Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

Mollymop5

Morning everyone.I've set myself up in the stables but unfortunately I have rooms to clean can't put it off any longer.Will catch up with you all later.

whowants2brich

Hi all,

I spoke to my fiancee and she says she's only going to join in this with me if I allow her to make her own cakes etc (she's one of those gluten-free peeps, and buying cakes gets expensive, as does making them ourselves at home).

I think we're in, but the tricky part now is to monitor our accounts and see how far our spending goes. Is it easiest to withdraw £80 per week and make sure you don't spend a penny over that, or is it easiest to ensure that your weekly/monthly spends are within that amount?

On a side issue, I think that as there are some single people on here doing £4k on their own, it's a bit unfair to have couples or familes with the same target (mind you, it's more difficult for those couples/families, but even better as a challenge)!

My #1 question to all those who seem to grow herbs and plants, is that we haven't got our own garden (only a balcony) because we currently rent a flat. I'd love to grow things, but wouldn't know where to start. I can get a deep planter from woolies, I already have some good quality compost etc, but I'd love to experiment more. I've got mint and basil growing strongly in the flat, but the thought of growing veg is scary...

We have a NW facing balcony, so it gets the sun for a few hours in the evening (when there is sunshine), whereas our kitchen windowsil is where the herbs are as it's SE facing.

I'd love to get an allotment but we probably won't be in the area for longer than another 6-9 months, so it'd be a waste of time - however, a plant pot could travel with us...

And to the kind person who sent the bread maker anonymously, my brother had one but couldn't take it with him when he moved to Oz, so he gave it to me, shame that... I now use it for loads of gluten-free treats, and I make my own bread which comes out perfectly. If anyone wants some suggestions/recipes, let me know... I've done loads of things.

Oh, and I make our own jam too, it's so much easier than it seems...

PS our electricity bill is about 5 units a day, 3.5 of them are on the fridge/freezer. Is that about normal (the fridge/freezer is an all-in-one rated at 150W). I changed gas and electricity tariffs back in March, saving a small fortune. I spoke to British Gas, they were shocked at how small our bill was (for the 3 months to March), 4000KWH of gas is not bad at all for the coldest 3 months of the year... is it? (and yes, I did get quidco cashback for the switch, and I do get Tesco Clubcard points for the electricty/gas now).

PS For anyone who has a Tesco Clubcard Credit Card, do you get the 5 points per £4 spent in Tesco, on top of the 1 point per £1 on the usual Clubcard? Or is it 1 point per £4 spent on the credit card, and 4 points for £4 on the Clubcard in the normal way? Does anyone know? If it's the former, I'm effectively paying 99p per litre for petrol at the moment, which isn't half bad...!

Frugaldom

Good afternoon frugallers, we have yet another glorious day here in southwest Scotland! :j I'm precariously perched in the stables in name only and precariously because I keep getting thrown out of Gala when the free tickets appear. I guess it's a busy server at those times, with all of us lot trying to win some tax free cash for free! :eek:

SPENDING ALLOWANCES
To all who are worrying about being over budget, please remember that you have probably had to incorporate the most expensive heating bills into what's already been spent. From hereonin, it should be easier. However, always remember the exact reason WHY you set your chosen budget. The challenge may be 4k but that may not suit everyone. The budget doesn't include running a car as this is not a life essential. Running a car is a personal choice, even if you see it as a personal necessity for work reasons. Having a job costs money before it makes you money. You need to count up every penny you spend in association with work - travel, meals, childminders, workwear, cleaners, laundry, gardeners etc, etc, etc These things do NOT get deducted from your 4k because they are work-related expenses.


VEGGIE GROWING - I'm no expert but for a flat with a balcony and both out working all day, it may be best starting by thinking about what you eat most of during the summer. If it's lettuce, then try window box type planters. These can also be used for pepper plants and cherry tomatoes but they'll need protecting from the elements. Work out if it is financially beneficial to grow your own before spending cash on anything too serious. Peppers are fun to grow because you just use the seeds from the ones you buy. I did this with the tomatoes as well, but they take up loads of space. How big is your veranda/balcony?

Tesco Clubcard - you get the points on the clubcard if you use it OR the credit card if you use that, not both. I use mine in Co-op so I get points and dividend.

