The hundred pound challenge!

warwickroadroad23

Hi all, I don’t post that much on here but I am a long time lurker and I have learnt so much from reading posts on here :beer:

A bit about me... I work full time but never seem to have anything left at the end of the month when all the bills have gone out and I seem to be using more and more of my overdraft up each month and am sliding towards greater debt. Sound familiar? This is why I invented the £100 challenge.

I said to myself that I would spend £100 and only £100 for the month of February. Obviously, this does not include rent, electricity, gas and water etc. but everything else. So a trip to the supermarket? That comes out of the £100. A new top? Comes out of the £100. Transport costs? Comes out of the £100.

I live alone and haven’t got any kids so it is not as daunting as it could be but working 37 hours a week and not having a life at the end of it wasn’t what I wanted either. Another point of the £100 challenge is to find things to do that don’t cost money and, in turn, to realise what actually matters in life. For instance, this month I have become a firm friend of my local library, have enjoyed brisk walks, have gone to local galleries and museums and have enjoyed free cinema screenings. Living on a budget doesn’t mean you have to stop living after all! In fact, I have enjoyed myself more this month as I have not been thinking and worrying about buying “things”. I have also been food shopping more effectively and meal planning more, eating what I have in the cupboards and cooking from scratch. I feel healthier already!! :j

There are 12 days of the month to go and I have £18.85 left. I feel it’s do-able. I have a cupboard full of “stuff” and there is nothing I really need.

Is anyone going to jump aboard and join me in the challenge for March?

If £100 does not work for you choose a figure that you feel more comfortable with. For instance, I have a couple of trips planned in March so shall be upping my money available to £150. I will get rid of that pesky overdraft yet!! :T


the challengers so far for March...

warwickroad23 £240
Yargo1 tbc
Linz £200
leanne82duke tbc
LBG worker £100
Lonestarsky £200
princessleah_ £100
meersy22 £120
leanne82duke £150
1stdayofmylife £100
Lysasparkles £175
louwilko04 £100
Emski £200
Nikkinakkinoo £150
castri09 £100
Nomorecredit £150
Suz1988 £140

savingmummy

Well done.
I am not joining but just wanted to say i have lived on £0 a month for almost 4 yrs now so i know it is do-able I gave up work to be a mummy so have no money myself and my husbands income goes on bills and home expenses leaving nothing over.

Some things i`ve also learnt to do for free over these years are

- library for FREE reading/listening - magazines, papers and cd/dvd.
- Parks and forest walks.
- Pamper nights using free samples saved up throughout the year.
- Girls night in with a bring a bottle 9/10 times we make pizza.
- I have started to do crafts - card making, hamper making etc
- Taken up small DIY tasks using things we have already
- Of a weekend we help a neighbour with their garden and get free lunch and tea we get £30 a mth for this.

Goodluck x

lilac_lady

I've found that the best way to stick to a budget is to use cash only. When it's gone, it's gone.

warwickroadroad23

Great suggestions savingmummy thanks, and I totally agree lilac_lady, it just seems more real when you are paying with real money rather than electronic.

Yargo1

Hello. id like to join in.not sure that i will do that well but hey ill try!

EC12345

lilac_lady wrote: »

I've found that the best way to stick to a budget is to use cash only. When it's gone, it's gone.

Hello. I started doing this this year - only using cash - and when it's gone, it's gone. It really makes you question whether you need "things", i.e. chocolate/cake!!! I am supposed to be going on a leaving lunch on Thursday but that will take a bit chunk out of my weekly budget so have declined. I always do the weekly spend challenge on this board.

linz

Go on then, i'll have a go. First challenge i'll have taken part in

I too have a couple of weekends visiting friends in March which will cost a bit in petrol but I will keep a written total of what i'm spending for petrol/food/entertainment for the month.

£100 will probably be a bit tight for March - Stick me down for £150 please!

beanielou

Fantastic idea
Sure you can get to the end of the month with your £18.

warwickroadroad23

Welcome Yargo1 and linz!

How much should I put you down for Yargo1?

Yesterday I managed to stick to my budget. I came into work with £1.20 in my purse as I was going to buy a Goodfellas pizza on the way home (on offer at the moment at Lidl) but the charity bus came around (it’s like a charity shop on wheels) and I “splashed out” out a brand new chick lit book for 5p and three Disney videos for 5p each! As I only had a quid left I wondered what I could get for my tea… I decided on two ‘value’ pizzas from the Co-op for 47p each which were very decent quality, considering the price, which I then loaded up with tomatoes and olives at home. I then spent the evening munching pizza, reading my 5p book and drooling over Robbie Williams on the Brit Awards :rotfl:

Not planning on spending anything today, I don’t need anything and I am determined to write “NSD” on my calendar. It gets quite addictive after a while doesn’t it?!

leanne82duke

what a good idea! i want to join but am gonna have to sit down and work out what i am gonna spend and what i am including in it x

linz

Am looking forward to this challenge starting now Already thinking of ways i'm going to approach it as i've not limited myself to this sort of thing before.

I'm thinking i'll shop as much as I can in the evenings, in the hour before Morrissons shuts and try & get a load of yellow stickered stuff.

Also cook loads in the slow cooker/big portions and eat leftovers the day after

Have 'something' on toast once a week

Check tyre pressure and drive at 60 instead of 70 on the motorways on way to mates' houses.

If we go out, take own southern comfort stuffed in bag & just buy lemonade. If we eat out, scour MSE for vouchers