The Ultimate February Challenge

thriftylass

Topped up on milk, onions and tatties today, which should be us till the weekend when we need nappies etc. Gonna make a list tonight for essential groceries and what to buy where. Not gonna bother updating my sig as for me Feb is over, had such great hopes for this "short" month but it didn't go to plan. Payday tomorrow, gonna put away moneys to savings etc. Gonna tweak my spreadsheet some more later.

Started looking at venues and wedding dresses etc. Gosh, better get my act together. Luckily friends of our are getting married in June (about 40 people sit down, ring, dress etc for 2.5k, which sounds ok to me. Wouldn't wanna spend more), so I can see what that gets us. However one thing I'll do different already. Have it where most people live so it's taxis rather than a hotel.

Welcome newbies :wave:

and sorry about the dress saga NSK, horrendous :mad:

NinjaSavingKat

Thrifty get on BBC iplayer or 4OD - can't remember which - and watch the Ultimate Guide to Pennypinching. A Northern Irish bride did her wedding for £1500. Beat that!!! I will be doing my vintage them on a budget. Already started collecting the tea-cups. Lol!!! When is your wedding? Are you going to aim for a brand new dress / second hand / vintage / Monsoon style or borrowed?... tell em more!! :T:T:T

The dress shop told me they have a 14 day "swap" available. I will go and see what they have next Tuesday and see if I can pad out my wardrobe a bit otherwise see how eBay fairs over the weekend. Clever NSK - AND they know I have to wear it tonight!!

Right now.. back to work..

thriftylass

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

Thrifty get on BBC iplayer or 4OD - can't remember which - and watch the Ultimate Guide to Pennypinching. A Northern Irish bride did her wedding for £1500. Beat that!!! I will be doing my vintage them on a budget. Already started collecting the tea-cups. Lol!!! When is your wedding? Are you going to aim for a brand new dress / second hand / vintage / Monsoon style or borrowed?... tell em more!! :T:T:T

The dress shop told me they have a 14 day "swap" available. I will go and see what they have next Tuesday and see if I can pad out my wardrobe a bit otherwise see how eBay fairs over the weekend. Clever NSK - AND they know I have to wear it tonight!!

Right now.. back to work..

I think I saw that programme a while back, but for a grand more I probably get sth a wee bit nicer. I remember thinking back
then "and she still paid 1500" (if it's the same programme) ??? But I might get some tips from it. Still got loads of time, probably sometime late next year. The first thing we need to choose/book is probably the venue to get the date we want once we know that

ATM the moment I only looked at dresses online in Debenhams, BHS etc. Sth for £200 maybe. Gonna avoid wedding shops etc apart from a try-on and then a look online. Same with everything else, just gonna get normal things not wedding things like someone said once a bouquet is £5, a wedding bouquet is £25. Wanted no meal initially but we'll see. Just don't fancy it (many reasons I won't elaborate) but might go with it as hubby says (the one who didn't want to marry) we need to it's tradition....I don't care what other people do, what weddings we went to, it's our day. never mind, loads of time to think yet.

karmachilovething

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Hi all
I also have a spreadsheet for each debt which shows b/fwd, spending, repayments, interest and c/fwd amounts. This is totalled up yearly too.

Oh, I need to do that for each of my debts. It feels very complicated in prospect, but I imagine it wouldn't be once all the formulas are set up.

I have a spread sheet which is a monthly spending diary. I have dates running vertically on the left and across the top different catagories (Bill/rent, groceries, beauty, clothes etc.) including each of the CCs I have. So when I spend something I add a row and then put a little name ("Sainsbugs" or "Petrol" etc.) and then the amount in the right column. And it all totals up automatically at the bottom.

When I have a budget against a catagories that goes at the top, and so there is a total for whats spent and one for what is left (or spent over!). I like it this way as I can see where as I go along, and it also lets me see where I've spent or overspent.

Written down it sounds a lot more complicated than it is!

Not much to report here: a trip to SM yesterday, a blouse collected from the dry cleaners too. All overspends. I've kind of written off February now, so I'm just going to prepare myself and get ready for March. Still today is a SFD, so that's something.

abundant1972

Hi again!!!

NSK - GRRR re the dress - but please don't let it spoil your evening - am sure you will look fabulous!!! See it as an investment and as you've said they will swap it or you can e-bay it. It's still a bargain for that type of garment. So - get into the right head space before tonight - think glamour... think this is the life you *will* have one day - mingling with the rich and famous hehe... See it as a chance to immerse yourself in how it feels to be living that life... and try and capture it. All my spiritual books say if you can live that feeling - you attract prosperity into your life... Have an amazing time and report back!!! See it as field work for all us MSErs

I've had a blissful morning shuffling money around ha ha and re-working my budget, and working out where my overtime is going... I think another large mug of coffee is in order now!!!

