Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

lyndasharp

Well done bingo winners!

I've decided to set myself a mini grocery challenge for the next 4 weeks, and hopefully if I write it down here I'll have to stick to it! I have a habit of buying useful stuff for the store cupboard just in case I need it, but as I'm possibly moving in a month (unless my boss can find money to extend my current contract) I need to eat as much of that as I can, so I've got less to fit in the car! My challenge is to only spend £16.50 per week on groceries starting today. That's £6.50 for my veg box delivery, leaving £10 a week to spend on other bits and pieces.

£1.98 spent so far today, £8.02 left...

andromache_2

keren29 wrote: »

WD WD to the winners! I think I've exhausted all the freeby ones but never won a penny!

Money out today - £12.64 for my car insurance.

Cashed in my premium bonds as they haven't won me a penny in the year I've had them so I'm using the £3,000 as my ISA money for this year. I know, it could have been my turn next month for the million, but I took the decision a year ago when I got my redundancy money that if they hadn't won anything by the time I could get another ISA, I would cahs them in.

Off ISA hunting now.

Oh no keren! Are you sure you haven't broken any mirrors recently? Spilled any salt? Seen any black cats? I found I won on every 5th or 6th bingo site on average, though on a few sites it was less than a tenner, but it all adds up! And no premium bonds wins this year either! I don't advise you ever to try actual gambling with that kind of bad luck but how nice to have this year's ISA money all ready. hope you were successful in your hunt!

Burlesque_Babe

I know andromache - I couldn't believe my lack of luck with the online bingo!!

I think I've decided on my new ISA, just need to send OH up the loft over the weekend to get my paperwork down for my current ISA so I can transfer it - it is with NS+I and they dropped the rate to 5.3% today - it was 6.05% when I took it out!

Have to confess I do have the (very) occasional bet - probably 4 or 5 a year. I was a bit naughty the other night with a bet, but I came out of it £78 up! It means that I'll only be £46 overdrawn rather than £120+ overdrawn I would have been otherwise after my course fees come out.

Still a tight month, but £78 less tight than it would have been!

bails

Back from the vet, £218.14 spent there in the last 4 days :eek: but Sol is on the mend and no broken leg so that's the main thing. My total's going to take a real hit this week :rolleyes:

Getting frustrated with all my efforts not being appreciated enough by OH so I've ditched our budgeting for now in favour of sorting out his parents' - they're letting me keep whatever cashback I can make from doing it :T so into the IB it'll go.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with shocking luck with bingo/gambling. Have realised I won't be here for next Thursday's bingo marathon - shame - so I'll definitely have forgotten the pain in a fortnight

Off to look at a car tomorrow :eek: Last thing I want to do with all the money that's seeped out of my account this month but needs must I think.

System

nykmedia wrote: »

For all you curious critters, there's no secret in next year's plan - I want to attempt complete money neutrality, which means discounting any regular income, such as wages from employment or existing contracts. Rather than say I have 4k on which to live, I'll have whatever I have left over from this year (if anything) plus whatever is in my interest beater account. From thereonin, I need to earn it before I can spend it. :eek: That's the plan, anyway, in preparation for my future financially self-sufficient frugal lifestyle in the frugal fixy-up. :rotfl:

oooh....hmmmm.....

i wonder if i could do that....
would my savings from this year that im carrying over to next year count as money neutral? they will come from saving from my volunteering pittance, whatever i come up with for the UC/IB, and maybe i will count stoozed student loan/graduate overdraft profit?

me likey.... but i think i would have to start planning it now!!

:mad: i have a bingo problem, i cant get cashback from squidco cos its the 'same group' as one of the bookies i used in the grand national... does anyone know of a loophole anywhere?

also, does the free bingo run out??? am i right in thinking that there are free ticket thingies, and are they connected to having to spend some of the £10?

MrDT

Well, today would have been my sixth no spend day in a row, but the canteen needed to get rid of sandwiches, and for 50p I couldn't resist. Can I class canteen reductions as 'whoopsies' lol!?

Anyway, the leccy meter will need topping up over the weekend, and I need a few little bits of shopping, but other than that I'm having a relaxing tv/cycle/sleep/internet weekend so hopefully I'll manage my first fortnight on less than £100! If I manage that it will be an insane saving on the 'usual'

mini_huny_money

I feel dreadful........got a raging temperature.......the runs........think I've got a touch of plague





S'ok just practicing for my sickie next Thursday..........;)


I know.....I kno.....am tempting fate:rotfl:

System

i have already thought about leaving my laptop on autodab while im at work...i would have to change the autoswitch off to 24 hours through!

ol' baconback has la bingo for 1000pts for £5 with £10 free play, and it doesnt mention the bookies....has anyone done this sucessfully?

Frugaldom

Good evening all my frugal friends

Keren - I won £50 in January from premium bonds after saying I was getting rid of them but have had them for a few years and not benefitted from them when compared to what the money could have been doing.

Bails, great news about kitten and the 'no breaks', although it's a pity about the fees. Have you considered a 0% interest credit card? Pay fees in full and then meet the minimum monthly payments until the final pay-it-all-off time arrives?

Marru, have you checked all your heating appliances at home in case there's a leak anywhere that could be causing you to fall asleep as easily? Or dare I even ask, could you, err, be, err... you know... pregnant? Whispering that one in case you send me a virtual clout around the ear. Whatever it is, take care of yourself and be careful. We don't want you wakening with QWERTYUIOP imprinted across your forehead

Jumble - the Galab1ngo freebies are available every Thursday (for the full 24 hours). Not sure how the cashback works if you have already had a bonus payment via a sister company. I think Coral owns Gala but don't quote me on that one. Also, most sites meet whatever you pay in at the start but expect you to play through your own money before you can start withdrawing any future winnings or receive the cashback. Good luck, whatever happens.

MrDT good luck with the underspends, hope you have saved loads. If nothing else, we try our best to keep you at the screen for so long you don't have time to spend money

Mini - a sickie for bingo? :eek: :eek: You could always call in the morning and just say, "I've BIN GOing to the loo, feeling ill. all night, and think that spending a FULL day in the HOUSE would be safer than sitting EYES DOWN at your desk feeling rotten. :rotfl:

Off to read some more catch up posts now

bails

Good idea Nyk, struggle to get credit cards though because my credit history is too good ! Hence no stoozing going on here yet either :rolleyes: