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Weekly Spend Challenge W/C 24th July 2011

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pointypenguin
pointypenguin Posts: 1,768 Forumite
edited 30 July 2011 at 10:47PM in Debt-free wannabe
Hello everyone. Welcome to the Weekly Spend Challenge. This challenge is open to anybody, no matter what financial place they are in.

On this thread please post an amount of money you wish to stay below within the week (Sunday to end of working day on Friday). This can be pennies or thousands it depends on the individual. Then next Saturday report back and pledge for the following week. The challenge runs from Sunday to Friday so we don't include Saturdays but feel free to change the rules to suit you and include Saturdays or start on a different day.

Feel free to update this thread with daily spends if that keeps you on track. We colour code the results as below:

Green - within budget

Red - overbudget
Purple - zero spend
Yellow - made money over the week

This is a little bit of fun but for many it highlights the fact that maybe that magazine/chocolate bar isn't needed. Hopefully your spending habits can be changed forever.

Moozie was the founder of this challenge and here is a quote taken from her:

Originally Posted by Moozie:
"Good afternoon lovely DFWs Now for anyone looking in, please feel free to join - the more the merrier! Basically, decide on the amount you want to spend up to from Sunday until the end of the working day on Friday then pledge it here and off we go! The challenge is about incidental spending and not for stuff that should be budgeted elsewhere such as bills, groceries, debt repayment etc but you decide what to include at the end - this is about changing your habits and improving your recording of your spends more than anything else. Have a great week everyone and keep it low!!! Moozie x"

Good luck everyone.

W/C 17th July Challengers / Pledges /Total Spent
Pointypenguin £40
elsiepac £35/£50.22
meersy £40/£36.88
debtfree future £40
katie07 £50/£60.52
chris 81418 £70 / £69.04
sibles £40 / £9

link to last week's challenge


W/C 24th July Challengers / Pledges /Total Spent
Pointypenguin £40 / £25
elsiepac £115 / £111.22
meersy £100 / £110.20
ladymay £60 / £53.62
ruby_eskimo £50
sibles £40
chris 81418 £185
jo-urney £50 / £26.49
Weekly Spend Challenge: £0/£30


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Comments

  • pointypenguin
    pointypenguin Posts: 1,768 Forumite
    Thanks so much to LC for doing the thread last week and keeping everything update so starting the thread today was very easy.

    I am starting my challenge from Monday this week as I have a few post Birthday things planned today so will get back on the MSE wagon tomorrow.

    I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine, we don't often see it up here:D
    Weekly Spend Challenge: £0/£30


  • elsiepac
    elsiepac Posts: 2,673 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    PP - Your trip sounds awesome! What a great idea - I'd LOVE to see all the places on the Monopoly board! Glad you had a good time, and that you are still celebrating!! :beer: No worries about doing the thread - after my last debacle I'm glad to have redeemed myself! Oh yes, and where are you that you have sunshine?! It's grey, windy and weird here!!!

    We finished our office move yesterday only I was left there alone as my phones weren't working (that's what I do - phones) so my day was 10am to 7.30pm. (everyone else finished at 4pm). And I had to lock up the new office on my own for the first time and set the alarm - hope I did it right! No work of thanks from the boss though - don't they realise what a huge difference it makes?! Hey ho, nothing I can do about it. At least I will get a day in lieu for yesterday (we don't get overtime annoyingly) - although again, technically a lieu day is worth 7.5 hours - I worked 9.5! Oh well! :D

    I need to work out my budget as it'll mostly fall on Friday this week so will update later! Expensive week this week!

    I'm going for a coffee with the girls later so that will be £3-£6. Maybe a tiny shop but can't really be bothered! Will see if I can avoid!

    LC x
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Old Style, Crafting and Techie Stuff boards.If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    GC: May 22 £tbc/£250 Vegan 27-8-13
  • ladymay
    ladymay Posts: 1,126 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Hello!

    Can I join in please? I think this is a great idea.

    I'd like to put £60, on the basis that I might have to do some travelling around London this week. Today I've already spent £8 on a 1-6 travelcard and £10.88 on material for a costume I'm making for a fancy dress party on Thursday (figured it's be cheaper than buying anything).

    So that's £18.88 on Day 1 - oops!

    Do you include your food shopping?
    2019 Aim: Save £10,000
    Don't sacrifice what you want most for what you want now
  • elsiepac
    elsiepac Posts: 2,673 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Me again!

    Just worked out budgets for the week - think I have it right - I'm pledging £115! This doesn't even include the £45 I have to spend on petrol every week! It does include food and cigarettes though (I'll quit eventually, just not ready yet unfortunately, thus keep failing, so am budgeting for it instead and giving myself a daily limit, which is a slight improvement at least).

    I have a big work night out on Friday, hence the high budget - the cheapest way I've managed to do it so I can drink and get home after, is to pre-book a taxi which is costing £40. For 28ish miles across technically 3 counties (Bristol, then South Glos, then Glos) this is much cheaper than I thought it would be. I found a good website called www.quotemetaxi.com that gets quotes for you - because of my county problem, either taxis won't come here or they charge like £70, it's insane. I can have a hotel room for that! So I'm relatively pleased with £40.