Just cleared a whopping 5% (£625.00) straight off, with another 2% to follow on the 01st March - which will bring me up to 30% of my total debt cleared to date. Am really pleased with that!!!

For a while I've been budgeting the same way - but I wanted to incorporate the essence of the 6 Jars budgeting scheme into the way I spend/save... Even if the % I use aren't strictly the same... It just means I have a bit of breathing space. Money saved *is* going to be saved... and if it needs to be piled into debt clearance to reach my end of year target - so be it... but I want to experience how it 'feels' to be investing in myself and in my future too.

In terms of the March Challenge - nothing changes. I'll still be aiming for 25 SFDs, and limiting my Grocery Spends again to £80.00. I'll still be shopping around for the cheapest food and living frugally... The only difference will be that I have a few extra virtual pots collecting £££ for other bits and pieces... I'm going to put a breakdown on my Diary page later...

THANK YOU to everyone who pointed out March starts on FRIDAY ha ha!!! I was a day out and worrying I would be blowing my Feb budget. Hoorah!!! I will do as you suggest NSK... go for the meal and skip the pub crawl. Awesome!!!

Today = SFD number 19

Have a great day everyone!!!

:T

B17c

Hi everyone, newbie here! I'd really like to join the March Challenge, has one been set up yet? Payday tomorrow, birthday on the 14th, holiday money to save and rental deposit to save for so budget required!!!!

NinjaSavingKat

thriftylass wrote: »

ATM the moment I only looked at dresses online in Debenhams, BHS etc. Sth for £200 maybe. Gonna avoid wedding shops etc apart from a try-on and then a look online. Same with everything else, just gonna get normal things not wedding things like someone said once a bouquet is £5, a wedding bouquet is £25. Wanted no meal initially but we'll see. Just don't fancy it (many reasons I won't elaborate) but might go with it as hubby says (the one who didn't want to marry) we need to it's tradition....I don't care what other people do, what weddings we went to, it's our day. never mind, loads of time to think yet.

First of all I probably wouldn't want to pay £50 and up for other people to eat. Sounds awful but a buffet can be done very cheap and still be chic. Cheap chic! Keep an eye on every charity shop dress possibles - remember these are dresses that have only been worn once OR can be altered and still remain cheap chic.. unlike the one I just bought! ..

And yes more than anything it's YOUR day!!!

SO excinting though!!!

NinjaSavingKat

B17c wrote: »

Hi everyone, newbie here! I'd really like to join the March Challenge, has one been set up yet? Payday tomorrow, birthday on the 14th, holiday money to save and rental deposit to save for so budget required!!!!

Take a look at the second page of the DFW thread.. its called NSK Challenge:Marching Forever Forward.

and WELCOME!!!

Living_a_good_life

Afternoon all Many thanks for all the welcomes too. All quiet at Goodlife Cottage - DS asleep, DD still at school. If anyone asks - I'm working...

Unfortunately an easter egg that was won at a quiz the other evening has escaped from the cupboard under the stairs and unwrapped itself beside my laptop screaming "eat me"! I am putting it out of its misery - naughty naughty. ;)The good news is we won three of the blighters so the other two are being kept for the kids - assuming of course they dont make a bid for freedom too.....

I think I've had a nsd today - I did post and ebay parcel but as technically someone else has paid the postage I don't think that counts. Gearing up to keep fit class tonight - never thought I'd be saying that but its in the next village along from ours, only £1.50 and budgeted for. So far it hasn't killed me but there's always a chance! I have two lovely kids but the chocolate baby I was carrying seems to have been left behind - am gradually getting rid of it - would be easier if not for the low flying eggs mentioned in the paragraph above

Anyway - am loving the spreadsheet talk - now for a confession.... I do mine on a basic accounts package - I know I sound like a nerd but I do have friends and a reasonable personality so please let me stay!!

Kat - good result on the dress - hope you have a fantastic evening and make a killing with it at auction!!

Hope you are all having a good one. Payday tomorrow - woooooo hooooooooo!!! :j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j

LAGL xx

thriftylass

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

First of all I probably wouldn't want to pay £50 and up for other people to eat. Sounds awful but a buffet can be done very cheap and still be chic. Cheap chic! Keep an eye on every charity shop dress possibles - remember these are dresses that have only been worn once OR can be altered and still remain cheap chic.. unlike the one I just bought! ..

And yes more than anything it's YOUR day!!!

SO excinting though!!!

Exactly, plus we got a friend who does catering and it's amazingly yummy!! The meals are also never that nice, we'll see. I might sell the dress on again afterwards especially if I go for new from a (yet cheaper than wedding) high street shop. Might look on ebay etc, quite fancy vintage 20s or so.