2016 Frugal Living Challenge

Shortie

Evening all, Im subscribing again this year. I fell off the forum for a while and now have a loan that I want to clear down asap. I won't be following a particular yearly budget, just trying to be frugal where possible

Look forward to reading everyone's progress

nannygladys

Right back with a budget total for the year of £6604, it's a bit of an odd figure but that's what it's all added up to. That is for everything but I do live on my own, the mortgage is paid off and I don't have any debt, but it does include holidays as well as dentists etc and the usual bills like electric , food,fuel and the suchlike. Anyway I will see how I get on, I'm not too bad but (there's always a but) I tend to use my debit card instead of cash and its not like using real money sometimes, so I'm going to make sure I draw cash out and take the debit card out of my purse!!!!
Nannyg

Savvy_sewing

My sky is also my telephone and broadband package. So if I use freesat would I not need an aerial? I presume Amazon Fire uses the wifi, so perhaps I will need a different broadband and telephone package along side. I'm not very technical, and having the complete package made it easier, but the bills are variable, and I don't actually tend to use the telephone to make calls as I am now at work most days and tend to use my mobile package.
I shall try and look into the costs of talk talk or BT.
Thanks.

Wombatchops

Hi all, it's great to see some familiar names, plus new names. Count me in for my second frugal living challenge. I joined last year, but I overspent loads. I've done a budget for this year, but I haven't got the figures to hand just yet. I do remember that my petrol budget is £110 per month (where I work is 20 miles away and I'll be doing the journey three times per week at least), shopping, including cleaning products, nappies and toiletries, is £180 per month, and I won't be buying any clothes this year.

I need to succeed this year. We are a family of five (DH and I, plus DD1, who is 6, DS, who is 2, and DD2, who turns 1 in January). However, after slipping two discs in his back, DH is off work at least until mid-Jan and is currently on half pay. If he's still off after mid-Jan then he will go on Stat Sick Pay until the end of May. As much as I don't want this to happen, if it does happen we will be up a brown, smelly creek without a paddle. Therefore the aim for this year is to keep our heads above water without taking on debt. Then, once we get through this, the aim will be to re-divert our attentions to paying off the mortgage early.

Good luck, everyone.

vw_campervan_mum

I will join in too. I have stayed debt free for 2 and a half years but in the summer my circumstances will change like melweeks73 as my daughter will be off to University.
As I am in a part-time low paid job I wont be able to rent a house any more so will either have to rent a room or change lifestyle completely and travel around.
I will set my budget at £400pcm until July when she finishes her exams and life changes. (£2400). This is for food, transport, everything except household expenses (rent, council tax, gas & elec, water, phone & broadband)

[Deleted User]

Been looking at Gas/Electric prices this morning and think I am going to switch.

It's been a long long time since I switched and it was a total pain in the butt which is why I probably haven't done it in a while. Can someone please advise? Do I have to advise my current supplier that I am switching or does the new company do that?

Also same question for switching bank accounts. I am thinking of taking up the First Direct offer of £150 switching bonus but I have never switched bank accounts:eek:. I thought I would wait until my main DDs are off (on 4th Jan) and then contact First Direct.

I am hoping the Gas/Electric switch will save me around £20 per month on what I am currently paying (and would be paying more when current tariff comes to an end).

mumtoomany

Hi Allie, we swapped to First Direct over 20 years ago. They are great, I would recommend them to anyone. Always a really nice, patient, british voice when you phone. Never any problems with them in all that time. Only down side, because we are already banking with them, we can't claim the £150 bonus! LOL. Mumtoomany.

cw18

Mooloo wrote: »

My sky is also my telephone and broadband package. So if I use freesat would I not need an aerial? I presume Amazon Fire uses the wifi, so perhaps I will need a different broadband and telephone package along side. I'm not very technical, and having the complete package made it easier, but the bills are variable, and I don't actually tend to use the telephone to make calls as I am now at work most days and tend to use my mobile package.
I shall try and look into the costs of talk talk or BT.
Thanks.

FreeSat uses your satellite dish. You'd either need to get a FreeSat box (about £20) or a Freeview card from Sky (about £20) which would let you use your current box but doesn't give as many channels as Freesat. DD uses Freesat as previous tenants removed the terrestrial aerial and installed Sky, leaving her with just a dish and not wanting to pay to have an aerial installed.

You could continue to get phone and broadband from Sky, but I was with Talk Talk quite happily for a number of years. Moved to Plusnet in March (good cashback on top of a 12 month special offer made it a lot cheaper, and as my parents are with them it meant free calls between us), and have had nothing but problems and connection drop-outs since then. I plan to move back to TT in March.

Azzzaa

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVEYONE!!

So it's nearly 2016, in 2015 I suprised myself by completely changing my spending habits and lifestyle by spending less on fast food, over priced clothing and rubbish and putting it away towards my canal boat. I even opened a savings account :T but there is still room for improvement :j.

I'm not one for New Years resolutions but I do have some goals I'd like to achieve.

I'd like to hit 35% on my total savings goal which is £15000 ish, that's achievable by putting away £750 ish of my wages per month.

I'd like to make an extra 1 or 2% of my total by putting away all my loose change into a pot.

I am also going to make a strong effort to live within my means, which means cutting backing on all takeaways and restaurants. It's scary how they can all add up :mad::eek:

I'm really looking forward to 2016, 2015 has been fantastic for me this year, looking forward to hitting 2016 hard :j:j:j

[Deleted User]

mumtoomany wrote: »

Hi Allie, we swapped to First Direct over 20 years ago. They are great, I would recommend them to anyone. Always a really nice, patient, british voice when you phone. Never any problems with them in all that time. Only down side, because we are already banking with them, we can't claim the £150 bonus! LOL. Mumtoomany.

Brilliant, thanks for that. I will get onto them on Monday.

Had a NSD today - hoping to rack up more of these this year. Spent the day finishing off a crochet scarf for my 7yo niece and a small granny square blanket for my 3yo nieces new dolls pram. They are both delighted with them.

I was thinking of doing a baby blanket for a friend who is due her baby in a few weeks. I am fairly new to crochet so not sure if I need to buy special 'baby' wool. The stuff I use just now is high quality acrylic wool in DK I have lots left over and it would be great to be able to use it up - that would be the frugal way! I may just play it safe and get some special baby soft stuff.


Happy New Year to everyone.