2015 Frugal Living Challenge

[Deleted User]

Afternoon All and welcome Rose. I am sue you will get a lot of inspiration from the thread.

Wombatchops I hope your appt today at the CAB went well. I totally get where you are coming from with your 'rant' - being the frugal one in my family is definitely NOT seen as something positive and there are various points during the year where I feel very much out of step with those around me.

I have had the mother of all colds this past couple of weeks and am just now starting to feel better. As a result I am behind with pretty much everything so today's tasks are to post Christmas cards, tidy up the kitchen and make soup.

Wombatchops

Welcome Rose. And get well soon allie23. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels completely out of step.

The CAB think that our income now falls within the threshold for Working Tax Credit, so they have applied for it on our behalf. However, it's up to the tax office whether we get it. In the meantime, though, the stress of the situation is making me unwell, forgetful, and likely to make stupid mistakes. Last week I forgot an appointment I had with my DD1's school, and I only remembered the morning after. And yesterday, I left my bag of bags at Mr S after I paid for my shopping. They were the bags I didn't use. I'd also put my gloves in them. That's going to cost me a few 5ps to replace that lot.

On the plus side, DD1 had her dress rehearsal today for her Christmas play, and I haven't had any complaints over her makeshift, oversized costume. I count that as a victory. I feel like I need all the victories I can get at the moment.

cw18

I'm not sure you will qualify for WTC (at least not once company sick pay ends), and if they say you do please double check everything on every piece of paper (and try to do everything by recorded mail letter not phone, so that it can be proven that you declared everything properly). We were given it, and when I reported (by phone) my move from company sick pay to incapacity benefit they continued to pay it. But later they said we shouldn't have had it as neither of us was attending work (even through I had a job being held open for me) and they wanted it all back - claiming I hadn't told them I was on IB instead of company sick pay !! Caused a big fight, as it had been declared as income for the other benefits we were claiming and had been deducted from those entitlements. In the end I managed to get out of paying it back (I couldn't get it refunded from the benefits agencies, so it would have meant we'd effectively have been short-changed for 5 months), but only after threatening to get my local MP involved.

cybertortoise

Can I join the 2016 challenge please? I really need to sort myself out, I am already stretched to breaking point and a couple of bills will be going up after Christmas coupled with my income reducing slightly so that's really getting me stressed. I've been trying to sort things and made a good dent in my debts since August so I need to continue that and be as frugal as possible over the next year and hopefully by this time in 2016 I will be in a much better position.

Buffythedebtslayer

I have posted on this thread many times over the years. I did get out of debt and tonight cooked a spaghetti Bolognese from a recipe in got via someone here (involving baked beans!). However I am not very frugal anymore!


I would love to get back to it, cooking and living with as little impact as possible and waste whilst saving money!


Will there be a new thread or are there similar challenges on the old style boards?


XX

Wombatchops

cw18 wrote: »

I'm not sure you will qualify for WTC (at least not once company sick pay ends), and if they say you do please double check everything on every piece of paper (and try to do everything by recorded mail letter not phone, so that it can be proven that you declared everything properly). We were given it, and when I reported (by phone) my move from company sick pay to incapacity benefit they continued to pay it. But later they said we shouldn't have had it as neither of us was attending work (even through I had a job being held open for me) and they wanted it all back - claiming I hadn't told them I was on IB instead of company sick pay !! Caused a big fight, as it had been declared as income for the other benefits we were claiming and had been deducted from those entitlements. In the end I managed to get out of paying it back (I couldn't get it refunded from the benefits agencies, so it would have meant we'd effectively have been short-changed for 5 months), but only after threatening to get my local MP involved.

Firstly, that's awful and must have been so stressful. Secondly, I am now really confused. We may not even qualify for WTC, as I am still currently on maternity leave, which is what CAB told HMRC. But I assumed that, if we qualify, it would only be for as long as my DH is on half pay and then statutory sick pay. Why is this so complicated?

lynnejk

Evening all :hello:


Welcome to the new peoples and hope you enjoy becoming more frugal.


Frugaldom in post 1039 said


'Yes, there will be a 2016 challenge. This one started in 2007 for 2008, so our 8th MSE version will be on here soon. All welcome. '


So keep your eyes peeled in the next week or so


I do hope you get things sorted Wombat - I know what it's like when you feel things hanging over you. Rant on here all you like so long as you feel better for it and it helps you get sorted


Hope you all having a great week
Lx

sistercas

I heard yesterday that I am not getting a pay rise , this is the 3 rd year running . So I am definitely going to have to tighten my belt .
DH is only on a pension as he took early retirement due to ill health and I am supporting 2 dds who are not financially independent yet .
I need to knuckle down and pay off the cc's this year and then we can start saving .
womba I have no idea why they make everything so complicated , but they do , it's an absolute nightmare

Frugaldom

Thanks for that, Lynne - yes, I'll get that done within the next week or so and then it will be ready for the 2016 - is anyone volunteering to help run it on here, as I run the original challenge elsewhere. CW18, perhaps?

cw18

I certainly keep an eye on the thread

Don't know how much time I'll have though, as I'm currently settling into a new job - having been thrown in at the deep end at the busiest time of the year for R0yal Mail (I'm currently 2 months behind with my reporting on several other challenges as a result :eek: )

Home to work takes about 1.75hrs (and 2 buses, or 3 on a Saturday), then work is meant to be about 5.5hrs (currently coming in at closer to 7.5hrs) during which time I walk just short of 8 miles, then depending on the time I finish it's normally around 2 hours until I get home (2 buses) - but if connections don't turn up it's been closer to 3. I've walked home a few times when the buses would have meant long periods of waiting around - another almost 7 miles in about 1hr 50.