Postman just arrived with my HSBC paperwork, so I now have an account for my interest beater savings and, hopefully, the £20 cashback via topcashback! Fingers crossed on that one. :j

Confessions, just in case sis reads this... I forgot to post niece's pressie this week and it's only just gone today! :eek: It's not like I forgot her birthday, as I had done a homemade card and pressie, I just clean forgot what date it was until speaking to mum on phone last night! OOPS! Hope the mini-veggie plot survives the trip! I am now birthday free until DD's party, which has already been financially accounted for from longterm savings. Phew!

Off to check bingo tickets, get lunch, check the garden and then transfer the tax free interest beater stash so I can't spend it on any more greenhouses! :rotfl:

PS: 5 units of electricity per day???????? I wish!

whowants2brich

Hi Nykmedia,

If I work from home, I have the cost of 2 units of electricity per day. If I don't work from home then there's no electricity used at all. We usually cook every other day, and even that may be one or two hobs on, the oven is rarely used. As I say, the fridge uses 3.5 units a day, just to run, so we're amazed that we use on average 1.5 units on everything else, per day...

As for the balcony, it's about 8m long by 1m wide, enough for a table + chairs, barbecue and a few decorative plants. I know we would eat lettuce, potato, tomato, carrot etc. Not sure about pepper/chilli. As we have the compost already, all I need to work out is how deep the container needs to be, when things need to be planted, and how much sunlight they need... If I can put the plants indoors but next to the window then that would be ideal, but I don't know if that would work?

Oh, and I think we'll go for the £4k target, and see how far we go. As I said, I'm not counting anything that's directly related to the wedding, as that's a necessary expense. The car travels to/from work is not going to be included, but everything else is. One thing you did mention is that meals aren't included in the target. Considering how a cheap salad or sandwich made at home is infinitely cheaper than buying lunch every day, I think that lunch should be in the £4k limit, although everything else shouldn't be included...?

Oh, and I'd contemplate moving to Scotland if it's that nice weather (it's awful over here today) - but after having seen Doomsday last night, I'm not so keen... :):)

Frugaldom

4k it is and you are free to count in whatever you like - I count in absolutely everything that's associated with day to day life except rent & council tax/water rates, and 'we' are a household of 3.

Plants & veggie growing - this is the thread you'll find most useful on MSE.

Glad to have you on board, will update post 1 with your username & amount.

Edited in: added now - 147. Whowants2brich - £2513.66 from 15/05/08

slowlyfading

:hello: everyone! Well, I'm off to London today and I'm SO excited!!! I will try not to spend too much but we are going shopping tomorrow afternoon, and goodness knows what I'll spy! x

tryingtodobetter

:j Slowlyfading hope you have a lovely time .:j

Frugaldom

Slowlyfading - Hope you have a fantastic time in London! Don't spend too much from your budget but if you saved specially then GO FOR IT!

Tryingtodobetter - Your savings target is looking good! Well done! :beer:

I just received an Amtrak email notification saying my greenhouse is being collected today for overnight delivery - except Amtrak don't do standard delivery at weekends, so it'll be Monday before it arrives. Hope the weather stays dry, as it's a little bit overcast today. Will need to take some photographs of garden so I have befores and afters. Most exciting awaiting the new arrival!

Yesterday's bingo session was even more chronic than usual - did anyone win anything?! I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy against MSE freebie ticket claimers and they don't deserve to be able to read about our new green house living environment. :rotfl:

Hope everyone is feeling OK today - Mumzy & Marru headaches hopefully gone and I was also wondering how the new mums were doing. Probably no time to post but if you get a chance to read this then you'll know that we are thinking of you and wishing you well. Best wishes also to the OH who is/was in hospital (I'm terrible with names, sorry) and hope the chef OH's foot is well mended. Hope the holidaymakers are having fun and hope Ddraig is managing to get on alright with her conversion. I know there's loads more than that going on but you all know I have read and I do wonder about you all...
Mother Hen over and out!

tryingtodobetter

Thanks NYK, realised I hadn't updated it so it is now £7150. We are saving to emigrate to NZ so this years target of £10,000 will hopefully be broken, then we will only have one more year to save before we go and :j

whitewing

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*

exercise bike is killing me

*gasp*

*gasp*

salads are killing me

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*

no energy for any work

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*

but having watched The Apprentice, I now want a proper wedding dress
(not very frugal, and haven't told H2B; may try to surprise him, but I need to lose a lot of weight to look half decent)

*gasp*

*gasp*

*gasp*