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

taka

lingojingo - God knows what that makes me... I can't even do the cooking bit particularly well! :rotfl: Don't even mention h****w**k :eek: :eek:

Shaz + Nyk - I love the bluebells! I'll be closely stating at any I spot now to see if they are native bluebells or Spanish ones. Not seen any this year...

skint_chick

BB - good luck with working on your OH's mindset over his finances. My OH has got himself in such a mess- I've spent a lot of time and stress trying to sort it out and he gets so angry over it. I'm thinking if we can't get it sorted he'll be quite happy with the ignoring it for 6years and it's unenforceable:rolleyes: Maybe if you tried leaving him a written plan of how there would be extra money/less stress/the benefits it would bring.

Went to see Angels & Demons last night at full price:D using OH's small lottery win to pay for it. Should be at the gym now so have decided to go straight from work tomorrow - it might be more crowded but if I come home I'll never leave:mad: because I have no willpower. Batch cooking bacon & lentil soup, and turkey for salad wraps tonight. Then reading my library book with an early night. Soapnut laundry is on. I love the ways my life has changed over the last 8months, what KKP was saying esp to Skint Lynne made me mad because we are such a great challenge team and I felt very defensive of my challenge buddies.

How's your arm SL?

Nyk - I still haven't completed my tax return and I'm owed money -I'm just concerned if I get it now I'll spend it on a huge holiday because I'm a bit down so I'm planning to send it next week so the figures should be confirmed just after I get back and I'll save some and reduce my mortgage with the rest.

Vixstar

What a nice way to spend your evening SC
Got some marking to do and dinner to eat then I may follow your lead an read a book too.
Am I right in thinking that working to a whole year budget is easier than running one month by month as overspends balance themselves out?

Frugaldom

skint_chick wrote: »

Nyk - I still haven't completed my tax return and I'm owed money -I'm just concerned if I get it now I'll spend it on a huge holiday because I'm a bit down so I'm planning to send it next week so the figures should be confirmed just after I get back and I'll save some and reduce my mortgage with the rest.

That sounds so impressive! You must be :j at the prospect of the rebate. I thought I was doing well finding out they had overcharged me by about £80 in my part time job last year, but that would never have made a dent in a mortgage. :rotfl:

Whitewing, you are very brave (or very mad? :rotfl:), I take my hat off to you - I could never even contemplate a second family, I'm afraid if I'd to remarry I'd be making it clear from the start that it wasn't an option. Good luck and do keep us up to date with any grandmother fisty fights! :eek::D

Looby, I went G00gling the bluebell subject and am now happy to say that I'll can tell the difference when I see bluebells from now on. It continues to amaze me just how many new bits of information can be learned from this forum. :T Thanks you guys

Skint_Chic, hope you enjoyed the film. I read the book some time ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, I hope the film lives up to expectations, although I'll probably not see it for a while yet. Only found out this week that Ewan McGregor is in it when I had TV on for weather update yesterday morning and he was being interviewed.

I am soooooooooooo not clued up on current topical subjects, movies and music that it's unbelieveable! However, I am sad that Peter Andre & Katie Price are splitting, as I like him and feel rather sorry for him after all the 'carp' he's had to sit through during interviews when she's so verbally abusive to him. He just seems like a regular, nice guy. If she costs him a fortune, he's welcome to become a frugaler here any day. :rotfl::rotfl:

Vixstar, the budget is spread over the year to balance out at an average (in my case) £333.33 per month. I find it easier not to consider the monthly costs, though, I prefer starting my spreadsheet with £4k and deducting all the spends as I go along. Right now, I have only £2410 remaining, so my weekly average remaining has now dropped to £74.31 or approx £318 per month.

Skint_Lynne

Evening all,

Thanks to all my friends on here who stuck up for me last night and today.:A

Skint Chic, my arm is healing up well, it is a bit itchy just now, apparently that is a good sign.

