2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Frugaldom

Good afternoon to all.

Janey, I hope DG's ankle heals quickly and he's not in too much pain.

Mumzy, try the totals thing to cut down your cigs, it really does help. Also, Marks & Spencer were selling cordless kettles for £5, just in case you have a store near you.

Bails, I'm sticking rigidly to my severly curbed spending regime. So far this month I have only had 3 spend days.

In about 3 days time, on the 13th March, we will be one fifth of the way through this challenge and I know for a fact that I have spent far more than one fifth of my annual budget. Indeed, the end of this month signifies quarter of the way through and I have spent far more than quarter of my budget. I was going to attempt to balance it out by the time we got one third through, day 122 of 366, which falls on 1st May but that also looks impossible. :eek:
The only hope I have is of curbing the spending to £2000 within 6 months. Theoretically, I should have spent £2000 by 1st July, but even that is looking tight.

Hopefully, you can all follow my reasoning and see how we shouldn't worry about the ups and downs of wise spending, so long as we can find a balance at some point and keep within our own budgets. Right now, my challenge looks impossible to complete successfully but if I look closely at where the money has gone, then I can budget accordingly. I'm off to reassess this annual budget AGAIN and can only hope that the dear Chancellor doesn't scupper us all completely Things really could be tight this year, but I am determined that my cost of living won't impact on any of my savings plans.

Now... has anyone any tips on blowing eggs? I have an idea for Easter

MarkyMarkD

Mumzy Our DD also had cold in her eyes yesterday - quite badly, but she's woken up a lot better so we shan't bother dragging her to the doctors. She's had a streaming cold for quite a few days now and she's getting really nowty about having her nose wiped.

Stay off the nasty cigs!

You are making me dream about hols. We aren't going away for another 3 months which seems like forever, but then again it's only 6 weeks since we got back from hols!

Janey Sorry to hear about OH's problems. AFAIK a pension shouldn't affect sick pay - as long as he pays NI he should get it. Does his employer not pay anything anyway? (Some do pay full pay while you are off sick and the statutory sick pay doesn't really come into it).

bails

Well done Nyk! My SDs have been scuppered by my DDs not coming out on their usual days (presumably because the start of the month was a weekend?) so I spent last Sat and Sun (Mothers Day weekend) and then my DDs came out on Monday:mad: Then OH bought the carbon monoxide detector on Thursday... Oh well, at least we haven't spent anything on the GC all week and our spends are down, so some up sides

I'm over a fifth of my budget too, but only by £37.96 so far. Now if I can just convince OH to do without soya milk til Wednesday (my 1/5th milestone), I'll be happy. I told him to get enough and it was tough if he didn't, but he may just put his foot down and rebel!

mumzyof2

Hello all and thankyou for the posts regarding my kettle and stopping smoking... I have smoked 1 but not going to smoke another till at least tea time. On my way into town I went to aldi to see if they had a kettle, they didnt so i got some 89p cereal for kids, went across road to curry and there cheapest kettle wa £9.99 so i then went netto and they didnt have any...walked to town...started raining and have no rain cover on the single pram...so instead of going argos other side of town i popped in woolworths as i have seen kettles on thier website for £5...but cheapest instore was £11.99 so i finally got to argos, the place i was going to buy it from anyways and it cost me £4.69 or £4.89
I would never ever usually shop and walk around in cold weather to find cheapest product before i started this challenge so thankyou even though we got wet and cold

MARKYMARKD - My DD eye is getting better today not as much yellow gunk coming out of it. I took her park other day and it was a bit cold, now i feel guilty she has cold in her eye or conjuntivitus because i know she must of got it from going to the park that day in the cold
How do you afford to go on holiday so quickly after you just got back :P I wouldnt be going on holiday if it wasnt for my mum living there and her paying inc spending money...also just got my tickets through post )))))))))))))))))

Marru

HI,

Just a quick one, will update properly in the evening.

Nyk: When I was a child we used a darning needle to make a small hole on one end of the egg and a bigger one on the other and then blow to the smaller and the stuff comes out from the bigger. Great fun!! Plus that my mum used the egg contents to bake cakes!! And then us kids used our water colours to decorate the eggs.

