Frugal Living 2011 - the preparation stage

Arctic_Sky

whoop-di-doop, the fun starts here!

Voici my initial budget for 2011 - I welcome and encourage constructive criticism

It's just for me, a 20-something gal living in Sheffield in a house shared with three others.

I'm not including Rent, nor the £90 I put into various savings pots each month.

I'll put the annual total first, then the monthly amount in brackets

• Gas - £216 (£18)
• Contents Insurance - £51.72 (£4.31)
• Broadband - £128 (£10.60)
• TV License - £37 (£3.08)
• Mobile Phone - £190 (£15.83)
• Medication - £130 (£10.83)
• Clothes - £90 (£7.50)
• Travel - £100 (£8.33)
• Presents - £400 (33.33)
• Dentists - £120 (£10)
• Entertainment - £800 (66.67)
• Haircuts - £40 (3.33)
• Bank Account - £60 (£5)
• LoveFilm - £71.88 (£5.99)
• Electricity - £240 (£20)
• Trade Union - £116 (£9.70)
• Groceries - £1000 (83.33)
• Toiletries / Cleaning - £200 (£16.67)
• Anything Else - £259 - (£21.58)

TOTAL - £4,250 (354.10)


I've deliberately over-estimated some areas to give me a 'buffer', so that it's not too much of a shock to the system and I don't lose heart

lynzpower

Im back in for 2011 if youll have me back

I intend to be much more committed this coming year as I have been somewhat absent, chaotic all over the show over the last few months

As some of you will remember I had some probs with my old job etc. Well Ive left that, and im now a student living on "not a lot" ie just what I have saved.

I need to have a chat with OH when he comes in ( long overdue) about the state of play with the finances, and I will set myself up a spreadsheet and will be hopefully a lot better at it this year than last!

Arctic_Sky

xnatalie81x wrote: »

The biggest difference this year is that i do not have an OTHER budget, as previous! This is really scary for me as i have usually
allowed 100-200 for other but end up buying things for the sake of it SOOOOOOOOOOOOO this year i have to 'earn' my other budget,
any money used will come from -additional work (i do invigilating in summer and cover other swimming teachers who are off and do crash
courses etc) .

This is an AMAZING idea, and look forward to seeing how it works in practice throughout 2011

slowlyfading

:hello: lynzpower! Of course you are welcome back - you were one of the first members I talked to when I joined the site!

lynzpower

slowlyfading wrote: »

:hello: lynzpower! Of course you are welcome back - you were one of the first members I talked to when I joined the site!

wooo yoo hoo :wave: How you doing! Long time :A

Well Ive been a total frugal-failure over the last few months and need you lot to keep me in check otherwise Ill be going back to debt and I dont want that at all :eek:

slowlyfading

Definitely not! :eek: I'm good thanks, busy busy these days! Haha

londonirish_3

oooh I am so excited, I'm in for 2011!!!

my budget is as follows, for 1 adult , 1 teenager and 2 maine coons, my babies lol .

gas. £1040 !!!! pre payment meter, they refuse to remove it, however, my bill at my old house for the year was half this, so am trying to do something about this. woried as I have put £30+ on this week, and its only on in eve!

elec, pre payment, £520, again, am trying to turn things off, got rid of tumble

food £1820, £35 a week, am trying to reduce.



contents insurance, set at £72 ( housing !!! one, insured for £14000)

water £336

sky this year was £280, 2011 it is going !

tv licence £155 ??

christmas £250 , to include food, presents for daughter partner and 5 other children.

mobile £120

net £120

landline £120

basically I am expecting to save at least £50 most weeks. I would like £2000 in my account by dec and this will be for driving lessons

any other income I make , ebay ect I intend to bank and not touch! however I am a shopaholic so I know it will be a struggle, but I am looking forward to the challenege.

I have no debts, I dont use credit cards, dont drive or smoke or drink, other than a cheapo bottle now and again. so I expect to be able to save a decent amount for driving and any left over goes straight into my house buying fund.

still have my sums to do so will come back and tweak this post
ok, I have quickly added it up in my head to £4217?? so I will round up my ttal allowable amount to £4500 for the year.

Fishcake_Random

Hello Frugallers,
Here is my budget plan for next year based on this year (my practise year).

All amounts are for a year.

Water - 400
Gas/Leccy - 480
Phone ect - 360
TV - 145 (just the license)
Car insurance- 300
Road Tax - 120
MOT - 50
Petrol - 600
Church - 156 (Sunday collection)
Groceries - 600
Cleaning/Toiletries - 120
Anything else - 240


Total is £3571 will up this to £4000 for the year to cover emergancys like breaking washing machines ect ect. Fingers crossed we don't need it.
Can't wait till next years challenge and finding lots of new ways to save and stretch the pennys.

pagangirl

I'm in again for 2011 - thanks to all for help in 2010 - could never have managed on reduced income without help/support on here. Luckily had no debts, don't have a credit card only debit card. Have found it easier if i draw out money for whole month in one go, and work from there. Once everything paid out, rest is for housekeeping - have found setting out a budget is a great help.

Will try & go for £5000 all in, slightly lower than last year by £500 but enough to give me some leeway if bills are higher, and I have any more messing around with benefit changes.

yearly figs just for me

TV License 149
Council Tax 30
Sponsor Dog 52
Phone/Broadband 480
Insurance 80
Pension 192
Water Rates (on meter) 165
Mobile 36
Rent 562
Gas/Electric 280
Hair 20
food/busfares/cleaning/toiletries 1357

TOTAL 3403

Hopefully by going through all this years spends, will find out if I can save anywhere. I know I can cut down on grocery by doing more baking, and will not need any more toiletries (apart from shampoo/toothpaste). Also need to checkout changing phone/broadband from Virgin to cheaper network.

can't believe how quickly this last year has gone. Looking forward to new challenge

Thanks for starting this Cheryl

Hugs to all
xx

londonirish_3

I am shocked at how low some of your gas and electric bills are, err jealous actually lol. Feel so much more motivated to sstick to budget now I have a definate idea of costs