find this one the best for her along with it being "Green".just done an online order buying 10 tubs of 30 tablets for £21.53 delivered which is a really good price.This will last me a full year going off last years usage so I'm pleased with that.My washing pile will have to wait for a day or 2 for delivery but it saves me a trip to the coop where I would have spent alot more.

hgbels

Hi All

Well, I didn't manage a NSD yesterday as I needed to buy some storage boxes for the kids rooms. I think furniture will be my downfall due to teh extension.
I'm feeling bad about the challenge already as I am now off to town to buy some jeans - as I don't have any that fit. I have needed them since November so am finally giving in - if only so that other parents at preschool don't think I am a complete scruff

Hels

PetitePeche

Please could I join this challenge?

I gave this a tentative go last year but found it too difficult to keep my spending separate in my head IYKWIM. If I thought I was overspending from my £4k pot I would reclassify some and take it from another pot.

This year, to make it simpler for me I aim to overpay £9k to debts and mortgage therefore leaving a lot less to live on. If I stick to the principles of the £4k challenge it all should fall into place.:j

PP.

Janey51

Happy New Year a day late.
Just got home to a houseful of guests who have been here since Dec 31 being entertained by son and DIL. House a tip. All lights on:eek: Heating on constant :eek:

Help. Need alcohol...plenty of empty bottles lying around :rotfl: Maybe they will leave all the food they brought.
When they arrived (as I was leaving for more peaceful venue) they proudly announced they had only spent £120 in Mr A's :eek: This is for 8 people for 2 days :eek:
And here was me thinking I had brought up frugal children Although I suppose living in Mum's house with umpteen guests is pretty frugal from their point of view especially as their original plan was to hire a cottage for New Year in the North of Scotland :rotfl:

Yesterday was supposed to be a NSD but called into local shop and they had cheese on special offer which worked out at £4.97 per kilo of mature cheddar :T So I bought 2.5kg to add to my stockpile. Should last me a good few weeks or even months as I don't eat much. That cost me £11.94.
Then bought 2pts milk on the way home in case guests had drunk it all so another .99p gone.
But I have loads of milk in the freezer, not to mention UHT which I don't mind on cereal.
I have a nice new shiny £4000 credit on my signature :j
Have a ggod day everyone.

fallen_angel_shelley

Morning all, it's great to see that everyone is getting off to such a enthusiastic start on this challenge. I got of to a good start yesterday with a NSD :j

Nyk- I can't find my name on the list.

My target for this challenge is £4000 + CB, still need to do a few calculations to make sure I have got it right but with a bit of luck it shouldn't be to far of £4K.

I'm gona start looking online for the best deal on the fridge/frezzer I want and then see if I can haggling on the price , I am hoping that it will save me money in the long run having a frezzer, because then I can do a big shop every month and just top up with milk, veg, fruit etc during the week.

I need to go MrT's later so I best get back in to the habit of making a list and meal planing again. The kids are of out later so am looking forward to some time to myself, might treat myself to a bit of pampering, if I have time:rolleyes:.

I'm so jealous of all of you with gardens to grow your veg and keep chickens etc, I live in a 1st floor apartment.:(

cw18

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Just realised that my sons driving lessons also need to be budgeted for! £30 pw so not good new

I've not built in lessons for my son either, but as they're not a year-on-year cost I made a decision not to. They (like my crafting) will come out of the income I have above my £8k budget, as they're things that could/would be stopped if income dropped any lower. Mine doesn't actually seem that bothered about learning -- he'd had a couple of free lessons (he was registered with Connexions from Jan-Aug '08, and they paid for his provisional licence as well :T), but can't see the point in learning while he can't afford a car -- and I certainly can't afford to put him on my insurance :eek:

Is that £30 for an hour? They're not that much here (thinks DD's latest quote was around £22), but one of our neighbours is a fairly newly qualified instructor and has said we'll get a 'family and neighbours' discount if we go with him I guess it's to his advantage though, as no dead driving at the start/end of a lesson if DS is his first or last of the day -- plus if neighbour gets a cancellation he can easily check if DS is around to change a lesson and fit in......

MRSMCAWBER

Just a quick one...
another part of a xmas pressie finished for 2009 :j and the wool used only cost about £1

Back off to one in browns that is 3/4 done:T ....

cw18

fallen_angel_shelley wrote: »

I'm gona start looking online for the best deal on the fridge/frezzer I want and then see if I can haggling on the price ,

I've recently bought a new one (back at the start of November). I had a look in high street shops, decided what sort of size I wanted, narrowed it down to a couple of models, went through Qu!dco to search for the best price (getting cash back to do so), then independantly checked electrical retailers offering cash-back through them.

Ended up using E!ectrical123, as they were slightly cheaper (including delivery) than other places (before delivery) after I got the cash-back -- and with only one exception I think all the on-line places were cheaper than the High Street retailers, who I couldn't budge on the delivery charge if I managed to knock down the cost of the appliance

Have to say they were brilliant -- the delivery window was a bit bigger than I would really have liked, but they came early to me so I didn't end up staying in all day They fetched it in, unpacked it, put it into position, and verbally gave me all the relevant info regarding how long to leave it before plugging it in :T Couldn't fault them, and will certainly be considering them when I next need a substanitally priced electrical 'gadget'.

Marru

Morning,

Quick one from me as I have a Monkey sitting on my lap playing with her sticker book.

Not a NSD today as I need to deliver some books to Cornwall so need to fill petrol before and after as the trip goes under business costs. We might need to have lunch at our destination as I am sure that by then DD will declare that she is hungry. So that is my £4k budget blown as I only earned £9.22 yesterday and in principal this should go straight into my savings account towards February utilities and not been blown for eating out.

I do my accounts on strict cash bases, personal and business. This works for me the best as then it is easy to reconcile all the accounts.

Off I go now, I need to see if I can fit 7 fruit boxes full of books, one child and one dog into a Clio :eek:.

Have a great day everyone,

Marru