2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Marru

catznine wrote: »

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:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: OH THANK YOU! First propert laugh for today!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Aril

Hello fellow frugalites:D
For all those who are feeling like they've failed the challenge...pah no such thing. You've all contributed loads [and hopefully learnt a few new frugal moves] and even if you career past the magic £4000 figure without so much as a backwards glance my money would be on that come the end of the year you will still have spent less than you would have done had you not consciously changed your attitude to spending. Don't view it as being unsuccessful please view it as a positive learning experience. That's how I look upon it...I'm constantly cutting back in one area to find something else unexpected comes up and bites me on the bum. This week OH's trusty old drill has blown a gasket [or something similar....I don't suppose a drill has a gasket does it:D ]
Botheration up to yesterday I sincerely believed I had edged forward in the gnat bottom stakes again, My friend shared with me a couple of his frugal cooking tips....veggie burgers with marmite on the top to boost up the flavour [this is OB marmite equivalent...sorry yeast extract] and tuna/rice/sweetcorn and mango chutney mixed together [to which we added curry powder and some vinegar to cut the sweetness]. One very reasonably priced menu and bob's your uncle I'm within my grocery budget for the week. Oh no...Mr Frugal outwitted me at the last moment. We had the metal box with a wheel at each corner MOT'ed today. Fortunately it passed but we had a voucher that came with the notification that promised either 20% off or 200 extra Mr T clubcard points on the said voucher. However, the same letter said 20% and 200 points and Mr Frugal with the bare faced cheek of a baby pointed this out and got both:D Shows that it pays to ask. Even my sister is getting on the act by ringing me to say that she's asked for some cat litter from freecycle on my behalf and I hadn't even seen the email. Mind you perhaps I've got this all wrong and it's all down to the wonderful frugal training programme I have put those around me on [or is it that I bang on about frugalism so incessantly that I have now succeeded in totally brainwashing them:rotfl: :rotfl: ]
Oh well onwards and upwards...3 NSDs for me in a row:j
Aril

georgiasmum

I don't know if I am succeeding or failing at this challenge but I have no new debt, a goal and a grocery budget. We are eating well, having the odd treat and a few days out. I may not meet my challenge target but am going to try and do my best. Don't give up folks...

sashacat

Please don't anyone give up. I am already way over budget and have just had to pay out £287 for my car. But I am determined to succeed and even if I don't manage the £4000 at least I will know exactly where my money has gone and how much I have spent for the year.
Like Nyk I am including everything except water and council tax (don't have mortgage...too old, have paid it off) so unexpected car bills( which weren't really unexpected, that's just my excuse for not planning ahead) leave me playing catch up for months. But at the end of the year I'll know where I am.
Can't put anything in my signature as I can't work out how to!
But I am gaining such a lot from this thread, sometimes just little things ( like I now make my own yogurt) but sometimes big things like encouragement, amusement and cheerfulness...so please don't leave

elantan

i have to admit i aint planning on giving up i had thought about it but realised (as i said previously) the support on here is amazing so although i know i will be over i do know i will do my best ....

so confession time seeing as were all doing it just now lol

hubby and i went out for lunch we havnt had a chance to touch base for ages were so busy working doing things we seem to be passing ships in the night...so today was a great time to sit and chat we went to frankie and benny's stayed for a few hours and chatted spent £20 including tip which really is unaffordable just now but today we needed it ...we have to discuss hs future he cant go on the way he has been he is in pain too often ...nothing has been decided but he has a few things to ponder over ...

hope everyone's day has been great

jazz6

hi ive been reading all of your posts and i think that non of you should give up big pat on your backs......the hole idea is to be in control even if you cant stick to 4000 that what i do...been reading all of your posts since xmas good luck everybody....

liuhut

Well seeing as its confession time!!! I've not posted for a few weeks...actually think it was end of Jan acording to my sig!!
We have spent loads this month....the car broke down TWICE last week for different things, had to pay the ins for the car and house but thats now out the way for another year.
I've had a real wobble this month about going to Oz but I feel like I'm back on track now. Sat down with OH last night and showed him how much he....and me! have spent on beer this month....put it this way the food bill was about the same amount...Ohh dear BUT we have decided AGAIN to quit...we shall see.
I had been thinking off pulling out like Jacks but I love reading the posts everyday and I have cut down on a lot of areas...I think I just got over whelmed with everything and just a little bit stressed....even my 6 year old told me I had a stress head on!!

Sorry that this has turned into an epic...just to say I'm going to forget about Feb and on wards and upwards!!

Mollymop5

Jacks you have had a terrible week.I've read your post on the grocery challenge.Please don't leave us completely.Just take some time out for yourself to recharge and get through the next few weeks.Keep reading and posting when you feel like it and re join us when you're ready.
My thoughts are with you.Take care x

mini_huny_money

hya everyone. I felt like most of you are feeling a few weeks ago, end of Jan beginnin of Feb was really bad for me. I kept on reading the posts and noting my spends in my diary and then just the other week, felt that I could do this again and like others, though Im hoping to come in on target, if I don't at least I hope to be somewhere in the region but if Im not, theres always next year

I still havent totalled up my spends but I know I must be doing ok as this is the first month, probly since early last summer that I havent used my CC to get me thru the last few days of the month to pay for petrol or groceries, having to run down my cupboards and freezer for next week has helped with the grocery spend though and my wee car seems to have gone on fumes over the past few days!!!!!

Nyk .....how can you even contemplate leaving.:eek: ....or even worse desperate to get Duncan Bannatyne outta the way,,,,,,I take it you dont mean literally.:rotfl: ....( I must confess I quite like him )

Frugaldom

mini_huny_money wrote: »

Nyk .....how can you even contemplate leaving.:eek: ....or even worse desperate to get Duncan Bannatyne outta the way,,,,,,I take it you dont mean literally.:rotfl: ....( I must confess I quite like him )

I'm not contemplating leaving :eek: but I'm allowed to throw a strop and threaten to leave now and again - ask my old boss. :rotfl: And as for Mr Bannatyne, well... according to his book he can throw a strop and feel like quitting too I don't want to desert him three quarters of the way through his book, but the Epileptic Lurcher is lying on my desk looking up at me and whimpering, 'read me, read me...'

I guess a couple more early nights with Duncan should be enough and the lurcher isn't going anywhere. I'll just put it on the shelf for now