Just Say NOvember 2013!!!

Fmess

Afternoon all,

Today is my first NOvember SFD, finally! But should rack up several more this week, except when OH runs out of bread or milk (this is my new annoyance as I use neither but they have the potential to ruin my SFD!)

Had a couple of items sell on eB4y today and a book finally sold on Am4zon this morning so once I post them tomorrow I'll know how much I've made and update my signature

splodgethefirst

a frustrating morning - spent money as had forgotten about the operation Christmas child collection going on at work. admittedly it's for charity but still frustrated.

thriftylass

SFD number 2 so far, but should remain like that as we will only go for walk in the sun later as soon as OH is back from work.

Managed to get 3 meals out of my slowcooked beef stew and will have one tonight. Also made some cupcakes today

.anna2825 good for you if you already do batch cooking etc. And yes the aim is to stop impulse buying and wasting money by being more organised. You dont know what you can do different? Well you admitted online shopping being your problem, so you do know Happy lurking and hope you achieve the goal of getting that under control too.

Calling14

Well my first post this month and it's on Page 13. Hope everyone is determined with Xmas around the corner.

I have 3 Sfd to report mainly because I have had flu since Thursday. Was going to go to the shops today but after walking dog up hill this morning chest still tight and hurting. So flu has it advantages ;-)

I have had the heating on a fair bit this weekend find it awkward with a lodger not to put it on. What shade of blue should she be?

Budgets 100 food/nil spent
Fuel 45/ nil spent
Beauty 20/ can't do 10 need hair dye and need 2 packets.

Will update signature in a bit. Had major house expense Thursday ;-(

tennisfanatic

Today has been a spendy dayas predicted: aldi - £23.44, mr t - £5.13 (as used a £3 voucher), co0p - 96p,99p store - 99p!, wilkos - £3.50, b+m - 0.39p, p0undland - £2. Also spent£24.99 in new look on winter boots and £8 on lottery syndicate for next 2monthsbut that’s covered in a separate budget.

Been looking carefully atspend days for the month, had my first one today and got enough food to lastuntil 15th. Got a weekendaway from Friday 8th - Sunday 10th, tickets have beenpaid for already and travel and food spends etc. have been budgeted fromholiday budget – £100 split over 3 spend days. It’s a long planned trip so I’m excited but it’s costly in terms ofspend days so it will bring my total to 4 spend days. Planning for 5thspend day on 15th (food shop) and 6th spend day on 24th(hoping Kat won’t mind as it is my first challenge and I’ve tried to plan andcan’t see away around it).

SFD2/25
Lunch to work 1/18
Food £36.41/£100
Foodbank £0/£3
Moneymade £0/£80

andrar

PurpleJay wrote: »

Well yesterday went well. The fair was good and we spent £19 at the fair of the £20 allowed. I think I spent about £14 and husband the rest. We found some vouchers on line for 50p off a ride making most of the kiddy rides £1.50. He also got a couple of prizes for that (hook a duck and what have you). Walking back to the car hubby offered to buy kebabs for tea so we will be having our picnic tea either tonight or tomorrow (depending on whether M gets a cooked meal or sandwiches at the birthday party). As I don't eat meat, I just had bread and salad with chilli and mint yoghurt but it was scrummy. Haven't had one for years. M and H shared a meaty one. I am not counting this as a spend as H paid and we keep our money separately - I assume this is allowed

I am going to put the £6 left over from the fair in a pot in case something crops up which I haven't budgeted for. I will do this each time I under spend on a budgeted outing and any surplus can be used if some thing unexpected turns up.

I didn't get the bread and paper yesterday so will get them today.

Sorry to be a pain (and I'm not trying to single you out PurpleJay but this was a good example and you're not the only one) but can you clarify what a SFD days is please NSK?

I'm seeing a lot of posts where people are claiming SFDs as they say it was budgeted for or their shopping money came from shopping budget. I've always counted a spend day as when I've physically handed money over for something, be it a can of pop, the weekly shop or money on a night out at the cinema/restaurant/arcade etc even if I'd given myself a budget of £20 for example.

The only days I don't count as spend days are when direct debits leave my bank account for bills and when I get petrol as its a travel expense like a bus or train ticket but even then I do try and do it on a 'spend day' when I'm getting shopping etc anyway so it doesn't feel like I'm cheating.

