2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

1274

Thought I would give something back to those thinking of pulling out. Please don't feel you need to coz you won't make the 4K. I won't make it either and expect I may be nearer 6K before the year is out (living in London we should get a higher allowance no?) However, before this challenge I had no idea of how much I actually needed to live on. If it turns out to be 6K then so be it. I would have estimated at least 12 before starting this challenge! The support I've had on here when I've had a massive spending slippage or just got down about things has really helped keep me on track and not blow the budget even further.

The sun's out, days are getting longer, and I'm not suffering through this challenge at all. Keep going gang!

1274

Whilst I'm on I though I'd give my end of month report. Have spent £422.89, of which £96.18 was on groceries (£15 less than January), £98 on a stupidly changed train ticket for my holiday, £55.55 on going out (down from £72 last month) and £24.86 on books and tunes (oops). The worst spending sin was on a floor cleaner at £104.31 but I am in love with this now since I have all floors and was fed up with spending 5 hours every week on my hands and knees - my place seems to get very filthy very quickly.

As you can see, there are some luxuries and non necessaries in my list of the things I count in the challenge. I count everything which I can control but exclude everything I can't (utilities, mortgage, council tax, train to work etc.) This way of counting works better for me as I can make adjustments to my spending easily to recover previous overspends. Looks like I'll have to cut down some more to keep on target!

Marru

Bad day today.

Council sent me a letter yesterday wanting more documents which I went to provide today. Fingers crossed that the benefit will start soon or I have to turn this challenge into live on 732.10 for 10 months.

Went to check LO's child trust fund account as Ex should be paying his maintenance there. And there were no money deposited since her last birthday!!! I hate having to call him and confront him with it.

Then went to my old bank to close my business account and hoped to get the money I had there (4.29) into my pocket but no, they can't give the money in case there are some pending charges, they will send me a cheque. And I was hoping to indulge with a chocolate bar (I know, I know but it is a bad day). Anyway it is now NSD as only pennies in the purse and if I go into the shop with debit card I will buy all kind of other stuff as well so I will stay away. That is why I prefer not to use cash as it goes so easily and leaves no traces. At least facing the statement every now and again shows where the money has gone.

Will go and make a cup of coffee and nick my LO's rice cakes.

Please everybody please dont abandon this thread. Just amend your budget to your own needs and life situations and then just do your best. I find that I am like an alcoholic with my money. I have to be really on track because when I loose grip I will go into huge downwards spiral and that is why budgeting and checking constantly where money is going is so benefitial to me. Especially as I won't have access to new credit for a LOOOOONG time so what I have has to last.

Take care everybody,

Marru

lingojingo

Jacks_xxx wrote: »

Hi Frugalites, :wave:

I'm just posting to let you all know that I'm ducking out of this challenge.

Oh Jacks, please don't go. I love your posts, you nearly always make me smile:T As someone else has said, it doesn't matter about your total, just the fact that your efforts knock a bit off whatever your budget is.

I hope you'll stay, if not I'll really miss you.

Ps. just read your post on grocery challenge, no wonder you're feeling so down. I think you've coped really well. Please stay!!!!!

bails

Jacks, and everyone else struggling at the mo - first of all, have one of these :grouphug:

Please, please don't leave us - as you can see, we all love having you here and value your input/solidarity. The best thing is not to compare yourself to anyone else on here, as we all have completely different lifestyles, no.of family, income, things we do/don't include etc etc. As has been said, it really doesn't matter what our totals are, it's more about the process of saving/spending more wisely over the year. I think I'm right in saying that there are only a few people on here truly including everything (except rent, water and council tax) - I for one have lots of other things I don't include. My health alone will cost me 4 grand + this year, so please don't feel down about not meeting the target. The most important thing is that we are all in this together trying to make better lives for ourselves, and that is greatly helped by all the kindness, humour and support on here. Thankyou to you all and I really hope you do all stay xxx

slowlyfading

^^ what they said.
Seriously though Jacks, you're a valued member of this thread and your posts are always so wonderful. I've sent you a PM. xx

