July benefit challenge -here we go

Emmzi

Ahh a new month, a new hangover...

Updating starting figures as have changed leccy supplier etc recently, but factor/ bus pass gone up..

Ok. JSA@£57.50 for 4 and a half weeks = £258.75

Bills to deduct

Gas/electricity £47
House insurance £17.54
Factor £8.74
BT £28 (inc.internet)
Bus pass £34.50

Car not counted (would sell if on benefits, but deduct bus pass amount instead although I don't actually buy one.I do buy petrol etc but not included for benefit etc.)
Assume council tax benefit being paid.

Amount left for month = £122.97

This is to cover
-food
-toiletries
- going out

I am going to try NOT to use stuff in the freezer and give myself a really hard month to see how little I can manage on, and post recipe/meal planners each day (unless I am working away, in which case, no planner, obviously)

Right..let's see if I can avoid phone/pc crisis and make it this month!

lynzpower

I watch this with interest Emmzi, much as Id love to join in, im just not woman enough for the challenge - maybe next month :rolleyes:

ANyway, wishing you all the luck on this one!!

Lynz
x

jessicamb

I'm too scared to join in but good luck to you and anybody else who does.

Emmzi

Aww guys.. it's £3.96 a day and there's only me.. how tough can it be??

no spend morning as hangover prevented me 1. leaving sofa or 2. feeling like eating anything.

Awake now, and i need shampoo and something for dinner. Might make h/m bread with something.. lots of stodge and starch to get the barain working again.

Shopping list to follow.

CosmoCat

i failed so miserably on the last challenge, i'm gonna forego this one as well. but i do love to check in and see how you're going.

Emmzi

ok..spend was £3.82 today on..

bread mix (will make 2 loaves)
tin beans
jar cute little italian mushrooms to add to beans on toast (with a scrap of feta I have lurking)-mushies should do 3/4 servings
medicinal hangover chocolate

toiletries:-
cotton pads
cotton buds
shampoo that is pretending to be pantene, will see if it gets close.

Also found 2 tins evaporated milk behind bread pans, might see if somehow they will turn into dessert!

£119.15 and a milky experiment to go...

tru

Emmzi, how do work out what benefits you would be entitled to? I fancy having a go at this too.

Emmzi

troo,

https://www.entitledto.co.uk seems to be the place.

As its just for money saving/ to see if I could do it (and fair play to everyone who really does *have* to live on this amount, it ain't easy, and it certainly isn't the 'champagne welfare britain' the papers are keen to shout about) I'm not too exact, but I assume..

- council tax benefit takes care of that bill
- most over 25s get £57.50 a week job seekers allowance
- housing benefit *may* pay all of your rent if you are in a house of a reasonable size for your family (ie one bedroom for a single person)

I have *no* idea what you get with spouse/ kids, assume it's a bit more

tru

£378.21 per month for us - 2 adults and 2 teens.

That would be easy for just food, toiletries and clothes but what about the dentist, bus fares (daughter and me, though I'm getting another pushbike in a couple of weeks so I won't count my bus fares).

tru

I would cancel Orange and Sky too.

tru

£12.20 per day

£13.94 per day if I cancelled Sky and Orange.

OK I'll stop now