I sent away a photo of my burnt shirt and of my arm to the establishment I purchased it from, so we will see what happens. I really think that it is a safety issue as I don't believe that it should have went of fire as quickly as it did, we will see what happens.

I bought the sun today for the £5 off at Mr M voucher, I am going to do a bit of stockpiling, so it's good to get a bit off if you can.

Never spent much today, just bought the sun, bag of potatoes and a puff pastry for dinner tonight. The freezer meals are going down, so I'll need to be cooking again soon.

Speak later xx

liloandstitch

Wonderful Bluebell pictures on here today - I didnt realise there were so many different variety's when I said english bluebells. I only meant it because of the spanish invasion. Perhaps I should have said British one as its a bit more inclusive!!!

Well I was a good girl and had my cold meat and potatoes, and only spent my £2.50 on my baguette this morning - and it was yum. I have done my shopping and have spent less than £40 this week, which is good for me, and have lots of food for meals.

Tomorrow we will be having lamb chops with something - mash or roasties depending on how much time I have. I shall also have a good tidy up and put some more of our clutter on ebay. I have 3 things on there at the moment, 2 with bids - £1.98 but its a start! They end on Sunday, and at least I will get rid of a huge bit of furniture, so should finally be able to start decorating our bedroom - hurrah. I am not even thinking about my tax return. I still havent had my £8.00 refund for last year. I dont have to pay tax on my little bit, so will probably submit by the skin of my teeth on 30th January as usual!

Have a good day everyone. Lilo

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!
Feeling a little low today. Despite having got great comments from a lesson observation this morning.

I suppose its that we are moving out Thursday and will have to wait 3 weeks before moving into our cottage. Was so looking forward to be in there for half term... Need someone to talk sense to me.

Can't really think about anything else at the moment.

sorry

sft

slowlyfading

sending big (((HUGS))) to you sft xx

Brighton_belle

skint_chick wrote: »

BB - good luck with working on your OH's mindset over his finances. My OH has got himself in such a mess- I've spent a lot of time and stress trying to sort it out and he gets so angry over it. I'm thinking if we can't get it sorted he'll be quite happy with the ignoring it for 6years and it's unenforceable:rolleyes: Maybe if you tried leaving him a written plan of how there would be extra money/less stress/the benefits it would bring.

.

Thanks skint_chick. It's always reassuring to hear others with a similar problem. To be honest, I've tried ever possible approach over the last 3 years since we've been living together and his probs slowly became apparant. He's so lovely to be with in every other respect but just has a complete block. I don't think anyone can suggest anything I haven't tried 10 times. We are slowly slowly making progress, but I don't always have the energy to force change where I can and urge it, where I can't.
It is hard to understand when the solution would be very simple, he just can't take the practical action/effort required. But we are moving in the right direction.

Today I have leared 2 bin bags of paper based rubbish out and a small box of stuff for a charity shop :j

EDIT: sft - take the birds eye view - glide on the thermal and look down: 3 weeks in a life span of 80 years is nothing. It is disappointing but time will fly by and be an insignificant memory.

Frugaldom

SFT - On the plus side, you'll have your capital for a little bit longer and by the time you get into the cottage all this miserable weather might be past and you'll have saved 3 weeks of fuel bills I still can't believe that someone sold a house with tenants in it and never gave the tenants notice to vacate. To be honest, I didn't even think that was legal. I'm sure it must be different up here - the date of entry is set in the official offer and the final conclusion of missives (equivalent to exchange of contracts, I think) is done on the day you take possession of the property. By rights, if you take possession on Thursday then any rent accrued from that date onwards should be yours, with the landlord transferring the security deposit to you. Were you even made aware of the fact that you were buying the house with tenants? I'd be so upset and am commiserating with you, but also trying to think of it as only 3 more weeks and then your dream will become a reality. It's not so long when you think of it that way. Then it's 3 weeks less until summer break. When are you jetting off on holiday?