The Ultimate February Challenge

mayfair1985

karmachilovething wrote: »

my inner loz cat is saying "Can I haz spendy now?!"

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

PurpleJay

Hello again. Can you tell I am off work? I am either nowhere to be seen for days or you can't get rid of me

I have just phoned the mortgage company to see if they can swop me to a new deal and they can. I have said I will think about it but basically for being on a fixed rate for 2 years, I will be save £24 per month. All I have to do is send them an email!

Is there any reason not to do this? I can't see much happening with the svr in the next 2 years can you?

I will chat with hubby about it later (although if his apple share predictions are anything to go on....).

Also been trying to sort out/make sense of my NPower bill which tbh I have been putting off big time. We are fairly sure they have transposed the meter readings between night and day and have been billing the bulk of the energy at the cheaper night rates. Looking back through the online bills, they seem to have generated large bills (presumably corrected after the latest reading) and then the system has flagged it and they have cancelled them again. Despite the fact that I have been paying £162 per month which I thought was to catch up the under billing - they have now decided I am over £700 in credit which is clearly wrong!

I have read the meters this afternoon and the lady agrees with me that they appear to have it the wrong way round but they need 2 readings from me on the same day before they will amend the bill to check which one (and that not both!) moves during the day. They have asked before to be fair and it has been on my to do list. I will do the second one after tea, phone them through and then they will re-bill. A bit (very) scary :eek:

What else do I have to tell you. Oh yes, hubby and I have pledged a takeaway free month And we are not going to buy any alcohol for consumption in the house until we have drunk the house dry! Or thrown away the undrinkable

I will do a booze inventory shortly but my main concern is that we have no wine left! We didn't buy any alcohol in Jan but did slip up a few times despite our intention to have a dry month and we have polished off the 3 bottles of wine, few beers and have started on the pear cider. We have quite a lot in the way of spirits so it should last well past the end of Feb. More on this later!

Hope you are all having a good day. I should manage my first SFD today. To busy trying to save money to go online shopping. That has got to be good!

nannygladys

Hi everyone,
Well not long got in and already Ive been spending:( but it was intentional and now I dont plan on spending anything until next Friday.

I did something unknown for me today, my DD1 came over last night and bought £13 that she owed me from something I bought for her whilst I was at the shops and I had forgotten about it, anyway instead of putting it into my purse I have been to the bank and paid it in:jI know its not much but its better off the OD than on some more food that I dont need - so feeling quite proud of myself

Dinner tonight is chilli and rice that is all prepared and just needs heating up and for afters Im having a scone and jam.

Just a thought, now I dont intend on spending any more money till next Friday, what does everybody do with your purses? do you just take a couple of pounds out with you - just in case- or not take any money all? I must admit I feel a bit naked not taking any money at all, but there again I dont want to be tempted to spend, last month I did really well, but it was only by luck that I had some spare change in the bottom of my bag for my busfare when it was snowing and I had to leave my car at work.

Anyway off to watch mindless TV for a bit - will no doubt drop in later for a catch up

Jxx

complimentschemistry

I'm definitely up for this challenge, COUNT ME IN!!! Number please?!

I have just started an Apprenticeship so money is tighter than it has ever been, so need to do everything I can!!!!

Budget is going to be £206.89 (yes very accurate!) and SFD's I'm going to do 8 (as per sig).

Good luck everyone, we can do this!

abundant1972

:starmod: New month. New start!!! :starmod:

There's something about 01st of the month I love... my bank account looks all tidy... everyone has been paid and I feel like all is well with the World.

Thanks for the encouraging words NSK!!!

I have updated my food/spends signature as although these were spent earlier in the week - they were out of February's wages... so I feel I need to include those.

Have the house to myself this weekend so planning on doing some batch cooking for the week... Uhmm... What do you all store stuff in? Tupperware? Bags? Can tell I'm a noob at this ha ha!!! Spending tonight doing an inventory and meal planning!!!

:starmod: Today =SFD number 1:starmod:

niksyg

Evening all!

nannygladys I always have my purse with me...it's just empty! Just pretend that you are the queen and have no need to carry cash!!

First SFD today, techinically I did spend £1.40 on a bacon sarnie BUT I found an extra £5 and had £2 left in my purse from last week so.... the extra £5 has gone into the budget, spent £1.40 on the sarnie and put 60p in my sealed pot...SO overall it was a neutral spend, and infact I made money!

For some reason I can't quite fathom, the joint bills account has gone overdrawn into unplanned overdraft - doesn't make sense as we both put exactly the right amount it...need to investigate further, think it may be something to do with the timing of the payments in and out, but because of that, a £25 charge was taken which really mucks it up. Had to transfer £40 to sort it all out and avoid any more c*ck ups which is from my buffer, leaving me with £10 buffer for the month :eek:

Really HAVE to stick to budget for the rest of the month now....

Having my hair cut in the morning but it should be free or only a tenner at the most as driving my friend who does it in to work.

Will probably spend most of this week's budget tomorrow but that's all planned for and will then aim for a week of SFDs, lots going on at work to keep me busy and away from spending opportunities.

WantToBeSE

abundant1972 wrote: »

:starmod: New month. New start!!! :starmod:

There's something about 01st of the month I love... my bank account looks all tidy... everyone has been paid and I feel like all is well with the World.

Thanks for the encouraging words NSK!!!

I have updated my food/spends signature as although these were spent earlier in the week - they were out of February's wages... so I feel I need to include those.

Have the house to myself this weekend so planning on doing some batch cooking for the week... Uhmm... What do you all store stuff in? Tupperware? Bags? Can tell I'm a noob at this ha ha!!! Spending tonight doing an inventory and meal planning!!!

:starmod: Today =SFD number 1:starmod:

I go to the 99p shop, or £land to get the foil takeaway style containers to store my batch cooking stuff in

rebekahR_2

I am new here but would like to give this a whirl for February!! Add me please

If I can aim for 10 SFD (not too ambitious)

And budget for £40

£40 for travel/food/clothing/birthdays

PurpleJay

Yes, I have managed my first SFD and am celebrating with a vodka and diet coke! Hubby is equally horrified by how much we spend on groceries so he is on board. Just sent him out to take the second meter readings in the dark although I did pour him a drink first.

Just put a free bed frame on Facebook so hopefully someone will take it, I was only cheap to start with and had a few knocks but should help someone. I am also going to put it on freegle once little man is asleep.

Got to submit my Avon order in a bit. Then back to the meal planning which I didn't finish, been watching jumanji with little man. Never seen it before and it was really good.

Regarding the drink inventory, we have 2 litres of vodka, 2 bottles of whiskey a bootle of sherry and some bits and bobs all less than half a bottle including tequila, cheap brandy, port and Carolans. There is also 6 beers and 6 ciders. We reckon it should last us until we go on holiday in April unless we do something for hubby's birthday in march in which case we may need to buy something (if we have a party at home). Don't think I will ever be desparate enough for the sherry

Talked to hubby about mortgage and he thinks 5 year fixed would be better so I have requested the figures.

More tomorrow. Enjoy your evenings, lovely to see everyone so motivated.

thriftylass

Claim my first SFD today. Rummaged through the attic and found my coin collection and made up the first few listings. Otherwise not much to report. Looking fwd to watching ebay on Sunday