2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

whitewing

I will count from probably 20th Dec as my monthly money goes in around that date, so Jan's bills will come fom that. But I won't update my sig until the New Year - got to go thro all the receipts.

Tried to recover from some of the damage this morning by paying in the £25 I have left from Xmas money to the bank so I am not tempted to fritter it away.

Have paid DS Xmas money into his savings acct so he doesn't spend it either!

Been invited to aunty's for lunch and tea today and tomorrow, and New Year's Day (and probably up to New Year) so that is helping keep costs down. We help them with bits and pieces to repay them so it's win win which is great. No more food shopping until child benefit comes in in the middle Jan

whitewing

BTW - is it just me, or is anyone else having to stop themselves from entering lots of other challenges too for 2008 in a fit of New Year enthusiasm. I must just concentrate on the ones I've already signed up to!

(I am also going to take back some scart socket thingy to Tesco for a refund as we don't need it. Normally that would have just stayed in a drawer because I'm too lazy, but now it's on here I'll feel ashamed if I don't!)

Frugaldom

I love challenges and yes, I have looked at loads of other ones but simply cannot afford any more savings one. But... maybe I'll check out the shopping challenge, it sounds good and I haven't even found that one yet, and maybe.... oh! There I go again!:rotfl:

hypno06

We have become moneysaving challenge addicts :T

Frugaldom

hypno06 wrote: »

We have become moneysaving challenge addicts :T

I joined another one! It's the grocery challenge with my budget set to fit in with my 4k year. I couldn't help it, I just thought it looked another great place to be

rosieben

nykmedia wrote: »

I joined another one! It's the grocery challenge with my budget set to fit in with my 4k year. I couldn't help it, I just though it looked another great place to be

It is a great place to be! with the help on GC and other threads on the OS board I've reduced my monthly grocery spend from over £200 to £80 in the last year. Also loads of money-saving tips on the OS boards for anyone looking to eat/clean house more cheaply - I'm an OS addict!!

Penny2myName

We're chat of the week in weekly martins email:T:T:T

Mics_chick

Sorry Nykmedia but I haven't got the patience to read the whole thread after the 1st 2 pages of you repeating the same thing over and over again - I don't understand why people don't get it ???? :rolleyes:

Anyway I am very very interested in this and would like to know more about this as £4000 is what me & my family should be living on anyway but aren't

You said you managed this before for a family of 3 but is that 2 adults & 1 child or 1 adult & 2 children - and what ages are the child/children?
My family is 2 adults & 2 kids under 5.

I would love to know what you spend on food for a week and what sort of meals you live off and any other useful info you can give me...?

:beer: Gail

redrabbit29

Quick question.

Basically the £4K is for all non-essential spending. E.g.:

- Rent
- Household bills
- Car insurance/tax/mot/petrol costs
- Council tax
- Phone bills

I probably won't include my gym costs and contact lenses per month. Maybe even go for a £3K challenge.

sweetpea03

I have been thinking about joining this challenge since the thread began & have decided to take the plunge so please could you add me to the list nyk
I am going for £4941.20 (£4000 + £72.40 x 13 (4 weekly) child benefit)
The £4000 (£76.92 a week) will cover food, electric, gas & my payg mobile (approx £10 every 3 months)
My child benefit I will use for tv licence, phone & internet (£46) & put the rest into a separate savings account to cover presents, ds's clothes & pocket money.
We don't have a car or sky so no expenses there, no hairdressing costs as ds2s gf is a hairdresser & we get haircuts in exchange for feeding her a couple times a week, I have done my shopping in the sales, I always spend around £120 & get enough toiletries for the year, xmas cards & wrapping paper for the next year & anything we need (this year it was a coat & tops for ds3, towels, jeans for dh etc) I have enough washing powder & cleaning stuff for a least 6 months (makro a few months ago) All this will help me stay in budget I think
I am also doing the xmas for free in 2008 & the sealed pot challenge so this will help too.
I want to do this so that I can put the savings in my emergency fund & beat my 3 months income of savings target (it could be nearer 6 months income of savings if I succeed at this challenge):)
Thank you nyk for starting this & good luck to everyone, only 3 days to go!!!