Frugal Living 2010 - the final stretch

fuddle

For a new person who is eagerly waiting to begin the challenge in the new year I have to say I'm confused by what is being typed in the last few days and struggling to find what would be appropriate for this thread.

I'm unsure whether I'll be welcome here as my budget is no where near £4000. I'm sensing some negativity and find it most off putting. Can a line be drawn under what ever is going on for the sake of new people wanting to find support and a friendly place for the new year?

Is it not appropriate to sort differences out via PM so the thread is not dragged into the kind of negativity we're having to read here. It's not nice to read and certainly putting me off joining in the New Year.

Can we also remeber that they're feelings behind every typist?

cw18

fuddle wrote: »

I'm unsure whether I'll be welcome here as my budget is no where near £4000.

As long as you're comfortable with your budget, then that's fine
Mine's been set at £8k for the last 2 years (was for 3 of us when I set it at the start of 2008, and 2 of us at the start of 2009), and is in all probability going to be in the same region for 2010 - despite it now just being me (and the pooch).

fuddle

cw18 wrote: »

As long as you're comfortable with your budget, then that's fine
Mine's been set at £8k for the last 2 years (was for 3 of us when I set it at the start of 2008, and 2 of us at the start of 2009), and is in all probability going to be in the same region for 2010 - despite it now just being me (and the pooch).

Thanks for that. Mine was £9500 but I'm not happy with it and think I can do better which is why the past few days i've been reading as fast as a red squirrel can find and store for hibernation

I'm determined to do better but with 2 adults and two small children I'm a bit daunted. Also not too sure how the VAT increase will effect us.

Anyway. Thank you. Note to self *must try harder*

xnatalie81x

I LOVE FRGALDOM/NYK - she is wot I want to grow up to be - always wise, compassionate and just clever x x don't leave us forever, I hope u will pop in to inspire us next yr too! It was 100 percent this challenge 3 years ago that CHANGED my life!

Cheryl - I don't have a tv licence, been without since June and kids used to it. I never watch tv anyway but I must confess to a DVD and video collection for the tv in frontroom and bedroom BUT I have no connections or aerials and being an ex probation officer I can honestly say I will never break the law. I do however let the kids watch catch up style programmer on I player once a week or so - numberjacks and the like on the desktop in my office.

Fuddle - your budget looks impressive, mine is lurking around 14k for next yr (was 13 last yr) and is just me and 3 kiddies and a baby (if it ever makes an appearance!)

Cottage pie for dinner tonight as turned out at party last night they catered for adults too and had chip shop chips! Kids all had nuggets, chips and more cake than a bakery and the pie has been reserved for tonight! Mince an potato pie now sat but sun is beans on toast (they go to their dads so need quick dinner and bath for school mon) and so mon will be my long awaited bolognese! Yum!

Lots of Xmas stuff going on in my house, wrapping and designing and remembering what was fir who lol.

Natalie

Realised when reading Cheryl post I forgot my gym at 25 mth so that needs to be added. Total luxury, not frugal at all but my choice plenty of ways of justifying it but not going to lol (can u tell I'm due to give birth anyway! My grumpy hormones are rife)

NualaBuala

Glad this thread is all warm and fuzzy again!

If I haven't said it before, I am grateful for this challenge and of course to NYK/FD for starting it, Cheryl and SF for taking up the baton and to everyone else for keeping me motivated, supported and entertained. You are all fab! :A

I often feel I'm ridiculously unfrugal compared to some of you. But I did manage to cut my spending by over 20% from last year. I've managed to overpay my loan so it is finishing much earlier. Plus I have an emergency fund built up ... not as big as I would like, but still, I'm very happy! Also, my income has reduced a huge amount and is set to fall more. But because I had already cut what I was spending, I felt able to cope with it. I don't know about everyone else, but my perception of what my basic needs are has clarified a lot. I do have [STRIKE]some [/STRIKE] lots of wants like the TV licence, like takeaways (my secret vice) but I am now clear that I have to choose between all my wants - I can't afford them all. And every time I spend on a want, that's money that's not getting saved for longer term things. So I think that I am improving gradually.

I'll stop waffling now. Big grateful hugs to everyone and hope you are all well.

Fishcake_Random

Hello frugallers,
I to am looking forward to next years challenge/thread starting up. I think it might the time of the year. I find myself looking at the bare trees and the horrible rainy weather and thinking about all those gorgous sunny days coming around again. I do find looking in my preserves cupboard really lifts my mood though, as I can see evidence of all my hard work and frugalling days. I'm counting down the days till the 't chutney is opened and when my brandy cherrys are ready. I have actually been known to stare at them in the jar lovingly, I'm sure it can't be healthy.
Being well stocked up and pretty comfortable at the moment I am easing off the hardcore frugalling and concentrating on the repairs and creating things type frugalling. This time of year is perfect for watching movies and knitting/crocheting ect for next year. For example I have noticed OH's faverite blanket is just not going to make it after this winter so I'm in the process of making him a new one. I have a few clothes that need small repairs (hems and buttons ect), and have just found out I'm going to be an aunt next summer so as soon as I get more details of the bump I will be bootie making and cardi knitting to.
Definately a time of year to slow down and think, plan and enjoy the things you have reaped. Especially us grow/make your owners.
x x x x

P.S Huge thanks to all who participate in keeping this thread going.

slowlyfading

I feel very unfrugal at the moment, but am paying for medicine and things due to some recent health problems. So, nothing I can do about it and hopefully it'll be sorted out soon!

Still plodding on - and am trying to sort out the budget for 2011. It will involve a lot of saving, I hope!

Frugaldom

Thanks again, guys. I am not going anywhere, though, so less of all this fuzzy fluffy bunny stuff and let's get back to what's important - avoiding debt traps and staying afloat in a sea of financial mayhem whilst trying to build a safety net for any unexpected falls.

cw18

cw18 wrote: »

Also want to speak to my 'water people' as I'm on a meter for this as well. I'm not sure they'll do a review between bills (next is due at end of March I think), but my useage has dropped by over 50% since DS moved out - more like 60-70% - and it has to be worth a try if I can knock another couple of quid a month off that one too

Decided to deal with this one before I went to work - just felt 'in the mood' having sorted out the TV licence

Took a meter reading and phoned up. The chap I spoke to said that looking at todays reading against my last one (the one they billed me for in August) it 'does appear' I'm using less at the moment, but not enough to drop my payments now. But he then went on to say that if he put todays reading into the system properly (so it issues a bill which should reach me in about 10 days) I can then ring back with another reading in at least 15 days time - and at that point the system will accept my drop in use as a permanent thing and do a recalculation. (He was almost apologetic when he said it's not likely to be more than a couple of quid a month, and seemed quite surprised when I told him I'd be quite happy to accept a reduction of that amount :rotfl:)

So I have a bill on the way, and need to remember to phone in a reading on 1st Dec (15 days is a Sat - so I doubt they'll be open - and I work full days on Mon & Tues so it's hard to call companies who are only open during office house ) That could still be in time to get the D/Debit changed for the Dec payment (normally goes out around 27th-29th), and is certainly in time for the new payment to be notified to me before I have to finalise my budgets :T

NualaBuala

Frugaldom wrote: »

Thanks again, guys. I am not going anywhere, though, so less of all this fuzzy fluffy bunny stuff and let's get back to what's important - avoiding debt traps and staying afloat in a sea of financial mayhem whilst trying to build a safety net for any unexpected falls.

Hope that doesn't include lop tail rabbits!

Edit: I mean lop eared rabbits!