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

cw18

Tip run done, so our bin is now almost completely empty (plus cardboard is gone), next doors bin is empty, and the 3 black bags next-door-but-one (end of shared drive) packed for me are also gone from the front of their house.

Took it really easy, which seemed to disgruntle the driver of a 4x4 who came into the estate entry/exit road behind me - and (much more to my annoyance) an older lady who tail-gated me out of the tip all the way to the main road :mad:

Saw our vicar (also a neighbour - really next-door-but-two, but right across the shared drive) and mentioned I've asked for a grit bin. He agreed it would be very useful, and is also going to follow his normal channels to try and get one - hence adding his weight to the request. Apparently it was he who instigated some double yellow lines we got on the entry earlier this year......



Car fuel light is now on (haven't filled tank since early October), and I'm in a bit of a dilema. Not sure that what I have left will cover the mileage I have planned (even as a minimum, given the current need - and it is a need - to run the engine for defrost purposes before heading out) for the rest of the month...... but if I fill up in the next week it won't be worth filling again on NYE, which was my plan as that would end the year with a full tank. I started the year with a full one, so that would have given me an accurate picture of how much I used, but I guess a few quids worth won't really cause that much of a skew to my 2009 and 2010 budgets

Must remember to bring some cash home from work (closest cash machines are there), as the window cleaner came this morning so will be back for paying tonight. I owe them from 2 weeks ago as well..... unusual for me not to have the money on their first visit of a month, and I normally pay then for the whole month (2 or 3 visits depending on how many 'weeks' in the month and when the first visit is). Need to get this one settled so my account is clear for year end


Off to make a brew, and try and find some way of defrosting my feet after my trip out

Frugaldom

Budget balance slowly decreasing. I sent DS off to work this morning with £30 to top up the electricity meter key, so I now have £127.11 left out of my £4,000 annual budget. There's a small list of items appearing on my chalkboard in the kitchen and I still haven't decided if we're having turkey for Christmas dinner. Tomorrow will, hopefully, be a better day for driving and I'll go into town to see what's available. I should really go today, in case all that I can get is a frozen turkey. (I keep forgetting it's only 2 days until Christmas and no time to defrost a frozen turkey if I leave it until tomorrow! :eek:)

DD has decided that she doesn't want a telephone line put in, so that has completely scuppered what I was doing for her and SIL's Christmas! they don';t want any other monthly outgoings until the mobile phone and broadband contracts expire mid 2010. It is so infuriating! They can't get any signal where they've just bought their house, so the mobile phone and Internet contracts are completely useless! I am hoping that she has, at least, learned a valuable lesson about signing contracts for such things. I'm also a bit disappointed to learn that they've signed up to a 35 years mortgage! :eek: I didn't even know such a thing existed and can only hope they'll learn how to make the most of switching, fixing and over-paying.

DS's car due MOT'd this week and Taxed next week, it's booked into garage today so I am keeping fingers crossed that it passes without too much trouble, otherwise he'll be really annoyed at being skint at Christmas. I'm glad I don't need to worry about having a car nowadays, that's for sure.

CW - could you put a couple of gallons of fuel into your car and then top up just before any price increase from next year's budget, as that'll be when you'll be using the bulk of the fuel? Did you manage to get your DS to recompense you? I thought these military recruits were guaranteed well over the minimum wage right from day one, so he should be pretty well off if he's only himself to keep whilst living on base. Don't let him kid you about low earnings, it's more likely to be high spendings, knowing 20-year-old sons. :rolleyes: Mine spends a fortune, but knows not to expect any help if he gets his sums wrong.

Just in case anyone misses the OS free to download and print calendar, HERE is the link. I have also included it on the list of handy links in post 1 of the 2010 challenge intro thread.

grandma247

can only hope they'll learn how to make the most of switching, fixing and over-paying.
Nyk thats an idea for next year or their anniversary, A book of tips from this site and how to's. There is a lot of info about the benefits of paying off your mortgage early and how to do it.

BigMummaF

grandma247 wrote: »

BMF (fashion mesen ) are you an absconder from yorkshire? I have only heard that expression there

DH got home around 2am last night so it was not as far as we thought and the traffic was ok.
It keeps snowing heavy here we have had a couple of inches so far. I got to work and back without falling but it was a bit slippy in some places, in fact there was no grit on any pavements until nearly 3/4 of the way there.

My dd1 rang today and she told me something odd is going on. People are spending an unprecedented amount of money at her place. She is a manager at a warehouse,
wholesalers that do all kinds of house and garden products. Kitchens and electrical goods are flying out. They took a months worth of money in one day last week. She thinks it is all going on plastic so next year could be very grim for a lot of people.

Am definitely a southerner Grandma; born in Hampshire to an 'Ampshur 'Og mother & Deep Devonian Dad..but I do have rellies around Rotherham :rolleyes: I have an annoying habit of latching on to various accents so probably picked up many localised sayings from the people I've met over time. I do so love the lyrical way folk talk & it makes Life more colourful IMO, even if I struggle a little with broad celtic at times
Glad your travels & travellers arrived safely--after designing the walk-&-wear ice salter I'm going for underground heating for roads & pavements, so the gardens can still look pretty when it snows
Perhaps people are getting in their major purchases before the vat goes back up that's the reason for your daughter being so busy. I do so hope those customers are sensible tho; a friend of the Offspring got a phone call just yesterday afternoon to say the company had closed the depot & everyone was out of a job Damned disgusting way to hear if you ask me, but all too familiar a tail these days.

