Frugal Living 2011 - the preparation stage

NualaBuala

Oooh, Cheryl, that sounds exciting! :T

tutti wrote: »

Hi

Toothpaste was definately left as a powder I think that was one of its successes (bit like vim:D). It should have had orange zest in as well but I've never been that good, I'll look to see if I still have the book with the recipe in and post it if I have.

To be honest one part of trepidation on this challenge is some of the day to day challenges the rest of you have. I feel really lucky that me and my DH both have jobs and my main reason for being drawn to this (from the make 11K board the PR is working well) is that he is really unhappy in his job and potentially facing redundancy for the second year running. It would be great to get to a point where we managed to pay off the mortgage and could live on one wage. That said it looks like I have a lot of blessings to count and although you probably don't realise it some of your stories are truly inspirational and humbling :grouphug:

tutti x

Thanks for that Tutti, I will give it a go but I don't think I'll bother with the orange zest if it's not essential. Oh, and don't worry about what challenges other folks are doing if they don't suit you and your family - I reckon we all have different budgets and circumstances so we've got to figure out what's going to work for us. Sorry to hear your DH is unhappy in his job - but it could be a great motivator to change things for the better.

Welcome Richard! :wave:

Aril, I like your ideas for sourcing things that need replacing - very green too! :T Good idea about putting the meat aside for meals. My auntie gifted me the leftover turkey and carcass and so far I have eaten a lot of turkey sandwiches but I could easy get a load of meals out of the remainder as well as soup. Can anyone advise the best way of using it? Should I strip it and then just boil the carcass for stock?

I've got to confess something here - have just bought a new purse on Ebay (I can thank Erme for the idea of Ebay) as mine is torn and shabby. I wanted it to go in my 2010 budget as I still have enough left rather than spend a while shopping around like I usually do cos my 2011 budget is a lot leaner. It was a want not a need but I feel I have something proper to show for my money and it was within budget. Haha, listen to me trying to justify my spend! :rotfl:

Dawning

Hello everyone, I'd really like to join this challenge.

I'm single and I live alone, no children. I'm self employed so it makes it a bit difficult to know what my income will be this year, but I expect it to be around £12000 gross. I am hoping to find more work but can only base my budget on what I am earning currently.

My biggest problem is Head In The Sand Syndrome, I'm afraid. I don't know what my monthly outgoings are, I can guess that I've been spending about £900 a month - which is way more than my monthly income. I also have some debt - again don't know the exact figure. I've got a little bit of savings too, I think that covers the debt which is mostly on 0% interest till later in the year. Again, not sure what month it comes off that deal.

So I need to total up my debts, find out when the 0% deal ends and arrange to pay it off then.
I also need to work out my outgoings for each month. I know already that my food spend is way too high - especially this past month I've gone mad buying M & S food etc. I think most of my other reckless spending is on ad hoc stuff, magazine here, bits of make up there, when I go to Boots etc. Also got a major chocolate problem that needs dealing with - costs me in more ways than financial!

I'll make a start on working out my monthly outgoings today.

I would like to start tracking my spending closely. I think a spreadsheet will be too complicated for me, so it will probably be a notebook and calculator system! Unless anyone can help me out with a straightforward spreadsheet.

Theres a lot I want to achieve in 2011, focusing on the money will certainly be a start.

NualaBuala

Well done Dawning and welcome!:T Sounds like you are taking the head out of the sand now. However shocking the figures, at least you will know where you stand and you will get lots of help here if you need it.

In my humble opinion, tracking spending is one of the best things anyone can do to sort their finances. You see where all your money goes and where to make changes. I don't think it matters if it's a pen and paper or a spreadsheet as long as it's something you are comfortable with and will use regularly.

Dawning

NualaBuala wrote: »

Well done Dawning and welcome!:T Sounds like you are taking the head out of the sand now. However shocking the figures, at least you will know where you stand and you will get lots of help here if you need it.

