Frugal Living 2010 - the final stretch

xnatalie81x

As i have been doing monthly spending for the last few months due to my crappey situation this final month i have £66 left in my purse to last 7 days - January does already owe me £32 for doggie stuff, £25 for childcare i had to py out in advance (i mnaged to dodge the other ones until Jan) and £80 for Tesco order for January that is coming on the 28th ready

Also did a Makro trip and got 16kg bread flour for 9.79 odd (NO VAT!) and many many other items totalling 78 plus 2 t shirts for dad xmas pressie 20.00 (plus some next slippers) - have got all crimbo pressies as did final shop yesterday while ex??MIL had the 3 eldest kiddipops

Baby has caught kids cold/flu and temp is currently 37.1 - cannot give medicine till 2 mths and he was 1 mth on 22nd so he is having the best medicine in the world - BREASTMILK, which he is having about every half hour (think it is cos he is very thirsty with the temp and sore throat) so i am resting today and eating/drinking lots to really help him get fit

My lovely mummy took the 6 and 4 yr old home last night as baby was really bad - a warm bath helped bring temp down a bit and also made him feel all snuggly so it is just me, baby, 3 yr old and the dog! Dor DVD is on and the dog is chewing a toy mouse (he is in training)

7 days to go and i have EVERYTHING i need so shall more than likely be adding the 66.00 to my 'other' budget envelope (my other budget for next year must be EARNED from places other than the basic budget i have!!!!!!) - more info on prep stage one.

Kerry_Woman

xnatalie81x - Hope your baby and children get better soon.

grannynise

A big thank you to Cheryl for the wonderful spreadsheet - I've been lurking all year and using the spreadsheet to keep track of outgoings rather than to stick to a planned budget. So a year on ..... I've learnt where all the money goes and know where I'll have to cut down on next year when my income reduces due to retirement. I didn't realise how much I spent on the odd coffees and sandwiches!

Back to lurking now .... see you now and then in 2011.

rozeepozee

Hiya, people! I was doing the challenge til the middle of last year when my time became more and more limited after I had my twins (now 8 months old). I'm hoping to join you again in 2011 and stick it out for the full year.

The challenge for us this year is to know how much we spend and economise as we are intending to rent out our home in Sheffield and move to the West Wales coast. We have been looking for a coastal smallholding for over 6 months now. If we can't find anywhere to buy before we move, we'll rent there and look for somewhere to buy once we're in situ. We want/need to be there by September as our first born starts school and I want him to be in his primary school learning welsh and integrating.

For now, I need to print off Cheryl's spreadsheets that I managed to complete and use them to work out next year's budget.

Thanks for all your time and commitment, Cheryl and Frugaldom. You and this thread really inspired me to change my behaviour by seeing things a different way.

Have to go now as I have two very tearful, teething babies. It's been a very low key Christmas for us, our only expenses being a synthetic tree and one main present for our son (remote control dalek, £20) and a couple of others off ebay. he's only 4 so is happy with nothing too spectacular at the moment.

itsallinthemind

Hello

Newbie to frugal here, although I am pretty frugal anyway as such.

I want to get a plan of action before 2011 kicks in as I need to save for some specialist stuff for my eldest(5k) and a holiday booked.

I'm on a low income anyway due to being a carer for my eldest and have debts to sort. Plus I'll be damned if I am giving up smoking as it is my sanity, but I'll happily give up make-up, clothes, hair cuts, days out and nights out and foodie treats/drinks. Sad I know! Actually I should imagine my smokes budget will be the same as food :rotfl:no lectures as they will not make me even consider giving up :rotfl:

I have a few questions;
Where do I get my hands on this 'budget sheet'?:D

Any suggestions for a rough budget for 1 adult, 2 children(eat equivilent of 7/8 year olds)? I am ssooooo rubbish. Having someone elses budget may help me identify where my major cut backs need to be

I buy a LOT online due to not driving/living in a village/special needs child. I only need cash for the odd trip to the local shop/post office, How can the 'envelope system' be adapted(spreadsheet?) when using money electronically? I tend to just do it in my head and do a lot of the robbing peter to pay paul etc

