And so it begins ... the ROG fan's journey to DFness

The_ROG_fan

Mindy wrote: »

Do as OberonSH suggested and start a spending diary, I found that getting cash out of the bank was a sure fire way to let the money slip through my fingers. Now I have a record of exactly where that £50 I got out of the cash machine 2 weeks ago went (in my case £12 in back pocket money for DS, £10 for DH who had no cash of his own, £18 in Lidl, £7 in the farm shop and £3 still in my purse!).

I've tried the method of only-taking-out-of-the-cashpoint-the-money-I-actually-need, but that's failed miserably. I think the spending diary is probably the way to go.

I'll give it a bash for the next month and see how I fare.

The_ROG_fan

tumbleweed261 wrote: »

Definitely get yourself to the library - it sounds like it'll save you a fortune - and perhaps look into Amazon-ing off all the ones you've read?

I think that's my way forward. The amount of money I spend on books is unsustainable.

tumbleweed261 wrote: »

Re: Breakfast - even buying a box of cereal bars and some bananas or something to eat for breakfast (both fairly quick) would save quite a bit.

At the moment I spend about £5 a day on breakfast (usually a sandwich from the shop at work), so you're right there. I don't like bananas much once they're ripe, but I'm sure there's some other fruit I can buy that would be cheaper.

tumbleweed261 wrote: »

I added up how much buying my lunch was costing me, and even with all the lovely Advantage points I was accumulating, the heart attack that the monthly amount added up to caused was enough to make me make my lunch the night before and chuck it in the fridge - it doesn't take long and it's probably much healthier too.

I've just done the maths for that, and you're right - £71 a month ain't pretty :eek:

I think I'll have to try the packed lunch route again for a bit.

tumbleweed261 wrote: »

Out of interest who is ROG? Hope this helps

ROG is Ronan O'Gara, a rugby player who plays for Ireland and Munster, both teams I support.

tumbleweed261 wrote: »

p.s. could prescription 4 be added to the prepayment certificate for the others? I'm not sure how it works though, might be worth checking?

I need to get a PPC for my prescriptions. I used to have one, but forgot to renew it. That would save me money, too.

The_ROG_fan

Well, I've made a start. I've put some of my CDs on eBay and am looking through my bookshelves to see which of them I don't need any more. The books/CDs that don't sell will be taken up to the exchange shop in Notting Hill next week-end and I'll see what I can get for them there.

As for food, I went to Tesco yesterday and got a heap of chicken and fish (plus two pork chops) for much cheaper than usual as they were trying to shift the stuff they wouldn't be able to sell over Easter. All I need now is some vegetables, some wholewheat pasta, and whatever I'm going to eat for my lunches at work, and I'm sorted.

The thing is, I need to get used to spending less money as I am about to take a £310 pay-cut when I move positions at work (I get Private Office allowance at the moment, which will end when I move from the job I'm in. I've tried asking for an extension, but the Head of Department has refused me). I'm not looking forward to it.

Tori_Bellatrix

As the others have said ... Phone your local council and speak to the Council Tax department - if you live alone you will be entitled to 25% discount on your bill.

The_ROG_fan

Right, made some progress.

I've cancelled my WeightWatchers subscription, so that's £6.95 a month I'm not paying any more. I've bought a Pre-Payment Certificate for my prescriptions, so once that comes through I don't need to pay charges for another four months, and I have the Council Tax form to fill in and send back for my discount.

I've also cancelled the Direct Debit for my Tiscali broadband, as I haven't had any service from it for five months now. I will write to them and tell them that I've done it (and, at the same, time cancel my account with them), seeing as they are bound to notice.

Time to re-jig my SOA, I think, to reflect the changes.

The_ROG_fan

I put some things on eBay yesterday, not really expecting much to happen, and I've sold three of them already. I'm quite chuffed actually.

It's encouraged me to search out other stuff I don't want any more, with a view to putting it on eBay to see if anybody wants it. And what people don't want will go to either the charity shop or the Book/Music Exchange at Notting Hill, so either way it's out of this house. Not bad, hey?

chevalier

Well done on making some progress. Do you have contents insurance? I don't think I noticed this on your SOA?
Chev

The_ROG_fan

That's a bloody good point actually. I'd forgotten about that.

OberonSH

Yay!! Well done you!! I love Amazon, and ebay, and so far I'm up to nearly £200 since start of April, just for making Mr Obi have a damn good clear out.

How's the spending diary coming along? How are you doing mentally?

The_ROG_fan

I have to drop my spending by about £300 now, as I am moving jobs in a fortnight and lose one of my allowances. That's going to be entertaining (not!) - and I also have to find out what the craic is with my house insurance as the company don't appear to have taken out any of the payments, which is not good news.