2019 Frugal Living Challenge

stirchleygirl

Dave Saver you can do it focus on getting through each day rather than the 2 weeks don't give up now as you've made such good progress and your plans are for good things in your life Frugaldom has given you some sage advice and tips from doing it - so take heart and make those lists of goals that you can cross off when you achieve them.

stirchleygirl

Rosst534
Are you sure that you can't manage without a car is the first question you should ask yourself.

Before my disability I used to walk the 2+ miles to work (so 4+ miles each day) as I'd just rented on my own (instead of my previous flat share) I could no longer afford to get the bus. I was full time then so 5 days per week on-site and it kept me fit and a good de-stress on the way home.

As my health declined I had to start using the bus (trains were not on the route) and was able to get a annual bus pass via a work scheme where they took the payment out of may wages monthly so no big up front payment.

Now due to my brain problems I'm unsafe to out on my own and have to go to work (and health appointments) in a taxi as I also can't follow a route (some of the cost to work re-imbursed by Govt ACCESS TO WORK scheme.

Could you get a free or cheap (freecycle, gumtree etc...) second hand push bike and paniers/basket/backpack to carry stuff/shopping or use online SM shop some delivery slots can be as low as 50p or £1 delivery charge.

(perhaps you already have looked into alternatives and still need a car)

Is there a car share scheme in your area e.g. http://www.co-wheels.org.uk/birmingham?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMvlBRDmARIsAEoQ8zTQTJssVGS6DDuPicp28UlQ_USw0PZ16li_N3jzDW5vA5bmUBPix8MaAnWSEALw_wcB appears to cover lots of areas of the country

or does you work place run a ride share or similar

I don't have any current experience with car finance this but a quick search on Martin's MSE website gave the following results
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car-finance/
which may be of use to you

I'm sure others on this list who have experience of buying/running cars on a budget will give you their sage wisdom on the topic.

Lifeisforliving19

I've been catching up on posts and you are all doing well. :T I am still trying hard and have found some Recycle/Reuse groups local to me on FB, which have been useful for gifting and receiving things with no money involved. Probably going to have a spendy week or 2 as we need to get some beds for spare room and do a bit of gardening and decorating. But trying to keep it to a minimum and use second hand where I can.

Been making lots of stock and soup and using up leftovers a lot, which I am very pleased about. And managed to get house insurance down a lot which was a bonus.

My thing I am trying to do at the moment is work out the best thing to use as reusable make up/face wipes.....Cotton? Flannels? Muslin? Not sure what to try.

Working_Mum

Hi Davesaver - this time between action can seen to be wasted or boring and for me that was a "danger zone"!!

I decided to broaden my fiscal outlook so during the time when I had actioned what I could I read widely on financially successful people or leading a more frugal but good quality life. I gave myself goals for reading/learning and so I never felt I was "doing nothing" towards my debt.

I also spent a few months last year doing surveys etc so when I felt the urge to spend or felt despondent that I wasn't "doing anything" towards my debts I would check the survey sites and do the ones I could - this enabled me to build a stash of amazon giftcards and cash which I used to chip away at a persistent card I had an outstanding balance on.

I would set myself mini challenges i.e. 33% of last year were NSD's and my goal for this year is 50%! I am on track to achieve this.

I still set myself mini challenges to push my food shopping back by a day or two to use up what I had in stores or my fridge. I am quite a queen of random meal combinations rather than waste food!!

The "Old Style" board here really helps inspire innovative ideas to reduce waste and love a life which is fulfilling but doesn't cost the earth.

I learned to channel my energy into positive money experiences which weren't always obvious debt busting ones!

Good luck everyone as we head towards a long Easter weekend

little_green

over this months budget already gahhhh expensive weekend
i've been over budget all 4 months this year and probably need to actually look at raising it as it's quite ambitious, the only thing I can cut down on is eating out costs... but honestly my partner is a huge factor in that. I do try (really) but their attitude is a bit different.

FrankieM

What a great post Working Mum and so true. I struggled (and often got wrong) the need for some financial wriggle room and then spending when I didn't need to.

I'm debt free and the focus now is saving to build the emergency fund and then after that, I'll be saving towards a house.

I think I've found the debt number going down more motivational than the savings number going up.

stirchleygirl

Lifeisforliving19
Well done :-)
Might be worth asking on the ZW thread
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5943355/steps-towards-zero-waste-2019&page=9#topofpage
if anyone can recommend what they've used for removing make up

stirchleygirl

Working Mum
I agree your post was brilliant lots of wise advice.

little_green
Having realistic budgets would mean that although higher than what you would like it to it would still be less than what you were previously spending and give you the sense of achieving it rather than you perceived current failure - have you spent less on each of the 4 months than you previously did? If so congrats you achieved your goal!!!!
Unwilling family are a bu**er but why not try not partaking with their eating out and you do what you would like to do so that they are eating on their own (instead of you joining in) as then they may not want to do it - also honest conversations about finances (if they aren't indenial/head in the sand) and your family goals (pointing out that they are spending on un-necessary meals out instead of getting out of debt or saving towards xyz) might perhaps show them the reality/impact of what they are doing - warning this doesn't always work and can back-fire as they spend even more in reaction/spite

Frugaldom

Rosst534 wrote: »

Any tips for financing a car on a low income would be appreciated

Thanks

R

Personaly, I would never recommend finance and I would look seriously at all the other options for alternative transport. Having had to do without a car for a few years, I resorted to walking, cycling and public transport but that doesn't always suit when it's to get you to and from work when there are no other options.

1) Look at all the reasons why you need a car and make sure they are all needs, rather than just being wants

2) What are the alternatives

3) If you can't afford to buy something suitable, are your finances in a reliable enough place to cover all the regular costs (finance, tax, insurance, MOT, servicing, parts, repairs, maintenance, emergency measures in even of breakdown, savings towards replacement in future.

4) If you discover that you really cannot live without a car, speak to your bank rather than getting involved with a finance company. It may be possible for them to arrange an overdraft facility for a year or so, allowing you to buy a cheap but reliable runaround that can be paid off at any time you have spare cash. Garages often offer far better deals with cash discounts.

5) If it isnt absolutely essential, calculate all costs and then compare them with paying for taxis. Depending on the make, model, age, cndition of the car, you may find it cheaper paying someone else to drive you if it's only occasional trips etc.

I had this debate with myself only last year, but had been saving for a car for sme time, just in case. When the time came that I really did need one, I still doubted myself, so held off a bit longer until I had enough to buy outright from a secondhand car dealership. The car will now need to last me the next 20 years so I hope Fords are still reliable and easily maintained/fixed! :rotfl:

stirchleygirl

FrankieM
Keep up the good work towards your emergency fund :-)