2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Janey51

Nyk or someone cleverer then me.
Can you please explain the "catch up" bit of the challenge as I've been looking for ages and can't find it.
Thanks.

1274

Well, I figure we're close enough to the end of the month to report in. Have spent 457.61. I've got my own list of the things I count in the challenge which is basically everything apart from fixed costs which I can't easily control (mortgage, utilities, train to work, TV licence etc). Of this, from best to worst: groceries were £111 (£11 up on budget so not bad), I had to pay for a £61 train ticket to go on holiday (unavoidable), gifts were £70 (overly generous but I got carried away), clothes £91 (oh dear but I did buy a watch out of that too), haircut £52 and worst of all was going out at £72 when the budget was £40 *.

* I raided my £1 tin to pay for some of this to the tune of about £50 but on the plus side I haven't been to the cashpoint at all this month

New monthly budget is £322 which is coincidentally what I spent in Jan minus the train ticket and gifts so I might manage this after all?

whitewing

Still lots of positive comments coming thro on the thread so am very cheerful here.

Thanks for the oven chip methods folks. DS enjoyed his fast food trip so much much today that we have decided to have our own home-made version for Valentine's Day (I already talked to you about our Valentine Sundaes). So it'll be hm burgers and chips to go with it.

I was contemplating what to do with my grocery vouchers (had about £10 worth eg 50p off flora, Yorkshire tea etc) but Lidls don't take them, and it's still cheaper for us to buy at Lidls than Tesco with vouchers. I can't see Tesco agreeing for milk/bread to be paid for solely in vouchers somehow. However, I spoke to Dad and he has taken the lot and will buy us milk/bread as and when he can to the value of the vouchers. We can freeze it then. That will help enormously. So I'm pleased. It will be erratic knowing Dad, but it all helps.

skintwellie

keren29 wrote: »

Wow to both Prudent (veggie box win) and Georgiasmum (job)!!!!!!

:beer: Hear, hear!!!

Prudent

Was just rushing out the door after my last post when I realised that I hadn't infact taken my communiting petrol off the total. It comes out of the money I withdraw on a Saturday from the cash machine (whilst the other outgoings were easy to deduct as they are direct debits) . Therefore my total is only actually £290 I am an even happier bunny.

NYK - do try the comping. Its loads of fun as well as lucrative. If you read my sig, you will see I have won more than I have spent on this challenge this month
It gives all the nice little add ons and stops me feeling hard up. Earlier in the month I won two tickets to meet and greet Liza Minnelli. They are top priced tickets worth £95 each. As the concert is a Friday night I used a £100 ebookers vouchers, which I won last year, towards two nights in a nice hotel and am making a weekend of it. We only had to pay £26 on top of the voucher for the hotel. So a break worth over £300 for just £26

Thanks for the table of supermarket reduction times. I love these. My local Lidl literally gives away food about 7pm.

catshark88

Well done Georgia'sMum on your new job!

Beware that frugalism can prove a health hazard... DH and I went from the South Coast to N Yorks for the weekend and I drove the whole way there and back because I knew DH would not be able to keep to Frugalconomy speeds. Car has a thing that tells you miles to the gallon and so we monitored that all the way home. Also drove without air con to save petrol....

Am knackered but have great sense of frugalsmug as I did something that hurt in order to pay off mortgage 10 minutes earlier.:rotfl:

Tempfrugaltation - that feeling of "I could get to like this" when staying in warm hotel with soft carpet and on demand gin and tonic!

liuhut

Wow Nsd!! Nsd!!!

Prudent, thats fantastic that you have won more than you have spent. I have only won approx £47 this month!!!
I am going to sit down tomorrow and figure out how much I have spent this month. I have plenty of petrol left but the fridge is looking very bare...needs a clean anyway so thats handy!!!

Forgot to say well done Georgiasmum

fizzel81

Evening all

sorry ive been away a while been so busy here.

had a great break and havent done too badly spends wise though need to update sig and have a huge catch up on thread

Mollymop5

hopeless_spendthrift wrote: »

:j Well done Prudent! I get organic fruit n veg bags once a week via my children's primary school. It is a fund-raising scheme run by 'friends' of the school. I think the school gets 40% and obviously we are supporting the organic farmers too so although it probably costs more than a usual abel and cole box, I reckon it's worth it. Actually thought i would not be able to continue with it, but as cuts have been made elsewhere, am managing to after all

Anyway prudent, it costs me £11.50 a week :shocked: so you have done really well to win that! :T

I'd love to know more about the fundraising fruit and veg boxes.If you know the ins and outs would you pm me.This would be lovely if my local school could offer this.Thanks

LMac

Well done everyone!

I havent done so well at £394.40 this month (I include everything except rent in the £4k budget)

I did, however spend £98.48 on clothes for dd and gifts for later in year, in the january sales, so if I dont count that, Im just under target.. :T

An error in my contract meant I have been overpaid since I started in November and they are claiming it back in tomorrows pay (with my consent) so next month, Im challenging myself to live on £250 rather than the £300 I originally budgeted, since it will be reflected in my pay.