2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Frugaldom

Ooh, what a challenge this is turning out to be - all these frugalicious recipes and the buzz of avoiding out-frugalation! I am so impressed! I was just wondering how to work in my credit card payments as I use the cards for online shopping - is everyone else adding in the amounts as they spend or when the card statements arrive or when you pay the bills? The reason I ask is, umm.... apart from keeping popping on here every 10 minutes, I went and did some more virtual gift shopping at the Body Shop. BUT, and this is another BIG BUT, I made sure it was a frugalightful* shopping trip.

I used a cashback site for 4% cashback
I used a code for 10% discount
I got free delivery, as order was over £20
I got a FREE bottle of lavender oil, the order was over £25
Most importantly, the site had a special offers section with up to 50% off, which means I got all of the following:

2 of White Musk® Moments (gift sets) - reduced from £6 to £3
1 of Cassis Rose Me Time (gift set) - reduced from £18 to £9
2 of Bag of Passion - £3.00 each (40% to charity)
1 of Limited Edition Apple Blossom Body Lotion - reduced from £7 to £3.50
1 of Relaxing Lavender Massage Oil - listed at £7, got this FREE (£7)
1 of Limited Edition Pomegranate Puree Body Lotion - reduced from £8 to £4

Total should have been - £58

Actual total £28.50 less £2.25 discount from the code = £26.25 less 4% cashback of £1.05 = £25.20 plus a few extra Tesco Clubcard points for using their CC. I was hoping for extra 5% off but the BS doesn't accept Amex!

The above amounts to 5 posh gifts, 2 reuseable shopping bags (also suitable as gifts, plus a free lavender oil, which will nicely compliment the use of soap nuts in my washing machine.

I'm quite pleased with my purchases as they more than take care of Mother's Day and several birthdays - homemade cards all round this year. :T

I'm going to nip out to Co-op before closing and see if they are clearing the bread tonight. I keep missing it!

*frugalightful - word meaning delightfully frugal

Janey51

I think you are edging into the lead here Nyk.

KiKi

Just posting because I managed to buy a pair of really nice boots today in the Clarkes sale - £9.99 reduced from £40! Bargain! So pleased with myself that I have managed to make a saving on shoes this year!

Also, a friend came to stay today and brought me a (late) Christmas present of a £15 Debenhams voucher so I treated myself to some face stuff which was a lovely surprise.

Also picked up two birthday / xmas pressies for this year in Virgin Vie's sale - beautiful bath oil worth £12.50 reduced to £5! :eek:

Well done, Nyk,on your Body Shop bargains - sounds fantastic! I picked up some bargains there in the Jan sales, too, for birthdays this year.


Oh - and I sold TWO items on Ebay this week! Didn't get much for them, but it's a few quid more than I had the other day! I got some freebies from Clarins this week which I won't use so I've stuck them on Ebay too! I'm so excited...selling is more addictive than buying.

KiKi

meanmarie

For several reasons I can't join this challenge for 2008...maybe '09?

Would just like to say congratulations to all of you who are doing so well, I am enjoying reading and greedily taking note of any tips which I can use in my never ending plan to live well for less and less.

Good luck all

Marie

Janey51

meanmarie be warned. This frugalism is addictive and can travel via cyberspace. Don't think you will escape by trying to postpone the onset...

Frugaldom

Janey51 wrote: »

...use of kitchen appliances!

The Rayburn has 2 joints of pork cooking, drying clothes festooned on it, clothes horses standing round it, a kettle warming in anticipation of next cup of coffee and loads of pine cones drying in the warming oven to light the log burner. It's also performing its usual function of heating the kitchen (well, up to 15C) heating all our hot water and the hot water tank (which is in the bathroom above the kitchen) also heats the bathroom and airs clothes.

