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

sophiesmum_2

Lingo - I'm not leaving today, just this will be my last xmas social season with my oldies so the last time I wil be doing each event with them, they don't know that though .....yet:rolleyes: So lots of last times coming up but also soon lots of new beginnings :j

Everyone had a lovely afternoon,oldies bought lots of goodies for their xmas presents, ate too many mince pies and generally had a good time socialising. We had a sale "auction" with the unsold goodies at the end of the afternoon and I ended up with a xmas pudding scented candle for 10p :rotfl:

FrankieM

Morning,
For those who asked, my course is Business Foundation which starts in January for 12 weeks and then enables me to do a degree in Accounting in September.
I'm not sure that the interview went well. Not having done that sort of thing before it's difficult to guage. It's difficult when you been at home with children for 16 years! And being Australian none of my qualifications are recognised over here, but I'll hear one way or the other in a couple of weeks so there is no point worrying or thinking about it!
I spent the rest of yesterday reading in the conservatory. It's lovely and bright in there and then we had curry and watched a couple of very bad films!

Today is garden day and then this afternoon/evening we are going into Town to watch the Christmas lights being switched on. DH tells me it's supposed to rain all weekend...yay!

sophiesmum I didn't realise you were leaving work, are you going to something else?

Hope everyone has a good day.

jtb2412

Hi everyone

I'm still here (I think! :rolleyes:) but I've completely lost track of spending, but not lost the plot luckily! I'm still being frugal from every angle (even doing WW on a frugal shopping budget ). Both Mum and Dad are still quite poorly (other health problems into the equation now ) coupled with a virus that has taken me approx 6 weeks to get over, things haven't been too good lately.

But, I'm feeling a bit more 'with it' now and looking forward to Xmas and having fun with the family/kids. It's also my birthday so planning to go out for a meal with DH soon (free, as a competition win :j).

I'd like to join in next year but like others have found it hard to decipher my spends so I think I'm going to go for an 'all in' budget (yet to be worked out, half-way through atm). If that's ok with you nyk?

I have been reading where I can and keeping up with all your good news, job offers, sad news, struggles and such like - apologies for not mentioning names but I've been with you in spirit .

Today's antics are visiting the local cash and carry to open an account for the Girlguides (we've got our Xmas Fair coming up and I need some goodies for it) and the afternoon is going to be spent jam/chutney making and DH cake baking for the freezer (Guide fair).

Have a good weekend everyone, I'll try to post again soon ! xxxxx :beer:

Frugaldom

Good morning

As previously said, everyone is welcome to join us in this challenge but I won't be doing a list of challengees until nearer the start of the 2010, mainly because the threads get too long and I lose track of who said what. So stick around and then let me know who's in and who's out once I post the start of the new list.

The rain stopped just long enough to get the outside jobs done this morning, but it was back on again around 7.30ish, so no hope of dry weather here today. I'm glad I made the most of yesterday to get all the washing up to date and most of it dried on the line. The rest is hanging about the house, so there was plenty of condensation this morning, despite the dehumidifier being on 24/7. I may light a fire to help dry the place out. Oh, and we did manage to get the tarpaulin fixed over the log store using rope and cup hooks. It's still there this morning, so it seems to be secure enough to keep the driving rain off my 'fire foddder'. :j

Cleaned the oven this morning whilst tidying the kitchen, so another job done. Yesterday I had a good look at my 2010 budget and, assuming nothing changes, I am going to contine with my £4,000 for everything except rent & council tax. I was unable to post the figures last night for some reason, but here's how my 2010 challenge figures are coming along so far for our household of 3:

Groceries - £1095 (£1 per person per day)
Toiletries - £100
Cleaning - £20
Electricity - £1100
Coal - £160
Logs - £200
Internet - £240
Mobiles - £30
Telephone - £150
TV - £150
Clothing & Footwear - £50
Gifts - £200
Extras - £50
Travel - £100
Insurances - £235
Misc - £120
TOTAL - £4,000.00

The footwear and clothing, mobile phone and gifts spending are mine only, as the others buy their own. I don't own a car and I work from home. I have not included my National Insurance contributions as these would be deducted at source if I was receiving a salary through employment. It has taken me several years of challenging myself to a strict budget but it's now my way of life and I wouldn't change it for anything. I'm even loath to change my budget amount but stockpiling bargains, batch cooking, baking, bread making, preserving, making my own laundry gloop, keeping hens & ducks, trading via LETS and developing the garden has meant that there are fewer things I need to buy, hence fewer journeys into town, so I'm hoping for savings all round. I loved doing my 'make a meal from the garden' challenge and will be doing many more of them next year. I hope some of you will join me in those when the time comes, too.