Mumzyof2: I quit smoking in 1992 and I had planned of stopping for 3 months before I actually did it (year end busy time at work so didn't even think about quitting in the middle of that stress) and then just stopped. I still slipped when went out socialising but then told myself that even if I smoke then it doesn't mean that I will start smoking "full time" again so eventually even that stopped. Also what helped (might be difficult for you with 2 LOs) was that I started doing aerobic lessions and after busting my lungs for an hour in aerobics I really didn't feel like smoking and the improvement in my fitness was an additional motivator. Good luck!

Anyway, catch up with you all later (rushing off to send a nasty letter to M&S money)

Marru

Jay1_2

nykmedia wrote: »

In about 3 days time, on the 13th March, we will be one fifth of the way through this challenge and I know for a fact that I have spent far more than one fifth of my annual budget. Indeed, the end of this month signifies quarter of the way through and I have spent far more than quarter of my budget. I was going to attempt to balance it out by the time we got one third through, day 122 of 366, which falls on 1st May but that also looks impossible. :eek:
The only hope I have is of curbing the spending to £2000 within 6 months. Theoretically, I should have spent £2000 by 1st July, but even that is looking tight.

Now... has anyone any tips on blowing eggs? I have an idea for Easter

Nyk if you - the original - are finding it tough maybe there is still hope for me!
They were blowing eggs on Larkrise to Candleford (available on the BBC IPlayer) don't know whether you can get any tips from that - just looked yukky to me!

Now I'm deciding what to do with my tv and video/dvd player. I watch a lot of tv but for the last week I've been trying to restrict myself to what I can see online so no need to renew my tv license. But although there is loads, maybe more than normal as I don't have digital, it isn't very good quality (and the laptop takes a lot longer than the tv to start up when need a fix). Hmm... need to decide before the end of March.

mumzyof2

Marru wrote: »

HI,

Just a quick one, will update properly in the evening.

Nyk: When I was a child we used a darning needle to make a small hole on one end of the egg and a bigger one on the other and then blow to the smaller and the stuff comes out from the bigger. Great fun!! Plus that my mum used the egg contents to bake cakes!! And then us kids used our water colours to decorate the eggs.

Mumzyof2: I quit smoking in 1992 and I had planned of stopping for 3 months before I actually did it (year end busy time at work so didn't even think about quitting in the middle of that stress) and then just stopped. I still slipped when went out socialising but then told myself that even if I smoke then it doesn't mean that I will start smoking "full time" again so eventually even that stopped. Also what helped (might be difficult for you with 2 LOs) was that I started doing aerobic lessions and after busting my lungs for an hour in aerobics I really didn't feel like smoking and the improvement in my fitness was an additional motivator. Good luck!

Anyway, catch up with you all later (rushing off to send a nasty letter to M&S money)

Marru

Hello thanks...i am more determined that ever i think about not smoking..i have bought 10 today BUT these have to last me cause i am not going shop..and having to spend £5 on my card just to buy some cigs.
Iam also looking into doing something at loacal leisure centre as they have a creche there too for the LO's

whitewing

Mumzy, well done on getting your kettle. Also when my DS had conjunctivitis, we used cold tea to wipe his eyes (don't add milk or sugar!). I got that tip years ago from a friend who used the same on her kittens.

I have just been reading the Trying to Conceive (TTC) thread. We are trying (big smile) intermittently. OH and I both are not taking it absolutely seriously at the moment. Consequently we are still doing some 'other things' (although I must admit my frugal attitude is overspilling into a 'what a waste of sperm'; but have not admitted that to OH yet!) Got a bit grossed out with stretchy mucus so am not going to be monitoring that!

I think my participation in this challenge is excellent though. I am one of those people who gets an idea into their head and rushes out to complete the goal in any way possible. Fortunately OH is a bit more chilled out than that. But as we are doing this challenge, I have decided not to go out and buy thermometers, 100 home pregnancy tests, pre-seed gel and all the other bits and pieces that are now essential for conceiving, lol! So we're having a lucky dip baby, ie having a go once-in-a-while and if it happens, we'll be happy.

Thanks Granny et al, a few pages ago who advised about phantom pregnancies and anaemia. I went out for a walk with MIL on Friday for a couple of hours. Only a gentle mosey, and when I came back I was breathless (as opposed to out of breath) and felt uncommonly tired. So have made a doctor's appointment for this afternoon. Can't quite get it out of my head that I may be nearing my phantom due date! So I have promised myself that I will admit it to the doctor. Hence why I am pledging on here, as I'll feel more silly telling you lot that I didn't ask than admitting it is a phantom baby.

