Frugal Living 2010 -The Cost of Living Challenge, INTRO

jtb2412

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my frugal friends xxxxxx Hope 2010 is fantastic for everyone xxxx

JayJay14

Happy New Year
To You All

Looking forward to a frugal and fun 2010

NualaBuala

Thanks Cheryl! ETA and JayJay and jtb who posted while I was doing this up!
Happy New Year folks!
I'm so happy I managed to stay awake for midnight! I have been dutifully working on my budget but I just can't seem to get my targets any lower. My estimated costs (everything) come to €16,000 but I know I have overestimated - I tend to do that to be on the safe side and squirrel away anything leftover to overpay the loans. I'm tempted to aim for 10k but not sure I'll be leaving myself enough. This is what I've scraped it down to so far...

€ Monthly/Yearly
House Insurance 31.00 / 372.00
TV Licence 14.00 / 168.00
Home Maintenance fund 20.00 / 240.00
Optician 8.33 / 99.96
Contacts 18.00 / 216.00
Dentist 30.00 / 360.00
Chimney Sweep 5.00 / 60.00
Hair 20.00 / 240.00
Logs/Fuel 15.00 / 180.00
Bin Charges 12.00 / 144.00
Christmas 20.00 / 240.00
Birthdays 15.00 / 180.00
Clothes/Shoes 20.00 / 240.00
College 50.00/ 600.00
Miscellaneous 20.00 /240.00
Hobbies/Activities 35.00/ 420.00
Charity 20.00 /240.00
Commuting 75.00 /900.00
Toiletries 10.00 /120.00
Leccy (DD Monthly) 45.00/ 540.00
Gas (Bimonthly) 75.00 /900.00
Misc Health 5.00/ 60.00
Treats/Entertainment 20.00/ 240.00
Land Line and broadband 40.00/ 480.00
Mobile 15.00 /180.00
Health Insurance 70.00/ 840.00
Prescriptions 120.00/ 1440.00
Groceries 120.00 /1440.00
Cleaning, loo roll, tissues etc 2.00/ 24.00
Total 950.33 /11403.96

Not great but I think it might be as realistic as it gets.

sophiesmum_2

Happy New Year Frugal Friends :D:D
First post of 2010 for me :j
Haven't quite finished tweaking 2010 budget yet as I need to do it in two halves, Jan to June expenses for both homes, July - Dec expenses for frugaldom home only:j will post figures once I sort out a few things. Spent £7 today on logs for the fire, and some onions for the hot pot supper, so blew 2009 budget on the last day:o I can live with that though

aeb_2

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Count me in please, going as low as I can through necessity. I'm going to try and log in more often this year - to make myself sit down for no other reason than to sit down.

ps - I have doors downstairs!

rozeepozee

nykmedia wrote: »

Rozeepozee we had the great fortune to have an Ald! store built in the town nearest to us and it was opened in time for us to make the most of last winter's bargains. These included fruit trees - several varieties of cherry, apple, plum and pear. They were selling for around £3.79 each! :T
I've now been led to believe that the offer gets repeated, so am hoping to get the opportunity to buy a couple more this winter. I think I have enough space for a dozen trees in total, and plan on concentrating on the fruit growing more than the veg this year, as the hens and ducks demolish everything within reach. Veg growing will be done on a 'micro' system with a few raised & covered beds, pots and containers that will be creature-proofed plus the makeshift greenhouse. Garlic has already been planted into tubs, but it'll be a long time before that's ready. I just used shop bought bargain stuff, split it up and pushed the cloves flat side first into the soil, about 2cms below surface.

My plastic tub full of salad leaves (that WERE coming along nicely) got infiltrated by feathered marauders recently - the ducks worked out how to get the plastic lid off it! :mad: There are a few plants left but I'll sow some more as soon as the ice melts.

Y'know, I'm sure I saw an advertisement hoarding recently saying one is opening in what was the old MFI store not too far away from me - will have to investigate...

