January's Big Financial Freeze!!!

gelmc

Well let the games begin again! Good luck and happy no spending everyone!

KAT you have my unstinting and loyal support. You do a grand job inspiring and motivating your little flock and I was truly stunned to read some of the earlier posts. If it wasn't for you I would not have paid off a £500 CC debt and not be as determined to be in my own (bought by me) house in the summer and painting and decorating it.

You rock girl!

PS Newbies we are a friendly bunch so please join

Miss_Frugal_Wannabe

Can I join please? I've tried a few challenges but my debt-busting was wrecked when someone hit my car and I had to buy another. Fingers crossed 2013 will see a big change in my finances!!

NinjaSavingKat

GelMC - thank you so much!! We are gonna rock 2013 now though!!... I am very excited about your house...I will be there in spirit for tea!:rotfl:

NinjaSavingKat

Miss Frugal - you are in!

Mancman86

After last months epic fail due to banks errors I want to join the challenge but fear it is impossible. Therefore I intend to cheer from the sidelines- writing down everything I spend from the 1/1/13. I have a full tank of fuel. I've been given a bike by my dad as a Christmas present (it's purple and second hand) but I don't care. I will continue with the £2 saver challenge. Wedding planning is in full swing -OH is planning for Dec 13, I say August 14. Time will tell. Had honest chat tonight about my debt and hers she should be debt free in 2 weeks.
I can't subscribe to 25 NSD but will give it a good job. I will cheer and follow everyone's highs and lows and hopefully be given support too. For every £10 I don't spend this will be paid off on my C/C at the end of each week. Re-evaluating as I go to see if more can be paid off.
Good luck and happy new year!:beer:

Siouxsie32

Count me in too please kat The rules are almost like second nature to me now so I'm aiming for another good month!

beckyboo1980_2

Hi Everyone!
Have been watching the forums and especially these threadsfor a little while now and the time has come to dive in with heart and soul.
Our debt (will try and work out how to put in signature in a mo!) stretches back over 15 years from when my husband first became ill with testicular cancer. A year unable to work, with a newborn baby and me just enrolled in university resulted in us living off credit cards for over a year. Since then we have just never managed to properly get back on our feet. We go through a good time when the debt appears to be reducing and under control and then something else happens which knocks us completely off course. However - NO MORE!!!!
This time last year I gave birth to our gorgeous twin baby boys. They have just made our family complete, but double the joy also means double the expense!!! On top of that, we are now 2 adults, 4 children, a dog, a cat and 2 guinea pigs living in a tiny 3 bedroomed cottage. Although we don't want to (and could never afford to!) move, we desperately need to convert our loft (giving us 2 extra bedrooms and a 2nd toilet!!!). However, i refuse to even think about doing this until debt is payed off and we are more financially stable.
Hence, I think this could be the perfect challenge for us. I have had to go back to work full-time:(, as even though I only earn a couple of hundred pounds after paying childcare for 3 children, its a couple of hundred pounds we can't do without. Also, once they are back in pre-school, childcare will be less and I will be keeping more of my wages - I just can't risk not having a contract (primary teaching contracts are like gold dust in Devon!!!) Husband and I both earn a reasonable decent wage so should be able to tackle this in theory.
Please be gentle. I have been lurking trying to take in all the dos, don'ts and etiquite - just let me know if I do something wrong!!!
Feeling very motivated and keen this morning. Have done a spreadsheet of debts. Have a notebook for EVERYTHING we spend and am just about to recycle some jars into budgeting jars for cash (food/fuel etc...)
Good luck to everyone else and even more so to me!!!! Going to need it!!!!
XXX:hello:

lilian1977

Can't wait for tomorrow Kat - so excited to see if I can do this!

So, have looked through my diary and I have the following dates in mind for spendy days:

Fri 11th Jan - staff night out - get a free drink though so might see if I can manage on just that one then water.

Fri 25th Jan - playcentre day with DS

Will then allow myself either a Saturday or a Sunday over 3 weekends to have a nice coffee in Costa.

I do need to plan a night out with the local mums, but will try and make that Fri 25th as well in order to limit my spend days.

Also need to have my hair cut but am hoping this will be on Fri 11th Jan.


Question - I have a dentists appointment on Thu 3rd Jan and I pay for my prescriptions - do I include this as a spend day?

lionheartedgirl

Ok here goes...

Petrol (well, diesel) spend - will go for £30. I only have a couple of short journeys to do, and a longer one tomorrow. Car is currently empty so I will put £30 in today.

Food spend - going for £80. I normally aim for £100 but spend a bit more. I also have 2 dogs, their food is about £30 a month. I bought them a big bag of cheaper biscuits on Saturday that should last them a month, rather than buying a bag every 2 weeks.

NSDs - 25 as per the rules. Shouldn't be a problem.

Sales - I have some unexpected Christmas money and this is to be used on new jeans, I know the ones I want. Anything left over from this will go on some tshirts as I am desperate for these.

Beauty products - not an issue for me (not that I am an ugly mug, just not one of my areas of weakness )

Spends for meeting friends - will work this out today. Luckily my friends up here are in a similar boat to me and favour a cheaper way of life as well!

Ebay - I'm going to start with Amazon. I have a few books to shift, one is very rare and should see me well on the way to the target. £155 will be a struggle but I'm on for the challenge!

MinnyMoo

Right the planning has been done

I am pledging 25 NSD's

I will not be sale shopping and my Christmas money is going towards paying down debts.

Petrol budget for the month is £80

Food budget should be £200 but will knock £20 off to £180 - however I'll have a good sort out in the freezer and cupboards before meal planning and shopping with the aim to eat up random bits and underspend the budget

I'm planning on meeting up with friends twice this month for coffee rather than lunch and if coffee can be at my house instead of Costa then all the better. In case of emergency I think I have enough Costa points for a free brew too.

Also planning to buy a pint of milk every Monday for my brews at work, will try and do this on a food shopping day and try and remember to bring with me.

Spending diary at the ready - fancy little number from M&S I got for Christmas and was wondering what on earth to do with it. Sounds daft I know but I've never really used a diary before.

Ebay will be my friend in January £155 here I come

Beauty products no problems we don't buy much and this is normally included in our food budget. In fact I'm loving smart price deoderant at the moment from Asda. So I'm not budgeting any extra.

Penny Gathering £25 - piggy banks and purses will be emptied, draws and sofas will be searched!

It will be survey central at our house too this month.

I'm so ready for January 2012 bring it on!! :j