If a SFD is any day that I've 'budgeted' for I'd have SFD everyday as every penny is budgeted for with me - help clarify this please!!

cabriolean

I count SFD as days where there is a cost that isn't bills or rent or direct debit or unavoidable travel costs.

Example, one of my housemates has the TV licence for the house debited from his account, but we pay him back, so even though I hand that cash to him it's still a SFD as I count them.

Example, I buy some milk, that's not a SFD. However I'm doing some of the Santa shopping this year, and I count those as SFDs because I'm getting paid back in full.

However different people count SFDs differently, so long as you're being honest with yourself and trying it's all good.

NinjaSavingKat

I see we need more clarification - here we go. The only reason I am giving you a loop hole with SFD's is if it's something you need to spend that is NECCESSARY... CAPITALS is for emphasis, I am not shouting I promise...:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Neccessities include the following...and therefore an SFD can be gained.

• Direct Debits and Standing Orders who's date and payment method YOU might not have control over.
• Mortgage and Rent payments - these are NOT a choice payment.
• Medication. Don't die for an SFD for goodness sake.
• Petrol - ONLY if it's within budget for the month and NECCESSARY - otherwise you WALK. If you go over your £60 budget for petrol you start incurring SFD's everytime you fill your car up.I don't want to penalise those who live in the country who have no choice but to drive.
• Yellow Sticker Purchases. These are your choice. If you really really need it you can still class the day as an SFD only if you haven't spent ANYTHING else. Yellow sticker donuts are not neccessary, yellow sticker bread is not neccessary - BUT if you can get all your shopping with yellow stickers then it's an SFD. And 11p for a bag of carrots won't break the bank.
• Childrens activities - whereby you HAVE to pay on the day. Get your shopping and tank up on the same day.
• 1 Day out whereby the money put aside will be classed as an SFD as long as you do not go over your budget amount.

Unneccessary payments where SFD's cannot be gained.

• Food shopping. Your monthly budget is there for a reason. But you still incur a spend day if you use it. The idea of having a stipulated budget is to make you plan better and stop going to the corner shop. Some folk on here have admitted to wasting serious money on food because they haven't planned properly.
• Clothing and shoes of any sort - totally unacceptable if you are in debt anyway. If it's a desperate need please try a charity shop.
• Music / Books / Kindle Books etc - totally unacceptable.
• Beauty products over £10. Stop buying tubs of moiusturiser...:p
• Money left over from last month should be put towards your debt not used as a way to spend this month and still claim and SFD...
• Coffee shops of any kind.
• Cake shops of any kind
• Postcards / birthday cards / christmas cards ..sorry but these are spends that might just go in someones bin. That's not where your money should go. No one is getting a Christmas card from me.
• Days/Nights out. You have a 1 outing allowans whereby the money allocated will be an SFD. Anything over this is NOT an SFD.

Right I am at work and might have to change desks very soon so I shall write more soooooooooon!

NinjaSavingKat

Splodethefirst I think I missed your post.. I will give you a number. You are the last in the door. No more shall enter NOvember...;- )

MrsGSR

Right so after a chat with NSK I know where I am at. as I go from the 25th to the 25th I have 6 SFD under my belt already. Tomorrow will be one too and DD is off school but Tuesday will be a spendy one as I have to buy a stamp for a letter and a gift for my friends daughters party on Saturday. These have been allocated.

Went to a fireworks display last night and that cost £2 less than expected so that's gone back in the grocery pot. A load of us went to a friends and all bought some food. I came back with some cooked sausages which we had for breakfast and the kids had theirs chopped up and put on muffin pizzas made from muffins reduced in the supermarket. The other sausage will be cut up for sausage baps for the kids lunch tomorrow. It actually saddened me to see how much was chucked away. I was offered a huge chocolate cake but knew I would just eat the lot single handedly and feel sick. Where I make the most out of leftovers yet I have one friend who bins meat that is 5 days within its use by date and another who won't eat leftovers. I can't get my head round this!

We are having roast beef tonight out of the grocery budget, I'm hoping that there will be enough left to make dinner tomorrow.

So on Tuesday I'll be doing my food bank donation along with my stamp and birthday present purchasing.