Live on £4,000 for a year - 2009, Part 4

mama67

grandma247 wrote: »

I never knew what they were called but I have made them for years and so did my mum and grandma. They are nice with mincemeat instead of jam too.

My mum used to make a currant fairy cake mix and just put that in the pastry tartlet. they are lovely with custard for a quick pud.

Frugaldom

Good evening frugal friends

BigMumma, I missed that on TV, I must learn how to look up the TV listings without crashing my computer! Wonder if it'll be repeated? I've found loads of useful stuff in the so-called 'cheap tat' shops and would hate to have to pay extra just for a 'label'.

Managed to get the Chrissie tree put up and decorated today. :j Much cheerier in here now, better still once the logs catch on the fire, as I forgot to keep an eye on it when putting up the tree. Oops! Did a bit more LETS trading with next door and am now the proud owner of a sewing machine that had been heading for the landfill. One small repair needed and we're all set to embark on a fabric off cuts frenzy of frugal curtains, patchwork quilt and cushions. :T

I've now looked out a few more items for freecycling and LETS trading, so these will need to go soon, plus some more stuff to be taken to the charity shop. Can't wait to get organised and have space to set up the sewing machine. I'm sure with a little bit of rearranging I could make my computer desk dual purpose, convert a book case into DVD storage and use the DVD trolley as extra storage in the kitchen. That might even free up enough space to have a shelf for sewing & crafting items. Fingers crossed the frugal spacesaving measures work out OK.

Dinner tonight is supposed to be cottage pie, so I best get that made soon. Hope everyone's having a frugal weekend.

savingfortravel

BigMummaF wrote: »

I don't suppose anyone saw the 'Tonight' programme last night, about the increase of budget-price stores? It is of no concern or interest to me what folk spend their money on, but I do loathe a brand snob The family doing the challenge last night were very good at dropping 'names' & she took delight in showing the £300 tree from a newer type of department store--guess you could say the 'next' generation but he was even worse!
Yes £land etc sell tat but they also have some good bits & in my book, you can say that about every other shop in the world. You buy the bits you like & leave the ones you don't, but you do not have to make such a big deal out of it.
Wonder what they would make of this particular little band of travellers :rolleyes: with associated bartering & make do & mending

Totally agree-where do they get these people from? They didn't get the family to look at their bank balance at the end and see how much they'd saved..that would have cheered their miserable faces up...
I would have preferred to have seen a family on a budget rising to the challenge..as you say showing what good stuff can be found by a careful eye..and celebrating at the end of a Christmas where the focus was on family and consumerism came second.

Bails-Hope you're getting on ok with the outlaws! :rotfl:Sorry about the job not working out but I'm sure something better is round the corner.

Nightmare week at school for me and the drama continues next week. Trying to put it out of my mind and focus on the lovely, funny children in my class. Only 2 and a half more days to go.

sft

cw18

Natalie - hope things work out for you (and especially that things remain civil for the children's sake)

Bails - sorry to hear about the job. 14 hours shifts are certainly more than a bit of an :eek:

SFT - hope things calm down at school




Still tweaking my 2010 budget. Had the latest play this afternoon, and am coming up with some interesting figures that I'm now trying to decide if I'm being rather optomistic about

My 2009 spreadsheet is currently looking like I'll make it without exceeding my £8k (just) - even after having had unexpected vets bills of just under £82 in July and just under £574 in September, having to increase the food bill for the bigger dog 4-fold since October, and after including the work related expenses (shoes, trousers and iron) that I planned to exclude......

These extras add up to (give or take a few £££s) £820 - which is actually more than 10% of my entire 2009 budget :eek:

Given that info, and taking into account that elder DS should be home on leave a lot less (lower grocery budget) and I won't be having my GDs like I used to (lower fuel and grocery budgets), I did actually debate trying to run 2010 on a lower budget - probably around the £7.5k, even though it's closer to £7.2k once I remove all those extras and allow for utility bills increasing in the latter part of the year (after I've used up all the credit on the accounts that meant my payments were substantially reduced in the latter half of 2009).

But I'm currently looking at allocating £7.5k to categories (or as close as I can get after rounding figures), and having the rest of my £8k budget in a new 'contingency' category to allow me an emergency slush-fund. The theory is that I wouldn't have to juggle all the other categories if I get an unexpected bill (so my category budgets shouldn't really be changing on a monthly basis like they have been doing this year) - and if I manage not to touch it, then I'll have an extra £500-ish in a savings account at the end of the year

Frugaldom

Well done CW, I like the idea of the possibility of an extra £500 set aside at the end of the year. Seems like a very sensible move, especially in the current economic climate.

Cottage pie tomorrow night, tonight turned into pasta with cheese & ham to use that up as there's no space in the freezer.

FrankieM

Evening all,

cw I think having an emergency/slush fund is a good idea. Helps relieve the pressure a bit.

We had jacket potatoes in the end for tea tonight and I finished some red wine that had gone a bit vinegary. DH still at work. Kinders gone to bed. I'm having a glass of port!

I was looking at cw's spreadsheet, thinking about filling in my budget and I was wondering what you do as far as water rates and council tax, do you wait until the new bill comes out in April before filling those bits in?

The only bit I've got filled in so far is food...I'm not entirely sure I'm going to be very good at this!

I've got sausages out for dinner tomorrow, to go in the slow cooker. I'm sure the kinders will be glad to see some meat on their plates!
I think I'll make up the Sheperdless Pie and put it in the freezer for a meal over the Christmas break. One less to think about.

Blairweech

Hi all,

Have been reading but only sporadically, so (((hugs))) to those in need, congrats etc

Had a lazy day today, spent at home cleaning up. Enchiladas for tea, am going to Cotehele tomorrow (have been trying to go fro about 3 weeks!) and will have a mooch around there.

Have a good one

cw18

FrankieM wrote: »

I was looking at cw's spreadsheet, thinking about filling in my budget and I was wondering what you do as far as water rates and council tax, do you wait until the new bill comes out in April before filling those bits in?

My water doesn't change until September (annual review of my metered account), so would be a loooong way through the year before I could make an 'accurate estimate' :rolleyes2

What I tend do with both these (as well as insurance premiums and car service/MOT) is take the previous years total then add 5% and round up to the next whole £ or £5. So I'm using what I paid in 2009 plus 5% as a starting point, and these will/may get adjusted once I get the revised bills through the post.

taka

I add 5% to my current years bills too. I figure some may be more some may be less than 5% increase so it all evens out...

mama67

I have been playing with my figures, and am going to do an all in this next year apart from mortgage, mortgage repayment vehicles, council tax and water.
I have also excluded the regular savings pots which will start on Jan 1 which if fufilled will be £1050 in savings (unless a major problem occurs)at the end of 2010 without any other savings made along the way.

So I am looking at £13400 for absolutely everything else for this household which is 2 adults and 2 teenage boys.