2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

phoenix_dragon

I'd like to join this challenge. My husband and I are expecting our first child in 7-21 days, and we are living with my parents. We need to learn to live within our means, and save up for a mortgage deposit. We'll need to work out a realistic budget, and discuss the changes that need to be made.

Ayeshalush

I'd love to join the challenge for 2012 if that is ok.

I don't have any debts except my mortgage which I am keen to pay off as soon as possible.

I am quite penny conscious anyway and do batch cook, etc but I could do more.

I am just away to download the spreadsheet of wonder to help me work out my budgets and I also think it is going to be eye opening as the year goes on when I see how much money I do actually waste (work vending machines anyone?!! definitely got to stop!).

Looking forward to following everyone's journey in 2012.

A
xx

mcjordi

im pleased that im not the only one who hates collections etc.

tbh i even hate buying xmas cards as its a waste of £1.50 in my eyes..as they only go in the bin...
im more determined for 2012 to loose weight (clothes will be cheaper then lol)

and pay off as much debt as possible (have around £4900 worth at the last count)

probably get this down to 3500 with full and final settlements.. my credit file is trashed ann thayway..
should be default free by the time im 33. (still young enough to try to get a mortgage)...

im even that determined i will be picking up the 1p's etc i see on the ground. who knows all them pennies could pay off a debt...

Lily_The_Legend

Can you take me off the list please? Sorry to be a pain! Good luck everyone.

LittleMissKirsten

Can I join to start on 1st Jan please?

Setting myself £2,500 to live on this year (apart from bills etc). So £200 per month for food, clothes, toiletries, going out / socialising etc.

Feel like this is realistic to be honest. I live in a houseshare but only have myself to look after. Plus, I'm quite stocked up on toiletries & clothes from going mad in the sales a couple months back. But that made me realise how wasteful I'm becoming with money when it could be put to better use i.e paying my debts off!

fruityslh

Can I join the 2012 challenge too, I try my best to be frugal but OH likes his treats and leads me astray

youngmummy

trying to write a budget but keep thinking ive forgot something ?? :think:

Buffythedebtslayer

the spreadsheet has a fairly comprehensive list.

I keep forgetting things too living is flipping expensive!!

xx

the_frugal_frog

I have no job as of 1st dec, so for the first time ever I will be claiming jsa, I am quite upset that I havent managed to find another job, I am being so tight with money I agonised over spending 60p on a drink in town, its demoralising, however I will be job hunting like mad again so I hope to be back to work before too long. I take my hat off to those who have to juggle living on jsa. This has shown me just how much I waste tho! a few quid on a coffee, a few quid on a magazine and thats £9 of my jsa that would be gone. I haave also stopped eating meat, I am hoping my food bill to be around £10 a week. I am aiming to live on £67 a week, thats for gas elec, tv, food, mobile. water bills. I am going to hunt down every single free resource I can.
I did buy a lovely wollen scarf and a huge heavy cotton throw in a charity shop for £4 , pleased with those bargains. I am stuck on recipe ideas tho ten quid for everything food wise is proving difficult. So far I have beans and bread milk and tea bags lol.

My debts are a few hundred, I will throw any spare money at these to get rid of them asap.

Frugaldom

Sorry you aren't able to participate, Lily_the_legend, I'll get your name off the list while adding all these new ones.

Welcome on board to all our newcomers. We have few 'rules' here:

If you have debts, you are here because you would like to try to pay them off as soon as possible
If you are already debt free, you are here because you want to remain debt free

We are all debt free wannabes on a journey. If you found your way here by mistake and think you could benefit from sticking around and trying some frugal living, feel free to do so without feeling obliged to join the challenger list.

Off to update the challenger list now, so everyone up to this point will be listed.

Edit - Challenger list now updated, new challenge due to start in 32 days. The countdown has begun! For anyone who hasn't attempted frugal living, it might be a good idea to take a look at the start of the 2008 challenge, where I think we managed to iron out all the queries surrounding budgets. The handy links section contained within post one here has been added to each time a particularly handy link was found. CW16, who took over the helm of last year's challenge, kindly prepared a much-improved spreadsheet from the original basic one (sorry C, I still use my old one ) which can be downloaded through the handy links.

Any questions relating to this challenge, please PM in case I miss them on here. This thread will move at an alarming rate soon and I am seldom able to keep up, hence my welcoming Slowlyfading's kind offer of help.

Have fun preparing for 2012!