Frugal Living 2010 -The Cost of Living Challenge, INTRO

LilacPixie

flying_fresian wrote: »

What are you trying to get it to do?

Thats probably half the problem because i am not exactly sure. I mind is visualising a sheet with each category that totals up the spends for each month and a sheet per month so I can keep easy track of what i have spent for the year so far type thing. Probably very basic but i am not fluent in excel

mah_jong

aha, so this is were you will be??

Please add my name to the list, I dont post a lot, but have always led a frugal life.

I have yet to finish my accounts for 2009, but as hinted on the t'other thread I believe I will be well under 4K. I was under 3.5 the year before. I dont think I will get to that computer till next year. (Ms money on it - had to move it whilst decorating)

Gardening was going to be my big saving area this year but it did not happen, mum became ill and I now have no time to devote there. Or anywhere ...come to that! However she is improving.

mooomin

LilacPixie wrote: »

Thats probably half the problem because i am not exactly sure. I mind is visualising a sheet with each category that totals up the spends for each month and a sheet per month so I can keep easy track of what i have spent for the year so far type thing. Probably very basic but i am not fluent in excel

Ooh.

I'm not amazing with Excel either.

For this challenge I have a sheet which shows my budget for the year and then am going to fill in spends monthly into sheets I think. I'm half thinking of getting a notebook and stapling all my receipts into it to save all this bl**dy Excel work

cw18

LilacPixie wrote: »

Thats probably half the problem because i am not exactly sure. I mind is visualising a sheet with each category that totals up the spends for each month and a sheet per month so I can keep easy track of what i have spent for the year so far type thing. Probably very basic but i am not fluent in excel

Pretty much what mine does

If you PM me your email address I'll send you a copy over.....

savingfortravel

mah_jong wrote: »

aha, so this is were you will be??

Mum became ill and I now have no time to devote there. Or anywhere ...come to that! However she is improving.

Good news!

sft

cake21

Okay, here is my proposed essentials budget for 2010. Off to bed now :rotfl:

Food / toiletries/ cleaning/ laundry - £1230 - Arbitary 20% reduction on 2009 - should be feasible as was very wasteful pre-SC purchase in October. Includes eating out.
Gifts - £800 - Up 25% on 2009 but sister getting married.
Gas - £290 - Down 5% on 2009 but hoping to continue to reduce consumption.
Work-related - £400 - Guess as haven't logged these separately before.
Course fees - £120 - Assumes 10% increase on 2009, cheaper fees but more trips
Dental - £50 - Is this enough?? Will raid other budgets if required.
Fitness/ Sports / Gym - £176 - Same as last year. Considered essential for mental & physical health.
Furniture/ Household repairs/maintenance - £400 - Same as last year but excluding loft insulation.
All the costs below assume 5% inflationary increase on 2009:
Electricity - £144
Buildings & Contents Insurance - £137
Council Tax - £714
Water rates - £406
Cable internet - £242
Mobile (no landline) - £258

Total = £5367 excluding mortgage/rent

Really looking forward to the challenge starting; I'm armed with cw18's spreadsheet and ready to go

Edited to add the costs I forgot at 1am

cw18

cake21 wrote: »

I'm armed with cw18's spreadsheet.......

:rotfl:

That made me chuckle

Hopefully means you've not written it off as too complicated

LilacPixie

I am now also armed with CW18 spreadsheet

dave4545454

good luck to everyone in the challenge for 2010, it definitely can be done, i worked out that 2009 cost me under £1500

bails

slowlyfading wrote: »

Glad its not just me! :rotfl:

Girls, I am excited about starting a new spreadsheet too (thanks CW ) and I have at least another 5 months til I can :rotfl:

JayJay14 wrote: »

rozeepozee - OH and I didn't exchange gifts this year, there was nothing we needed or even wanted and we both agreed that there was no point in spending money on something just to give a gift.

There are several of us on this year's challenge who didn't exchange gifts so you're in good company :T

dave4545454 wrote: »

good luck to everyone in the challenge for 2010, it definitely can be done, i worked out that 2009 cost me under £1500

Well done Dave - we'd love to hear how you managed to live on so little if you'd like to share...