Live on £4000 for a Year, 2009 Challenge, part 2

aeb_2

Possitive thoughts going our way SFT, why does moving have to be so stressful, the HIP we have to pay for was supposed to make everything simple:rotfl:

I have lots of happy memories of Scotland, DH would have been happy to go there every year, at least twice, it was his favourite place

My friends have been to visit so I've had a complete break - and break from the computer too. I researched an order and ordered everything in one go to save trips and delivery charges. My friends DH got sooooo much done and I have promised them free B&B for years to come. :rotfl: I now have stud walling, electrics and plumbing in place for 3 en suites upstairs. I have bought the fittings but we decided it would be easier to plaster and tile before they go in. A plasterer is coming next week and it will take him all week as he's going to do lots of skimming so the walls will be smooth enough to emulsion. I've also removed all the skirting and architrave (sp) as it was very thick with paint and chips. I'm going to replace it after the skimming with stained wood so it wont ever need painting again:j

So the next major decision is flooring. If I have wood or laminate I should have that before the new skirting. But I don't really like laminate and wood will be expensive - but is forever. I prefer carpets but they need cleaning/replacing.

Happy gardening, better weather tomorrow perhaps?

cw18

** waves to aeb **

I was thinking about you earlier today, and wondering how you were. How are the bubbas? And your children?

I'm looking at replacing my bathroom (and hall and dining room carpets) with a 'green' lino. Won't be a cheap job, but will make cleaning up after the dogs (and my GDs) much easier (especially now the older dog has stopped telling me when she wants to go out :mad: )

Pauper1

Cheryl - When I was living at home during the earlier part of this year, I was paying £100 a month (which works out exactly the same as what you are thinking of asking for), but I thought it was ridiculously cheap.
I think it's even cheaper now, considering what I'm now paying on rent, food, electric, phones etc!!
My parents only decided to charge me monthly, as I get paid monthly.
I've just had a thought - if your DS gets a cash-in-hand weekly paid job, then really you would (possibly) only be taking what he would be paying in taxes otherwise?!

Frugaldom

Good morning all, just catching up and then I'll edit this post. Hope everyone is well. We have the sunshine here again.

Hi Aeb, glad to see you back and posting and it's nice to hear that you are getting on so well and so quickly. Have you got a date for the arrival of the babies yet? On the flooring scenario, I love wooden flooring but it can be quite cold if there's no rug over the top. Then, as a B&B, you have the health & safety aspect to think about - slippery surfaces and, how I damaged both knees, a rug slipping on a polished floor. My kneecaps have not recovered. I'd probably have sued the landlord had I been of a litigious nature.

SFT, your positive thought for the day from me to you - once you get moved into your house, it could be forever. It's all yours to have and make into a real home. I get totally sickened when I think of my last 9 addresses and that's just since 2001. :eek:

CW, if you are still considering childminding as a business, replacing your carpets for washable flooring could be classed as a start-up expense but I'm not too sure how they would view the dog/child mix in the event of a little 'accident' by either. :rotfl:Sorry, shouldn't laugh at such things but it does conjure up thoughts o a comedy sketch nature. (I have a really weird sense of humour. )

Kids and dig money - My DS is 20 and pays £40 per week in exchange for living like a lodger with full board, laundry, TV, telephone, Internet, electricity etc. He pays his own mobile, buys his own clothes and runs his own car. He also cooks anything extra he wants outside of mealtimes and pays for all outside activities (gym, swimming, boxing, holidays etc) He'll be given a lump sum on the event of his 21st and I expect him to be independent. I'm no 'mummy mummy', that's for sure. It's nature that youngsters should fly the nest as soon as they become independent, so independence is taught and actively encouraged here and I reckon there should be a legal upper age limit as well as the lower age limit! :rotfl: I believe Scotland has a lower age limit than the rest of Britain, though, so I reckon it could be something to do with feeding them porridge.

A$da insurance cashback has, after 8 months of waiting, finally paid out and I've transferred it to my account.

cw18

nykmedia wrote: »

CW, if you are still considering childminding as a business, replacing your carpets for washable flooring could be classed as a start-up expense but I'm not too sure how they would view the dog/child mix in the event of a little 'accident' by either. :rotfl:Sorry, shouldn't laugh at such things but it does conjure up thoughts o a comedy sketch nature. (I have a really weird sense of humour. )

Yes I'm still considering it as the most likely thing I'm likely to be able to do (don't see an employer taking me on with my history of back problems) - though fostering is another option. Having a dog (or 2) isn't an issue for minding, as a friend of mine is in the same situation and has been minding for about 5 years now.

Unfortunately I can only class the flooring as a 'start up expense' if I don't get it done before I'm registered (as a minder and with IR), but I don't think I'll pass the inspections until after it's done I'm still a stair-gate short, but am holding off on that until I can claim it There are also a few toys I'll "need" that can wait until they can be 'claimed'.

If I weren't looking at minding then I'd also be considering doing the same change in the living room, but I've been warned they like you to have a carpeted area for the younger children (learning to sit/crawl etc) - so as rugs are also frowned on (slips, trips and falls) I'm going to have to stick with a new carpet in there.

whitewing

ooooo, are we having a house-warming party on Friday night here? I will need to get some wine in.

DH has decided now our lifestyle is different than when we first joined the challenge that we should do a weekly shop, rather than monthly. (Same budget, but I suppose more likelihood of overspend if we're going more frequently). As it is his first major money-save idea that he seems to have thought about a lot, I have agreed. Bless him.

Cheryl, has your DS got his CV done etc? If he's not so keen on looking for work, it may be that he doesn't feel prepared. There has also been a lot in the news about how the recession is impacting that age group in terms of lack of job opportunities. He may just feel there's no point in trying than to be disappointed. Perhaps take him up to the frugal commune, see your new house (lol) and let aunty nyk and sm inspire him!

Blairweech

Hi all,

SF - good luck with your savings challenge

SFT - All things crossed for you, the cottage WILL be worth all the wait and stress

Aeb - So pleased that your friends helped you sort out loads of things - it is such a good feeling seeing everything falling into place. Regards flooring, you can get some truly excellent laminates now, which are very difficult to distinguish from the real thing.


Well, I have done my figures for May and it is not looking good



I know that I am going to be over 4k, but I don't want to up my budget. I will just wait and see how much over the 4k I am. It is funny, I thought petrol and electric would be my budget killers but it's actually food and 'everything else'. I guess I march on my stomach :rolleyes: Anyway, I am determined NOT to buy anything else for the house (I am actually avoiding carboots, charity shops etc) until I have sorted what I have already.

So far, June is going quite well - am on my 4th NSD so far, and have food in for the month. Got my birthday Monday after next, and am going up to my parents so that should save a few pennies - although I am also planning on a trip to Ikea, which could be disasterous. The only things I actually NEED are a couple more shelves for my bookcase, but you know what it is like in there

Brighton_belle

Morning all, just checking in. Had a great evening out at an open air play lat night - by a great company call the 'the rude MeChAn1L theatre company'. If you live in the SE, do check out their website for their summer tour, they are wonderful and so funny - each cast member plays about 3 different characters. We took picnic and like true brits shivvered valiantely. The rain held off til we got home.(PS I have no other connection with this company and no financial links:D)

Today I need to take it easy, but while the sun shines, I might just take my bike out for a little trial up and down the road. I also have a mountain of paperwork to declutter. Lunch today and tomorrow is picnic leftovers supplied by mum.Mum's are great at things like this. I took her & dad one of my lemon cakes in exchange.
Charity shop coming tomorrow to pick up furniture I couldn't get rid of on freecycle, dispite it being in very good condition. I'd like to get a few bags of bric a bra and clothes together too for them, and then it goes in one foul swoop (or is it fowl swoop?)

Cheryl - I think your plans to charge your sound sound good (though I wouldn't have a clue about the amount) Teaching independence is a great gift from a parent.

sft - I work for a mtg broker, and sometimes the mtg companies don't half over complicate what should be straight forward: hang on to those nerves of steel and be prepared to get angry and send a proverbial rocket. It's good you now have a face to face person on board as this always helps. House buying is so often horrible stressy.

Good to hear as ever of everyone's garden projects.

ram_murdock

Hey everyone!!

Havent been able to access the forum on my phone this week :mad:

I'm back on page 61...going to try catch up before i go to work.

Hope everyone is well! I recorded all my spends in May and unfortnately recorded an overspend. Although as i recorded all my spends, i can now try to cut down on the biggest overspends. (chinese is my downfall!)

Off to catch up - hopefully post again in a couple of hours!

ram_murdock

SF - sorry to hear your sad news.

BB - congrats on getting your bike! Having been following the forum i know how much you were looking forward to getting one!! Hope you have been using it lots in the good weather!

Lyndasharp - i hope the new cat has settled in ok!

Bails -hope you had a lovely birthday

shaz_mum_of_2 - congras on the savings! Thats what i love about this challenge - people can be frugal, save money and not feel deprived.

aeb - you are lucky to have such a helpgul friend - hope you are keeping well.

SFT - I hope you get everything sorted with the mortgage soon. I know how much you have been looking forward to getting moved in.

i have also been having mortgage problems this week!!

Some of you have probably read that i have been looking for my first house and have had a bit of bad luck with sellers not accepting my offers etc. This wee a small development about 13 miles away from me suddenly released their houses for sale this week. 3 of the 5 houses have already been snapped up! Two are remaining and i will be completely gutted if i miss out on one of them. The bank were meant to let me know by friday if they would agree to the mortgage but they couldnt find my present address on the system - so its going to be delayed until tuesday! Fingers crossed everyone!!

I've been doing loads of overtime over the last few weeks - been overspending a bit lately so hoping to claw back this month.

Off to work....catch up later!

xx