Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

shaz_mum_of__2

Penny2myName wrote: »

Its the avon and includes all makeup (replacing my last lot that I bought a good 12 years back) and face creams i have finally decided to cave in to, plus some are gifts like the waterfoutain from them, and next order has a travelling makeup case for my daughter for xmas)

Oh i see i always forget about make up i very rarely wear it in fact the last time i bought the foundation i used it had been discontinued for years!!!

I like the freebies you get with avon great for prezzies i thought about being an agent once but i think that style of selling is not as big as it used to be

Shaz

redglass_2

MrDT I don't do bingo, so no good for flirtations, but I might give the cider a go as it's my favourite tipple. Thanks for taking the time to post all the photos - they are very helpful (not to say amusing - the blue balloon is a memorable sight!) :rotfl:

RIght now, though, my big frugal project (apart from firewood and veggies) is trying to make the modern version of a haybox cooker. I got the instructions from the selfsufficientish website and have already managed to get a suitable container for free. Now I'm trying Freecycle for polystyrene beads and once I've got them (could be some time, unless I crack and buy the things) I'll be ready to test-drive the cooker. I think my Inner Mad Professor is coming to the surface, I keep getting more and more ideas about things I can do - the sunny back bedroom windowsill is full of bits of wood drying off after the rain, looks most peculiar but who cares? I really like the feeling that my ingenuity is being stimulated as I plot and plan to do everything for less, even if I'm not managing to keep my spending down as much as I might. (Next winter when I've finally worked everything out, just watch me go...whay-hay...!!!!)

mumzyof2

Good Morning all, I have spent £5.65 yesterday
and today have spent £2.51 on some milk.
Nedd bus fare to get home that should be about it.

anyone know how much is left and how many months?

dfw844

Hi everyone,

OK, here’s my update. I’m over budget, but guess what? I’ve been keeping a spending diary since 2005 (and how did I end up in this much debt?) so I’ve just compared what I spent last year on the same things. By the end of May 2008 I’m up to £2145. By the end of May last year, I had spent £3815!!!!!!

So I think I’m doing great, even if I’m not being perfect, because it’s such an improvement. You guys have been amazing, thanks so much for all the support, ideas and encouragement, I wouldn’t be anywhere near this tiny figure if it weren’t for this challenge.

So, spends for May

Petrol -18 (cashback deal through Barclaycard!)
Hobbies 66 But I made £30 & not counted it
Clothing 3 (earrings that were in the sale)
Food 109 The first month under £120 budget!!
Healthcare 4
Household 107* see below
Fun 115 too high as well.
Gifts 5
Toiletries/hair 13
Transport 14

TOTAL £418 AIM £333.33
Yearly total £2145 AIM £1666.66
New budget £1855/year, £265/month


* I know. £80 was shower screen which I’ve wanted for 3 years, and then managed to get on offer, should have been £140. The rest was maintenance due to a clothes moth infestation! I couldn’t run the risk of losing my entire wardrobe as there’s no way I'm paying to replace it. So I thought a few quid on moth traps and lavender oil was a worthwhile investment.

Overall, I’m pleased, but have renewed determination. Frugal living has actually become good fun!

Mumzy – don’t know if this is too simplistic but I would say we have had 5 months / 12, so should have spent £1666.66, and have got 7/12 remaining = £2333.33 till the end of the year, based on £4000. Some people do it on days though, which is more accurate but more work!

xx
PS new signature today too!

mumzyof2

Thanks but i need it as a starting figure of 5,000

redglass_2

Can anyone help? I can't get thru to the Trainline as I didn't tell them i was changing email address. I changed ages ago and there seems to be NO way to inform them retrospectively - the site just rejects me, and the 'forgotten your password' is no good to me either. Don't they want me to use their sodding trains? :mad: How careful do they have to be? I mean, it's not a bank account - the worst i could do is book some innocent victim a first class return from Land's End to John O'Groat (mind you, that would be diabolical as they'd probably have to sell their kids into slavery to pay for it). This is a warning, I suppose - always inform these sites in advance if you are changing your email address, since they seem utterly incapable of coping with that. If anyone knows a way round this stupid system I'll be very grateful. This is where you want a person on the end of a phone, not a maze of questions in which you go round and round.....EDITED later to say: Sorry, bit of a rant. Have managed to get an automatic response from them now, let's see if they come up with anything.

fizzel81

dfw844 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Mumzy – don’t know if this is too simplistic but I would say we have had 5 months / 12, so should have spent £1666.66, and have got 7/12 remaining = £2333.33 till the end of the year, based on £4000. Some people do it on days though, which is more accurate but more work!


Argh im over by quite a bit then i get child benifit for 3 children (43.90 a week) but even with that added on to the 4000 im still over (ive not done the maths

and to top it off the 9.35 i gave myself for this week i have exactly 1.55 left (3 dinosaurs for the boys 1 each at £1 each = 3.00, 1.80 spent in charity shop 2 books and a puzzel and 5 p son put in the box thing cause it rolls around)

so just enough for a 4 pint of milk im not going to make it

ive added the gas and elec bills ive just got in even though im paying by direct debit from this month so not sure if i should now deduct that from my running total and just add the dd of 88 monthly? instead

mumzyof2

Its ok i have £3 for the week and i need to get bus home yet.

mumzyof2

I want it as a starting figure of 5000 though not 4000. i apprichate your help though

fizzel81

i imagine then add 1000 on to total and the devide the extra 1000 by 12 to get the extra amount per month

someone good at maths will be able to give a better answer then i can