I've updated my signiture as I went into town today and treated myself to a happy meal! lol got a few other bits and bobs to buy and we're doing an asda shop later, so they'll be other stuff to add on, but i think i'm doing okay so far

bails

Spend Day today, first shop for March and spent £36.53 (although got to claim back some discounts they didn't include). Feeling much better in that OH and I did the month's menu plan together and we only bought what we needed, even though OH was with me! :T
About to shell out a scary amount of money for my health, but the upside is that this will help me to earn more in the long run. Speculating to accumulate and all that As well as, far more importantly, getting me back to the lifestyle I love and miss dearly :j; now you can't put a price on that.

lilac_lady

I read this thread and keep up with you all although I've not joined in the £4000 target. To those thinking of giving in, why not keep reading and learning here as it'll help you to stick to your budget whatever it is? It helps to know that there's a lot of same-minded people here.

Frugaldom

Good luck with your treatment/health associated investment, Bails. Hope it all goes to plan.

Delivery man arrived with the first of my Amazon toy sale prezzies and I'm really pleased with it. Can't believe the savings! :cool:


Checked oilyhand account and, at long last, they have managed to track my other insurance policy and they have credited my account the £30 I was due! Unfortunately, it's too late to make it into March payment, but I know it's there for April. I'm due my first ever (£185) payment in March and it will be going towards paying for DD's laptop. :T It's her 21st birthday soon, so every extra penny I can earn right now is being siphoned off for that and I'll certainly be purchasing it through a cashback site using my 5% introductory cashback offer from CC. DD1 has already received her 'trust' fund as it was needed when she got her own house - just before DGD1 was born. DD1 finished college last summer and is now setting up her own business, so I thought the laptop would save her having to rely on coming here to check accounts etc and her own start-up budget doesn't include such work-related 'luxuries'. As I am doing this challenge 'all in' other than rent & council tax then the above costs wil be coming out of my 4k budget. I'll be playing catch-up all year I think! And I really MUST get the prezzie inventory done asap. How often have I said that, I wonder? :rolleyes:

Hope everyone's keeping up OK and nobody should get too down if their finances aren't stretching as far as they would like. The most important thing about this challenge is clearing and then avoiding debt. If we are managing that, we are succeeding regardless of any initial overall spending figure. If you win money, earn extra money from cashback or sell a few items, use that money to get rid of anything that's costing you in interest ('minus' goals) and then start saving for your 'plus' goals, even if the first of your 'plus' goals are contingency funds for rainy days and emergencies.

On a plus note... One third of my household has agreed to help me do a mealplan tonight !! Can you believe that? :eek: (Although I think they may just be scared not to, in the aftermath of the recent domestic warzone ). Wish me luck - I'm away to try switching on the (exploding) cooker hob again, now that I have back-up in attendance :rotfl: Dinner is late and may, yet, be microwaved of the hob goes BANG!

catznine

:hello: Hello!

Sorry I have not been around for a while, so much going on and things were definately slipping in the budget area! ooops! dd now has her mri scan next month and has been diagnosed with hemiplegic migraine which apparently mimics stroke symptoms so not fun but could have been so much worse, we will relax more after the scan!

Please, please don't anyone give up, I think we are all going to have times where life takes over and we get a tad dispondent but even if we only take on board a few money saving ideas (never mind if we don't come in on target - (personally I don't think that matters too much) we will not have failed- only gained! We will still have learned where our money is going and hopefully many other things as well. I am combining this challenge with my attempts to become "greener" re the recycling route and energy saving.

In an effort to get back on track I decided in my infinite wisdom to tackle sorting out the larder first thing in the morning before I had even partaken of a :coffee: never a good idea!:eek: My unco-ordinated self managed to up-end a tub of gravy granules all over the lower shelves and a very interested puppy!:rotfl: while clearing this up a pack of trifle sponges fell on my head (lucky it wasn't a tin of custard - I am now making my own) "Handy" I thought as with yet another appointment at the dreaded dentist a home made trifle seemed like a good idea! Talk about one thing leading to another!:rolleyes:

Anyway even if I have not added posts I have tried to come on here and read some and love the support on here for everyone. So a big thank you to you all for keeping me going! :T Off to amend my total spends now!