Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

rictus123

When does this thread run from/too? Think il rejoin...used to take part but died down as everyone here is in there own home, i still live with my parents so everyone spoke about cooking in batches for like a month solid so now it seems a bit more....exciting ( :P ) i think il rejoin the next one!

Going to start my living on £4k challenge inline with the new tax year so as of the 5th of April!

As then my payslip will show me gross earnings for that 12 month period...plus il add in a tally for homers.

If folk can run there home on less than £4k...i sure as hell can stay at home for that!

I dont think i will be able to count car payments though...as il have about £1700 between April and October gone to that then the car will be gone!

slowlyfading

rictus - this thread runs from 1st January to the 1st December. Just so you know, I was part of this thread when I lived at home - not all of it is about batch cooking.. budgeting will help you save for your house, why not start now?

cw18

The challenge runs for the whole year, but I need to start a new thread from 1st April (Frugaldom started us a new one quarterly the last couple of years, and that seemed to stop us getting into trouble for them getting too big )

rictus123

Well im in then!!! Il be checking in on Friday night....maybe knock up a few budgets and see whats what...payday Friday and got a night off from gf :P So get some time to myself...might meet some mates for a pint(only 1 as the price of them is unreal!)

slowlyfading

Sounds great! There'll be a new thread by then so join us on there

rictus123

slowlyfading wrote: »

rictus - this thread runs from 1st January to the 1st December. Just so you know, I was part of this thread when I lived at home - not all of it is about batch cooking.. budgeting will help you save for your house, why not start now?

I am going to start now! I did have a budget set up and put in everything jan/feb then laptop crashed and i lost it!! So i just gave up on it! So struggled along this month without it and looking to get back on budgeting for the new financal year! Think i need to count up expenses and set that as my budget as opposed to set it at £4k and try to work to that...as i know (for absolute everything) it will be more.

rictus123

Just done a quick budget for now - October and October onwards...as get rid of car in October so saves £240.30 a month. Also my budget(that i seem to be sticking to as it is) shows i can pay off card debts by October aswel leaving just 1 debt that is £153 a month...as opposed to the £400 im paying out now...so things are looking up allready. Shows a surplus of £3,760 between now and October...debts that will be paid off total £2,900...so £870 extra. Plus iv been a bit modest about income..iv put the least it will be every month.

So £400 or so surplus until October and then projected surplus will be up £1,000 thanks to just having 1 debt to pay and also put income up a touch...still was a modest amount and it WILL be more than budgeted for, i will make sure of it! Even with this surplus iv allowed myself £100 a month for going out. So very realistic, great times ahead!

jayII

I'm not doing so well, I seem to havebeen at the shops most days this month!

Plus, now my fridge and freezer door seals are broken, and don't seem to be able to be removed/replaced. Bah humbug! I'll call the manufacturer tomorrow, otherwise it's duct tape time.

Never mind, it's nearly the new month.

I hope everyone is doing okay. :cool:

mooomin

Hmm...I've input my figures for the month so far into the Spreadsheet of Wonder and it's looking pretty good to be honest

I have blasted the grocery budget this month thanks to a trip to Costco yesterday, but have now got enough chicken/mince till at least the end of April and yet more toilet roll. Mr Fresian thought that me buying more was hilarious as we apparently have lots thanks to my last Costco trip

Some spends this month haven't been included as I got my annual work bonus. Most of it has gone to savings, but I have bought myself a brand new handbag and some crafting gubbins, but I wouldn't have bought any of it without the bonus so I don't count it on the SoW if that makes sense.

I know I have a few more purchases to throw into the spreadsheet but I'm hoping that I'll be under budget again this month :T

LolaLemon

anyone else in the credit union? I joined this week, paying £5 in to a savings account and £5 into a christmas club... a girl in the pub will take the money straight out my wage packet and pay it in for me (as well as the rest who do it, shes been doing it for years)
the christmas club money can only be taken out in the run up to christmas i think, but i'll use that money for any big purchases needed (like white goods or repairs, or maybe to book a week in the sun with my son in jan) as im doing the handmade challenge this year, and their is only 8 that i get for christmas; my son, my 2 god kids (8 &6), my granda, my parents and my brother and sister. i do a tea hamper for my granda, make a scarf n hat, and get a nice pic of him n my son together and a framed drawing aswell. i pick up stuff all year for the rest of them.
once uni stops ill be upping the savings amount to £20 a week as i wont be travelling at £140 a month, and might put in my tips, if i get any, as well.
i know the their is no interest rates, so i wont make anything... but it is good to know i am back saving again, after clearing out all my savings this past year plus once i have some savings, if i need to i know i can get a loan that is only at 1% of the decreasing amount and whilst paying it back, u still have to pay into ur savings (any amount even £1).
its good to know i have that added security now, although i have no plans to ever use it.

Its great to see more new people on here, wish i had even knew this site existed last year, as since ive joined (with no budget set, as i dont have enough to budget with haha) they have been a world of inspiration!