    Anyway! £115 for me please!

    Enjoy the rest of your sunday all (I haven't even got my make up on yet, how lazy, and have to go out shortly! Must get a shifty on!!! :rotfl:)

    LC x
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Old Style, Crafting and Techie Stuff boards.If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    GC: May 22 £tbc/£250 Vegan 27-8-13
  • elsiepac
    elsiepac Posts: 2,673 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    ladymay wrote: »
    Can I join in please?

    The more the merrier! PP will be along to say hi shortly, but in the meantime I will....HI! Welcome to the thread!
    ladymay wrote: »
    £10.88 on material for a costume I'm making for a fancy dress party on Thursday (figured it's be cheaper than buying anything).

    I think it is, and well done you for being clever enough to make something. I hate fancy dress personally but a while ago one of my friends was planning to have a fancy dress party. She decided the way to bring me round to it, was to tempt me in with all the cheap costumes available,...... well, after an hour of being shown £40-£70 nylon and polyester costumes on argos.com I was even more against the idea! and she thought this was cheap! Pah! So £10 odd seems a much better option!
    ladymay wrote: »
    Do you include your food shopping?

    It's entirely your choice. I sometimes do, sometimes don't, depends how I feel! I never include my petrol as this amount doesn't change for me, so makes no odds whether I include it or not as it won't save me money! but for everything else, it is nice to include I feel, as then if you overspend in one area, you can try and compensate in another, etc etc. As I said, everyone does it differently. Also, some people like to post their progress through the week and what they are spending their money on, and some just give a pledge and then a total at the end. again, all your choice!

    LC x
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Old Style, Crafting and Techie Stuff boards.If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    GC: May 22 £tbc/£250 Vegan 27-8-13
  • ladymay
    ladymay Posts: 1,126 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Hi Elsiepac!:wave:

    I'm not a big fan of fancy dress either but I've been told by my boss I HAVE to, it's a party but I'm refereeing for a cpl of hours beforehand so I have to do as I'm told :o I don't mind really, it should be fun, especially with all the teams dressed up! I've decided I'm going as a lion so I've got loads of fur to play with - that's my evenings this week sorted :D

    I'm going to leave out food for now because I'm new to this so am still doing my spending diary to create my SOA - the £60 is pretty much a guess!!
    2019 Aim: Save £10,000
    Don't sacrifice what you want most for what you want now
  • ruby_eskimo
    ruby_eskimo Posts: 4,795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Hi everyone, long time no see! I think I have to join this challenge again. It's not that my spending has got out of control, I just like the fact I focus on what I'm spending when I'm on a challenge! Would like to pledge £50 this week to get myself back into the swing of things!
    Emergency Fund - £8572.39 / £10,000 :: Mortgage OP 2025 - £
    LISA 24/25 - £3200 / £4000 :: NSD 2025 - 2 / 150 :: Books Read: 1 / 52 :: Decluttering - 4 / 1000
    Engaged 9th December 2010 :: Married 29th October 2015 :: Bought a House 13th January 2017
  • sibles
    sibles Posts: 234 Forumite
    Hey guys!
    I managed to keep my spends under £40 last week, as long as you don't count saturday! I think I came in at £9, but totally lost track :( It wasn't more than £10. Saturday I was in town with my friend and had £30 in my wallet. I came home with around £15, some went in the terramundi for my christmas savings.

    This week I'd like to pledge £40 again. This time I'll keep a proper track ALL week :) If it matters I'm not tracking anything that is budgeted for (shopping, driving lesson and dentist this week) as they need paying anyway.

    You guys were so encouraging last week! Thanks so much
    B xx
    Clicking, searching and surveying my way to a life of debt freedom!
    Debt Free 27th Nov 2012
    Weight Loss so far: [STRIKE]12lb[/STRIKE][STRIKE]13lb[/STRIKE][STRIKE]15lb[/STRIKE][STRIKE]16lb[/STRIKE] 17lb
  • ladymay
    ladymay Posts: 1,126 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Morning!

    Got lots of work to do today, which is a good thing because it means I won't have time to spend anything!!! :D Only exception to this is I have to find a backing track or two, but that's not going to cut into my money very much at all.

    My legs were jumping all over the place last night when I was trying to sleep, I have RLS and this always happens when I don't do enough exercise, so might have to go for a run this evening...
    2019 Aim: Save £10,000
    Don't sacrifice what you want most for what you want now
  • meersy22
    meersy22 Posts: 386 Forumite
    Hi all

    Spends yesterday £2.50 on papers & £5 charity collection for ethopia. I've also factored in £2.75 for this weeks papers.

    Spends today £16.60 at the dentist which was less than I'd expected. I only needed a check up and clean, so that's me for another 6 months:)

    £2.95 on my Mums shopping and £3 at circuits.

    So far this week I've spent £32.80/£100
    :jDEBT FREE 27 July 2011:j
    Challenge - Sealed pot #19 - £16; Debts - Credit card - £978.36

    Savings - CU- £808; Xmas - £210, ISA - £160; Holiday fund 2012) - £xx; Car - £50; General:£50 Total- £1278
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