2019 Frugal Living Challenge

star_trek_fan

datlex wrote: »

Sounds like it might be worth considering getting a taxi in future. Why didn't the OH pay for the off list spending if it is not things you would eat?

It's not driving I have trouble with, it's lifting things off shelves and loading and unloading of the trolley. He pays all household bills and food anyway and there's no margin for going over budget.

Towser

What jumped out for me was 'cash withdrawals'. Might be worth keeping a spending diary so that you know what these get spent on? If it were me it would annoy me not knowing what 'uncategorised' was, too.

Cash Withdrawals- takeaways & nails don't accept contactless card so I have to do cash. I do contactless for everything as much as possible so that it is all automatically categorised so that I know where it is all going.

tighteningthebelt

Nicky_Sue I'm so sorry to hear about the bungalow. Such a shame. It's hard not to get your hopes up isn't it.
I decluttered like a mad thing about 3 years ago... I regret not selling stuff, I was so keen to see it go I reckon I missed out on a few hundred quid.

ecoelle

Just done an updated SOA.I do these every so often to highlight areas for change or improvement...thoughts anyone?


Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 1
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1600
Partners monthly income after tax....... 650
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2250

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 510
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 89
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 119
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 42
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 50
TV Licence.............................. 15
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 8
Internet Services....................... 16
Groceries etc. ......................... 300
Clothing................................ 35
Petrol/diesel........................... 20
Road tax................................ 20
Car Insurance........................... 30
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 48
Other child related expenses............ 7
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 20
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 39
Buildings insurance..................... 15
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 62
Other insurance......................... 79
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 30
Haircuts................................ 20
Entertainment........................... 40
Holiday................................. 40
Emergency fund.......................... 0
School clothes and trips................ 10
Petfood/Litter.......................... 40
Total monthly expenses.................. 1834


Assets
Cash.................................... 2000
House value (Gross)..................... 165000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 168000


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 75200....(510)......2.09
Hire Purchase (HP) debt ...... 2000.....(57).......0<
Finance for furniture..........2000.....(32).......0
Total secured & HP debts...... 79200.....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Total unsecured debts..........0.........0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,250
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,834
Available for debt repayments........... 416
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 416

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 168,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -79,200
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 88,800

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

tighteningthebelt

ecoelle thanks for posting this, I love looking at people's details, and reading what people respond. Looks like you're doing really well on quite a small income, esp with vehicle and childcare to find.
Your water rates might be a place you could save a few quid... Are you metered?
Also your mobile bills, are you on the best/right contract for your needs?
If your prescription costs are for one person, could you prepay?
But hey, it's good!!
Let's see what the others say... I'm no expert.
Ecoelle, you're doing well!

MrsMouse

This looks really interesting, thanks for sharing the link.

ecoelle wrote: »

Just done an updated SOA.I do these every so often to highlight areas for change or improvement...thoughts anyone?


Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 1
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1600
Partners monthly income after tax....... 650
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2250

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 510
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 89
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 119
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 42
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 50
TV Licence.............................. 15
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 8
Internet Services....................... 16
Groceries etc. ......................... 300
Clothing................................ 35
Petrol/diesel........................... 20
Road tax................................ 20
Car Insurance........................... 30
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 48
Other child related expenses............ 7
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 20
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 39
Buildings insurance..................... 15
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 62
Other insurance......................... 79
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 30
Haircuts................................ 20
Entertainment........................... 40
Holiday................................. 40
Emergency fund.......................... 0
School clothes and trips................ 10
Petfood/Litter.......................... 40
Total monthly expenses.................. 1834


Assets
Cash.................................... 2000
House value (Gross)..................... 165000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 168000


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 75200....(510)......2.09
Hire Purchase (HP) debt ...... 2000.....(57).......0<
Finance for furniture..........2000.....(32).......0
Total secured & HP debts...... 79200.....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Total unsecured debts..........0.........0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,250
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,834
Available for debt repayments........... 416
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 416

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 168,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -79,200
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 88,800

Created using the SOA calculator at
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

Towser

ecoelle thanks for posting this,

Do you have a pension?

Your pet is costing a lot. Buy worming and flee treatment from Aldi when in specials aisle or from Amazon. Make sure you have insurance. Don't go for vets security scheme. Bulk buy pet food from Amazon.

Free up all this pet money and put on a pension.

skint_chick

Nicki_Sue wrote: »

Other frugal news, not much! The soap bar was not for me. I've gone back to the curly girl method so conditioner only and after a couple of weeks it feels and looks amazing. The husband, however, LOVES the hair soap so apart from one bottle for the kids, we've ditched plastic shampoo bottles altogether and are looking at alternatives for conditioning. I also had a new cut at my local salon, a dry cut or DevaCut. They have special training and cut my mad curls from dry, it was amazing. I see the senior stylist and it was only £25 which was budgeted for. It's been a nice pick-up and of course I'm using less hair product which is also a win (cheaper).

I'm a curly girl too - your devacut is very reasonable - whereabouts in the country are you if you don't mind me being nosy?

skint_chick

ecoelle wrote: »

Just done an updated SOA.I do these every so often to highlight areas for change or improvement...thoughts anyone?

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Monthly Expense Details
Electricity............................. 119
Groceries etc. ......................... 300
Other insurance......................... 79

These are the only ones that look a bit high - do you have electric heating and are you definitely on the best tariff? What type of other insurance? And you could shave some money off your groceries with careful planning and batch cooking.

Igamogam

ecoelle wrote: »

Just done an updated SOA.I do these every so often to highlight areas for change or improvement...thoughts anyone?


Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 1
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1600
Partners monthly income after tax....... 650
Benefits................................ 0

Do you not get child benefit?