2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Frugaldom

mumzyof2 wrote: »

Heya, In park they are very expensive BUT i have gone for the £200 highstreet vouchers and i pay £5.41 a week untill end of november.. and that total exactly £200 so im only paying for what i buy if you get me..there no APR for highstreet vouchers.

That's great news on the 0% APR, I'm glad you decided to do that. Well done, I think you made the right decision. :T


Just a few posts back, someone said something that made me think about my personal lifestyle spending and I simply HAD to check my figures. To my utter shock, I have just realised that OVER HALF of my £4,000 per year goes on wants rather than needs! :eek: I'm flabbergasted! Thank you Skintwellie and Poorandindenial, as I think it was your posts that made me STOP AND THINK. I've been budgeting for years and never once stopped to count up the costs of luxury items and it's all because we have been lulled into thinking these things are actually essentials! Here's a list of some of the things I include in my budget that I could (although I choose not to) live without:

Electric heating
Electric blanket
Hot water on demand
Television & TV licence
Telephone with all day call package
Internet access
Broadband connection
Extra insurance
Tumble Dryer
Mobile telephone
Presents for all the family for every occasion

None of the above are essential for living. Technically, I could slash my annual costs to about £2,500 + council tax if I owned a house outright and lived 'the good life'. This, of course, would mainly be because I would have no time to miss any of the basic luxuries; I'd be far too busy cooking, baking, gardening, chopping firewood, cleaning out the barn, collecting eggs, milking the goat and making homemade presents for everyone. Is this what people aspire to in the 21st Century?:rotfl: Imagine the face of the career's advisor when faced with that scenario in today's schools.

Marru

Hi Nyk,

What a lovely picture you are painting. My dream is to live in a small holding and run an animal sanctuary and animal foster home. Wouldn't have time to do all that home growing as would spend too much time kissing my donkies (I wish!!). Perhaps when I retire in 25 years time and my debt is paid off. Need to go and kiss my dogs and guinea pigs now instead. My challenge is officially starting TOMORROW! This really is the best thread in the whole forum.

Marru

broke_mum_of_three

Hi Nyk
I know you say essentials but I more or less count everything except mortgage, rates and anything to do with my car like insurance, petrol and the actual car payment itself as I wouldnt be able to eat;)
On top of the £882.96 I spent this month I spent £152 on petrol, £225 car payment then the mortgage and the rates, it is just so scary when it is all counted up.
The £882.96 was made up of £393.81 food, partly due to a meat package deal I was doing which cost £20 each week for 4 weeks and the 5th week this week is free and I reckon I now have enough meat in the freezer to last through March. £101.40 was spent on what I have termed luxuries(non essentials to live) and £48.49 on presents (birthdays and mothers day) and not forgetting my husbands £30 parking fine:mad:
I am only taking heart in what you said about January being high for you but overall it can be pulled back.
So here goes, the horns are being pulled in yet again ( any more and they will be meeting at the back:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Frugaldom

Good luck Marru!

Brokemum - I count everything except rent & council tax, and am fortunate that I don't need a car, as I work from home. It's easy to hitch a lift on the rare occasion I go into town and, despite being quite rural, we are only 15 mins off a main transport route, so I could get a bus all the way to London if I wanted. Never have, but I could if I wanted.

I keep looking at property and land and woodlands (and nuclear bunkers and boats) and other such things that I can't afford, and can't help but wonder where I'll end up in the future. Life really is an adventure!

I need to read back and try to keep note of what everyone on here is doing and aiming for longterm. Who has the little caravan and the plot of land with fruit trees in Devon and how are you doing renovating your caravan? I've a friend renovating a campervan, but haven't heard how they are getting on since they've been working away from home.

That reminds me - I still haven't bought any washing powder / liquid since getting the soap nuts. My supply of Bold from last year's BOGOF offers will probably last me the full year, as I'm mostly using the soap nuts now and they appear to be doing the job just fine. Waffling on, so I'm going to head off again. Working away from home all day tomorrow and may not have Internet access! :eek: However, all extra income is welcome, especially as Sunday is the big 'day out'. I just hope the weather improves. as it's still blowing a gale here!

mumzyof2

how many weeks r left starting tomorrow?

Marru

I think 43.5

mumzyof2

ok so i have £95.78 i week if i have worked it out right

broke_mum_of_three

What does everyone who is using the soap nuts use for scent? Is it essential oils they suggest and if so can anyone recommend some? I have been using them with great success too but would like to add a bit of scent.

pennib

Nykmedia, can I ask where you are going to buy a house? In the UK or abroad like Spain or Poland etc? I have been reading your posts and think they are great. I can imagine that you would be happy living in a renovated gypsy caravan :rotfl: surrounded by various animals with veg and fruit to hand.

I would like to have bought a house in Spain (a do upper) but hubby didnt want to.:mad: but I have to admit the language was a bit of a small problem:rolleyes:

I only come out of lurkdom rarely but I have a lot of respect to you all for conquering your debts and read the posts regularly, so I
now think twice before buying unnecessary stuff.

Pennib

whitewing

Well, inspired by Nyk's comment yesterday about the leap year, I celebrated the extra day by paying £100 extra off the mortgage.

I shall make an overpaymnt on mother's day too, rather than having a present. I actually get very excited about this, and updating my spreadsheet.

Off to work with my packed lunch and no change for the drinks machine.

Tomorrow it's off to aunty's after work for a lovely Mother's Day Roast with the whole family. It's going to be fantastic - aunty's a great cook.