PMS Challenge 2008

FunkyFairy

I am going to join this year

Going to keep track of everything

scuzz

I'm in!

Last year's total was over £1000!!!:T

So far this year I'm up to about £15:T :j

Great to see you back Queenie!!

Queenie

scuzz wrote: »

I'm in!

Last year's total was over £1000!!!:T

So far this year I'm up to about £15:T :j

Great to see you back Queenie!!

Wow! Funtastic, very well done to you scuzz :T :T :T :T

FunkyFairy, welcome

Ok, I posted this as a thread in it's own right, but things move soooo fast around here, I thought I'd post the link in case anyone missed it. It'll be useful for your PMS and those doing the Grocery Challenge.

Shopping List Software (Free)

It's a nice little program, but does take some time to set up to *your* particular needs insomuch as you may need to delete some of their suggestions, fill in the prices of others and of course, add items that you would normally buy. It's worth the investment of time though. I like having the total as well as the list so I can make notes at the side if there is an offer on or a reduction; it will be a boon in calculating savings (or noting any overspends :eek: )
NB: It is a windows based program and doesn't have a MAC version or work with Linus! Otherwise, it's good to go :rotfl:

Justamum

scuzz wrote: »

I'm in!

Last year's total was over £1000!!!:T

So far this year I'm up to about £15:T :j

Great to see you back Queenie!!

Crikey! That's not bad.

I'm on a "get myself properly organised" spree this year so am going to give this a go. I'm sure I won't get up to £1000 though. I've printed off Queenie's pms tips and have filed them in my new household management file so I know where they are!

Justamum

Thanks for posting on this again Queenie. I'm going to spend some time on the shopping list software too. I need to try and get some money saved, even if it's only a little bit. Last year was our annus horribilis (total c**p actually) and so far this year seems to have set off on the same foot.

Queenie

Sorry to hear that Justamum. Life has a nasty little habit of going through cycles like that. ((hugs))
£1000 does sound like a long away goal, but, as scuzz has proved, it is attainable; we can only measure our successes by our own circumstances.

The whole point about pin money is that slowly but surely all those little tweaks *do* add up. £1 a week is £52 at the end of the year. £1 a day will be £365 at the end of a year.

I've been lazy and buying coffee on the days I'm out - worse, I buy for a group of 4 and sometimes the balance doesn't work out when it comes to others taking their turn So, my resolution is to take a flask of coffee again.
3 cups of coffee per day = £1.70 (2 @ 50p, 1 @ 70p) just for me.
That's 3 days per week = £5.10 per week or ... £20.40 per month!

By the end of the year, at that rate, I could boost my PMS by £244.80 and already I'll be a quarter of the way towards £1000

Stay focused and I just *know* you'll soon see those small tweaks and savings grow.

CRANKY40

I've already started doing this. I have £20 a week to spend on "just things" IYKWIM, birthdays at work, a snack for ds if we're out unexpectedly (he's fussy so I usually take food with me), stamps, that kind of thing. Anything left over goes in a tin.

I also plan to put anything left over from my grocery challenge in the tin too.

I've no idea what I'm saving up for, but maybe just being able to bank the money from the tin now and then will be enough to cheer me up for now.

scuzz

As my total for last year seems a bit scary to some, I thought I'd share a few ways of how I got there:

Mobile Phone Top Ups
I usually spend around £10 a month. I don't "pay" for these!! Instead, I use the Boots vouchers I get from Pigsback, as I don't tend to buy much in Boots. So £10 a month - £120 a year!

Jars
I have jars for £2 coins, 5p's, and 1p's and 2p's. (most of these are unopened, so I've no idea what's in there, but will go in the PIN saving's account when full.) The penny jar's been on the go since I was 15 and still not full:eek: But it's HUGE whiskey bottle

Internet
Any cash I earn through archerfish, cashbag etc goes in the pin money. I don't get much, as it's all daily clicks as I don't shop online - no credit card!
It goes into a seperate account and as soon as that reaches £10 I withdraw the cash and put it in the PIN savings account.

