August's Almighty Advance

squinky

120 showers Moneymash? You should have gotten three bottles could have lasted all year!

Happy to report my first SFD today

gien

checking in for the first time!
We were travelling back from holiday so bought some food on the road. Baked beans on toast for tea - the only thing in the house.

So tomorrow will have to be spendy too, to fill up the fridge.

Budget wise, we have several spends that have to be done but I am planning on making them the best value for money as possible. One is a new printer since the old one died last month and I need it for work.

Our food budget is also going to be considerably higher than most - we are a family of 5 with teenagers and we live in an extremely expensive bit of the world. I go to Ald* and the local cheapie shop, as well as using YS but we'll still be very fortunate to come in under 500 euros (I buy using euros and swiss francs but will post in euros)

Petrol is about 60 euros normally, but as I am starting work this month I think it will end up higher. I'll budget for 100 euro.
I will also need to get some PE kit for the kids.

On the plus side, I am starting work - just a few hours a week but it's a start.
I think I'll just have to see how it all goes.

Kerfuffle

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

Kerfuffle I need to know what you WANT when you are DEBT FREE. Not what you are aiming for just this month.. what are you are saving for as a treat and longed for desires of your little MSE heart when all the last payments of the mortgage have been made?

Okay, sorry, I was taking baby steps. But ultimately my goal is:

To move back to the UK and retire in a mortgage free house.

Liliyanna

Hi all,

Unfortunately I get paid on the 28th of very month and when that lands on a weekend it gets brought forward so this month I got paid on the 25th. The down side to this is it makes this month 5 weeks long!!

So my budgets for this 5 week slog are as follows..

Food - £150

Petrol - £160

Entertainment - £250

Spend free days - 20

Entertainment is a bit of a catch all for everything I've forgotten, including the window cleaner! There are only two of us with no pets so I'm hoping its realistic

Since finding MSE in January I have trawled practically every board on here absorbing everything I could, even the stuff that doesn't apply just in case I'm in that situation one day or a friend could use the advice, I swear I could bore for England in the office when I've found a new bit of MSE advice. I am a true convert and am only upset I didn't find it earlier as I would have been well on my way to my DFD

If today is anything to go by this moth is going to be brill. We had a long standing appointment at the bank for a sort out. They were able to switch one of our biggest debts to 12 month 0% which means all CC are now on 0% what a relief

Well enough rambling from me, have a good night everyone and good luck for the coming month x

Lily x

Living_a_good_life

Off to bed but Moneymash there is free antivirus stuff out there - Our work IT guy and my happy geek husband recommended microsoft security essentials and its free see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/security-utilities its what I am going to change onto I think.

Love LAGL xx

NinjaSavingKat

Good Evening All!

Wowsers people are seriously making the most amazing steps! Kerfuffle I LOVE your dream...come back and join the penny-pinching madness pleeeeeeeease!!!...:T..Munchin so glad you managed to dig out a food bank. The HQ in my area is a ten minute walk. I keep talking about heading there to volunteer a few hours a week sorting tins but still haven't gotten around to it so THIS IS THE MONTH!!!...I found their list as well of most wanted items so will bring my £3 worth while I at it.

Lilyanna I don't envy you at all with 5 weeks! I am cheering you on. When it comes to entertainment including window cleaning...does that mean you stand in from of the bedroom window naked and wait for the cleaner to faint and fall off his ladder... or something else...?;)..However I know how you feel about MSE rants.. but well done on the 0%..:T:T

Gien well done on starting work - is this entirely new or going back to the same workplace.. either way I think the petrol outlay is more than ok. Very cool!

Maddie have you seriously made all yoru lunches for the next two weeks already..? What on earth did you make... if you have nowt in mind for what you want take your time. It has to be something that you will keep pushing for...

Matt I would like a £59 tax rebate...:)..mine is unfortunately managed by work so it will never go wrong ( they say ). I remember being at Uni and changing jobs now and then and getting £1300 rebate at one point... don't know what that went..:o

Moneymash that is a lot of shower and shampoo... I must admit I bulk bought in June and am only running out of soap and shower gel now.. love a bulk buy I do! Well done you jolly great big penny-pincher...:T

Spendy day for me. Money donated by the bank of Mum in repayment for all the extra costs in getting home (isn't she amazing)..so met with my little friend for an herbal tea and apple pie (£4.40), a cheeky vintage mag (£3.95), a birthday card for Daddy (79p), half a very large pizza (£2.95) and new deoderant (£1)... I hate spending money I really do but my friend is leaving for Canada and is a little apprehensive so I couldn't say hi and run.

However I have not dipped into this months pay packet yet. I withdrew all my food money (£130) and my emergency fund (£25) ready to go in my purses when I am done here... I have transferred my extra money online to the loan so I now have £4972.57 to go!!...( I didn't have the £2.75 available from anywhere to knock off the last little bit and make it even but I intend to find it from somewhere don't you worry...).

Can't wait to get rid of this loan. Grr!

Tomorrow will be another visiting day but will hopefully be at my friends house so I can eat all her food instead of trudge around in the rain...

Good Night all and remember...Onwards and Upwards!!!. Day 1 is DONE!!!

andrar

Thanks for posting the free juicing book buffy - I love free recipes!

thriftylass

Good morning,

today should be another SFD as OH came home yesterday with milk and rolls for today's BBQ so no need for me to spend.

Re. window cleaner. We've got a two storey bungalow (officially called a chalet though, lol) and last month I bought a £10 extendable window cleaner/sqiggy thing that works a treat.

big_sved

Day 1 was a spending day for me. Filled up the tank, so £90 lighter, but today should be a non spending day. I topped up my lunchcard last month so that should keep me going for a few weeks.

I have 2 non spending weekends planned this month which will really help my cause. I have already pulled my name from 2 social events this month which should help also. I am putting 31/07/13 as my lightbulb moment, so the first few months are critical to get off to a good start. I have visited this site various times but only got into the forums this last week and have to say im addicted. I do have 2 x free work nights out so that helps!

Its like a therapy reading others in similar situations stories. best of luck all for SFD 2.

Happybeingme

Morning

Storms are now over and it looks set to be a lovely day (I hope so anyway.........I've got loads of washing to dry!).

Yesterday SHOULD have been a SFD but then the window cleaner turned up unexpectedly so it wasn't

Mum arrived safely and insisted on giving me money for food/electricity/water/gas while she's staying here. She's now taken DD1 out shopping and asked what she needed for school so I suspect school shoes and blouses will now be bought. I feel so guilty in a way but she says I've taken steps to reduce and start to clear the debt and she's happy to treat her grandchildren as she only sees them a few times a year now ~ I feel very blessed to have her!

Today WILL be a SFD ~ I want to hit 20 again!

Have a great day everyone, keep smiling!

xx