2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Penny2myName

Our conversation started off with
D:Can I go to Oxford when I'm ready for uni?
M: Why Oxford
Because June says its the best one.
M: Ok, who the hek is June?
Mrs Blackadder, (teacher at school and mother to DD's Boyfriend) (i have changed names by the way)
M: Depends what you want to study.
I want to be a vet, positive about it. (she has been toying with it on and off for a year)

So I toddle off on-line to UCAS site to find veterinary course offering uni's.

M: Oxford doesn't do veterinary courses, here is a list.
Can I do Cambridge then as June says that's the next best one.

Always knew she'd end up asking for one of the top ones.
Anyhow Private School Educated kids aren't all Oxford and Cambridge material (I know cause her dad never did uni, and her uncle never went to either of them two uni's)

justme111

lingojingo wrote: »

Well, I don't have a car either. I usually walk to work, it takes about 20 mins, and on the way home it's nearly all uphill so takes a bit longer, but is free and also good exercise.:j

that is great! I really meen it. you are lucky it is uphill on the way home, otherwise you'd have to shower coming at work
But what about shopping/ travelling with suitcases/taking a child to nursery/school/ swimming class/ visiting friends etc?

andromache_2

lingojingo wrote: »

Hi andromache,
I may need to pick your brains later. My daughter is also thinking of applying to Oxbridge following a talk at college last Tuesday evening. It was given by an Oxford graduate, but she confirmed all that you've said, also their terms are only 8-9 weeks and they only pay rent for that time. :j They are guaranteed a room for the whole course, so no expensive accommodation in town to find (unlike my son in Manchester :eek:).

Feel free, I'll be happy to babble on about how I'm finding it if you think I might have any useful info Another hidden plus I'd forgotten is the zero transport costs (sorry LollopyBear!). My friends at other unis, especially London, spend loads on buses/trains/tubes to get to lectures and on taxis home after nights out, whereas my college is just a short stagger from everything as the town isn't that big, so I don't have to worry about that - which is nice!

Mollymop5

Evening everyone.So many pages to catch up on at the moment. I haven't the energy or inclination to reply to justme111 so I'm just going to carry on with my individual challenge cos it works for me
Today I popped into wilkinsons to buy a new potato masher as mine gave up working.I left £11.06 worse off I updated my washing up bowl and a couple of other things.This will come out of my "indulgence" budget .I've updated my spending diary but will update on here at the end of the month so as not to confuse myself.which I have to say is easily done

carrottopsuk

justme111 wrote: »

that is great! I really meen it. you are lucky it is uphill on the way home, otherwise you'd have to shower coming at work
But what about shopping/ travelling with suitcases/taking a child to nursery/school/ swimming class/ visiting friends etc?

buses? trains? Taxis? Walking?

andromache_2

Penny2myName wrote: »

Our conversation started off with
D:Can I go to Oxford when I'm ready for uni?
M: Why Oxford
Because June says its the best one.
M: Ok, who the hek is June?
Mrs Blackadder, (teacher at school and mother to DD's Boyfriend) (i have changed names by the way)
M: Depends what you want to study.
I want to be a vet, positive about it. (she has been toying with it on and off for a year)

So I toddle off on-line to UCAS site to find veterinary course offering uni's.

M: Oxford doesn't do veterinary courses, here is a list.
Can I do Cambridge then as June says that's the next best one.

Always knew she'd end up asking for one of the top ones.
Anyhow Private School Educated kids aren't all Oxford and Cambridge material (I know cause her dad never did uni, and her uncle never went to either of them two uni's)

:eek: *shakes head* I'm afraid 'June' is sadly misinformed, OBVIOUSLY Cambridge is the best one I have a few friends doing vet med who are loving it: hopefully she'll think so too if she does end up sticking to that!

