Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

chika

Re the phones for Lynzpower and Kerfuffle. My phone was once on O2 and took the Tesco sim card without issue. Just called my mate to check and his O2 iphone didn't need unlocking either, however his sister's one did... Are they all different?

http://forum.o2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=328581 this link has some more info, seems that it only costs £15 to get in unlocked anycase. HTH

2wildthing2

Just been to fill up the car with diesel, we own 2005 1.9 diesel Vectra Estate and its just cost £75 to fill up and it's still not full. I'm off to check out Martin's tips on economical driving. Going to have to re-do the budget for fuel if it gets any higher, this budgeting lark is proving more difficult than I thought.

rainbowcattail

Evening all, wow what a speedy moving post its great reading everyones frugality and tips.

well i totally failed at a nsd as I forgot my packed lunch today so had to buy lunch, then I was seduced into accessorise and decided to add to my present stash for next xmas in the sale. On the plus side i found a starbucks voucher in my handbag on the train so my coffee was free this morning. Plus I discovered the b&q spend over £50 on selected items get 15% off continues online until the 10th january so Im please godding that 'selected items' include bathrooms.

Apple-Mint - thanks for the breadmaker tips, I didnt realise you could freeze it afterwards or make rolls. I am defo looking into obtaining one somehow.

Lilly - I like one of the ideas on here about making cake/buns instead of flowers. I always think you can tell they are made with love when I get any. Also while I am totally upfront about being skint mr cat_tail is less so when it comes to his family so appreciate it may be difficult.

lynzpower - good luck with the revising and the exams.

I am still trying to sort out my budget, tried to sneakily do it at work but boss kept appearing like a ninja really suddenly so had to give up. Should find out next week if I have a job until april anyway so *MUST* appear enthusiastic and hard working for a while.

right im off to batch cook stuff for lunch for the week and to make some hummus. determined to have a nsd tomorrow.

xx

slowlyfading

Evening everyone

Well, it's not a NSD for me today - I've had to renew my car insurance. I got a letter through last week about their renewal quote - £639.40 :eek: so I went online and changed a couple of details, and the quote there was £392.67 so I rang up today and they managed to do it for £380.74 for the year so I'm really pleased Much less than I had expected, which is a relief in these times!

I noticed today that the petrol station that I drive past on the way to work has put the price of unleaded up to 128.9p! :eek: :eek: :eek: I'm so glad I filled up yesterday, as that's insane! Really am going to have to watch how much petrol is costing us on an monthly basis, as I suspect it's going to push the expenses up quickly.

23rdspiral

sorry for the long post, but i had so many people i wanted to personally thank for their replies to my questions.

Kerfuffle wrote: »

Luckily for me my OH isn't allowed money :rotfl::rotfl:so everything does go through me.

well done Kerfuffle! :T that's one sure fire way to keep an eye on things!! I get all the household things - he wouldnt notice the loo roll running down or whatever... he spends his spare money on our holidays and in cafes and pubs .

NualaBuala wrote: »

23rdspiral - the individual spending thing isn't an issue for me as I'm now single. But I used to have completely joint finances with my ex - everything was in a joint a/c and we each got the same amount of pocket money to cover lunches, a drink after work etc. Anything else like a concert one of us wanted to go to or clothes was negotiated - we tended to take it in turns for "treats" depending on how much money we had.

thanks NualaBaula. we have a joint account we both feed to pay bills and house moving costs ect, but it wouldnt work for our personal spending - i'd resent his Subway habbit and he my sewing habbit!(at least mine is productive though! )

Kiwisaver wrote: »

Quite simply I estimate everything 50/50 of the costs for us to stay at home, eat, watch TV, household phone, broadband and do 'nothing much'. He keeps the rest of what he earns and I keep the rest of what I earn and no questions asked as to what happens to that personal money really. If he wants anything for himself, clothes, hobbies, gadgets or whatever, he pays and I don't count it. He doesn't spend much money, other than lunches out and the occasional new rig out for a special occasion. He's a fairly typical bloke and doesn't notice when things need doing, mending or replacing. On the rare occasions we eat out together he usually pays.
QUOTE]

thank you so much Kiwisaver for going into such interesting detail. I think it might be time for me to fully understand our finances in more detail, even if it means i end up spending more of what i earn... at the moment i contribute proportionally less to bills as i earn proportionally less so i hope it is fair.

