2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

mooomin

slowlyfading wrote: »

FF - I'm glad you're signing up again

I really need to - buying a car put a whacking great hole in last year's plans, although I do love him dearly. This year I have to try and clear as much of the loan for said car as possible and start reducing costs in as many places as I can!

Not sure how I'll get on with the SoW but I'm going to download it again and sort my 2012 budget while I'm off work pre-Christmas.

Flip1

Hi Could I please join for 2012. Having been debt free for a number of years we have just bought a house and now have a mortgage (scarey). My goal is to get back to debt free heaven ASAP.

I kept a spreadsheet of spending this year and this will be my starting point for 2012. Hopefully spending less.

Buffythedebtslayer

I think I am going to be brave and join.

I must stop wasting money!

xxx

mishmogs

Can I join in as well please?

Have got my gas and lecci down and looking at reducing tinternet and home phone (live in the sticks and mobile signal is a problem) costs at the mo. Also trying to get down my food shopping bill and seriously, seriouly reduce my clothes buying habit.

On a positive, I can go 2/3 days as nsd and can keep to my treat monies each week but occasionally fall off the wagon and dip into the housekeeping monies. (must stop this too).

Am looking to reduce costs and save monies so please count me in!

amber03

Count me in please, want to make a big impact on my debt by the end of next year. Hopefully will have cleared 2 debts by this xmas but they where only small amounts. Just have OD and CC to pay after these but these are the high ones. One thing i have decided to do is pay for my weekly shop by cash then i will be more aware of what i buy, and not waste money on things i can live without which.

Mama_2

Please add me to the challenge list MAMA
It's high time I got off my backside and sorted out my finances!!

tink1981_2

Please can you add me to the list

We got marrried this year, which we did on as tight a budget as we could but we're still paying off our half. We moved house too and although it should be a cheaper property in the long run we had to do a bit of work to make it more habitable which unfortunatley has had to go one the credit card

DH and I have decided that now we're all in and starting to get settled we want to start to takle our debts, so we can look ahead to more adventures and may be even starting a family! :j

tink x

purpleorchid

Frugaldom wrote: »

THE 2012 CHALLENGER LIST

Slowlyfading has kindly offered to help run this challenge for 2012.

Please post your username if you would like it added to this list for the new challenge.

2wildthing2
Aril
Catslovelycats
Choc-addict
Dazzler123
Frugaldom
Jcst104
Kerry Woman
Mcjordi
Natlie
Poorbutrich
Prepareathome
Slowlyfading
The frugal frog
Tumptyteapot
Youngmummy

add me plz purpleorchid thnx ff.x

Asiacat

Add me to the list.

During 2012 I am (not) going to:-

1. I will plan my spending in advance for each day and exceptional circumstances apart will stick to it. If I haven't already written the spending down in my notebook I won't spend it.

2. I won't own a rapidly depreciating lump of metal, plastic and glass otherwise known as a car. My Yamaha Nouvo scooter will get me everywhere a car could take me and a few places it couldn't. It's also easier to park and a lot less to tax and insure.

3. I won't make any impulse purchases. I will keep an impulse purchase delay notebook. Write what i would normally have bought in it and wait at least 72 hours before deciding whether or not to buy it.

4. I won't borrow a single baht (I live in Thailand) from anyone.

5. I won't make a single credit card or even debit card purchase. Everything will be bought in cash.

6. I will attend the two auctions in my home city (Pattaya, Thailand) each week and will buy anything that I can sell for a profit. (I don't count this as impulse purchases just opportunism). I bought an lcd projector last week for 4000 baht and sold it within three days for 7000 baht.

7. I will advertise what I have to sale on every single available free medium (Newspapers, ebay, Internet message boards, supermarket for sale boards etc.)

8. I will not upgrade my cellphone or computer. Both are quite adequate for my needs irrespective of what sexy new models are released in 2012.

9. I will save 10% of my salary and 50% of any windfalls.

10. I will retain every 10 baht coin (about 20 pence) I receive during 2012.

11. I will not set foot in a shopping mall.

12. I will pay all my domestic bills (water, electricity etc.) on time so that I don't incur any late payment penalties.

13. I will always consider sending a text message before using my mobile phone to make a call.

14. I will read this list at the beginning of everyday so I don't forget what my own personal code of conduct is.

Erme

Just wondering (if it's not already on there) if you could add the what's the cost snowball calculator to the links at the beginning...

Found it a really helpful motivator

Not joining for the following reasons

• Christian Faith - an idol is an idol - even frugal living and we are told not to worship idols (though I for one have way too many :eek:)
• Risk of paranoia due to the above....and lack of understanding about my disability.. When I'm ill I can't even cross roads never mind understand a spreadsheet. I may have big whoopsies on things I find useful for my disability. I may even get into more debt because of them. It doesn't mean I'm not trying.
• Black and white thinking by some folk - just because I have gotten any of the above and it's not the same as x,y or z does not make it dangerous...I don't need the stress of being cross examined over my decisions. Yes I want to be accountable but I have plenty of folk for that (and online banking and the snowball). I don't need cross examination.

So that's the warning signs for folk. If you don't mind the risk of any of the above then okayies... But it's not for me. I still 'aim to be a frugalista but I know that's a long way off the dizzy heights set by some folk on here - good for them :T not for me...

Every blessing with your challenge

E