Beat that :rotfl:

I can't beat that, I haven't got a Raeburn (or woodburning stove) ... yet :rotfl:

Although... I haven't visited the Co-op yet and I have loads of other personal challenges attached to this one. Here are a few of them:

1) The £10 shopping spree at least once a week
2) The rounding down of all debts to nearest pound until they all wound down to NIL... bye bye, all gone
3) The rounding up of all savings
4) Save all pennies and carry nothing smaller than 50p
5) Never spend a £2 coin - I save them and bank them
6) Sealed pot for spare change - don't open it, give it away as a special pressie
7) Click the link on www.thehungersite.com every day
8) Quit smoking and save £1.28 per day - it has been really easy! I didn't ever smoke in the room where the computer is, so the £1.28 per day is virtually money in the bank. because I don't have the time to leave the computer screen for fear I miss a post on here!
9) Check for vouchers, coupons or discounts before shopping
10) Fill in a form for a freebie every day and keep a record of what actually arrives
11) Spend my points on freebies that can be used as gifts
12) Redeem Tesco Clubcard points for Tesco Deals
13) Transfer the Co-op dividend money from current account to HI savings account
14) Fill the ISA as quickly as possible
15) Avoid paying any unneccesary tax (incorporates the quit smoking) which means, as far as possible, saying no to foodstuffs that are subject to VAT at more than 0%
16) Pay attention to all tax incentives and make the most of every penny I can save.
17) Check all balances daily
18) Read meters daily and always make sure the bills are not estimated
19) Gift shopping is an on-going year round adventure, not a last minute frenzy
20) Holiday destinations are wherever the offers are 'at' although I may need to splash out and renew my passport one day as Eurostar have had some really good deals.

OK, I think that's wasted enough time to make it as near 9pm as possible before I nip to the Co-op! :rotfl:

Paul_Varjak

I have SKY TV (only the FreeSat package) but SKY sometime have a three-month free trial. So, I went for the full SKY package and got free £50 worth of M&S vouchers into the bargain! I cancelled the SKY package before the end of the free trial.

I was doing mystery shopping near M&S on Monday so I went there and saw some women's panties - £6 for 5 patterned cotton panties (plus another 5 panties at half price).

So I now have 10 pairs of size 8 women's panties (using £9 of the £50 vouchers) - a bargain I reckon (though I think you can get 10 pairs of ladies' white panties from Asda for £5).

All I need now is ten size 8 ladies to join me for free evening dinners (when I go mystery shopping). Each of you will get a free mystery present - I wonder what that might be?

Paul_Varjak

EagerLearner wrote: »

For everyone on this challenge who liked spreadsheets, maybe my 2008 one in my signature below can help... click to download to see if it helps the £4k aim!

When I got my new computer it came with a free version of MS Money, which includes a budget checker. Not only that, I swapped my banking to Nationwide as it is the only bank/building society in the UK that update MS Money daily (other institututions in the UK only update monthly - if at all).

Those on limited income cannot really benefit from those high-interest current accounts so I move my money into a linked savings account using online banking. I also make sure I have an overdraft facility in order to avoid bank charges if I go overdrawn in error.

Another good thing about Nationwide is that it is free to use overseas ATMs and you get the interbank rate (no 2.75% surcharge) when withdrawing money overseas. Be sure to avoid local ATM charges though! I also get the occasional cheque in US dollars and Nationwide give the best exchange rate on foreign cheques too (as well as having lower fees than most on handling foreign cheques).

broke_mum_of_three

[quote=liuhut;8203511..I used to work for a bank and once rang my OH to ask why he had took £30 from his account about 10 mins after he had done it...his friends really took the P out of him.
[/quote]
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: This happened to my husband yest, I checked the account and £20 had been withdrawn:eek: I asked him if he had anything to tell me and he looked at me funny, then the penny dropped, I was even able to tell him where he had withdrew if from, I think he thinks I am stalking him:p he should be so lucky!

funkyfunkymonkey

nykmedia wrote: »

BAILS: If your OH is starting a business then anything that you buy for the start-up is included, just keep all your receipts so you know for sure what expenses you have incurred. Also, depending on his income durng the 2006-7 year, he should check to find out if he is due any tax credits once self-employed. It's amazing how many people forget about these and, even if it's only a few pounds per week, every penny helps. (Here's the link to find out more) That should tell you if you are entitled .

Also, try to open the business bank account with free banking. Some of them offer a free banking service with online facilities for the first 12 months of a new start business and bank charges can add up. We are HBOS - I like their FREE online service and they pay interest on in credit business accounts. They also offer free banking in first year of business - daughter just got that deal

Hi Bails

I have an Abbey National Business Account, free forever http://www.anbusiness.com/

It has excellent on-line facilities and does everything I need it to do as a Business Account.

Good luck to your OH starting his new business.

FFM