The £1,000 emergency fund challenge.

bilbodreams

Hello everyone, I haven't been here for ages! Lost the thread, couldn't find it but now I am here to stay. I am member #150 of the challenge, I've finished my maternity leave, so currently i am getting some ideas together, looking for ways to earn extra money/ getting a job. I am so excited!
I have been putting 5 gbp a week by dd in my savings account, currently I have 120 so 880 to go.
I plan to sell some stuff from around the house on gumtree/eBay this week so I ll pop by again soon and let you know how I am getting on.
Wish me luck :0)

January2015

Hi Everyone - hope you're all keeping well

My EF has dropped from £1,750 back to £1,000. I haven't actually spent the £750 on an emergency either - but my family (mum, brothers, sisters, cousins - about 40 of us!) are going across the pond to USA next year for a big family event (we have family over there). It's been planned for a few months, and I've been saving towards it, but my sister (organising the whole thing) is booking flights now and hoping to get a load of us on the same flight (maybe even all of us if she can organise the link up flights from up north to Heathrow). When I started saving for this event I thought I would have until after Xmas to book our flights, but it will be so much nicer to go as a group (and hopefully cheaper in the long run). So I raided my EF to enable me to pay our flight costs now.

I still have a nice EF pot though - and must thank Patman (and everyone else) for the motivation to save. It was nice to have this pot available to dip into when I needed it.

patman99

Welcome Smolly. You are member #205.

Just checking-in before having my dinner and heading of for my 2nd 2-10 shift of my new job.

bilbodreams

Hi, member 150 here to report, I have been writing a list of ways to make a bit of money and had a brainstorm moment. I live in a fairly busy road so I thought about using that to my advantage.
So, I am going to sell things outside my home, cards, books, toys, plants...
Any more ideas very welcome:0)
I ll let you know how I get on

patman99

I would advise caution as the Council might get the hump with you if you are not careful.

If you grow your own fruit and veg then the surplus can be sold at the roadside.

bilbodreams

Tbh I didnt even think of the council, I ll speak to them before I do anything, thanks patman.
Naively I thought putting things for sale on my front drive was ok

dobs

Hello is it ok for me to join please? I separated this year and it's just me and three children on low income , I did have a thousand pounds emergency fund but my parents lent me money for a much needed boiler, a pipe cracked resulting in laminate in two rooms needing to be ripped up ( still paying for the next two years!) and had to pay extra money to have new pipes put in to reroute water etc which I had to pay out of my fund, plus I have a £359 insurance excess I have to pay when it's sorted and car due it's service so most of my money will be gone so need to start again! I don't know how long it will take, quite a while but I will put £50 in an envelope later to start me off.

Treasurequeen

I am long term disabled and have been caught short before when my benefits were Unexpectantly and with out warning stopped. An emergency fund would be a good idea for the future if it happens again. I have set up a £5 a week to go into my ISA.

patman99

Dobs, you are member #206 and treasurequeen you are #207.

You are both very welcome to thread.

It is not a race, but a slow plod.

Anyway, had a spending spree this week as I had to buy a new jockey wheel for my trailer and some new bolts and locks for the tailgate.

Having demolished the old shed, i will be able to recover enough decent timber to make a new tailgate and maybe replace the floor with something more robust than a sheet of plywood.

Toomuchdebt

Ugh so after a few emergencies I am down to #69 £101/£1000

Also I thought I was #69 but i've just looked at the list and it says I'm #70??