“Just Say NOvember; Batten Down the Hatches 2016”.

thriftylass

Oops, sorry, changed

jojitsui

thriftylass wrote: »

Goooooood morning.

Was dreaming about stripping the wallpaper in the guest bedroom last night. Itching to do up that room. Might add a wee challenge for the first week: Try do do one project for free/very cheap. I might try and source curtain poles, paint etc on free cycle or similar. Any ideas anyone, where to get free unwanted diy materials? If sth like that exists. You know like in those TV programs where they up cycle stuff for free.

Facebook is awesome. I work for a charity supporting vulnerable people and regularly ask for and receive unwanted items. People (myself included, have lots of junk/other man's treasures lying around gathering dust and taking up space). There is also a paint cycle locally to me and my local tip allow you take pots of unwanted paints (I have never tried it but I know lots who have and have never had any issues). Good luck )

Massa1982

Please count me in for November as a civilian.
Food Budget £285 for a family of 3.

I have some holiday already booked and I will be completing the shhh "C" shopping so Military might be a little too Harsh to start for me.

But the panic of holding off the C shopping till December and then trying to distribute it all over the country in time just fills me with dread.

Thanks

apple_muncher

Jojitsui - thank you for your lovely offer, and others who have offered to help too. At the mo, I am too overwhelmed by 'stuff/life' to deal with anything new. I know what dd will eat and won't eat and for now we are sticking to that as she spent a while being almost food-phobic, a situation I wish to avoid again! As for me, I tend to eat primal (ish, very ish!). Vegans have my respect! Our beloved ninjasavingkat was also vegan.

Penniesinmyjar

Im in for civilian please thrifty!

mothernerd

I feel I really must try the military option. I have audited the freezer, fridge, shelves and cupboards and I am sure there are lots of things I can make (must get back into cooking and freezing). Seem to be very short on (ex-takeaway) containers and I am reluctant to buy them - will remember to ask mum if she has any. Lots of fish and tins of different types of beans so quite a few healthy options. Will keep a list of things I need to buy when I go shopping and try to put that off as long as possible.

Budgets. I was trying to get down to £50 a month by reducing £5 per month but the past 2 months I have gone way over, so need something more realistic. I am going to go with Kat's £80 in the first challenge and try to get it down to £60 (Kat went from planned £100 down to £80).

Will put off buying a new quilt for DS3 and his beloved. However as Beloved as never 'lived' with us (visted for up to 3 weeks) I don't want to terrify the poor girl. Apparently she finds me scary, no-one else does. I think DS3 wants her to cook for them so I am going to give them a seperate allowance for the first month to see how it goes. DS3 will probably still buy takeaways but for both of them (I want her to cook for him if it will cut down on his unhealthy takeaways). They will have to pay for their own sweets, cakes and fizzy drinks (she can use the ingredients I have, including the golden syrup lake mum gave me, if she wants to bake cakes for him).

I am cutting travel in half, to £15. This means I will have to walk nearly everywhere, but hoping this will be doable by next week.

My extras budget has been £30 for some months and was £20 last month. I will only allow myself £10, mainly in case I need any diy bits.

I have avoided buying clothes. I did think I needed a pair of jogging bottoms and a twin pack of leggings (the old ones are losing some stretch I think). Received vouchers this month and could have had 20% off at the beginning of last week but was too ill to venture out. Also found a second pair of jogging bottoms in the wardrobe so will do without and put them on the 'things to buy when mum gives me my Christmas money' list (she pays for my brother's tv license so have some idea how much to expect).

Currently have 10+? cartons of B&J ice cream in the freezer (it's 11 according to freezer audit). Wonder if I could find anyone who would barter for it. Gave DS1 8 or 9 when he came for parcels and DS2 took a similar number before the builders came. Could do with the space.

Will be walking every day, though it might be circuits of the library and other town centre buildings at first, so I am never far from home if I get tired. I think I will do the reverse advent calendar with food bank donations - 24 items with donations split between November and December.

Social events - craft club costs nothing, local history meet up costs nothing and film club renewal is in December and can take my own drinks and snacks. New annual fee is £20 but can watch 24 films for that - oldies in the daytime, contemporary in the evening.

Week one of the challenge will be all about avoiding shops and getting th ehouse ready for beloved (+ general clean and may put out some decorations - only if I am going up a ladder to clean/ hang curtains, I might as well stick a decoration up at the same time).

WantToBeSE

Morning All
I have been busy preparing and writing down all expenses. I've written my meal plan for week 1 and should not have to go shopping for it at all

-The biggest and by far the most difficult, is the food budget. I'm out of control with it, and have decided to reduce it down to £50 a week. There is only the 3 of us, and the 2 teens are at school all day anyway. I have lots to use up in the pantry and cupboards, so will start there.

-Petrol. I can get away with limiting this to £20 a week.

-Gifts. It's both of my my sisters birthdays in November, so i am declaring that I'll spend no more than £40 each on them. Hopefully less!

-I'm not going to spend ANY money on beauty products. I have been trying to find a cheap alternative to Clinique's 'Moisture surge' for ages, so will continue the search but not spend any money. I might see if i can blag a freebie from the Clinique counter if i go there.

-Exercise. After having some heath issues recently, i have been told that i am allowed to start exercising again. So i am going to start with the Couch to 5K app again. I have a thread on here, if anyone would like to join in? http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5520685

-Alcohol. I don't drink any alcohol anyway, so thats not a hard one for me.

-Christmas. I've already saved money for Christmas. I have a list of what i am going to buy people and will not deviate from this. I have £450 left in my Christmas fund. And only need to buy for my 2 children and younger sister.

Extras- I do NEED some new winter boots, desperately. But i cant find any that i like for £50 or less. If i do find some though, I'll have to spend on those.

Thats it! That is everything i am going to spend in the month of NOvember. No coffee at Starbucks, no eating out, no top up shopping trips.

jojitsui

apple_muncher wrote: »

Jojitsui - thank you for your lovely offer, and others who have offered to help too. At the mo, I am too overwhelmed by 'stuff/life' to deal with anything new. I know what dd will eat and won't eat and for now we are sticking to that as she spent a while being almost food-phobic, a situation I wish to avoid again! As for me, I tend to eat primal (ish, very ish!). Vegans have my respect! Our beloved ninjasavingkat was also vegan.

Sounds really stressful. Hope you all are OK x

apple_muncher

Thank you once again, jojitsui. I'm starting my phased return to work tomorrow and will be doing the morning only: staff meeting followed by meeting with the head, followed by teaching. Not really a gentle start! I acknowledge that I am almost in 'panic mode' (kryten fromred dwarf, anyone?) And rather nervous about it all falling apart. But I guess that that then means that I am not yet fit to return, eh?

I shall be glad to get to 1pm.

jojitsui

I've just made my breakfasts and lunches for Monday-Wednesday and planned our evening meals.

I have no idea how much I spend on food as it varies so much but looking through my statements I spend at least £100 a week on food for us and the dog, toiletries and cleaning products. This is going to be cut right back to £10 a week as the cupboards are full and my shopping habits are terrible!

I am going to fill my car up once it is returned and that full tank of petrol is going to last me all month (hopefully longer!!)

Exercising will not be an issue as I walk the dog for at least 40 minutes a day but I feel that in the spirit of this challenge I should also do something else...Not sure what yet though... The not drinking/going out is going to cause me issues. I am not sure how I am going to manage, but am!!

I am surprisingly excited for the torture that is going to lie ahead