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

Brighton_belle

savingfortravel wrote: »

However I love that this thread motivates me so much so although I probably won't have a 2010 budget I am desperate to stay.

Hope that's ok

sft

You better be staying sft or I shall have to *insert suitable terrifying threat*.

Glad to hear the laptop is working great Lynne - i too am writing on mine from bed being on day 7 of ghastly lurghy.

Lots of snow here. So bright last night was the snow that I was able to read a paper in the garden at midnight (just to prove I could. Snow is so magical, had to get out there however brief and with 10,000 layers)

FrankieM

I think budgets are such a personal thing. I guess thats why its called 'personal finance'.
I have debt to pay off and I would like to study without any loans so its a case of tightening the belts to make that happen.
In regards to what I budget in each area. I've tried keeping it tight and then panicking that I'll never manage it and I've given myself a larger amount with the hope that I can save the 'extra'...and then spending up to my limit.
This year I'm keeping it tight but also having a 'slush/emergency fund' so if something crops up I've got some money for it without having to spend on the credit cards or dip into the money I'm saving for debt and Uni.

savingfortravel

Brighton_belle wrote: »

You better be staying sft or I shall have to *insert suitable terrifying threat*.

Glad to hear the laptop is working great Lynne - i too am writing on mine from bed being on day 7 of ghastly lurghy.

Lots of snow here. So bright last night was the snow that I was able to read a paper in the garden at midnight (just to prove I could. Snow is so magical, had to get out there however brief and with 10,000 layers)

Thanks BBxxx Didn't know you were poorly..good to hear despite the lurgy you're still appreciating things as much as ever!

sft

Frugaldom

findingmyfeet wrote: »

afternoon all,

nyk-totally amazed and in awe of your budget, you do so well. wish i could do as well, is it sheer grit and determination or do you treat it game like and cant bear to lose? what is it that keeps your motivation so strong ?

Trust me, the motivation does flag and I do get totally fed up at times, especially at dawn when it's battering down with freezing rain and I'm outside ankle deep in mud whilst friends are basking in sunshine overseas. I don't know what my lifestyle would be like if I earned a lot of money, though! I tend to have had some rather eccentric and extremely expensive hobbies in the past, hence the 'no horses' rule that I imposed on myself about 5 years ago. Hopefully I'll keep to my budget in 2010 but I really, really need to focus my attention on the new garden project, otherwise temptation may raise its ugly head and I'll have 'neigh' chance of resisting it! :rotfl:

SFT, I don't think I'm incredible I think it's incredible that even on my miniscule income I can now afford to live debt free and still save for emergencies. The moral support from all you guys is one of the best motivational tools I've ever had. :T

Still tweaking next year's budget as I'm now considering another 'project' that could drive me to even more belt tightening. :eek: It all depends on how HS and DS react to my proposed (eccentric, wacky, crazy) plan. :cool:

cw18

((hugs)) to BB - hope you're up and raring to go very soon


Nyk - I agree that the moral support on here is invaluable to 'keeping at it'. Without everyone on here I'm sure I'd have packed in keeping records and moitoring my spending by the end of Feb at the latest

Frugaldom

I just realised that it's almost 11 years since I did my first budget challenge! :eek: I've dragged out my old notes, complete with grocery prices. Here's the ingredients for my version of oven baked stovie pie!

PLEASE NOTE THESE PRICES ARE FROM MAY 1999

1 tin baked beans - 9p
1 tin of corned beef - 49p
1kg of potatoes - 30p

Boil & mash the potatoes
Slice the corned beef

Layer beans and corned beef in an oven proof dish until all the beans and meat are used up. Cover the 'pie' with mashed potatoes (the way you would with shepherd's pie), then pop it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. You can use leftover veggies rather than baked beans for this, too.
Total cost for meal for 4 = 88p

In 1999, my challenge was to produce a main meal for 4 for £10 per week. I reckon the above would now cost around three times as much as it did to make then, so corned beef is no longer something that's used very often in this household. It's been substituted with mince bulked out with veg and oats. Still tastes nice with the beans and potatoes in a pie, though.

Skint_Lynne

I like the sound of that meal nyk, I might make it during the week as Mr Wonderful (sarcasam at it's best) is due home. I think that he would enjoy that, and so would I!:drool:

I am enjoying one last unexpected night of freedom, he was due home today but cannot get here due to a mixture of bad weather and hangover syndrom, not that I am complaining as I will have him here until the 3rd of January.:eek:

I am still debating on my budget, I think I am going to go for an all in of £10k.

The reason for this is that I pay everything in my household except the mortgage, so that is bills, food, prezzies, everything! I may be going on holiday as well this year, so this would be included as well.

I am going to record how much extra cash I make as well, eg, I do surveys and go to car boots occasionally, so it would be interesting to see how much I actually get from these.

I am hoping to be well under the 10k, but this is realistic and mentally, will keep me from panicking about breaking the budget. Will need to calculate the cost of the bills again, then this will give me a figure for shopping etc.

It's a great help that I have the company car as I do not have to buy fuel that often, in fact, it's a godsend.

This time next week, santa will have been and gone, then it will soon be time for the new challenge, I am looking forward to it. :T

savingfortravel

Was it decided where we will be located next year?
Will the name of the challenge change?
sft

savingfortravel

Hi all,
Have spent the last 2 days preparing for next term, enjoying the snowy scenary and watching back to back episodes of Coach Trip. On Thursday I found out I have mild oseoarthritis in one of my knees. Now going to the gym is more urgent that ever-in order to strengthen the muscles around it.
My gym is about 5 miles away but is virtually next door to Matal*n where I want to buy some new jeans (I have lived in 2 pairs which cost £10 in total for the last 8 years), couple of pairs of cheap tracksuit bottoms for the gym (so I don't have to worry about washing every time I go) and maybe some cheap t-shirts. Hoping Mr SFT will give gym stuff to me for Christmas. This is the first new stuff I will have bought myself all year. Will be browsing the gym newspapers whilst I'm there too.

Not touching school work today. Will be trying to get into my new book-which was borrowed from the sharing box at school-great idea. We may pop into M and S as I'm sure they are giving £5 off a £30 spend..I saw this on their website but would love to clarify it somewhere on here.

Anyway have a great day today everyone. Bails I hope you are ok.

sft

Vixstar

SFT There were leaflets about it in store too. I have one somewhere I will try and dig it out and give you all the details by lunch time (you'd understand if you saw my room!)