BigMummaF wrote: »

.... a company that CAN deliver before crimbo

It arrived this morning :j by P@rcelF0rce too!

nykmedia wrote: »

....am hoping that she has, at least, learned a valuable lesson about signing contracts for such things.
....more likely to be high spendings, knowing 20-year-old sons. :rolleyes: Mine spends a fortune, but knows not to expect any help if he gets his sums wrong.
....

Is this a mantra for all parents do you think? I suppose I caused worry to my parents but--in all honesty--nothing close to the financial woes that befall kids these days Think it's been said that the bankers really are the ones to blame for the mess they've got us into, by encouraging the 'get-it-now-worry-about-paying-later' attitude & to be fair, it's not only teens+ who get sucked in. Someone I know said they can't afford to give up work but more a case of can't give up the two foreign holidays a year, two cars, furniture, etc etc etc etc, probably all bought on the plastic & being very close to retirement age, really should know better.
I am soooooo glad I've never attempted to keep pace with The Jones

lyndasharp

Mooloo, sorry to hear about your problems with social services. I hope you manage to have a lovely Christmas, and that DS is well enough to enjoy it too, despite your lack of cake and pudding!

I guess I was one of the rare teens who are financially savvy - my parents were on such a tight budget that I learnt about finances from a very early age (then lent them my student loan to pay their mortgage off)! I worried them enough in other ways I expect ;-)

Just spent £6 in P1zza Hut, even though I had bought sandwiches into work with me. Oh well, there was still £600 left out of the whole years spending.

Frugaldom

Grandma247, I'm printing a copy of the free calendar from this week's MSE newsleter (I added a link in my previous post just in case anyone missed it) but DD has already been subjected to all my moneysaving ways. Her rebellious "teen-strop2 was to embrace consumerism wholeheartedly! :rotfl:I just need to let her realise in her own time that we all live our own lives and that just because her new in-laws do things differently, it doesn't automatically make my way wrong! :rolleyes:

Fog hasn't lifted here, nor icy snow melted, so we are opting for chicken this Christmas rather than trail into town to spend unnecessarily on fancy extras and a turkey. I already have prawns and/or soup for starters, roast chicken with all the turkey-type trimmings, nut roast stuffing, an assortment of veg that can be honey roasted, chipolattas, bacon (pigs in blankets?), everything I need to make a trifle, all I need for making a clootie dumpling, plenty of alcohol including hm wine & champagne, plenty of crackers, cheese and pate and there really isn't anything else that I need. I even have New Year's dinner already in the freezer, so I'm technically ahead of the game for the start of 2010. :j Tomorrow, I'm HOPING to get over to DD's to deliver the parcels and I'll can pop into C0-0p on the way past if there's anything I have forgotten.

Cat sitting from now until next week, so I'm off to play wiv da poody tat so he no get bored and lonely. Back later to do more catching up again.

bails

Hi everyone, just popping in quickly, we came back from trekking today to the sad news that OH's grandfather passed away unexpectedly 8 days ago. We may be flying home, I think temporarily although this may well throw up other grief so it could potentially be for good. Whatever is best for OH is all I'm concerned about. He's passed out beside me, absolutely emotionally drained poor thing.

Love to you all and have a wonderful Christmas xx Hope to be around soon but will depend on things here, as the inlaws are here too so all pretty traumatic timing.

savingfortravel

nykmedia wrote: »

Grandma247, I'm printing a copy of the free calendar from this week's MSE newsleter (I added a link in my previous post just in case anyone missed it)

OMG-Don't know if anyone remembered a while ago my sister told me that she only wanted homemade gifts for Christmas. Well the thing we had left on the list was a 'green' type calendar and then I clicked on the os free calendar and there it was. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! NB. we are giving her 2nd hand books (reading and cooking)/Home made jams and chutneys and a few new products (that we are blatantly changing labels of so she'll see and hopefully laugh) and now a calendar. Gawd bless you everyone!
Next we'll print out a copy for ourselves too!



but DD has already been subjected to all my moneysaving ways. Her rebellious "teen-strop2 was to embrace consumerism wholeheartedly! :rotfl:I just need to let her realise in her own time that we all live our own lives and that just because her new in-laws do things differently, it doesn't automatically make my way wrong! :rolleyes:

My parents have always been careful, my sister has made great 'green' strides this year (am very proud) and my London Based Bro spends too much on us all but then that is proportionate to what he earns-I've hinted for a cheese board from him as I know it will be delicious! Mr SFT's parents are very generous which puts the pressure on him a bit to match them..but as you say live and let live.

sft

Bails-Just read the post, wanted to say hello first, Oh you poor things..I hate it when horrible things happen to lovely people. Take care of Mr Bails and yourself too. Much love

slowlyfading

Bails - thinking of you and your OH at this sad time. Sending hugs your way xx

Buffythedebtslayer

I read but don't post having failed to keep up the challenge, just caught Bails news, so sorry ((hugs))

xxx