2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

barole

I think I am with you on this Kiki! I feel I need to be in control of it all to keep on straight and narrow. I need to review my figures.

How do we report our progess? Sorry but I havn't done this before.

Barole xx

georgiasmum

Just wanted to report that my errant DH is on board - that is some miracle! Just wanted to know how everyone's 'week' will run. Mine will be Friday to friday. Does it matter???

bails

Well, I'm just going to start tomorrow and so it'll be every - um, what day is it tomorrow (doesn't Christmas do you in?!) - Tuesday for me. Still mulling over what to include and not...

barole

As day one tomorrow, my week will be Tuesday to Tuesday, I don't think it matters.

DdraigGoch

Well, back from the brink of insanity here. Looks like, with severe cutbacks obviously, we can stay within our income. I'm still working out if we can stay within these rule, though!

A major problem is that we live 45 miles from OH's job and there's no public transport that will get him door to door in time for work, plus DD works 10 miles away without any public transport, and the shopping is over 17 miles away, unless you count the nearest shop - 6 miles... bit of a pain. Soooooo, back to the calculator. Just popped in to say we're still committed [probably shall be by the end of this! ] but might not come in at £4K

debrag

you must live way out in the country

Protogenia

I will use Sunday through to Saturday as my financial week - makes it easier to update my spreadsheets at the weekend as I rarely work then.

lil_me

Ok I am done tweaking, I am going to try to manage on £4k but for different things. The only addition which will not be included is what my partner earns over the amount he gives me (overtime etc) which he keeps for himself and spends on himself. I don't get this money or know how much it is most of the time and he only spends it on himself anyway. I have tweaked it so the list is seperate for essential items which I have got as low as I can, those which are essential and shouldn't be unpaid to save money etc and then those which I have more control over. I will add that last year I spent over £13k (just what I can remember, will no doubt be more) on the ones which are on my 'under £4k' list, :eek: so this could be a bit of a tricky one.

Items that are counted as I have more of a choice over how extravagant I am

Groceries/toiletries/cleaning products
Gifts for others
House Pets - 2 dogs, lizard, fish and hedgehog
Basic travel - petrol costs only for anything other than work
Luxury items
Entertainment/Socialising
Household goods/furnishings
Home Decorating/Interior Design
Clothing/footwear
Days Out
Hobbies/Sports/Club Memberships
Cigarettes (if you smoke)
Alcohol (if you drink)

Items that are not counted, they are either as low as I can get them or essential and should be treated as such

Rent or mortgage
Council Tax
Water Rates
Heating
Lighting
Telephone
Internet
TV Licence
Essential Household goods (for example cooker etc if it breaks)
Work related travel expenses
Car insurances, tax and repairs
Holiday - not planning on going
Outstanding debts
Essential home maintenance
Home insurance

hypno06

Lil-me, your list reads much the same as mine.

Good luck with the challenge :j

KiKi

Barole - I'm going to report mine like this, as some are monthly costs and some are annual:

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Monthly - January
TV / Phone line - 15 - Direct Debit, always 15
Internet - 18 - Direct Debit, always 18
Mobile - 25 - Direct Debit, always 25
Gym - 39 - Direct Debit, always 39
Elec - 16 - Direct Debit, always 16
Gas - 16 - Direct Debit, always 16
Charities - 20 - Direct Debit, always 20
Food / household - 140 - spent 0

Annually
Cats' injections - 100 - spent 104
Birthdays - 370 - spent 134.10
Contact lens stuff - 48 - spent 0
Haircut - 72 - spent 0
Hair stuff - 112 - spent 82
Clothes - 300 - spent 41
Clarins stock up - 80 - spent 49.75
Contents insurance - 100 - spent 0
TV licence - 140 - spent 0
Christmas - 320 - spent 41


Jan - on target!

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