I had a rude shock yesterday when I went to Costco (where we tend to shop weekly as they do good fruit and veg) for the last shop of 2009 and was reminded that it's not always cheaper than Tesco. Bought Ford Farm mixed cheeses for £9.99 (1.2 kg) and then checked Tesco online (which I signed up to since I joined this thread - I don't actually do any online shopping but I can see the internet is going to help me make these comparisons this year) to find that (with an offer on their cheeses of 3 for £4) Tesco sells the equivalent for considerably less £8 for 1.5 kg! Hmmm.... Doesn't look like Costco will be making quite so much money from me this year. Maybe I should downgrade my executive membershipand get some money back?

cw18 wrote: »

2009 was a full year of 'learning', and making sure this becomes second nature. Though I set an overall budget split into categories, the indivudual budgets were constantly changing as I realised that I'd set them totally high/low - or forgotten to build in anything for emergencies :eek:

I'm realising I've done this and we're only hours into my budget. I've been invited to lunch twice next week. I need to allocate a "lunch" budget (Am I a lady who lunches??? :rotfl:)

Kerfuffle, I've just remembered that I emptied out DH's money pot last year, dutifully took it down to the change converter at Tesco only to discover that they charge something ludicrous like 7% for the privelege - so I brought it home with me in my placcy bag and it's been sitting in the corner ever since - hmmm.... could this be my lunch budget? :rotfl:

aeb I noticed your siggy: "babies due", do you have twins? I'm expecting mine in April. Be good to share some tips!

Happy New Year, guys. Everyone seems so friendly, I'm feeling really eager and motivated to change my behaviour and learn about my spending with you all.

RP x

mommyof4

Hi
I've not posted on here before, but am enjoying all the posts. I decided to do a 'rough' work out of our finances, and YIKES, didn't realise we had so little money spare!!! Definately need to trim my expenses this year! Have now got that awful 'tight feeling' around my neck and shoulders that comes with being a tad skint! lol.

Seriously, have put my frugal head on today and will be doing my very best to curb spending and reduce outgoings.

Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year!!:beer:

JayJay14

rozeepozee wrote: »

Kerfuffle, I've just remembered that I emptied out DH's money pot last year, dutifully took it down to the change converter at Tesco only to discover that they charge something ludicrous like 7% for the privelege - so I brought it home with me in my placcy bag and it's been sitting in the corner ever since - hmmm.... could this be my lunch budget? :rotfl:

Happy New Year, guys. Everyone seems so friendly, I'm feeling really eager and motivated to change my behaviour and learn about my spending with you all.

RP x

Our bank (HSBC) has one of these change machines at one of the, branches in town and the money is deposited straight into our account. I used to use the one at Asda until I worked out how much coinstar were taking, though I suppose they are in it to make money and you would have to cost in taking it somewhere else.

I will now go find something in the freezer to eat today, cos I don't want to start my first day of true frugality with a takaway:rotfl:

Frugaldom

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL! :beer:

WISHING EVERYONE THE VERY BEST FOR 2010

We did stay up to see in the new year. DS was away partying, so HS & I watched the Hogmanay Show. Just after midning, frugal neighbour arrived to firstfoot us - bringing with her the traditional items of a lump of coal, salt, bread, a coin and, of course, a bottle of something nice for taisting the new year. :T:D

Up at dawn, as usual, to see to chickens & ducks but it's a lovely morning, so I took more photographs to add to my collection. Also had a walk to other neighbours' before coming indoors. Going to nip next door for frugal first footer's cuppa soon.

Hope everyone has a great day celebrating, feasting, relaxing or, even, working, if that's the plan.

Time to start logging all the spends, the clock is now ticking on our 2010 Challenge!

Frugaldom

The new 2010 Frugal Living Challenge thread can be found HERE

This challenge was formerly known as 'Living on £4,000 for a year' but had to be adapted to suit a variety of budgets and lifestyles.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

I hope 2010 proves to be a very fruitful, yet frugal, year.