Frugal Living 2010 -The Cost of Living Challenge, INTRO

monaebrook

Can I join in please? This will be the first time I have taken part in a challenge and I am really excited! Want to get some real money behind me in the bank this year to pay for some training!

MONAEBROOK:T

Fishcake_Random

Fishcake_Random

I'm really aiming to make next year "our" year. We are due our first baby at the end of March and I'd love to be a stay at home mum and still make ends meet.
I'm aiming for £100 a week which is half our weekly income so we can get some hefty savings underway. So I'm aiming for £5200 over all, I think its do able as we don't live on much more than £100 now.
Good Luck everyone
x x x x

cw18

Welcome aboard - but don't forget babies are expensive little things at times !!!

Once 'Fishfinger' arrives you'll also get Child Benefit (currently £20/week for the first child) and Tax Credits - looking at your figures this should be payable,definitely Child Tax Credits, and possibly (depending on your OH's hours) Working Tax Credits as well. You may have already taken these into account (in which case I apologise), but if not then they should allow for an increase to your budget should you need it to cover 'Fishfingers' expenses

Fishcake_Random

One of the main things we have done for xmas is ask for "usables" nappys, wipes etc. I also do online surveys and have a stash of vouchers for babys extras lol.

As I said before our income will be around £200pw so if we do need the extra we have it, but I'm definately up for the challenge lol.
x x x

cake21

Hello all, have just started reading the thread and would love to join in! Will have to have a think about my budget and read all the lovely tips :j

cake21

knithappens

Fishcake_Random wrote: »

One of the main things we have done for xmas is ask for "usables" nappys, wipes etc. I also do online surveys and have a stash of vouchers for babys extras lol.

As I said before our income will be around £200pw so if we do need the extra we have it, but I'm definately up for the challenge lol.
x x x

I use re usables , and breast feed, little munchkin is now 5 months and i have spent next to nothing since she arrived. I also pick all her clothes from the charity shop at 20p a piece, all next, mother care etc
it is doable, babies cost as little or as much as you want thm to,

I am on mat leave at the moment, and like you i squireled away about 100 a week to make up my SMP, I will be going back 3 days a week, have to as it is just me and the kids, I am happy that by putting the money away each week, leading up to mat leave I have not had to take a mortgage break and have managed to cover all my bills, i go back to work in a couple months and that will be the true test as my wage will almost be half of what it was.
Great idea to ask for what you need for xmas.

But i also sugest freecycle, i have gotren baby gates and clothes, high chair, and a bed guard, and re usable nappies,so have saved me a lot on their too.

Fishcake_Random

Thanks Knithappens, I haven't had a good look at freecycle in many many moons so that is an exellent suggestion. I have a few things I can put on there in return as well.
Ideally I would like to make it to xmas 2010 before needing to look for something part time untill the next baby comes along as I dearly want two close-ish together. Your message has certainly filled me with confidence.Thank you.

On a slightly OT note, I have found a lovely notebook stashed in my cupboard that is going to be my challenge notebook this year, its big enough for all those scribbled down recipes and craft ideas, but small enough to carry around in my bag as a spend diary and list of stores etc. Thought it might be an idea to share with you ladys and gents.
x x x x

Frugaldom

Hello everyone :hello:

Welcome to the latest arrivals, I've updated the challenger list at post 2.

As the challenge thread is moving on at such a pace whilst the 2009 one is still in play, I'l probably start the actual 2010 challenge thread at New Year so we are all starting off from a level playing field. This thread is the introduction to the 2010 challenge, the 2009 thread is still in the debtfree wannabe forum but everyone taking part does have the same goals - to live within their means, cut costs and make savings wherever possible.

I'm still working on my finalised budget and will probably be struggling with it until the very last minute. This is nothing new, it's just my stubborn pig-headedness about making it fit into a budget of £4,000 so I can afford other stuff without incurring debt. (Like living in the country, keeping chickens & ducks, the odd trip away, big family celebrations, the odd racehorse... :rotfl:)

Don't forget - it's only 16 days until the new challenge begins and the biggest hurdle many people have to get over without incurring debt is Christmas! Having a bit of fun, remembering past happy events and creating new happy events that become happy memories for the future, that's what I think it should be about

kate_pixie

This challenge looks awesome, can I join please?

kate_pixie :j

I need to save £10,000 in 2010, which means living on £3,674 :eek: It should be doable seeing as I only pay a small rent to the parents. Good luck everybody!

llydaw

apologies for highjacking but I'm a lurker on Weezl's threads, read both of the os ones in two afternoons. My husband and family for that matter thought I'd gone mad as all I kept saying was well Weezl has done it and sent them various links. Any how I digress. I'm sure I've read that you can subscribe to certain posts and you receive an updated when new messages are posted? If so can someone tell me how to do it so that I don't miss any of the posts as I know how quick Weezl's thread's grow. If not ignore me and I'll go and find my bed and get some sleep. Trouble is Weezl's thread is so addictive. Weezl I'd just like to say your an inspiration to us all, here's to you and acetate and the little one and bump:beer: