Frugal Living 2011 - the preparation stage

cw18

NualaBuala wrote: »

If it's anything like last year I will be juggling the numbers from one category to another

I've been doing that for the past 2 years, but am hoping that as time passes I'll find myself doing less of it (due to getting more of a feel for realistic budget figures)

but that's ok as long as I come in on budget overall.

and that's been my feelings on it too

NualaBuala

cw18 wrote: »

I've been doing that for the past 2 years, but am hoping that as time passes I'll find myself doing less of it (due to getting more of a feel for realistic budget figures)

and that's been my feelings on it too

I feel a bit better knowing it happened to you too - you are a seasoned pro at this!

cw18

NualaBuala wrote: »

I feel a bit better knowing it happened to you too - you are a seasoned pro at this!

not sure I'd class myself as a seasoned pro - this was only my second full year

Frugaldom is/was the seasoned pro on the challenge thread

NualaBuala

cw18 wrote: »

not sure I'd class myself as a seasoned pro - this was only my second full year

Frugaldom is/was the seasoned pro on the challenge thread

Ok then, you're a seasoned pro by my standards! I take my hat off to Frugaldom - her achievements are so inspiring!

salski

Hello all - went to Machester today to have a nosey in the sales! Took my own budget and £40 Christmas gift money, and came away with... NOTHING! Thats a first in my book - but I used the golden rule of 'its only a bargain if I need it' and to be fair - there was nothing I needed! I am mooching for a pair of boots but will be scanning charity shops for this as even in the sales - boots a blummin expensive!
Happy New Year to everyone and here's to 2011

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Just popped in to wish you all a happy, healthy and frugal new year. There are lots of folk I want to thanks or reply to but have my ironing to finish before I go to bed so will have to seek the messages out tomorrow before I forget to do it and before they get lost on previous pages.

NualaBuala I did as you suggested but found nothing that seemed to fit my particular problem, I have to admit though its a bit easier when I use my laptop lower, I have arthritis in my fingers and still think I may be accidently touching something. My computer expert...my DB is off to India tomorrow to sit on the beach and unwind so will have to wait for his return in three weeks before I do anymore. When I try I generally end up with more wrong than when I started.

My ex- Live out lover has not even contacted me to wish me a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year so am feeling a bit sad about that tonight and watching The Sound of Music didn't help my mood, far to many tears, mine not anyone elses. Stll maybe the new year will help me close one door and who knows another may open, after all I may be 71 on the outside but I'm still 17 on the inside. Woo Hoo.

NualaBuala

Big Happy New Year hugs from me EFC! I cried all through The Sound of Music too - it's just one of those movies, isnt' it! Here's wishing you everything good for 2011, it's a brand new start .... oh the possibilities! :j xxx

P.S. sorry I couldn't help with the laptop, hope your expert can fix it when he gets back.

cw18

2011 thread is now up and running - here

I know I still have some links to add into the first post (to sections of the 2010 challenge), but the fireworks are about start which means I'll have a dog going nuts on me. Will try and finish it off over the weekend



Have a Happy (and Frugal) New Year everyone

(and there go the first of the fireworks - 5 minutes early :mad:)

NualaBuala

Thanks Cheryl!

I hear fireworks here too and the texts are coming thick and fast so it must be nearly midnight - woohoo! :j

redglass_2

Happy New Year everyone! _party_

I'd like to sign up, please, although I haven't been able to calculate everything yet. There are bits of my budget that are still a bit vague, for example I'm about to go self-employed and haven't yet sorted out pension, tax and NI but I've got an appointment with a financial advisor to get this started early in the New Year.

At the moment it looks like this:

buildings/contents insurance 220.00
car insurance 210.00
breakdown service 40.00
car tax 150.00
MOT (guessing!) 100.00
water bill 200.00
gas/elec 350.00
firewood for 350.00
phone/PC 420.00
mobile 40.00
windowcleaner 120.00
presents 350.00
petrol 500.00
work clothes 300.00
toiletries 25.00 (got lots stockpiled)
cleaning stuff 20.00
slimming club 200.00
gym 74.00 (plus more later)
pilates 192.00
allotment seeds 20.00
accountant 1000.00 (!)
computer stationery etc 50.00
Films, theatre 150.00
council tax 1132.00
licence fee 47.50
groceries 500.00 lots stockpiled
dentist 50.00
charities 381.68 These are direct debits - didn't realise how much they added up to over the year
mag subscription (for work) 40.00


I make this £7,282.18 just for me (:eek:) and I keep thinking of more stuff and adding it in!!! It's more than I thought it would be, on the other hand it's a lot less than I had to live on last year and the expenses for slimming club and gym are new - I'm splashing out on them because I think paying will motivate me to follow through and get my money's worth! I haven't included holidays, since I hope to earn those doing some temp work in June, and I don't have any life assurance because I have no dependents. I've included stuff like the water bill because it's still an expense even if I have no choice over it, and I'd rather have a final figure that includes just about everything.

There is also work to be done in the house, but the money for that has already been set aside out of this year's budget.

I hope I can whittle some of these amounts down. One of my biggest problems is buying food on impulse when there's perfectly good grub in the freezer. This isn't doing my figure any good either and it's something I want to overcome in 2011. Something tells me the NSD will probably be a weapon of choice.