2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

pinkcrafter

Oooh, can I join in too please. I am in the process of trying to work out a budget and want to save loads next year and not spend for the sake of spending. I have a small part-time job that I started 3 weeks ago, to help bring some more income in. We cancelled Sky this last week and have gone over to FreeSat, which will save us £65 a month and I have a breadmaker that sits in a cupboard looking very lonely and sorry for itself, so it will start getting used more too! Small things but it's a start.

septemberblues

SandraScarlett wrote: »

We're a bonded band of Female Frugalistas
And we're staunchly doing everything we can
To support and help our Super Saving Sisters
(Though I do believe there is a lurking man!)

Now our spending trends have all been estimated
And, with courage, any problems we shall meet
We'll ensure that shopping trips are calculated
And, with luck, we'll find we'll still afford to eat!

Now we know there'll be some hiccups on our journey
P'raps appliances that break we must replace
But we'll shop around to get a super bargain
And, bravely, any problems we will face

So let us wave our Frugal Flag to Glory!!
We will conquer any problems, never fear
And, next Christmas, we can post each happy story
Of the huge amounts we all will save Next Year!!! :beer:

xx

Just doing my bit to get everyone hyped up and ready to rise to The Challenge!

Love it! :rotfl:

bramble1

Hi All!


I have been away so havent posted, but have been busy making plans for my frugal life in 2012.

I have set myself an annual grocery budget of £1500, I need to come up with a socialising budget too, but baby steps...

I got so many toiletries for christmas i don't think i will need to buy any in the year ahead. I need to plan what veg we intend to grow, and what else i can do to save money where possible.

More4Less

stitching_witch wrote: »

I've been working on the budget over the last few days and have shaved it down to £5000 not including rent, council tax, water and debt repayments. Figures for two adults and rounded up to the next 50p where necessary.

Electricity 90.00
Phone/broadband 52.50
Contents Insurance 14.00
TV Licence 12.50
RAC 10.50
Garage rental 30.50
Allotment/hens 3.50
Food * 75.00
Mobile 15.50
Bike MOT/Tax/Ins 19.00
Bike petrol 10.00
Car diesel** 20.00
Prescription prepay 10.50
Pension 40.00
TOTAL 403.50

* Food includes cleaning stuffs, toiletries and cat food.
**DH pays for car MOT/tax/insurance currently but we may need to rethink that when his JSA runs out if he hasn't got a job by then.

This equates to £4842 per annum so there's £158 (£13.17pcm) for anything I've forgotten. I realise there's nothing included for clothing, gifts etc but when I'm working on a budget that's in deficit to the tune of £70pcm these things are not important to me.

I paid off and closed one CC account this morning so that releases a small amount each month, and I realised if I buy a Prescription Prepay Certificate I can save around £4 a month too. It got to the stage [STRIKE]last[/STRIKE] this year I was doing without medication as I couldn't afford to pay the charges.

This year will be different....
stitchy x

Good luck with 2012. I am envious of your food bill - very frugal, but it looks as if you grow your own - does that help a lot?

debbiedeejay

SandraScarlett wrote: »

We're a bonded band of Female Frugalistas
And we're staunchly doing everything we can
To support and help our Super Saving Sisters
(Though I do believe there is a lurking man!)

Now our spending trends have all been estimated
And, with courage, any problems we shall meet
We'll ensure that shopping trips are calculated
And, with luck, we'll find we'll still afford to eat!

Now we know there'll be some hiccups on our journey
P'raps appliances that break we must replace
But we'll shop around to get a super bargain
And, bravely, any problems we will face

So let us wave our Frugal Flag to Glory!!
We will conquer any problems, never fear
And, next Christmas, we can post each happy story
Of the huge amounts we all will save Next Year!!! :beer:

xx

Just doing my bit to get everyone hyped up and ready to rise to The Challenge!

This is fab! Have printed it out and intend to stick it next to my computer...and on the back door....and on kitchen wall.....and in my frugal spend diary just to keep my mind focused.