Frugaldom

PS - Pleeeeeeeease don't anyone else quote the huge shriek of excitement because my little laptop screen can't fit the MSE pages in anymore.

savingfortravel

Congratulations Blair!!

Well feeling a bit delicate today after having friends over last night. They had not been to the cottage before and were very impressed with our paper bricks and general move towards a simplier life. Nice people.

Been working on our 2010 4K figures and they are currently looking like this next to Nyk's:

Groceries - £1095 (£1 per person per day) 900 (75 per month)
Toiletries - £100 100 (8.30 per month)
Cleaning - £20 30 (2.50 per month)
Electricity - £1100 700 (5.84 per month)
Coal - £160 200
Logs - £200 no
Internet - £240/ Telephone - £150 Internet and telephone 450 (37.50 per month)
Mobiles - £30 60 £10 top up every 2 months
TV - £150 150 (12.50 per month)
Clothing & Footwear - £50 250 (£20.84 per month)
Christmas Gifts - £200 480 (£40 per month in christmas club)
Extras - £50 Establishing garden 200
Travel - £100 No
Insurances - £235 300 (£25 per month)
Misc - £120 180
TOTAL - £4,000.00

Nyk-Mr SFT wanted to know what extras and misc were for. I think we would maybe use extras as garden money as we are starting from scatch here.

Going to have a quiet day. Got garlic bread left over. This would be nice with soup but we don't have any...other ideas please??
Washings on but the weather is grey. Hopefully we'll beable to dry it outside. We also get a bit of condensation. Am a bit worried about that.

Will catch up later.

sft

Skint_Lynne

Hi SFT,

2 ideas for quick soup:

1st one: tin of tomatoes, some lentils or similar, grated carrot, an onion and a clove of garlic, 1 veg stock cube, water and salt if needed.
Just boil/simmer the lot and you will have soup in about 30-45mins, once the lentils are ready.

2nd one: quick chicken noodle, chicken stock or stock cubes, egg noodles, one onion, some chicken if you have it or just chop some mushrooms up instead. Throw it all in a pot, ready in about 10-15 mins.

HTH a bit, I often use these 2 if I am in a hurry and chances are you have all this stuff to hand.

Another idea is to spread some tomato puree on the garlic bread and then put some grated cheese on top, then grill it and you have instant pizza, very nice.

Will post properly later. xx

Blairweech

Nyk - Sorry my shriek is causing problems Will be on the next page soon

Frankie - Hope your interview went well and that you get onto the course you want

THANKYOU to everyone for you congratulations and good wishes

OH is at work today, so am concentrating on clearing my house. Quite difficult, cannot make too much progress until I start carting stuff to my parents :rolleyes:. Still, it must be done and I am feeling clearer about what I want to take and what I want to get rid of.

Have a friend coming over for lunch tomorrow and am not sure what to cook. Did soup last time, so cant do that again but want something quick and tasty....:think:

bails

Budgets are looking impressive Nyk and SFT, I've saved them to help me next year.

Not so much to report - possible wedding savings but will mention these when a certainty - except that I am incredibly happy with life

Love to you all xx

Ches

May I join you next year please. I did post a thread on OS a few days ago with the reason I need to cut my spending this year (can't do links) and then I remembered that I had seen this thread. I am restricting my spends to £80 per week which must cover all cash spends. I am not including utilities but I am including food/clothes/hobbies/presents etc. I am going to take out the £80 in cash every Thursday and that will have to last me the week. I have had difficulties in managing money in the past because its things like photo development (cost me £75 for my holiday ones) and haircuts/clothes as I was paying for this type of spending by dc over and above my weekly cash allowance. I know £80 per week is a little over £4000 per year but I am hoping that by joining you all I can crack this.