sashacat

I wouldn't dream of buying a pair of shoes each season each year , Justme111 and I'm sure most people on here don't buy a lot of the stuff you've listed. I would never buy toilet ducks, water filters,blenders, juicers or fans. :rotfl: But I can't understand why you are trying to prove that we are wrong in what we are doing.....I ,for one, am enjoying it enormously and I will do it. I am doing it for fun and to save for things I want. I am also well over 50,not in debt and don't have a mortgage. I do, however care about my lifestyle, about the food I eat and the environment. I think it is healthy to be more frugal; to be careful and thoughtful about what we spend our money on. I am tired of the way the "must have" society has deteriorated into the "must have NOW" society so I am doing this challenge as a lifestyle choice and good on Nyk for starting it and supporting us all.
Please stop trying to prove us all wrong, because ,apart from the fact that it seems to upset you, it won't have any effect on us.
BTW, I have been very careful over the last few days and now have £44.41 to last me for the rest of the month. I would have more but I keep doing a 100 mile round trip to support my friend who is having a bad time so my petrol bills are higher than expected.
I love reading this thread so please keep it up everyone. I may not post very often but I keep up with reading it all...and Nyk has even got me monitoring my bl**dy electricity now!

Penny2myName

lol your just bias, cause you can stagger to classes after a night out on the free game of twister.:rotfl:

lingojingo

justme111 wrote: »

that is great! I really meen it. you are lucky it is uphill on the way home, otherwise you'd have to shower coming at work
But what about shopping/ travelling with suitcases/taking a child to nursery/school/ swimming class/ visiting friends etc?

No need to shower after just walking to work, I am not sprinting!!!! But if it were necessary it is possible (some people cycle/run and they use the showers).

Teenage children nearly grown up now, but went to local playgroup, infant, junior and secondary schools, so they always walked. Daughter now at 6th form college and has own bus pass (as do most of the 2000 + students there) paid for out of her EMA.

Shopping in town done by bus (hence need to plan), or sometimes internet, topped up in local shops.

Travel with suitcases not a problem, bus stops just across the road and then outside railway station. When children had swimming lessons and later joined a swimming club, we went by bus. They are used to independent travel and not phased in a new place, can use timetables etc. and plan journeys. This is an advantage of not always being ferried around by car.
I have never had my own car and don't see a need for one.

System

justme111 wrote: »

So here is some math.
I assume council tax/ professional expenses/electricity/gas/phone(s)/internet are in essentials and are not included in £4000, am I right?
nope i count these, apart from council tax - i guestimate it costs me around £660 a year
1. Childcare. Ok there are people with no children, some with grown up ones, some have it to major extent paid by state. I personally pay £400+ per month ( working part time!). £30/day. 8 hors working day, 1 hour comuting time, £3/hour, the chaepest rate. 400x12= £4800, no money left for anything else:D and £800 over the budget. Let's put childcare into essentials as well then?

no babies yet for me

2. Car. £200 insurance + £180 tax ( ok, I could use smaller car but using bigger one saves me money sometimes - like buyjing second-hand furniture , if I had smaller car I could not collect it and would incur costs in either buying a new one from the store or paying for delivery van etc-, allows me to share the car with another family sometimes, saves money on dIY relocating etc) + £40 MOT + £100 ( actually I spend more but let's assume the one is very clever and lucky with a car)+ petrol, £1080 + the car has to bought and paid for, buying the one at £2000, selling it after 5 years at £1000 still leaves £200/year, = £1800
Or the one does not need a car?

no car, free bus pass, i live in the city centre and can walk lots of places anyhoo, my mum has a with car when i need a lift

