Meet the frugal's, 365 day challenge of buying nothing.

Mortgagefreeforme

Hi Lauren, I've just searched to page 17 to find your thread! I've been busy working for the past few days and was just wondering how you are getting on with your challenge? How did Easter go? I look forward to reading all about your past few days.

Janeryan

Me too-Iwas wondering where you had got to? Hope you are coping ok with your challenge-we are all rooting for you!

lauren_1

Its been a hectic week and have been out of the house nearly everyday, OH had been making a 3 teir chocolate wedding cake and finished it with just 10 hours to go:eek: and the trim for the wedding dress got added again the night before (did i mention my mum was getting married on saturday?)
As for our frugal challenge, well i did slip up a few times, i popped in to asda and got some control pants for £6 (yes they are essential):rotfl: Some more foundation £8.50:eek: but i had a £5 off boots No7 voucher (was £13.50) and got a free gift box full of mini serums and moiturizers which made me very happy indeed and we got the happy couple a new toaster £29.99, they had a 4 slice one but only 2 actually work and we had 13 people staying there for 2 days so i just bought the first one i saw.

But i am firmly back on the wagon today:T

lauren_1

The easter weekend went very fast with the wedding and all that and yes i did fall off the wagon buying that toaster and pants but 1 was a gift and the other was a act of humanity.:rotfl:

We didnt buy any easter eggs but the amount they got from family and freinds it wouldnt have made any difference if we did as they would be eating them past christmas anyway, its our daughters 5th birthday on thursday and we are still stck as what to do for the weekend for her.

OH is starting to wane from this challenge a bit and to be honest i think he has forgotten why i asked him to start it but we are going to go through the figures later on to see how far we have come and try to get a debt free day sooner. He hates the penny pinching but also being in the red makes him anxious about the future we have seen a few people who just spiralled out of control starting with a charge here, a few days off sick there and a new washing machine here and BOOM they are trapped within in a cycle of charges and borrowing to make ends meets.

He does seem happier now a chunk has been paid off and as the main bread winner he feels a bit lighter and happier about going to work knowing we can make our income work for us better, now we know what to ask for from our creditors rather than coughing up what our creditors ask for.

pigpen

I'm glad you had a nice weekend. I never buy eggs for my brood either.. I'd need a bank loan!! But they got 3 each and that is more than enough!!!

I bought some control knix for when I am matron of honour in june.. BUT.. as I am the bridesmaid and have had this lot I got the knee to boob sort.. just so my corsetted dress doesnt look like a bag of camels! Cruel to be kind and no eating for me that day! My 5 girls are all lesser bridesmaids so I have them all to get ready.. and me and SIL... busy busy busy day!! (46 to go!!)

I'm sure that going over the figures will help OH see what a huge difference it is all making, it must be very hard to keep it all up for so long.

Did he manage to go to work all week on the bike or did you get to keep your pocket money?

southern_chick

Hi Lauren

I've not been on here for a few days so was really looking forward to see how you are getting on, it sounds as if you are still doing really well, well done. having a look at your figures again with your oh will really make him see how far you have come and give you both the motivation to keep going. well done on all you have achieved so far

SC XX

lauren_1

Well i shot my self in the foot, he usually works 4 days a week so did his monday and tuesday, had wednesday off as usual and took thursday and friday as holiday! Yes i lost my pocket money

lauren_1

Poo poo has hit the fan this morning, letter arrives from HM revenues and customs about overpaid tax credits from my single claim years ago, i appealed against one lot of overpayments and won but apparently i didnt tell them early enough that i needed a single claim and got overpaid (not sure how as the joint claim only gave us £100 a month)
But they want £1477:eek: By march 2008 and have sent me dated payment slip wanting me to pay £134 a month until then :mad:

Although it was initially a joint claim they have "tagged" it to me as i am the only person on the system and only i benefitted from the over payments but they are very hazy about telling me how i accrued this £1477 form a 5 week delay in telling them i had split from a previous partner.

It just gets better and better

mamashaz

Lauren

I can't think of anything positive to say about this blow but want to send you a big hug!

Sharon

Mortgagefreeforme

Can you try to appeal against it, it seems very high for a five week delay. At the very least they may spread your repayments even more if you can convince them it would mean financial difficulty. The whole tax credit system is terrible, we have been screwed over several times and they are always very hazy. I would say act quickley though. I would send you a hug, but my computer dosen't like those wee pictures (or more like I'm thick!)