flying_fresian wrote: »

thanks so much Flying Fresian, i really appreciate the picture - it really helped me understand the chart.

cw18 wrote: »

If folks would find it useful, I could include the 'Whoopsie' columns onto the other pages..... might take me a day or two, and would mean you copying figures from your current spreadsheet into the new version though

hi CW, personally speaking, i'd really appreciate it. but i dont want to make more work for you if there's not enough takers for the idea. At present i want to put 'other' spends in groceries so i can see the bargains... but that does not help me highlight my craft purchases as i could quite happily glaze over them as being as important as food!

frizz2

Hi Everyone,
Please add me to the list. I am very keen to cut down on my spending as our mortgage payments still feel huge and so I need to cut down as much elsewhere. Will do a budget and post on line when finished. My work will be less reliable this year and that will make a dent in our income.
I was really disappointed in the Sales this year at Mand S, Next and John Lewis. Does anyone else feel the same? I have bought my cards and wrapping paper for next year, and a few small gifts for next year also. But, I am glad they were poor as I at least was not tempted to spend in the sales!
Good Luck everyone!
Keep posting tips please

LollopyBear

Another NSD for me today :j

Back at work, but for a training day as kids aren't in until tomorrow, so had breakfast, snack and lunch provided for free from the canteen. Not the world's greatest food, but it certainly kept me going.

Already know that I'm going to have to get a train home tomorrow as my lovely colleague who gives me a lift has to go home early. I keep offering him petrol money and he keeps refusing to take it.

Lily that seems absurd having a 2yr old's birthday at Pizza Express. It definitely seems like it is geared towards the adults and not the little boy who would probably be much happier playing with his toys while eating a big piece of cake.

mummyroysof3

Mooloo wrote: »

I have just gone against my usual grain, and ordered a new phone, on monthly contract, via Quidco, and Carphonewarehouse, where I am tied in for 24months, £30.54 a month, however, that is only £10 a month more then I have adveraged spending on my old Pay as you go phone and I will get much more free minutes/texts unlimited etc. But the piece de resistance that made me sign up, is the Freebie, with it. An xbox with a 250gb memory, and the new konnect? which is what DS wanted for his 18th Birthday, next week. (I would have spent the couple of hundred on it, but the car is in the garage today, and the bill for that has swallowed up my funds.).
Not as MSE as I would like to be, or frugal really, but best I could think up.

wow!! when mine is up for renewal ill let you sort it:rotfl:

please:D

redglass_2

itsallinthemind - bad luck with the stolen parcel. What's that saying? 'Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.' I've had books left in the rain and a valuable parcel dumped on the step right next to the pavement :mad: and then when you ring up and ask what's going on you get the porkies, which is insult added to injury....

On the bright side, thank you, you lovely people, for all that helpful advice about the chestnuts. They were from Mr T, on offer at a quarter of the price. I'm crazy about them, but rarely indulge as they are so expensive, so this is a special treat.

23rdspiral

hi everyone, sorry for the second post today, but i need to have a little rant!!

I nearly had a NSD, but it turned into a 'spend £6.00 on behalf of parents and friends' and spend £1.38 on groceries at the same time and then i remembered i really needed petrol so all my good intentions were out the window!

Actually i almost spent a bit more, a charity shop had a '1/2 price on everything' sign in the window, so thought i'd stock up on secondhand / vintage linens/pillowcases ect that i use for sewing. But at the till the lady just added them up at their usual 50p - £1.00 each, also adding 40p for something she saw me take from the 20p tub. When I queried this, she said "oh the sale wouldnt be on these silly cheap things". I was quite puzzled and politely said 'no thanks' and walked out.

I've never had this before in any shop, she was essentially saying "1/2 price on everything other than things we think you can afford to pay full price for"!

I liked the linens, that's why i chose them, but if i had bought them i would just have felt robbed. Shame, I quite like the Sally Army as a charity, but i'll be thinking twice before spending in there in the future. Has anyone else ever had a similar issue?