NST; January Challenge- The Money Saving Game

LoveaDove

:j:jWooohoooo! We are off to a flying start!! :j:j

My Stats are as follows for this month:

Set Monthly Budgets

£100- Groceries
£80- Fuel
£25- Birthdays
£75- Social/ Leisure events (Should be cheaper next month)
£150- Moving Costs
£50- Holiday Fund
£50- Emergency Fund
£3- Food Bank Donation

£250- Savings- [STRIKE]done[/STRIKE]

LTW- /21

Brand Down shift- /3

Meal Plan (Weeks)- /4

SFD's- 1/18 (1st acquired today:T )

New savings Goal= £2500 by September 2014

2015 Goals:

* Move to somewhere more permanent.
* Get a place on Masters Course for September.
* Save £2500 for September and keep up with all budgets.

Righto- Time for a brew me thinks! Hope you find your Mike the Knight mission book apple! :rotfl:

mothernerd

SFD #1.

Got a lift to mum's to have a shower and wash hair (can't climb into the bath for a few weeks yet). Asked a few days ago as I didn't want anyone to make a special trip but thought anyone visiting could pick me up - mum and I still not sure I can cope with Fridays as it involves small children and dogs including mad puppy (smallies granddad had knee surgery a few weeks before my op and 1yo hit him with his own crutch).

Mum said she didn't have food for me (was making lots to feed everyone tomorrow) so I took tuna and a yoghurt from my fridge (assumed mum would have bread - we could go through a nuclear Winter and mum would still have bread). She had had another visitor before I got there, who had left potato pie and mushy peas for 3, so got to bring my food back home (+ a barm cake and other bits).

Mum was cooking a ham for tomorrow and was anxious (we were poor,she's 79 and has never cooked a ham before - ham shank was the most we ever got), made me check it was cooked and got me to slice it up - then thought we should test that it wasn't too salty, so ham barm cakes all round for tea (and a few bits in a bag for me).

She spent a long while telling me her ideas for an Easter fund-raiser for her church. (My fault as I saw the box of foil choc wrappers she was saving and wondered what she was expecting me to do with them). Apparently the free pass I got after she nearly killed me when I spent 12 hours baking for the Summer Fair (she promised I never had to do it again) is no longer valid as I will be well by Easter. I threw various spanners into the works - H & S, insurance. Vicar has said it will have to go to the committee so I said she will maybe get permission in 3 years time.

She has also seen another house she likes, at least it's a bit nearer town this time. Went through the can't look at anything until mine is definitely sold. Also said following move from big house (up for sale) to little old house (here), I am not anxious to move straight away and DS3 may decide to move in with gf in meantime (therefore much less stuff for me to sort out). Will just let things sink in for a few days.

Made all the minimum payments (£1 or two extra) on the cc yesterday (half a month early). Meal planning is fluid atm - I took some bits out of the freezer yesterday to give me options for hot/cold meals for the next 2 or 3 days but have now added more bits from mum's (+ lots of salad/sticks and dips and 4 portions of soup already prepared in the fridge). Think for the time being I am best monitoring for any veg starting to sag. Plenty to go at anyway.

Mum paid for the taxi home (agreed before I went) and the taxi driver wasn't helpful (double time anyway) so I didn't give him the 20p over as a tip. Budget is actually in credit as have found a few pennies lying around the house, also put a £2 coin into a 'cow' bank (he's not a piggy. he's a highland cow) last week, so have savings - won't get me far in an emergency, but it's a start.

Today I am grateful for free food (had some chocolates as well - granddaughter's bf is going tomorrow and he has put on loads of weight but is still capable of eating 2lbs of choc, so I have reduced the temptation a bit), hot showers and central heating (only one chair I can use at mum's and her partner had gas fire on full, we turned it off every time he dozed off).

nannygladys

Tomorrow's lunch put up as I'm in work all weekend, hm soup!!

Can't wait to make a menu plan, the freezer is so full I'm not sure what's in it, I shouldn't need to buy food either as there's still quite a bit left so another sfd hopefully
Nannyg

mothernerd

Nearly had a row with mum over my Christmas present to her. When I gave it to her (okay it was weeks ago, as I handed it over before I had to go in hospital), I said I wanted my packaging back, when she had opened it. Having tried several boxes, I had resorted to packing her gifts in a special tin of mine, then wrapped it in Christmas paper.

Was gathering all my bits after my shower and asked for 'my packaging' back. She couldn't remember the conversation (time/medication/living with her partner) but had put my Scottie dog tin away in the food cupboard, assuming it contained shortbread (which was what it said) and having complained to everyone about how much I must have spent (she did say it was a lovely tin).

So after I had taken it out, cut it open and demonstrated that it was full of her favourite toiletries (all bought at bargainaceous prices and with no premium packaging) we went from 'You're not having it back' to each insisting the other should have it - I got it in the end as if she had kept it her younger visitors would have fought over it until it was damaged.

I got it in a sale several years ago (it's lovely but wouldn't have paid the original asking price) using vouchers. Came home and gave DS3 the shortbread - he knew I only wanted the tin.

CEW

Hi All,

Just a quick post to say

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.

Been a bit of a busy day today as stepson has been down for a couple of days so not actually prepared my budgets etc,

At least it was a SFD and I did manage a little decluttering :j

I will catch up on all your posts in the morning and post my budgets and goals.

Night all

Chez x

Synonymous

Phew! Just caught up on the old thread and the new one from the start! I'd like to join again please after a good first month in December. Have my main budgets done roughly but wasn't expecting the extra challenges so will post back with details tomorrow.

Happy New Year everyone!

Racing_towards_retirement

Help LoveaDove I want to start this challange but don't know where to start, also I really need help as looking at budgets of others I'm really doing something wrong ! Advice from anyone welcome x

speakingofart

Racing, welcome to the turtle challenges! The best place to start (or at least the place I always start ) is to have a good read of the rules and write down how you'll accomplish them - so for example how much do you plan to spend on food in January? Will you need to meal plan/ batch cook/ weekly shop etc to achieve this?

If you have any debt, head over to the DFW main board and read the first post there - it's a "sticky" with loads of good advice on calculating what you owe, how to deal with creditors and how to plan your attack on debt.

When you've had a chance to do both of those, come back here and post up your goals for the month (like Samaziel's post at the top of this page) and then check in as much as you can - it really is that easy. If you need help, post a question or private message someone and we'll be able to help you out.


Good luck!

Calling14

Stewby what is nodnol pot?

Lilt green with jealously always wanted a macbook.

Today, walk in hurricane with dog, face and neck really irritating already skin so dry, so will pop to daughters and pick up Aveeno cream going spare. She has it on prescription for her little one.

Then take bra back which is more prickly than a hedgehog so may even gain money today, even if it is on a gift card the refund.

Not planning a lot today high winds and recycling day, going to be scary outside.

dolly84

Morning all.

The wind has died down a bit here, last night it was very bad though. DS has a friend coming for a sleepover tonight, it is DS's birthday next week and this is what he wanted to do instead of a party, I have bought in some snacks already and pizza will be arriving with my grocery shop this morning. I will be glad when things get back to normal next week and I can start shopping at Lidl again.

DH has gone back to work today so a very short week for him. I need to go to the bank this morning and pay in some cash then to the library but hopefully it should be a SFD.