2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Mozette

I doubt I would - though maybe I could, and I'm damn sure I should...

tryingtodobetter

Count me in please. However it will have to be £5000, is that ok??

Frugaldom

keren29 wrote: »

Hi Nyk

I'm working as self employed (AQA) and already do some mystery shopping as well as all the click thrus on just about every site (they even have their own folder in my Favourites file!!) I'm not entitled to anything such as tax credits/benefits as I have £25,000 in savings (I was made redunant). I'm desparately trying not to use them but I have subbed myself a couple of times which I think is the indicator I need a better paid job. I don't have anything to Ebay as I'm down to the bare essentials now. I've looked at the Up Your Income board a few times but never seen anything else I can easily do.

I do have an interview at the beginning of January for a part time job which could sit along my self employed work which will ease things but only a bit.

Believe me - MSE is ingrained in my life!!! I cleared £25,000 of debt through MSE, it really changed me! (all hail the mighty Martin!)

Hello again
That is great news about the 25k debt clearance :beer: and not so good about the inability to claim tax credits. But there's always next year to try again and think of the tax rebate you might be due?

I understand about the benefits thing, I didn't even bother pursuing it after seeing that any savings over 3k affected eligibility. However, please stick around this thread as you have so much valuable experience that it would be great just knowing you were here but had 'been there, done that' type thing.

hypno06

Hello! I see I have a lovely numbe, but not total - rather than try and live off air for the next 12 months, I will go for £4000 for a family of 4 or 5.

I am a bit rubbish at making spreadsheets, so have got some accounts paper that I will do a handwritten spreadsheet on - unless any kind spreadsheet bod wants to send me over a template!!

good luck to all on this challenge - although we will be starting on 1st January (I assume), I am going to get into the habit of posting my daily spends on here. This doesn't mean everyone has to, just that I need to start forming my good habits!

Tuesday:

Boots - £3
Supermarket £4.70
Change jar 80p

Total spend for Tuesday £10.00

Frugaldom

Prudent wrote: »

I am fascinated by this challenge. I currently live on £850 per month. That includes £100 commute to work and £113 council tax. I have a couple of questions:

1) I am a single parent - do I get extra for my daughter? Obviously my costs are much higher than a single person. I also have some high essential costs related to music exams which she must pass to go to college plus usual cost of being a teenager.
2) my daughter has a commute to school cost (placing request following bullying) of £70 per month. Can this count as essential work costs.
3) I am not a dfw - can I still join?

Yes, you can still join. Essential costs are not included in the 4k so, if your essential costs include commuting and exams, these are seperate from the budget. £4000 is just the figure we settled on this time last year and I have chosen to continue with it. You are welcome to join with your own target figure and just have some money fun.

PS: I am no longer a DFW either but I would be if I had a mortgage. So, I'm attempting to pay off a mortgage. Well, except I have no mortgage and am just banking the money towards buying a house outright one day LOL

Frugaldom

Updated the list, you can always check post number 1 for the latest just in case I get confused

CHALLENGER LIST

001. Nykmedia - £4000
002. Mumzyof2 - £4000
003. Notanothergreyhair - £4000
004. Mini_huny_money - £4000
005. Penny2myname - £4000
006. Hypno06 - £4000
007. Impomdasp - £5000
008. Whitewing - £4000
009. LoadedIWish - £4000
010. Tigerseye - £4000
011. Oliveoyl - £4000
012. Funbrum - £4000
013. Tryingtodobetter - £5000
014 - 87p - £4000

87p

I havn't posted before, but after mortgage/CT and other essentials I have £400/month for food/clothes/mobile phone/outings and other fun stuff. If I make it £400/month for 10 months instead of 12 I can put another £800 towards my mortgage and credit card debt and live off £4000. I'm also going to join the pay off £20K challenge. So if you'll still have me.. I'm in!

87

Frugaldom

87p wrote: »

I havn't posted before, but after mortgage/CT and other essentials I have £400/month for food/clothes/mobile phone/outings and other fun stuff. If I make it £400/month for 10 months instead of 12 I can put another £800 towards my mortgage and credit card debt and live off £4000. I'm also going to join the pay off £20K challenge. So if you'll still have me.. I'm in!

87

Another brave person steps out of the shadows and into our financial madness and mayhem... Excellent!!!! :j :T

I think I have everyone's names included on post one now and you should each have a number if you want to include it in your signatures for next year

Frugaldom

Ooooooooooooh LOOK! I just became a forum 'stalwart'!!!

mini_huny_money

nykmedia wrote: »

Shall I mark you down for £4000 or have you a different target? I'm really looking forward to the 2008 challenge as it'll be brilliant having so many others to compare notes :j

hya....sorry am late just got in from work......have not had a chance to work things out properly just sorta done it in my head....and we all know, things get forgotten.. Have been wanting to do something like this since I joined MSE, but sometimes if you're not in at the beginning of something it cn put me off. This year I've bought for the first time (previously renting) and as Im 47 I want to pay a LOT extra to my mortgage so that my NHS pension (if it stillexists in the future ) can be all mine.

I;ll try for 4k. My 23 year old son lives with me, and my fiance only stays over a coupla days a week so I should.....:rotfl: we'll seeeee.......find it easier than those with families.

DEEP BREATH...........am definitely in