NST; January Challenge- The Money Saving Game

WelshKitty85

LoveaDove wrote: »

This sounds like a great back up plan! Think of all of those £2's you will save in a month?? What would you do with the savings?



What a superstar!



Haha, I am a bit of a chocolate snob myself Do you have any own brand recommendations on food?

I dread to think how much I have spent on bacon baps over the last year! I can never face breakfast first thing (and don't have time for it anyway with having 2 children to get ready and to school) so I will stock up on mid morning snacks. I will probably put a few tins of soups etc in there too just in case I ever forget my lunch. I think I am going to take my shopping budget out in cash each month, so anything I save/have left over I will put into my savings jar.

I have to confess I started voluntary work for selfish reasons (I need the experience for when I start job hunting) but I absolutely love it. I have done 6 months in a homeless day centre and am now in an advisory role. They are both really rewarding.

I do nearly all my shopping in Ald! now and it saves me a fortune. I don't think I've had anything from there that I wasn't happy with. I do actually like their versions of Mars bars, milky ways etc, but for proper pure chocolate bars it has to come in a purple wrapper!

LoveaDove

LINKYPIE2009 wrote: »

£3 donation to Trussell Trust done last night (by text + gift aid!) - did it so i wouldn't forget - still counts right?

Of Course!! :T

LoveaDove

liltdiddylilt wrote: »

Eek I missed this!!

Count me in please hun!!

lilt - You are numero 2! I saw your request on the December thread to be included. :cool:

LoveaDove

nannygladys wrote: »

Can I join this month please, my guests go back tomorrow so I will be able to work out my budgets then and a grocery budget. I want to pay all my remaining debt off by September as I would like to retire this year but I need to get rid of the remaining £2330, so I need to be really strict with myself to achieve this.

nannygladys - Welcome back! You are number 34 What a huge incentive to clear the last of your debt!!

Philae_2

WelshKitty85 wrote: »

I think I am going to take my shopping budget out in cash each month, so anything I save/have left over I will put into my savings jar.

I so need to do this! Food shopping is one area that I always seem to struggle. There's only 2 of us, so I shouldn't really need to spend more than £100 a month, yet there's been months that I've spent £300 or more and thrown out more than we've eaten because of buying takeaways rather than cooking the food we've bought!

I think if I am seeing the money dwindle it'll encourage me to use what we have in the cupboards!

LoveaDove

stewby wrote: »

So.... I have actually done not too badly in December as I had £34 left in my budget account. This is the account that I have full control of and that I normally destroy within two weeks.
This is a massive achievement for me and I am feeling brilliant about it.

Super Proud of you, stewby!! :T:T

LoveaDove

cupcake-queen
Missu
Samiszel

Welcome and a Happy New Year! You have all been numbered!

apple_muncher

I had all the January rules + my gameplan, budgets, personal targets written in my 'Mike the Knight Mission Book'. And I've only gone and lost it already!!!

Today I am gateful for good coffee, for Lotso Huggin Bear, for dh being around, for a lovely chat with mum, for dh mending the printer.

liltdiddylilt

I require a Mike the Knight Mission Book... right now!!

Lets be a Knight, and do it Right!

:rotfl:

Samiszel

So here's my lot...

1. This Challenge commences on the 1st January 2015 @ 00:00 and finishes on the 31st January 2015 @ 23:59.
2. Set ALL of your budgets at the beginning of the month:
groceries £120 (two of us, including eating out)
fuel/travel £20
social/leisure £250 (includes everything which isn't groceries or fuel basically!)
Birthdays and any other saving goals for the month N/A
3. Pay money to your debts first- N/A
4. You MUST bring your lunch to work every day
Not a problem as we don't have a canteen or nearby shops
5.Donate £3 from your food budget
Will do this
6. Down shift 3 of your branded food items
I do buy loooooads of yellow sticker items and own brand goods, but will have a proper think next time something goes down on the shopping list where I could down shift
7. Meal Plan!
Will work hard on this at the weekend. Have been pretty good in the past and our cupboards and freezer need a good clearout
8. You will aim to achieve 18 Spend Free Days (SFDs)
Personally aiming for 15 but will try extra hard to get those extra 3 this month
9. Document your spends
I heart spreadsheets. Everything already goes down on them! Also, I purchased YNAB last month but so far I'm not the greatest of fans... maybe I'm doing something wrong?
10. Time to get moving
Bought a FitBit in the Amazon Lightning Deals and it certainly is making me move more. You can set yourself goals and track your weekly miles walked. Perfect!
11. Choose your Debt Free Date now or the % of Debt you aim to clear by January 2016.
Will have a think about this re mortgage.
12. Share your 2015 Goals
- Lose weight!! And keep it off this time!! 2 stone this year would be amazing.
- Hit £3000 savings by Jan 2016. Would be a great back-up in any unexpected times of need.
13. Check in regularly
Will do!