Frugal Living 2011 - the preparation stage

cw18

Kerfuffle wrote: »

Can I please join for 2011?

Welcome back aboard

NualaBuala

Welcome to all the new folks joining. It's great to see so many people joining in! :j

Good to hear from you Erme and sorry you haven't been well. That's a good tip about having a bit put aside for emergencies. I just had to fork out €50 for a plumber and I am sooo glad I had it saved. IMHO these things like washing machines breaking or repairs needing doing are going to happen at some stage - it's just a matter of when ... so if you can afford to put a wee bit by, best be prepared so you don't have to go into debt to deal with them. I've got to ask .... why were you sending Sarah Palin a calendar? I don't think I'd be spending my money on American politicians (nor on any of the Irish ones for that matter!).

It's sunny here today and I think it will melt some of the snow. I think people are fed up with it now so that's good I suppose.

Hope everyone is warm and well - take care folks.

Hugs,

Nuala

hollysmum22

hi all just had a lovely gift from my nan which is going to save me money next year an eco wash ball does about 250 washes

ecoelle

Never thought about looking more than a month ahead! I'm not sure how i would go about working out my yearly budget, so i'm nipping back to look over the rest of this thread to try and get my head around it

fingersxed

Hi Folks

I'm going to b doin some lurking on here. I'm hoping to pick your brains n get some money savin ideas. Not really able to do budget as i'mself employed. I do try n use cash only. Me n husband currently have joint overdraft, me small overdraft, car loan (3yrs 6 mon left!!) and 1 credit card of £1275( mainly due to poorly dog - waiting for insurance to pay out). So although we got some debts I keep thinking we have been in much worst circumstances!! I am hopin that by budgeting things will only get better.

BinkyTheHorse

Can I please join in with the 2011 challenge? I have been lurking on the thread over this last year and feel really inspired by all of you

My budget for the year will be £7850 for the seven of us - 5 children, 2 adults and a dog.

Broken down, it looks like this:

Groceries, toiletries, cleaning and laundry £2600

Gas & electricity £1188 - this looks like a lot, I know! Over the summer I was paying £50 but as I didn't get any credit built up, EON have whacked up my monthly payments to £99 a month! Hopefully it will go back down to £50ish in the spring as we don't really heat the house for more than three or four weeks over winter and so we build up a credit over the colder months. They did the same last year so hopefully will do it again!!

Mobiles, internet and landline £680

Clothing and footwear £150

My transport costs £1300 - this is for any work needed, insurance and MOT etc on a mini-bus. I've also included diesel at £25 a week in this figure.

House Insurance £130

Gifts, emergency fund, extra for J and stuff for the allotment £1209 - 'J' is our profoundly disabled son and I'm including his extra costs such as his needing more clothes than the other children and having to buy new bedding for him more often etc. This is also the 'rainy day fund' - unexpected vets bill, replacing washing machine etc.

Doggy costs - vets & food £200

Kids activities £223

Breakdown cover £170


I haven't included any costs that I cannot control such as rent, council tax and water, neither have I included DH transport costs to and from work as these come out of his wages, the remainder of which go straight into the savings account. We don't watch live TV so don't need to include money in the budget for a licence.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone here

cw18

Welcome aboard Binky

Nice to see there are a few of us on here without a TV Licence The reaction I've had from family, colleagues and 'real life' friends when I've mentioned dropping mine has been amazing..... very few of them see it as a luxury, and almost all of them (including those without children at home) reckon it's an absolute essential and one of the very last things they'd give up


fingersxed - you're more than welcome to 'lurk', but please feel free to join in the chat even if you've not set a budget. The more people there are to throw around ideas on money saving ideas the better

NualaBuala

That's interesting about the reaction to giving up the TV licence ... I think it would be the first (or one of the first) of my current luxuries I'd let go of. The luxury I would fight hardest to keep would be the internet. If nothing else it's nice to be able to pop on here any time I like to stay motiivated!

cw18

Internet is the last on my list too - well after the car and the dog.

Not sure which order those two are in, but visiting family would be hard without my own wheels. However if I relocate as planned in 2012/13, then depending on how close the area I buy in is to my parents/DD I could probably reconsider the car (though once I give it up it would make getting another expensive as I'd quickly lose all my NCD)

Gym is first to go (couldn't get without paying bus fares if I ditched the car), and I guess running club and races would be next (couldn't get to most races without the car). Guess mobile phone would be next after those, those I feel safer when out with the dog or running 'cos I have it with me (just in case I have an accident when I'm "off road") - I'd certainly switch back to PAYG which should save me £20-30/year.

Mollymop5

I'd like to rejoin.I'm off to sort out my budget............................