2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

Burlesque_Babe

I have returned from my holiday and have decided to bow out of this challenge.

My situation is that I only have £4,000 to live on after the mortgage etc (less in fact) and being in this situation is fact, rather than choice.

I just feel that looking at the bleak realisation every day in my signature that I have so little to live on is compounding how I feel about money at the moment. My financial life is pared down to the bone and has been since I decided to pay off my debts. 10 months on from being debt-free (and due to a change in job circumstances) I'm struggling each day just as much as I was when I was in debt and each day is another day of piggy points, quidco, bargains and voucher hunting and this challenge (to me) is just 'rubbing in' the situation even further I came back to a load of free bread from my ex waiting for me at his house when I picked up my doggy and I thought - there should be more to life after debt than this.

I had a frugal holiday - to the point of coming home with a case containing many, many free toiletries 'spirited' into my bag whilst in the hotel and not being able to bear leaving behind an unopened 1 litre carton of wine even though it cost less than 1 euro to buy in the first place.

I think if I was in the position to be living on £4,000 by choice because I was then saving the excess each month, then I would be able to continue, but I'm just tired of knowing this challenge - for me - is really about just the day to day reality of living my life.

I'll continue in the same vein I have been all year, because, other than plundering my savings or racking up the CC's again (neither are going to happen) I have no other choice, I just can't 'face' seeing the figures there each day.

Good luck to you all - I know you will do fantastically well during the rest of 2008.

If by 1 Jan 2009, I'm in a better position, then I may re-join if the challenge carries on next year.

Kittikins

Hi Keren, I'm a lurker and love reading this thread and others. Sorry to read you're feeling so blue today, sending big hugs. I should be doing this challenge but am putting my head in the sand about my finances at the moment, however, I know I've cut down on my spending by a huge amount since getting into lurking on this thread.

You're all so inspirational, I've learned so much from reading this and am putting lots of things into practice.

Kittikins

grandma247

Keren you sound as though you need some regular fun in your life.

Things are getting more difficult at the moment but we all need to think of ways to have some fun and family time that does not cost anything but will give us a lift.
I am not in this challenge but we are living close to this amount too and I have two children still at home and a grown son and his wife who are with us thanks to the building society from hell who caused them a lot of grief and still are. They managed to sell but are still struggling even living here.
Coming back from holiday can make you feel miserable too. It takes a while to get back into things.
We got off the plane a few years ago from Aus. and I wanted to get right back on it as it was foggy and cold here.

Do you have hobbies?

Frugaldom

Keren, PM'ing you. Don't desert us please

FunBrum

Keren sweetie....we all feel pants with the way life treats us at times but remember that 'this will also pass'. I often, and have done for a good many years, thought, "Is this it! Is this my lot?" But then I think of the times when things were at their worst and I always think, I am not going to be feeling like this tomorrow, or next week or next month. We can look at things in a possitive or negative way. It's up to us. I am all for a bit of woe is me...it does me the power of good! So wallow for a while, and know that your friends are here, ready to wecome you with open arms.:D

Whitey...glad you checked out Oprah. Anything really that helps us with our goals and aspirations:A

bails

Keren, big hugs to you. I can see why you feel so fed up with having to look at your figures every day so perhaps you could take them out of your sig, stop posting your daily spends and just stay with us to offer and receive the great ideas and endless support that the thread can give? We would dearly love you to stay xx FunBrum's advice is so true - however we feel, however despairing, it will always pass. From a financial point of view, I have found it incredibly frustrating to go from a well-paid job to counting every penny, but refocusing my attitude towards this has actually empowered me. Give us a chance to help you through how you're feeling.

bails

Bit of a mixed day here - been shopping with my mum for ages and haven't bought a thing; got back to the car to find a £30 fine, which seems like a bad thing but I have parked for free literally 100s of times and if I'd paid each time, I would've spent that amount in 8 -10 times. I've already got £65 set aside in case I got a ticket so no drama there. Absolutely shattered now, I'll pay for it but it was nice to spend some time with Mum. And she's also definitely agreed to teach me how to make my own clothes when she gets back from India (inbetween making my brother's bridesmaids dresses):j
My soap nuts were here when I got back so I've just put a load on!:T And some vouchers from 'Housebass'.

skintwellie

keren29 wrote: »

I have returned from my holiday and have decided to bow out of this challenge.

My situation is that I only have £4,000 to live on after the mortgage etc (less in fact) and being in this situation is fact, rather than choice.


Don't go Karen, I have been in a much, much worse position than this with 3 kids and a load of animals to feed. If only there had been the support that this thread provides, around then. I remember only too well how it felt just trying to survive and how crap I felt when I couldn't give the kids any of the things their friends had/were doing. I had 4 jobs and life was just a nightmare, I worked all day and worried about money all night!

Things did eventually get better and I'm now in debt due to the failure of my business (just ain't cut out for it, I'm afraid). However with the support of this thread I'm hoping to get debt free and have some savings (for the first time in my life) and to have a fantastic free £1,000 Christmas for ALL my family. I have worked for the last 8 Christmases but I'm not doing it this year, even if I have to leave my job to do it.

Please stay, I'm sure that there are lots of us on here that can help with ideas. In my case I was always honest about lack of money and found people very understanding and I was saved from embarrassment.

mumzyof2

Bails will you let me know how the soapnuts are???

FrankieM

Hi again,
I can understand where you are coming from Keren, though I felt it from the other way, I just couldn't see how I could manage it and found it really stressful. The thing is, I found myself coming back to see how everyone was going and found people's motivation really inspiring, so I've found that while I might not be able to stick to a tight budget, I can be inspired...

Anyway I said I'd add up what I've spent since we got back into the country at the end of Jan...and the grand total is.....£3137.28...
Gosh, that crept up quickly didn't it!?
I'm hoping that when my next gas and electricty bills come in I'll be more up to date. It would be great to be able to reduce my DD's. My food shopping is also starting to settle to a more normal amount, it takes ages to get stocked back up again. Most other things are regular amounts I can't do much about and odd bits of clothes and school trips....

Should I put my total in my sig? Should I set a target amount?
I certainly want to keep a close eye on things...