3.personal care .gym/swimming pool subscription £600. you should join the FFC!, haircuts £100 (once every 3 monthx£25), evil hairdresser cropped me in dec, will be a long time before it grows back! child's dancing classes £200, no children toothpastes/toothbrushes £10, shampoos £12, probably right, or such a small amount it doesnt matter cosmetics £110( 1day+1 night cream £5 each lasting for 3 month + 2 items of decent decorative cosmetics per year - very economical:D , no perfume, baby oil for hands), scissors to cut nails, emery boards, tweezers to plunk unwanted hair, razors and other miscellaneous £50, my bathroom cabinets may fall off the wall they are so full with stuff, and i dont wear much make up cos im naturally gorgeous (and modest) 2 dental checks and 2 cleanings £100 + 1 filling £80 ,i have perfect teeth, and my dad actually pays the £12 or whatever it is for checkups along with his bill, cos his is always huuuuuge and mine doesnt make much difference tacked on food supplements like glutamine/vitamines etc as far as i am aware these things are no use, you have to eat properly £ 6xmonth=£72, vet for vaccine and pet insurance £110 just odds and ends for my wee hamster and fish ,tampax £30, something like that, yes= £1472
4. shoes/clothes/household items/furniture/ electric appliances.
I think everyone agree "we need" one pair of shoes for each season per year( winter/midseason/summer), I think Clark's quality is decent and not splash at a time, searching for bargins -£25x3= £75. i have about 70 pairs of shoes (shhhhhhhh dont tell billy....) um and maybe 100 (+??) bags.... and a million items of jewellery... etc etc etc, some stuff from jumbles, some vintage, some designer, some from shops, all super-bargains - bargains naturally gravitate towards me, always have done
Underwear - 2 bras and 6 knickers £70 (yeas the bras not per£5, I believe the reasons for it are known . i have never calculated my annual knicker budget , no idea, apart from i have a huge stock of knickers Electrical/electronical things: tv, camera, pc, fridge, washing mashine, tumble dryer, vacuum cleaner, music center. Let's assume the lifespam of each are 4 years. I have allocated a price of £1300 for all these items, it does meen £225 per year expense. There are minor items as well - kettles, tosters, fans, microwaves, blenders, juicers, phones, extension leeds, they do not cost much but they are not free either, £20per year. i have never broken/worn out any big appliance yet, i dont budget for this, but i know i have plenty of disposable income out of my £2008 to dispose on these, should i need to
consumables - washing powder £20 , washing liquid£10, dunno over a year...not much anyway if your not wasteful water filtres £50, car wash/wax £10, n/a bin bags£5, paper or cotton kitchen towels £15, toilet paper £20, ditto washing powder...toilet "ducks" 2xmonth £24 =£150
Furniture - living set ( £250 used one in good condotion), 2 beds (£70x2 =£140, the same , 2 mattresses ( simple ones, new £200 my bed cost more than this, but has a 25 year guarantee), 2 wadrobes ( simple ones, new or used ones good condition £120), 1 table ( £40), 2 chests of drawers( £40) , 6 chairs £50 - no exscesses. , £840 in total. Let us assume each item will last 5 years. it gives us £170/year expense on furniture., !?! i have never heard of anyone who has such a high turnover of furniture

Clothes, 1 item per month for 2 persons ALL on car boot sales £4x2x12=£96 oh god no, more like 70 items a month, one person, jumbles/sales/vintage

£800 in total

So on issues 2-4 we have spent already more than £4000, that is not even starting to eat. , not having a session of massage or manicure or facials or waxing ever, beauty world is a bit sado-misogynistic for my liking [FONT=&quot][/FONT]buying ALL the clothes exclusively on carboot sales about half mine is shops, no toys for a child at all but plenty of gruel!, no presents at all grinch must have took 'em (i give tonnes actually), not a single drop of vine/bear in a whole year i drink whenever i choose, not to keen on bear-drops through;) etc etc.

Or yes, and the one is lucky not to have any disputes ever, not need any visas, lawyers ( no conveyancing or divorce or appeals of any kind) nope, has free parking i have a parking space but no car anyway, does not have medical insurance nope and pays nothing to his/her pension.the money i frugal-away goes for my mortagage, im doing pretty well for my age

No hardship whatsoever then none at all

If you are happy living as you do, and spending as you do, then that is lovely. But it isn't really relevant to people on this thread. Everyone has different budgets, different incomes, and different expenditures. This thread is for people who want to be in control of their money, and do so in a fun and supported way.

If you are happy with your own budget, then that is great, and you have no reason to change. But if you are looking for a way to change then you can join in this thread and pick up ideas for how to save a few squid, and have some nice chit chat. Which one is it? I can't work out what your aim is here