2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Ellidee

Ooh nykmedia that's a great story- so what happened next ? Don't keep us in suspenders !

Doom_and_Gloom

I've spent £16.06 so far this year on food. Don't have to pay CT until April or May as we have been over paying it purposely so we could have money free when things got tight (worked it out so paid last in December, hehe). I have a DD that is £7 that comes out on the 15th so then it will be £23.06.
Unlike the rest of you I am including rent and everything else as I have to due to how little I get. Which does mean that so far I have really spent £146.06 which will be £153.06 on the 15th. I doubt I will be spending anything until the 18th as that’s the day my BF and I are going to Lille France for the day (we have about £70-£100 depending to spend) I am in argument with myself to add half our budgeted spending money to my spending total but as we haven’t gone abroad together before and it was a Christmas present don’t think I should, hrm not sure. Oh well I think I’m on target for this month so far anyway:j .

Good for those that are in budget so far. If not (don't know as haven't had the time to read the mamoth amount since I last read the thread lol) donot worry as it's only the start of the year and you have the rest of it to averege it out.

affordmylife

nykmedia

thats just it. its only the 12th and already I dont want to have as many receipts to have to count up next week. i can do this. I will do this.

Well done everyone lets all keep going.

princess_leia_3

A couple of no spend days for me (about time )
I have however sorted out how I want to organise my bank accounts (I have lots!!)
1. Direct debits (husbands wages to pay)
2. Spending for food/petrol (child tax credit to pay)
3. Bills - credit card/catalogues/nursery etc (my wages)
4. Money for car mot/tax and gas /elec (child benefit to pay)

Doing this made me realise after all bills etc we only have £250 to buy food/petrol/anything else per month so I really need to try and get cheaper car/house ins and redo the gas / elec provider checks too
Aaaarrrrggghhhh!!!!!!!

wornoutmumoftwo

I am severely over budget but I'm going to work it all out tomorrow. It didn't help that the storm we had up in scotland blew half my fence away and we've had to replace it, but never mind, I reckon that what I am overpaying on now I can make up for in the summer (i.e lower electric).

I do however have a full freezer which I never usually have this time of the year so I guess i'm doing something right... and all because of this thread.

:T

LollopyBear

Eep - just tallied up yesterday's and today's spend and it's not great! I went for out for a 'quick drink' after uni yesterday to catch up with a friend. About every hour another friend joined us until I was running to catch my last train home at 12:11pm! I ended up spending £18.80 that day including train, lunch (I forgot to make my own or even bring a snack with me!) three glasses of wine and a pint of beer.

Today I spent £14.48 in Tescos, including a magazine which is my once a month treat.

Not particularly happy with myself or feeling very frugal but I did have a fab night out and got to know my fellow trainee teachers a lot better - even though they called me anal for keeping track of my spending during the night! Also, I took out my budget at the beginning of the week and I still have about £14 left in my purse. The only things to buy tomorrow are paper for my printer and some milk and food so I should stay within weekly budget.

Jay1_2

wornoutmumoftwo wrote: »

I am severely over budget but I'm going to work it all out tomorrow. It didn't help that the storm we had up in scotland blew half my fence away and we've had to replace it,
:T

:shocked: poor fence - I wish we could all send you a plank! There's probably enough of us to fence in the whole of Scotland! (Not that I would want to - its a very nice place with fantastic people:rotfl: )

Now I'm just wondering how come I cant have a spend free day :think:. I'm not spending much but the other day I was feeling really proud of myself for getting home from work without going via the shops only to log onto internet banking and find a direct debit had gone out. Today I never dreamt I would spend any money, I actually thought it would be impossible, but still managed to buy myself a little treat - only 55p but still :doh: . Have I been doing this all my life and have only noticed since starting this challenge?
Maybe tomorrow...

princess_leia_3

hopeless_spendthrift wrote: »

Hello again all! :hello:
Have found another couple of Asda Free Home Delivery Vouchers for those interested and they last well into 2008! Could mean a saving of up to £10 for those of us who use this service. :dance:

OOps! Almost clicked submit b4 typing in the voucher numbers! Here they are:

M4-TT-FD-49

M4-JD-V3-4K

Thrifty

Thanks for these, I had a leaflt advertising Baby week at asda next week and they are selling big boxes of wipes etc and toiletries for cheaper prices so may well do next weeks shop online and save the delivery too (I am taking any baby spends out of my Maternity grant so they won't be included in the challenge thankfully)

Frugaldom

:beer: Congratulations to EVERYONE!! From where I'm sitting it looks like most of you here are seeing changes already, even if it is just to express shock at your spending habits :rotfl: :rotfl: Isn't it funny thinking that up until a couple of weeks ago it just didn't matter how or when you spent monry, it was just a pain realising you needed more? Well now look at you all! :T :T :T You're all out there being fully spend-conscious to the point of setting your goals on achieving a NO SPEND DAY! I am more than ever convinced that the great Martin, himself, must be over the moon delighted with all your progress and very, very proud of how everyone is adapting to his MSE ways. I think it just takes different things to trigger different brains into frugal gear and after that, the world's your oyster. I feel like a broody hen fussing over my little chicks and want to show you all off to everyone who passes through here Thank you for turning me into a hen :j

PS: That Scottish storm wrecked my picnic table, but also deposited a huge builder's merchant sand bag in my back garden. Wonder if I could fill it with soil and use it for growing potatos n carrots? :rotfl:

broke_mum_of_three

Feeling good about my challenge tonight, OH and I just sitting deliberating over buying a bottle of wine, decided that no I couldn't do it as it would be betrayal to the challenge, normally wouldnt have thought twice about it. Maybe next month if I have a bit of underspend I will treat myself:beer: . Keep up all the good work and helpful posts:T