In my humble opinion, tracking spending is one of the best things anyone can do to sort their finances. You see where all your money goes and where to make changes. I don't think it matters if it's a pen and paper or a spreadsheet as long as it's something you are comfortable with and will use regularly.

Thanks for the encouragement, Nuala..my stomach is churning just thinking about totting up the figures! I'm sure that's quite normal and when I know where I stand I can make a plan.

NualaBuala

Dawning wrote: »

Thanks for the encouragement, Nuala..my stomach is churning just thinking about totting up the figures! I'm sure that's quite normal and when I know where I stand I can make a plan.

I can well imagine Dawning and you are being very brave! :T But the memory of that churning feeling is going to be one of the things that helps you stay on the straight and narrow! I'll bet you will look at the figures and wonder why you don't have more to show for the money spent. Well the good news is you are turning it around now and when you are doing your sums this time next year it will be a very different story indeed and you will be feeling smug and patting yourself on the back! :A

nannyboo1

I think I will follow this thread but lurk rather than join in if that is okay. I need to sort out hubby and mines finances this year. I am elf employed as a childminder so my income varies so at the moment I have quite a nice income but last year I struggled and almost had to give it up and find alternative work. I am in awe and amazement at some of your budgets and know our grocery shopping is something that needs looking at especially seeing what some of you manage on.

NualaBuala

nannyboo1 wrote: »

I think I will follow this thread but lurk rather than join in if that is okay. I need to sort out hubby and mines finances this year. I am elf employed as a childminder so my income varies so at the moment I have quite a nice income but last year I struggled and almost had to give it up and find alternative work. I am in awe and amazement at some of your budgets and know our grocery shopping is something that needs looking at especially seeing what some of you manage on.

That sounds like lovely seasonal work and I hope Santa pays fairly.
Sorry, couldn't resist!
Well nobody will be in awe of my budget - maybe horrified how much I spent on junk food this year! :eek:
I guess we can all find room for improvement Kate but we all have different circumstances and include different things in our budgets so don't be put off posting if you feel like it! Best of luck with the business - hope it all goes well in 2011.

seriouslyfrugal

hi

welcome to all the new people (like me )


been into the card factory today all there xmas cards are now half price :T

but the best thing i got was 10 3 metre rolls of wrap ( 30 metres) for £ 1.00 ( serveral of us stood thier reading it twice before it sank in )

also went into boots and stocked up the present box for next year as their on half price too !!


now it's where to store it ( wrap that is ) :eek:

wornoutmumoftwo

Just spent £61 at Boots online, for about 10 different pressies so that's a start. Still need to sort the budget out though.

xnatalie81x

Have started spends for January already Marks n spencer sale. A small gift for someone using grabbit board, dog stuff, tesco order due tomorrow (not to be touched until 1st lol)

I also used my new bread flour today and unfortunately it coincided with my bread maker blowing up - luckily in makro my mum bought herself a new small 1lb bread maker (only her and dad now) and gave me her 2lb one which is the rachel allen so makes a proper shape loaf so i had purchased 16kg of ALTO (wright') bread and pizza flour from makro for £9.summit...... lol NO VAT

I only add flour, water, yeast and a sprinkle of sugar (there is plenty of salt in butter thanks and i like crunchy crusts so no need for milk) i have worked out that with that flour a loaf (i get 10 slices plus 2 crusts using my argos slicer) is 42p where the equivalent using tesco bread flour is 53p loaf!!!!!!!!!!!!! We use 1-2 loaves per day (sandwiches for 3 kids and me for 5 days week plus dinners - snacks and weekends....) so i estimate that 16kg or 1600g which will do 32 loaves will last around a month. Therefore it is viable to buy the bread flour and i will store some in my 'bread' tin and others in the biscuit and sweet tins i have saved And based on using tesco bread flour i will be saving £3.52 per month or £42.24 a year

Comparing to shop bread is much harder as bread slicer and maker use electric! and one home made loaf is half an ordinary loaf and how do you compare it?? which bread..... plus mine has no additives etc etc

sorry to bore;)