Sorry for the no doubt daft questions, I would rather ask the experts though, save me starting off wrongly!:D

itsallinthemind

Ignore my post, just found the 2011 thread!!!!

maryotuam

Itsallinthemind,
I'm not involved in the frugal challenge but I wish you luck in 2011. You deserve it. But I'm with you on the smoking and hope noone interferes with your judgement and comments. I also smoke for my sanity and intend to do continue to do so. I have totally valid reasons why it is right in my individual case to do so and get really annoyed with nosy parkers' interference.

Hope the move to West Wales goes smoothly.

itsallinthemind

Thanks maryotuam

My eldest is pretty much 24/7 care, will not leave home, be out of nappies etc. Poor chap does not even know his name etc. Therefore I am pretty much constantly stressed/tired/sleep deprived. So it is either smoke or end up gibbering in a corner frankly. My only 'me time' is grabbing time to bargain hunt/stetch the pennies/recipie searching etc on line with a bit of random socialising online. So I actually practically LIVE for my cigarette and coffee! I look at it like this...if my carers allowance covers it, I can do it. Although clearly I do not spend that much!

I do not really care if people I will never meet judge me, I do not care if they think I should be putting that cold hard cash towards my eldest's needed things etc. I do not care if they think I am daft for not using it to clear debts from a relationship breakdown instead. Because I need to LIVE too, the nearest I get to LIVING is that cigarette and coffee-so shoot me!

I am happy however to have not ONE non essential for myself otherwise, bar womens things, can not be dealing with mooncups! Whilst lentils are GREAT they will not help me save £6-7k plus reduce my debts! So I am not under illusion that this will be easy!

That said, thank you for the supportive words It's a lovely thread with wonderfully supportive people from what I can see. Thank you

alec_eiffel

itsallinthemind wrote: »

Thanks maryotuam

My eldest is pretty much 24/7 care, will not leave home, be out of nappies etc. Poor chap does not even know his name etc. Therefore I am pretty much constantly stressed/tired/sleep deprived. So it is either smoke or end up gibbering in a corner frankly. My only 'me time' is grabbing time to bargain hunt/stetch the pennies/recipie searching etc on line with a bit of random socialising online. So I actually practically LIVE for my cigarette and coffee! I look at it like this...if my carers allowance covers it, I can do it. Although clearly I do not spend that much!

I do not really care if people I will never meet judge me, I do not care if they think I should be putting that cold hard cash towards my eldest's needed things etc. I do not care if they think I am daft for not using it to clear debts from a relationship breakdown instead. Because I need to LIVE too, the nearest I get to LIVING is that cigarette and coffee-so shoot me!

I am happy however to have not ONE non essential for myself otherwise, bar womens things, can not be dealing with mooncups! Whilst lentils are GREAT they will not help me save £6-7k plus reduce my debts! So I am not under illusion that this will be easy!

That said, thank you for the supportive words It's a lovely thread with wonderfully supportive people from what I can see. Thank you

Everyone has their "thing" it's just that people tend to get in your face about it if it's something they don't do themselves. (Not talking about people here, just people in general).

itsallinthemind

alec_eiffel wrote: »

Everyone has their "thing" it's just that people tend to get in your face about it if it's something they don't do themselves. (Not talking about people here, just people in general).

This is very true. I do try not to judge others, but it is REALLY hard not to at times.

I can't understand girly ladies who spend their entire income on how they look. I can't relate, simple as that. I can't understand those that spend their money on pre-prepared food, uggs boots, a dvd collection and 40 foot wide TV etc.

But as you say, we all have our thing!

I've just looked a bit closer at the finances-There is £30 yearly difference between my smokes budget and groceries budget :eek: And I am looking at that thinking it can come down, but the figure will vary when people stay, so perhaps it needs to be seperated. I have people stay over long periods. Oh well, I'll have to buy lots of duty free when I have that holiday :rotfl:

Sorry, I am derailing here :D