General Stuff

> As I don't really need to use my Tesco vouchers for anything else (sorry Martin), I use them to get money off my shop, which is the most beneficial use for me. It may not be for you. I save anywhere between £10-£20 each quarter, so let's say that's £20 a quarter for argument's sake, so £80 a year!

> Any BOGOF savings or three for two's extra goes in too.

> I also use luncheon vouchers off my shop in Tesco, so that's £4 a go. And I get the occassional Tesco gift card from valued opinions, which I use to buy presents with as they're valid against books, CDs, DVDs, games and flowers. So that's a £10 saving.

> I also use as many coupons as I can, but won't buy something just because I have the coupon (I don't have the courage to try and use a coupon when I haven't brought the product)

> I make the most of the 5p off a litre vouchers for Tesco and put the money saved from that in there. Usually about £1.75 a week with the current cost of fuel.

> Any cash found on the ground - pennies etc - go in. (Check supermarket trolley that have the coin release thing on them!!)

Loyalty Cards

I have loyalty cards for everywhere that does them where I shop.

> Just received Co-ops - £1.59 for six months. Don't shop there much, but always go with colleagues, who're happy for me to hand over my card on their purchase.

> WHSmith - still have about £13 on there. Waiting until I get in the flat, then will treat myself to something

> Boots - about £13 mainly gathered through using pigsback vouchers for topping up the mobile!

> Waterstones - only just started one here, so have a few pence on this one.

> Nectar - tend to get the "free" points through internet surveys about their services, but occassionally shop in Debenhams and Sainsburys. Hardly anything on there, but will eventually use to buy something I need in Argus.


That's all I can think of at the moment. But as you can see, I don't stick to the "rules" so to speak and don't do other challenges like the grocery challenge, so no savings from there go towards my target. I do it "my way" I guess you could say. But as this forum proves it's each to their own as to what works best for individuals.

Hope this helps just one person. Happy Saving!

Queenie

scuzz, that's a great rundown on how you succeeded in such a fabulous total in PMS; did you know, you can now "spend" those nectar points in Debenhams too

I also calculate any savings made by purchasing reduced items in supermarkets; often these items can be frozen and don't have to be used immediately, but do need to be used immediately when defrosted. Reduced goods include dented tins (so long as the seam is't dented), dented packets (decanted into a canister, no one knows the difference). Dented wash powder boxes make quite a little dent

Tesco coupons I am using for a holiday - so, it won't be *actual* savings, but, I will count it as *virtual* savings; couldn't have afforded it otherwise

I used up some Nectar tokens that came before Christmas but expired end of January to get the very most from the tokens & the sales. For example, one token was double nectar points if you spend £18 on Sainsburys gift range. I went when the sales were on and bought a load of bits and bobs for the gift cupboard, made sure it covered the amount and used the token. I also had a triple points on total spend; so, I bought up some joints of beef and pork (while they are still on Christmas prices) and have put those in my freezer. They will be used throughout the next 9mths - cooked once for a roast then the rest will be sliced and diced and refrozen for other meals throughout the month. This in turn will lower my grocery bill for the month.

Oh, one of the gift range I purchased was a beautiful photo frame. Marked down to £4.50. However, at the checkout, they couldn't find a bar code; Manager came over and asked if I could remember how much it was (well, I genuinely couldn't at that point) and joked "50p", so he said, "Ok, £1" - me, still thinking he was joking, "Oooh, you cheeky thing! That's DOUBLE!", he just laughed and walked away. Yes, the cashier had seriously only charged me £1!! So, the actual £3.50 difference when into my PMS; the other £4.50 (which adds up to the full price) has been logged in my virtual account.

I now have a good little pile of gifts in my gift cupboard ready for throughout the year/next Christmas.

CRANKY - great idea! Yes, banking that money and then watching as the bank pays in the interest can be very rewarding!
Is there something that you could purchase with your savings that would be useful in making even further savings? For example, the price of the daily loaf is horrendous! Could you save for a BM (if you don't already have one) and then you can snowball any savings you make from that back into your PMS?

CRANKY40

Thanks, I already have a BM, and a slow cooker. I'm trying to cook from scratch as much as possible this year, and also spend as little as possible doing it. It will be good just to watch my little savings fund grow!