Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

nannyboo1

I am going to lurk as I ave no idea what on earth I am ding but am hoping to pick up loads of hints and tips from reading and hopefully posting. hubby and I are going to it down tomorrow and try to sort out a budget not sure how that will go hoping to do the SOA first.

He seems keen (he wants to save money) but seeming keen and doing it are two different things. Not a good start today as we spent on chocolate and cake as AF has come to visit with a vengeance and I needed chocolate and hubby knew better than to say no lol.

I've gone to WW to lose weight for health reasons so am going to try and find some cake recipes to freeze and keep in for when I need sweet stuff. I will save money and pay of some of our debts. Not much but if we keep on how we are they will only get worse.

I am also thinking of changing jobs this year which may mean less money coming in.

Happy New Year ladies/gents and hope to get to know you all and save money

Chipps

Hi
Happy New Year!

I would like to join too, please. I haven't worked out the budget yet, and am likely to be more of a lurker than poster, but really value the input on these threads. We need to cut down this year, as I have given up my job for family reasons - had been part time, but the clause in my contract which said "plus other hours as required" was being invoked on a permanent basis - so now am on a temp basis (and have done a total of 4 days since I left permanent contract in November) so less money - but on the positive side, more time to cook & do money-saving things, as well as being available for family. Will do a proper budget check once everyone is back at work on Tuesday.

Chipps

nannyboo1 wrote: »

I've gone to WW to lose weight for health reasons so am going to try and find some cake recipes to freeze and keep in for when I need sweet stuff.

Hi, I joined WW just over a year ago. I lost about 4 1/2 stone, so found the cost of joining well worth it. Also, not buying so much junk counteracted the cost. They have some really good recipes. I don't have access to their recipes now, but my DD sends them if I ask! I am now a gold member so don't pay to belong (need to do something about the few extra pounds I have put on over Christmas though!)
Good luck with your weight loss!

Cheapskate

Hi all
I'm going to join in, too, please. I've joined other challenges to help me all round, so think this one will complete the set! Tomorrow I'll read the whole thread, along with the other challenges, with pen & paper ready to hit the ground running.
DH runs his own business & has only just started paying himself a salary (been living on TC & fresh air for a year!), & my wage is small & likely to decrease with changes in local government. so every penny saved will help, plus I see it as a better way of life to be thriftier so we have money for special times or paying off the mortgage. Looking forward to all the challenges I've set myself this year!
Thanks in advance for the tips I'm sure I'll read!
A xo

mooomin

Hmmm....just remembered about my current account fee, so have added in £75 for that and reduced my "Anything Else" budget by that amount to keep me at an annual total of £10,000.

I was trying to decide if it was an essential, but it includes breakdown cover - essential for a car as old as mine - and mobile phone and travel insurance for myself and Mr Fresian so I think that on balance it's worth it.

Our car tax and insurance are due at the end of March but they're not included in the budget for the year. I get an annual bonus and this will cover it. Mr Fresian normally sorts out petrol and so on and we get cheap repairs at his parents garage.

I need to do a freezer inventory - the plan was to do it tonight but I just opened a bottle of bucks fizz so I suspect that it's a job for tomorrow

Erme

Thanks Nuala for those tips..yeah I already have chick peas in from last year and plenty of rice ...easy meals ...but I like to buy the saver beans (the red kidney ones) for a quick bulk up of soups in the food processor..

I'm thinking when I go to the chinese supermarket of getting the following

• Bicarb (though it may only last 6 months?)
• Cornflour
• (can't recall the final thing)

So maybe like tues/wed as a treat and a 45p carton of malted soya milk too ..yay...

Just warming the slow cooker for my yoghurt (not had it in days :eek: and it's cheap) and have my chickpeas in to soak for tomorrow's lunch ..finally (meant to do that last night )

Just a thought for all you on WW....there are frugal alternatives depending on the individual - Sparkpeople and the Daily Plate - just don't spend so much time on their forums you forget about us lot

Obviously I appreciate for some of you folk there's stuff about WW you can't get elsewhere but might be worth considering. They're pretty similar in their approaches - both low fat, healthy eating diets with exercise and food logging and offer online support. I went on SP a wee while ago cos I couldn't afford WW (even before FL) and it really worked

Researched homemade shampoo and I can make one using the same mixture as my deodorant - yay...so will try...also variety of honey hair shines as well have to try...:)

Really I think the deodorant is a real winner...I wonder what they were putting in the cheap one for it to make my pits lumpy and so sore?

E

salski

Hello again all - And yeah OH agreed! LOL
CCards - £425
Tv licence - £12
Leccy - £51
Gas - £52
Insurance - £43
Pension - £45
CouncilTax - £88
Rent - £200
Virgin - £36
Food - £280
Fuel - £200
House insurance - £40
Savings - £300 + another £200 from my pay rise
Phones - £50
Milkman - £30
Nursery carpet - £130
Spends - £200 for DH
Spends - £150
Total £2582!
Spends includes everything else- meals out, coffee out, clothes, shoes, baby bits and bobs, car parts, dinners etc
Think thats it now (I knew I had got it wrong yesterday! I paid extra £100 off ccards! lol)
Thanks again all!
Sal x

Happy New Year all!

Just copied this over from the previous thread
This is January x

kazire

ok just just after shocking myself and nearly crying! i have worked out how much offically i am going to be paying to live basicly this year! prevously the ex did all of this! so my new life on my own will start with this challenge including everything rent and fuel is near the 15,000 mark 7,800 of that is rent!! I really want to save as much as possiable so that i can buy my own property someday! so heres to 2011 and any hints and tips are greatly received! and a big thanks to CW for the spreadsheet!!

Kerfuffle

redglass wrote: »

I wouldn't go to that market stall again!!!!!!! :rotfl:

Nope, that was the first and last time. I wouldn't mind but I asked the guy " are these anchovies?" and he said " yes". How difficult is that? <<confused>> and still a little bit :mad:

( sticking out my tongue to the market guy and moving on.....:rotfl:)

Toodles

Kerfuffle

kezlou wrote: »

*snip

So say a minimum of £7564 going out annually not including mobile phones, fuel, hobbies, days out and general things like clothes. if i our income stays the same we will be forced to live on about £3400 and rent to come out of that too. Hmm this is not good. This is for 2 adults, 2 children and 2 cats. Will put a definite figure up later when i cna get my head around calculations.

I;m not sure how to fo this, do i count the bills price + the left over income or just the bills hmm.

Okay well, as you can tel, i;m stressed and concerned for the future. Em lets say £8000 (roundup for bills etc minus rent, fuel etc).
If this is not the correct please could you all let me know, cheers.

Hi Kezlou, sorry if I'm being a tad slow today but can I just clarify, the 3400 that you would be left with ( that rent still has to come out of) is the remaining amount after you taken the 7654 into consideration.

Thanks