The Ultimate February Challenge

abundant1972

Hi Everyone!

I'd just like to echo everyone else who has said YES to a March Challenge. These posts really give my life a sense of financial structure and help me to stay on track!

I am still on target - just!

Food Budget: £80.00/£80.00
Spends: £49.90/£50.00
SFDs = 13/20

As I only have a whopping 10p to spend now I should be having 8 more SFDs to the end of the month!!! I have enough food in - so NO excuses!!!

On the subject of E-Bay... I *still* have not entered its murky waters!!! A lot of my books are for my work/hobbies... If I sell them now... I know when I have cleared debts and have time to pick them up again, I'd just want to re-buy them - and end up paying full price for them...

However - Under my bed I have loads of boxes of clutter. I totally agree with Kat in that it's hard to have a clutter free mind when stuff like this is lurking just out of sight... but definitely not out of mind. There are bags of photos I have been meaning to scan to disc for ages... notes that need typing up and saving to disc and then shredding... and other 'stuff'... I think come March when the overtime lessens, I will aim to:

1) Sort one box a week. Maybe out of this stuff, there will be items I can e-bay.
2) Sort through all my clothes & recycle/sell any I haven't worn in the last few months.

In answer to your post Mayfair...

Things I miss (but WILL get back to when I'm debt free!): A social life! Dating!
Things I have refused to give up: Good quality food. Me time!

Keep up the good work folks!!!

thriftylass

This is hopeless. Tried quite a few books with webuybooks and zapper and none of them are accepted.

Might try CDs now

nannygladys

Hi everyone, well a quiet day in my house, just done a bit of housework, sorting out and did a bit of cooking.

Another SFD but will have to spend either today of tomorrow as I have very little milk left:(

What do I miss not buying?
- breakfast at work on a Sunday, it was my treat a cooked breakfast
- buying any wool, craft stuff that I dont really need but like the look of
- magazines

What I wont give up is decent coffee, I cant stand cheap coffee and I have tried sooooo many

Jxx

Learning2Budget

Evening. Can't sleep Im too hot!! Was trying to think of what i miss buying and i suppose its clothes, makeup and chocolate. What i can't do without is haircuts cos i look like a wild sheep if i as much go a day longer than 6 weeks.
L2B.x

NinjaSavingKat

MORNING!!!!... How's my chickadees this morning??? I spent £33 last night - the money regained from fraud on my account... and bought a 25L rucksack from the organization I am volunteering for, with two badges to sew on and cuff-links in our colours for a friend. Worthy cause, I need the bag ( yes another one ) and I thought it best to confess.

Filled the bike with £20 petrol this morning so have a grand totals of £26 left for petrol ( easily done until Thursday next week ) and £30 or my own money. I would like to see if I can make it to the end of the month with SOMETHING left in my account but am having difficulty in being enamored by packed lunches recently...Grr!!!

Anway - that's me for now. Massive clear out to occur at the weekend, March challenge planning session and book sort. I know some need to go - just might not be ALL of them...; - )

Onwards and Upwards!!!!

Ninno820

Morning everyone. Now what do I miss? - erm dare I admit to missing the thrill of buying something without even thinking about the consequence? Truthfully I am trying not to deny myself too much since mine is a long journey however the make up is down to its last few strokes and does need a top up. I gues sthat I miss not being able to buy anyting I want when I wanted it (although I couldn't afford it back then but just didnt want to see that).

I have refused to give up focussing on me - hair cuts and make up specifically. I am watching the Apprentice USA and Donald Trump said something that made me think. We are all in sales - everyday we are selling ourselves! Looking at what I am dressed in to walk the dogs I guess you would struggle to find a buyer for me in a jumble sale :rotfl:

Today is a day at home doing chores, a visit to the vets, a dog walk and slimming world. Not specifically a SFD then!

Hope all is well with everyone xx

PS - I have just achieved my second Amazon voucher on swagbucks - making it £20 in total with the voucher for eduvoice (my posh shampoo is £22 so will order it now once the code has come through) and have found a voucher on www.myvouchercodes.co.uk for 20% off my clothing shop tomorrow - what a result!

thriftylass

Good morning!

Fiance transferred the money he borrowed extra last month so I could put that back in the pots. I have still to get CB, around £100 to payout from paypal and another lot of ebay sales coming hopefully on Sunday. So it's not looking too bad for this month in the end. Will need to top up in LIDL tomorrow and then go grocery shopping on Saturday for the curry afternoon we'll have with friends on Sunday.

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

Busy busy week, just updated the spreadsheets though and its not looking too bad. I have had family visiting and had budgeted £50 spending money. I have gone over this by £7.50 but considering how much we have done I am quite pleased. Have to say that my Mum bought lunch yesterday and my sister bought a takeaway last night - if I had had to pay my share I would have been in deep trouble!

Going out with the kids is sooo expensive though - mine are 12 and 14 and are at that age where its hard to entertain them on the cheap. I turned down meeting a friend at the pictures today and we went to the sports field instead, have to say the kids were really good about it. Didnt spend a penny other than petrol there and back.

I dont really miss much now - but it would be nice to go out sometimes!

Ah well, should be able to make an extra payments to the cards of £300 - which is a really nice feeling.

nannygladys

Hi everyone, just calling in to say I have actually spent some money today:), but only on food:(. After my OD going up last month, I want this month to be a good one so I can see it going down, only thing is I will have to restock freezer and cupboards next month, and I need (not want) some new mascara, my present one is all globby and dried up, so next month I will have to spend a bit more than I was planning to,

I have been reading another thread and it got me thinking - if I was existing rather than living, and at the moment I am existing, I havent bought any new clothes for months, I took part last year in the frugal clothes challange and managed to spend just over £100 on clothes and shoes and as that was underwear, walking boots and waterproofs, you can tell my wardrobe is starting to look very well worn so I could really do with some different (not worn out) day to day clothes, I think a trip to the CS is in order, trouble is my mind set at present wont allow me to - I keep thinking that the money spent would be better spent against the OD or CC - I turned down an invite to a free night out recently cos I didnt want to buy anything newish to wear and I know its daft but I cant help it. I dont think Im explaining myself very well here, but I suppose what Im saying is Im starting to resent spending any money whatsoever on anything:o

Anyway off to bed soon, got to see to Rosie and put my breakfast/lunch up and get some sleep as another very early start tomorrow

Jxx

squinky

Aw sorry to hear everyone is struggling I only had that £95.50 left in my account so I HAVE to stick to it, I have £10.03 left but there's only a week to a go

With the other challenges I have kind of cheated a little as I get a free hot drink offer with my wa1tr05e store card, today (as I was buying my YS bread!) I took advantage of this offer & got a cup of tea to give to a homeless guy on my way home. As for the downshifting, I usually get us one deodorant each, his and hers branded ones but in the spirit of this challenge I got us an 89p essentials one to share in a more unisex scent and less attractive bottle but it seems okay so far. I am finding taking the lunches to work a little bit more of a chore; it’s not too bad when I am in the office but I had two days out & about this week so had to be doubly prepared with drinks and snacks etc. My things are still not up on eBay which is irritating me but hopefully they will be by tomorrow.

Helpfully had dinner with my family Sunday, his Monday and a friend on Tuesday so had quite a sociable start to the week without spending any money or buying my own food! I have a friend coming for lunch on Saturday & then we are at a local housewarming party Saturday night which I am fully prepped for so I am hoping not to break into my last £10 note until next week!

Keep going guys, almost there :j