Frugal Living 2011 - the preparation stage

silvasava

I'd like to 'lurk' at the moment please. I do have a spreadsheet that I put all my outgoings on but we have both retired 3 years ago and I'm finding the grocery shopping is being done on an 'ad hoc' basis locally rather than the 'big weekly shop' with a list. I've bought a second hand freezer for the garage this year & its quite well stocked. (Note to self - need to organise & check contents with house freezer) & I'll be growing fruit & veg this year - only tomatoes, cucumbers, broad beans, strawberries & raspberries & we have 4 fruit trees so they keep us going pretty well. We'd like to put a wood burning stove in our sitting room this year to replace the old gas fire so I need to start putting some dosh by for that & I'd like to replace my carpet too. Everyone here has such brilliant ideas & are so encouraging

Decluttering

I'd like to join (if you'll have me!) My budget is fairly non existent at the moment, it depends entirely if I'll have a job or not this time next week! It isn't as terrifying as it seems to people, I'm 19 and will be able to manage in the short term if I don't get to keep my job. I've been casual staff for about half a year and now they're looking to get rid of me but bring in another part time staff member. After toiling for 6 months, it would actually suit me better to have a part time role (especially as it has more job security!) but realistically I can't map out my spending for the year without knowing where I'll have to travel to daily.

If I don't get the job (unfortunately I don't think I have much of a chance) my budget will probably be mapped out month by month, I hate not knowing for certain what I'm going to be doing!

xnatalie81x

Decluttering wrote: »

If I don't get the job (unfortunately I don't think I have much of a chance) my budget will probably be mapped out month by month, I hate not knowing for certain what I'm going to be doing!

I did this for the last few months of 2010 due to some uncertainty over income and outgoings after i left my ex and lived with my parents before renting a house for me and the kids. Plus being pregnant i didn't know how much time i would need to take off (turned out to be 4 days baby born tue - back to work sat morning and afternoon)

I allocated each category a budget at the start of each month based on the incomings for that month........... and put it all in envelopes at the start of the month. This way if i ran out in one envelope i had finished that budget - the end lol. I did have ongoing savings in some like car tax etc so u have to be strict and not spend what is left in case you need it in the future.............

If you are determined then you will find a way to make it work for you 2011 will be my third year

Decluttering

xnatalie81x wrote: »

I did this for the last few months of 2010 due to some uncertainty over income and outgoings after i left my ex and lived with my parents before renting a house for me and the kids. Plus being pregnant i didn't know how much time i would need to take off (turned out to be 4 days baby born tue - back to work sat morning and afternoon)

I allocated each category a budget at the start of each month based on the incomings for that month........... and put it all in envelopes at the start of the month. This way if i ran out in one envelope i had finished that budget - the end lol. I did have ongoing savings in some like car tax etc so u have to be strict and not spend what is left in case you need it in the future.............

If you are determined then you will find a way to make it work for you 2011 will be my third year

Thank you, I just needed a post like that! I think I'll be getting the envelopes out, I've always preferred cash to plastic but I think it would be nicer / more of a wake up call to have a visual reminder.

itsallinthemind

Hi

I said hello on the 2010 end thread as I did not see this one(jumped via old style). I am sssssooooooo up for this! I can't do my exact budget right now as I am not sure of some of the expenses till the end of January. However, my groceries budget is £2,000(1 adult, 2 children with huge bellies!) a year regardless. I can't get lower as my children are fruit and veg monsters, not that I am complaining! So I will be taking part wholeheartedly, using the spreadsheet when it is ready etc, but tweaking and finalising late January with my figures set in stone.

Jan will be interesting as after a realtionship breakdown I am awaiting benefits(eldest disabled). Jan till feb will be just as interesting as my Mother is staying just over a month(extra food/activities/need to keep heating on in the coldest house to ever exist etc).

So if I can get through the next two months, the rest of the year should allow me to seriously save for some equiptment my eldest child needs and a seriously needed holiday.

Public thank you to the lady who just reminded me about the family fund, that could cover the holiday and to the other lady who also sent a lovely pm.

I have always enjoyed being frugal, so this could be quite fun, in a sadistic way!

itsallinthemind

xnatalie81x I may have to go read your old posts then, as that is wherre I am at now. I can see you are alive and have not starved, which is most encouraging

shebrett

Hi All, I've been lurking since the thread opened but am not usually into the challenges very much but am hoping you don't mind another MSE groupie tagging along

You've all inspired me to work on a yearly budget as I found that my monthly budget made it too easy to overspend one month and then go back to normal on the next month rather than underspend to make up for the month before! Am amazed at how little many of you are managing to get by on and have decided to aim to stick within what I know is possible this first year and then maybe aim for being more frugal in 2012.

So my budget for the year for two of us is £10,000. I've got my plan in place and will be trying to use cash only for my food shopping because spending too much on meals out and work lunches is my weakness. Will try and do most everything else on debit card so that I don't have any money lying around to tempt me! Have also downloaded freeware so that I can automatically track exactly what and where my money is being spent without too much effort from me so it's easy to keep up with. This should hopefully help for tightening further in 2012.

I've also realised that I am a sad individual who is actually looking forward to budgeting!

cw18

shebrett wrote: »

I've also realised that I am a sad individual who is actually looking forward to budgeting!

You're definitely not a 'sad individual', as I think everyone on the challenge feels the same way..... question is, does that make us a 'group of saddos' or 'all totally sane'? I prefer the latter option myself, even though I know a lot of people (family / friends / colleagues) who would opt for the former

Blairweech

JustKeepSwimming - Thankyou for that info - I remembered I had been given that form from the optician last time I went (but did not fill it in as it looked like too much hard work!). All done and posted now, hopefully I will get free prescriptions - even money off would be v. helpful...

I have downloaded an app for my phone that allows me to input my budget (set spending limits for the week/month, then add in my spends). Looking forward to using it, as if I am with company I always feel slightly embarrassed at getting my little notebook out to write down my spends

Marru

Hello,

Some of you remember me from couple of years back. Since then I have got a good permanent full time job and relocated. However now it is even more important for me to get all my debts sorted so I need to get my budget sorted and stick with it. There are areas thou that I am not willing to cut down: child care, car, clothes, study and health. But even with clothes obviously I am not going to go OTT and get only the utmost necessary and get stuff that will last.

I shall read back later and post my budget here when I get it sorted.