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

bails

I think 5% increase is a good way to guestimate bill increases.

Thanks for the reassurances about the job, I've been umming and ahhing if this is the best thing to do, especially as the outlaws think it'll be much easier to get a job if I already have a job IYSWIM. While I understand the point, if won't be easier if the 14-hour shifts have caned my health and I am back to square one :rolleyes:

Things are tough here, and the next two weeks will be a real struggle. Roll on the 27th I say :rolleyes: At least OH and I both feel the same way...

Sorry school is tough SFT, try to distance yourself form it emotionally and not take it on. When they start going on, think of living the dream and how every minute of drama is a minute of pay closer to making it happen xx

We're currently tossing up jobs, babies, expeditions, money and weddings, and are in a right pickle! How do you plan for the unplannable eh? Here's hoping we find a way...

BigMummaF

FrankieM wrote: »

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

I can't be specific as it was a case of a quick glance as I passed, but there was a worrying headline on the front page of a newspaper yesterday about a "hidden 4% rise in council tax" :eek: Couldn't even tell you which paper it was but so wish I'd picked it up

I'm trying to get a bit put by for a rainy day, but at the moment the forecast is for monsson all year long I AM determined to do this Challenge properly..I've no option; I can't swim but desperately intend to float, albeit a little under the surface for the majority of The Journey

lingojingo

clothing budget for this year ruined at the last minute - R.I.P. one left shoe, cruelly murdered by a transpennine express train! Some idiot in a hurry trod on the back of my foot as I was getting on the train, my shoe came off and fell down the gap. I managed to get off the train and see if it could be rescued, but had to watch as the train ran over it! Came home on the next train, wearing one lonely shoe, only to find it had been raining here, so then I had one cold and wet foot, and had to get a taxi for the last bit. They were my favourite, comfy, flatties that i wear most of the time, so will have to be replaced quickly.

savingfortravel

lingojingo wrote: »

clothing budget for this year ruined at the last minute - R.I.P. one left shoe, cruelly murdered by a transpennine express train! Some idiot in a hurry trod on the back of my foot as I was getting on the train, my shoe came off and fell down the gap. I managed to get off the train and see if it could be rescued, but had to watch as the train ran over it! Came home on the next train, wearing one lonely shoe, only to find it had been raining here, so then I had one cold and wet foot, and had to get a taxi for the last bit. They were my favourite, comfy, flatties that i wear most of the time, so will have to be replaced quickly.

How annoying Lingo..glad you're safe though

sft

Blairweech

Hi folks

Lingo - Your little story about your shoe made me laugh, sorry! Hope you find a better pair nice and cheap soon
Nyk - I will be eating a lot of pasta in the coming weeks, as I indulged in Morrisons '3 for 1' offer on pasta and still have most of it left!!

Went to Cotehele House today and had a great time. They have the garland up in the main hall, handmade using flowers that are grown and dried over the year. It's really beautiful, and you would not think it was dried looking at it. Was free for me as am a member but £4 for OH - however, we didn't have enough change (I thought it would be about £10, so could go on the card), but then the lady on the desk said just put a donation in the pot Bless her kindness, anyway we scraped together about £3, so not too bad.

Managed to find a copy of The Moosewood Cookbook in a bookshop for 50p, so some new veggie dishes on the menu soon, and I bought a copy of The Farm, which I am 1/3 of the way through already!

Have been reading a great article over at The Simple Dollar about The Best Moment of Your Day, which suggests a journal listing the best thing to happen in your day. I really like this idea, I think it would help me realise whats most important to me in life.

Country Living have offered me a 2 year subscription for half price (click for link to offer), which includes a free 2010 diary, so I am planning on taking up that. Listed some clothes on Freecycle, so I am making a dent in my stuff, square inch at a time!

Sorry to waffle on and include loads of links, just thought I would provide some useful info for a change

FrankieM

Morning,
Going to try my hand at breadbaking today. I found the ciabbata recipe I was looking for. I'm doing it with chicken & sweetcorn soup for tea.
Home Blessing Hour this morning, the house really needs it and then I think thats about it for what I have to get done today.

Thanks for the links bails I really enjoy the Simple Dollar. Its on daily blog reading list.

Hope you all have a good day.

BigMummaF

Just a quick heads up...there's an interesting bit on BBC1 Breakfast today about cutting your carbon footprint. I seem to recall a lengthy debate on here a little while back & it had the amazing sink/loo combo that Grandma[?] found!
There's also a thread on these here boards along the lines of your diary idea Blair..a sort of reasons to be cheerful type thing. Have a look through this one, it might well have a younger brother by now as it's a while since I've been there I'm pruning back on the threads I routinely go to in an effort to cut poota time, & just now saving cash is a more important usage of my lekkie

skint_chick

Lingo - you're lucky it was only a shoe - when I was little I fell down the gap between the train and the platform and the only way to get me was to move the train out of the station. There were A LOT of people all watching a small girl squeeze against the side of the platform while the train inched out of my way. All I was worried about was that the train would run over my dolly:rolleyes: I still don't think my mum has recovered as she always watches me like a hawk when I get off trains even though I definitely wouldn't fit down the gap now!

grandma247

BMF I saw today too.

Hope everyone is ok. I am fighting a cold and I have loads to do. Must clear out some stuff from front room which we rarely use at the moment as dil may come and stay as ds1 may be working extra nights this week and she's fed up of being on her own.
Going to have the electric meter changed today from a card one to a key one. Had to move stuff and clean around where it was last night,I didn't want any nasty suprises when we moved the fridge. Why did they always put meters in the most inconvenient places? We can't have a cupboard there because we need access to the meter so only moveable things can be put there and as its in the corner it seems to take up double the space. I would love to be able to afford to have it put outside next to the gas meter.

Savvy_sewing

Have finally managed to get the landlord to fix the outside light, and he has said that he has (finally) replied to Warm Front for my cottage to be draught proofed!. Now its going to be when they can come and do it. I just wish that he had replied in August when they first wrote to him!!. Then we would be warm, and saving fuel etc. This cottage leaks out heat terribly!!.
Hoping to have a NSD today. I have spent far too much this last few days. I have an Asd@ order ready for the 21st December. It is well over budget at £111!! But then I will have enough food to take us well into the new year. (Unless DS is home more!.) I can alter the delivery nearer the time, if I need to add anything, or subtract anything!.)
This includes nappies for DGD, and extra milk, etc. ANd all of the christmas food that we will need, with the twins and thier babies being here for the festive season.

I am worried that I will not manage to keep to my budget!. I am well through the wood, that was supposed to last until January!. I am going to have to buy more. Luckily my parents have given me some money to get it, and to put on the electric bill. (£100) ! I was so overwhelmed when they gave it too me. But if I need that much more, it means that the budget for 2010 is wrong. I will need a lot more there.
If I can only get my health sorted out, so that I can have the strength and the abilities to earn a little to keep my nose above water!.

Still no idea how long I will have DGD staying. She is tiring me out. Thank goodness my eldest daughter has helped out by having DGD for the weekend. But she is partying next weekend so will not be able to help then.

I have defrosted some Sausages for tea tonight. Will do mash and onion gravy with it. Have to use shop onions as we have used all the ones that I grew. Will have to grow and learn how to store more next year.
Have some cabbage from the garden still.