New Challenge - Details

tru

I haven't spent anything since this thread started, but off to Tesco tomorrow so I'll let you know how I get on.

Queenie

jaybee wrote:

... Isn't TODAY always a good starting point? ...

Can't think of a better day than today - BUDGET DAY!!! :eek:

No, you're right, we should all "strike while the iron is hot" - but I still haven't had my council tax bill in for the forthcoming year so I can't do a realistic budget! Yes, I've heard that it will be "approx 5%" but, dependant on your income, that 5% could mean a little or ... a lot! (oh dear, eyes tempted to well up!). What I may have afforded with less effort in 2004 may become a "tighten the belt a tad tighter" exercise for 2005!

That doesn't mean I'm not seeing a difference in my spending habits and putting a sheckle or two into "Charlie Chicken" in advance of the challenge! It simply means, I'm enjoying a carefree couple of days before you all make me ... ACCOUNTABLE :eek: :rotfl: (Hey, I began this challenge - that makes me douby accountable! You lot can skive off here and there; I'm expected to set an example!!!)

crazyhazy - welcome aboard! I am delighted that you feel *this* challenge is do-able I just know we're all going to have a great giggle along the way - even if we aren't invited in your Hen Night

troo - good luck tomorrow - we are all soooo aware of the temptations of the store - but I just *know* you will be thinking PMS -PMS- PMS as you dart from aisle to aisle

moggins

We haven't received our council tax bill either so it will have to be the 1st April for me plus that is only 1 day after payday.

swampytiggaa

ooooooh - am gonna try this - altho some of mine will be virtual savings for a while. I just sold some stuff on amazon and ebay [and have more to go] and want to pay off my credit card balance [£95 now - down from £750 not so long ago]

then anything left over will go into a long term savings account til i get enuf to offer f&fs on a couple of debts i still have hanging around.

will start asap - i have a penny jar that needs counting!

Ken68

Hi Queenie...I just lurve this site, and welcome the challenge. My latest saving is using the library (free broadband) to surf and research saving upgrading on my home dial up which in turn I shall downgrade to 5 days a week (Tiscali £5 a month) from 7days a week (Tiscali £8 a month)......saving probably £40 a year including electric. Mind you, can only do it as retired and need to get out every day to keep sane.Now researching Martin's latest...charity bank 10% interest...to finance next computer.Cheers .

Curry_Queen

Well ... I've just gone through this months spendings so far and transferred any savings I've made into my Virtual PMS account and I can't believe I've got over £100 already!!!!!! :eek:

Savings made so far:

01/03/05 Tesco 10.57
05/03/05 Littlewoods 10.00
08/03/05 Tesco 45.02
08/03/05 BlahDVD 2.00
14/03/05 Kitbag 3.00
15/03/05 Tesco 16.64
16/03/05 Kitbag 6.00
17/03/05 Tesco 10.00
17/03/05 Boots 13.50

This was only supposed to be a trial month for me and I'll start for real in April, so I might use these savings and treat myself at the end of the month to a nice new TFT monitor I've been wanting for ages :j :j

nicki_2

I'd love to start this challenge but I'm just about getting by this month as it is. My daughter has only been in school for 9 days out of the 19 days so far this term and she breaks up for Easter tomorrow! Stupid stomach bug & then eye/ear infection with another stomach bug! Most of my "spare" cash this month which I had managed to save has been spent on medicine (a vitamin tonic and some painkillers for her - although I did go for the cheapest available in both cases) or on disenfectant.

Anyway, we got a bit of pin money this month that I wasn't expecting - a refund of £156 from BT After all we have been in credit with them for over 12 months. However this money is already spent - £110 Car Tax for a year, £25 MOT (online offer with Kwik Fit - book your MOT online and save 10%), £11 (or possibly more) to be spent on Pizza take out for daughter birthday on April 5th anything else left over will probably go towards buying food for when my in-laws come down. We're paying for the Car Tax and MOT by the end of the month so I'll have an idea of what I have left to be able to buy my daughter a gift (She wants Sharks Tale on DVD, but I'm trying to sway her to a video instead as they're about £5 cheaper in Asda).

Our tax credits are due to resume on the 8th April and then all the spare money is going to paying off our credit card £1238 but that includes £872 car insurance from November which is pushing up our interest payments. We should be able to have that all but paid off by November when we'll put the car insurance on it again - but it should be paid off alot quicker next time!

I've got stuff to sell on ebay, but need to wait until the Tax credits start up again so that I have the money to pay for postage! I already have about £40 in my paypal account so when I have enough to transfer (I only accept Paypal now - less hassel) to my bank account I can use that money to pay for postage etc and keep going until the 5ft high pile of stuff to sell is either sold or donated to charity.

I've already reduced our grocery budget to £40 a week for 2 adults and 1 4-year-old (or at least she will be soon) and I really dont think I can reduce that anymore Any money I do get in my pin money I'll have to use to pay back our daughter what I've borrowed out of her piggy bank currently about £25 I think. Then I can start saving.

I've got the tub, I've got the cut backs already in place, but with so many one off expenses in such a short amount of time savings will have to wait a week or two.

Curry_Queen

nicki wrote:

£25 MOT (online offer with Kwik Fit - book your MOT online and save 10%),

Be careful if you're getting Kwikfit to do your MOT as they often fail it on stuff that should normally pass so they can charge you exorbitant rates to fix it themselves :mad:

Have a look at the motoring board as I'm pretty sure there are comments on there about it.

moggins

Choices Direct and CD Wow have Shark Tale on DVD for £12.99 including delivery if that is any help?

nicki_2

Not too worried - I have a Haynes Manual and this weekend I will be going over the car following that so that any work that does need doing can be done before we put it in for an MOT - plus a very old family friend/mechanic who gets work through word of mouth is much cheaper for any work that needs doing (When the car broke down he charged us £70 for a full service including flushing the cooling system and replacing a worn pipe in the coolant system. I was quoted £150 by another garage just to replace the pipe) BUT he doesn't do MOTs which is why we are looking at Kwik Fit as the place he takes it too charges £40 at least.