Nyk, I'm overbudget too, so am still not calculating exactly how much. Have updated my calendar with dates that child benefit goes in as we are still relying on that credit for some grocery shopping. Bit scary (esp when planning lucky dip baby). However, I now longer close my eyes when I take cash from the cashpoint *stopped me seeing the online balance* so I'm getting there!

Have talked to OH about charging MIL lodging & having her stay with us for the next six months. My friend gave me a good talking to last week and said I must charge at least £50 a week (and better for her to pay family than strangers). I still feel a bit bad because it means that she won't have much left over, but she wouldn't anyway and she needs somewhere she can feel a bit settled. OH is fine with this and is absolutely sure MIL will be too. I suppose this is another reason why I am laying the phantom baby to rest today - can't get rid of the idea that if phantom baby were to appear, then we would need to have a different discussion about accommodation for MIL.

When I had my unplanned DS, with my then-boyfriend, it was very different circumstances. I didn't bond with DS for six weeks, and even after that I struggled to think of myself as a good mum. Partly this was because I was living with my extended family, DS frightened me (because he was unplanned and I knew nobody with babies and nothing about them and anyway I wanted a career, and stupid girl that I was, I thought I could have both), and it was actually very easy to hand him over to loving grannies and aunties, and even though I was around all the time, I never got to know him particularly well. I love him with all my heart now.

This time round I want it to be very different. I almost want me, OH and DS to live in a bubble for the first month, just so we can get to know the LO. Am going now, can feel the tears welling up but I'm okay, perfectly happy actually. Things are much, much better now than they ever used to be. Got some very good folk around me now.

Frugaldom

Hello all and thank you for the egg tips

Jay, I'm afraid that as long as you have access to TV reception (even on a computer) then you need a license. The only way around it is to disconnect all reception/aerials and watch video/DVDs only.

Mumzy that was BRILLIANT bargain for your kettle! You must be feeling really proud of yourself making all that walking pay off! Well done! :T

Marru - I'm going to have a go at making decorative eggs but need to practice on smaller ones first. A friend used to make them and I have all the instructions, just looking for any extra advice. Has anyone tried this? I will be frugal and cook with the contents

Whitewing - I would relax and let nature take its course. I do agree with your friends that MIL should be paying her keep as she isn't just visiting, she is living with you, and then that situation can be renegotiated at a later date if phantom baby becomes a reality or if MIL decides to move into her own place. I don't know how old your DS is but mine's now left school and working full time, so he's classed as an adult and named on the house lease - his 'dig' money covers part of the rent. (Oh, and if you rent, make sure your landlord knows about the change of circumstances - I learned that the hard way! Lost last house because family came to stay, resulting in landlord terminating our lease!

OK, I have now done a complete reassessment of the finances, which is a regular MUST when playing this particular financial 'game'. As expected, my biggest worry is electricity :mad: but I don't know how to reduce this in a houseshare situation within a rented property. We already have all the bulbs changed to energy savers, all the heaters are set low, electricity is our only power source, we use power all day as 2 of us work from home and all washing (& drying depending on weather) is done after 11pm during cheap rate.

My recalculated spending for 2008 is:

Groceries: £1200 - £267 = £933
Heat & Light: £1200 - £419.44 = £780.56
Telephone: £250 - £59.72 = £190.28
Mobile: £50 - nil = £50
Internet: £220 - £31.91 = £188.09
Insurance: NIL - covered by cashback payments
TV Licence: NIL - covered by cashback payments
Gifts/Special Occasions: £500 - £66.20 = £433.80
Everything else: £580 - £250.64 = £345.58

Total: £4000 for year.

Already spent £1147.31, balance = £2852.69
Target average weekly spend = £76.50 over a year
Current average weekly spend = £114.73 :eek:
Day 70 of 2008, 296 days left at average £67.46 per week

mumzyof2

nyk yup it was cheap but i wasnt going to buy one and didnt think of using a pan and water on stove FOREVER..i didnt want to spend that much on a kettle as im beating myself up on the fact i must of catched the on switch and went to have my brew, to come back and find kettle on and no water in it!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I just had my brew but i just poured water in kettle n switched it on n made my brew...i should of cleaned it first LOL cause my brew is horrible LOL