Frugal Living 2010 - the final stretch

hollysmum22

hi all just popping to let you all no i survived the kids party and even better my nan brought all the food so i'm now 40 up for my savings next year xxx

pink_numbers

NualaBuala wrote: »

Pink_numbers - you are doing great!:T A 50% cut is not to be sneezed at!

IMHO the main thing is to live within your means but everyone has different circumstances so will need a different budget. Obviously if there are debts that need to be paid or savings need to be increased, then it is worth pulling the belt as tight as possible!

I have been gradually shaving bits off here and there and dropping things (like Sky) that used to be basics but I now view as luxuries. I am still hanging on to some luxuries though (like chocolate and TV licence) but my budget for next year is going to be very tight so they may have to go.

Thank you (as ever) NualaBuala

I gave up telly this year, and honestly, it's THE best decision we've made this year! However, I am no going to be so spartan about chocolate, I'm not THAT crazy! (yet)

cw18

I'm in the process of giving up my TV at the moment....

According to their site they only refund for 'fully unused quarters', which in my case means 1st Jan - 31st March. So I completed the on-line form 2.5 weeks ago saying my licence wouldn't be needed from 31/12/10 due to disabling the aerial, and I got confirmation I'd hear from them in 10 days. As I've already started paying for the next licence I then went into my banking site and cancelled the d/debit -no point paying on 1st Dec to then wait for it to be refunded

Bang on 10 days later (last Monday) I had two letters from them. The first I opened said they'd been informed by my bank I'd cancelled the D/Debit, so I needed to set up a new one otherwise my licence would no longer be valid. Duh! That was the point!!

The other was a letter informing me I can't cancel the licence in advance, so if I still no longer require it from the date I'd specified I need to let them know then. So why on earth does their site let you enter a future date :mad:

This means that on New Years Eve I not only have to remember to go into the loft to disable the aerial, but I also have to go back onto their site to cancel the licence with immediate effect !!!!



I then got another letter from them at the end of last week saying I was due a refund which would be paid into my bank - and on the same day the two payments I'd made for the next licence were refunded into my account This means I certainly don't have a licence from 1st April, and also means I've been able to reduce the 2010 budget for it by £24 :T

findingmyfeet

morning all
i have dipped in and out of this thread over the last two years and would hopefully like to get more in than out for 2011. do read a lot of it but dont post much. love reading about everyones efforts. so hopefully i will try to join you all more often . I really need to cut expenses even more this coming year as jobs looking a bit wobbly and would like to make cuts/save for a back up plan (incase jobs go etc)/save for replacement items/emergencies etc AND NOT PUT ON MY CREDIT CARD!!

see you all soon , i usually do well for the first quarter of the year then it goes to pot............help

xx

landregistrylass

Evening all. I know I have been an "honorary member" of this thread as I didnt post an actual budget......like some others I have just been trying to cut back and spend less on daft things to enable me to be able to help my daughter with her 3 boys....... and I have been met with nothing but friendly advice and banter, so thank you. I hope others who feel they would like to do the same wont be put off by thinking they absolutely MUST complete a spreadsheet, some just arent that way inclined. I know it helps to be able to see where your money is going (and boy does it go!!) but for me the greatest help was seeing less of it going . Does that sound mad?

Doom_and_Gloom

With just this month now to go, 31 days, we are at £3,484.74/£5,000.

Good luck everyone. I hope you are doing well as well. Those that aren't and those that have been or are going through really bad times have a dodgy hug :grouphug:. I hope things pick up for those that need it .

The year is almost over!
Need to start thinking about next years budget :eek:.

Arctic_Sky

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

With just this month now to go, 31 days, we are at £3,484.74/£5,000.

Well done, Doom & Gloom!:T an inspiration - I can only hope to be in somewhere near the same situation this time next year.


2ft of snow up here in Sheffield - and the boiler packed in last night! Still struggled into work (2.5 mile walk - I do it every day, so not much more difficult in the snow) but leaving at 1 to go over to Le BF's house where it is warm!

Hope everyone stays safe, warm and cosy

Love,

xAx

sparkle76

Sorry to hear about the boiler Arctic Sky, wow, stay warm and hope you can get it fixed soon!
I am on this thread mostly to prepare for our baby, found out last week I am pregnant, so even though I am quite moneysaving, guess we will tighten our belts even more durin gthe next 8 months! Any tips much appreciated x

slowlyfading

Is it wrong to be fed up of the snow now? A 15 minute journey to school took me an hour and a half this morning, and then they shut at lunchtime and told us all to go home! Not worth the effort really...

As we start the last month in 2010, my budget stands at £2,551.06/£6,000.00 which, even if I do say so myself, is pretty good! Obviously there are December spends to add to that, but I've done pretty well this year, which includes moving into my own house and starting a new job.

pagangirl

De-lurking to say CONGRATULATIONS to Natalie on your new baby boy.

Will post updated figures in next few days. Have come in under budget so far (I think).

Can't believe I've managed on so much less this year - last year was £13500 :eek::eek::eek:

Stay warm folks - its phwoaaar out there

Hugs to all
xx