New Challenge - Details

System

Welcome to the boards Daisy, nice to have you aboard. These challenges certainly are inspiring. I cut corners every day wherever possible but i never really add up the amount of savings that i actually make. They all get swallowed up in the weekly purse. Doing it this way is really great, as you can actually see the amount you have saved. Dont forget to share with us your progress as well as your failures - they are all valuable lessons we can all learn from.

debbym

The council tax bill arrived today so I now have lost the main reason to procrastinate about saving...

I am going to (try(!) and ) use the time until the end of the month to:
Work out a budget so I know how much I have to spend really (never done this before :eek: )
Work out what food etc I have already in the cupboard/freezer (badly designed kitchen with corner cupboards means that some things haven't seen the light of day since we moved in two and a half years ago :rotfl: )
Use fixture ferrets to work out where to shop each week and write a shopping list that is only things to buy - not the minimum of things to buy like it has always been before.(never done this before :eek: )
write a meal plan for the week (never done this before :eek: )
all seems very daunting but I have been inspired by the tips on the site so I figure I have nothing to lose

On the up side our remortgage came through this month and is going to save us £70/month. DH has agreed to set up a DD to transfer this into the (new) saving account starting now - gives me a £70 float to begin the challenge with so if I see anything on BOGOF etc I can stock up in bulk and not dig into the housekeeping.

Big_Nige

Curry_Queen wrote:

Yes, but the point is that you will have to pay for another MOT after they have failed it so you will be spending more in the long run. The best place to take your car for MOT is to a garage that does purely MOT's and doesn't repair them themselves as they have no ulterior motive in failing your car unnecessarily.

Go to your local council transport dept or if you have an ambulance depot nearby with a garage try them. They can carry out the M.O.T. but are not allowed to carry out repiars. If you require parts for the car go to a motor factors like Brown Brothers or Partco, they are trade only, but will invariably sell to the public. They will almost certainly be chaper than the likes of the High street retailers or retail park sheds.

Queenie

Wow! Great tip Big_Nige! Thank you for that! Could prove very useful Appreciated

JCL

debbym wrote:

Use fixture ferrets to work out where to shop each week

Thanks for the tip debbym.

Didn't know what fixture ferrets was but a quick search on Google and found it - looks like an excellent site.

crazyhazy

Well I started yesterday and so far:

counted the money in my penny jar - 24.20
included the interest I got on a savings account I'd forgotten about - 27.68
svaed in shopping with bogofs etc - 9.50
used boots points to buy essential stuff - 6.88

so far total - 68.26!!

Of this I've already transferred 42.68 to our wedding account and am keeping track of the rest and will transfer on the 17th april just before pay day.

tru

I went to Tesco, saved £8.11 in BOGOFs :j Loo rolls were 12 for the price of 9 too, I was going to work out how much the free ones were but I can't find the receipt :rolleyes:

I'm going to put the money in a jar with a gripfilled-on slotted lid.

halloweenqueen_2

Spent £3.18 in Boots on a big box of Borax and a laundry soap - used my points so it was a freebie. I bought the soda crystals in the shop next door at 69p a bag, boots didn't have them so i am not going to make some more laundry powder.

I popped into Netto 'cos i wanted some pitta breads and got a bit of shopping! Not all healthy but is going in my freezer and will help our over half teerm and lazy days!
8 X packets sausage rolls 80p
2 X packets savoury slices 20p
6 X stone baked pizza £1.80
7 X boxes cooked roast chicken portions £2.45
3 X diced casserole beef £3.60
rump steak £1.42
2 x pitta bear (ok full price!!) 52p
" X quite big packets of corned beef 20p
Big pork pie 10P
pack of chicken legs 70p
£11.79

mrsmab59

halloweenqueen wrote:

I popped into Netto 'cos i wanted some pitta breads and got a bit of shopping! Not all healthy but is going in my freezer and will help our over half teerm and lazy days!
8 X packets sausage rolls 80p
2 X packets savoury slices 20p
6 X stone baked pizza £1.80
7 X boxes cooked roast chicken portions £2.45
3 X diced casserole beef £3.60
rump steak £1.42
2 x pitta bear (ok full price!!) 52p
" X quite big packets of corned beef 20p
Big pork pie 10P
pack of chicken legs 70p
£11.79

I've only just started using Netto but I haven't spotted a 'reduced price' section. Do they keep their reduced goods amongst the full priced items?

halloweenqueen_2

Ours just wheels out a trolley and its pot luck whether you're there at the right time cos it goes pretty quick! If its meat its sometimes on the shelf!