Well done, brilliant!

Oh and I will get round to sorting budget out but at moment am trying to sort my broken washing machine out(also have to sort TV out too - that went pop a few weeks back and the car is starting to groan too) - have posted on freegle first like a good girl:) and am trying to weigh up to see if it is worth getting it repaired first but I think the problem may be too big this time:(

enjoyfinancialchallenges

SandraScarlett wrote: »

We're a bonded band of Female Frugalistas
And we're staunchly doing everything we can
To support and help our Super Saving Sisters
(Though I do believe there is a lurking man!)

Now our spending trends have all been estimated
And, with courage, any problems we shall meet
We'll ensure that shopping trips are calculated
And, with luck, we'll find we'll still afford to eat!

Now we know there'll be some hiccups on our journey
P'raps appliances that break we must replace
But we'll shop around to get a super bargain
And, bravely, any problems we will face

So let us wave our Frugal Flag to Glory!!
We will conquer any problems, never fear
And, next Christmas, we can post each happy story
Of the huge amounts we all will save Next Year!!! :beer:

xx

Just doing my bit to get everyone hyped up and ready to rise to The Challenge!

Lovely verse SS, I have been trying to sing it to onward Christian Solders and it works if you are very , very creative with the words and music, Has been lovely to meet you on this forum (if you know what I mean) you definatly seem to be a strong woman and your verses are full of humour despite all thats going on around you. I love reading your posts.Take care and I wish you a healthy happy and prosperous New Year.

Love Elizabeth.

SandraScarlett

Thank you so much for all your comments - you can tell I've got a few days to myself, so I've time to compose! We were on the road at half past 6 this morning :eek: so that we were parked and waiting at the hospital for DH's blood test - and we weren't the first! Then we had a GP visit for DH, unrelated to the blood test, and now I have an lazy afternoon to paint my nails and watch Love Actually.:)

I've had 5 NSDs and have paid the bills, so starting with a clean slate on Sunday. Lovely to "meet" you on here too, enjoyfinancialchallenges, and thanks for all your hints and tips. I've just heard something on the radio about the amount of money that has been spent since Christmas, and it's staggering. I reckon we might have a few more people joining our thread!!

xx

Savvy_sewing

cw18 wrote: »

what I've read says definitely - I believe they only cost pennies an hour if that

but I wouldn't be without mine anyway, as they make the best gammon joint ever - even the value ones come out beautifully tender

Thanks for reminding me! I havent used my slow cooker this year. It was put ontop of the kitchen cupboard last year, when I moved here, and when my son moved out in May that was the last time I managed to use it. I shall have to get my helper to get it down for me tomorrow as I have a gammon joint from Abel & Cole to cook. Slow cooking will be great. I used to do it all the time. Just shows how things can slip!.
Like my spending did this year.!
I have only just started to reread the beginning of this thread, as I hadnt been able to find it, thanks again to your link Cheryl I was able to find it. But 13 pages to catch up on already! eek. If I wasnt frugal before, i will certainly be reminded to be again.

DGD wants another bath! Believe it or not with her Surf board!!:eek: I know it was my fault to full fill her wish to Santa, but now that in itself isnt bad, its the water all over the bathroom floor and the walls thats the problem when all is said and done. I struggle with the damp and mould in there, and its not going to help me is it!!!:(
Water bills! Well actually my bill is not metered, but the gas for heating it is, and I also dont want to use too much water, for the sake of the planet! I am not as good at recycling, reusing and remaking, etc as I should have been.
Right I am off to the start and will try to get the drive to continue with the challenge for the coming year.

Kerfuffle

SandraScarlett, Love your little ode, it's awesome. I'm going to print it off too and keep it in my budget binder. :T

LolaLemon

Didn't make it to town yesterday, went out last night instead and spent all day at mums, now I am home, it feels a little like Kansas here, 90mph winds predicted :-( again! And my bin has just whirrled past my window so off out I go to try and pull it out of a tree!