Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

taka

Ummmmm thanks :rotfl: he he he. Wish I could go back to bed... not sure my boss would appreciate it too much tho! I did manage to drop off on friday in a seminar at work :eek: Semi dark... comfy seat... not overly relevant talk... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!! Oh well, half way through the working day :rolleyes: ...

I think I'm feeling low as the reason I've not used the money from the loan on sorting my flat (its just been sitting in the bank). I'm having some problems (and getting treatment) but having people in my flat seems to be something I still struggle with (unfortunately this includes everyone from family to workmen). It just doesn't make sense at all to have the money in a bank account earning less interest than its costing me. Realistically, there is no way any of the work (on my bathroom mostly) will get done before late summer by which time I'll be able to save at least 2/3 of the cost anyway.

Sorry for the ramble too....

Marru

Hi all

And taka sending you a virtual hugh.

I promised myself that from now on I will be focused and organised and won't come into the forum until 8pm. And here I am. And still no bank reconciliation done. So I'll be off to do it. I have been too busy spending money . Ok I had a good reason or should I say reasons - I will come clear in the evening. One comment thou: I filled up my tank and it cost me over 40 pounds!!! It wasn't that long ago when it was about 35. What is going on here? I did pop into Lidl again and now made the solemn promise that next big stock up and I will go there first.

Fingers crossed that it won't start raining again as I was doing some catching up with my washing because it looked like a nice day (as I have limited drying space inside) and now if it keeps raining my washing won't dry . It doesn't look too bad at the moment thou.

Need to dash off - full confession in the evening.

Marru

bails

Taka, big hug from me too. I'm not entirely sure why you don't like having people in your home (as in there are lots of possible reasons) but perhaps you could go and stay with someone while the work is completed? Sorry if this isn't possible/doesn't help, just a thought.

Marru, I'm intrigued by the confession - is it more animals? Please tell me it's not more books :rotfl: Which Lidl do you use? (still trying to work out which one's nearest to me, I use the one in Brislington).

Well, I had my meeting with the Disability Advisor today about going back to work and it was just as I thought - once I hit 4 hours a week, I immediately lose all my support until I can work 16 hours or more (it could take me several years to build up to that amount, if ever) :mad: Apparently the system isn't designed for 'professionals', because we of course never get ill right?:rolleyes: Sooo, lots more juggling and figuring out to be done to find a way back to work that doesn't suddenly leaving me financially up a certain brown creek. Determined to do it though!

I've been overwhelmed with doing stuff for other people recently so tomorrow I'm putting my foot down and having a 'me' day. Not sure what it'll entail yet but I can't wait :j

Frugaldom

Marru - hurry up and come tell us what you've done! :rotfl: I'm intrigued! (OK, I was really, really bored and I did something a bit silly, but I'm not telling until Marru does. Mine involved a £150 spend. Hopefully, nobody will be able to read this because it's yellow on white )

Bails - is self-employment out of the question? That way you could gradually build up to your 16 hours over the entire week with private tutoring etc and your preparation work would qualify as working hours. Just a thought

Well, I just downed tools and abandoned work for a couple of hours this afternoon and dragged houseshare out for a drive in their car! :rotfl: Saw a few pheasants, hundreds of lambs, calves and then came home via the animal park, where we stopped off to have a quick chat with the owners. The donkey is due to have a foal any day now, so we're going to take DGD over there next week with a picnic. Yes, I took my camera, but I only got pics of one pheasant and one heavily pregnant donkey.
Can't wait to go back and see the baby!

whitewing

Hello All,

I'm supposed to be working.....

OH is out at his job. He's tired after a busy first week with all his training.

I've been very worried lately about the credit crunch. Stupidly worried, and on a downward spiral of thinking that results in us all being made homeless. I'm not worrying about what is happening, only what might happen, so it's pointless. Felt a bit ashamed later on for worrying about nothing as I caught up with an old friend to find out her husband lost his job a few weeks ago. I've got it into my head that we should all have part time jobs (about 3 each) so if one goes we'll hopefully still have the others. It's silly really. I was made redundant some years ago when it was only me and DS and the mortgage, and i never want to have all my eggs in one basket again.

I took DS to the sweetie shop for some old-fashioned pick n mix and spent £6!!! Pineapple cube anyone?

But I did have some very good news. Someone owes me nearly £600. I chased it up and offered to split payments over a year, but really I thought I'd never see it again. But they've written and told me that I can have the whole lot by cheque next week, and sent a lovely letter apologising. So good things do happen.

Pirategirl

Taka..I know exactly what you mean, and just wanted to say that sometimes down times happen when we dont seem to have much of a reason for it...doesnt make it any less difficult tho! Hope you are feeling better now.

And I agree with NYK - I get so worried about things that even when whatever i'm worrying about is sorted, I just transfer it to something else! You get into a mindset, which can be very hard to get out of. I'm hoping that once i've sorted my finances out and actually have a little to spare, I will be able to re-train my brain to realise its ok to get something for myself occasionally!

I hope you both dont mind me commenting as you have probably never heard of me! Just wanted to tell you my thoughts. I shush now!

Frugaldom

Whitewing - that is great news about the £600! I wish the person who owes me the £300+ would do similar! (I am bidding on that magic wishmaker again.) I can sympathise with you completely, I feel the same about carrying all my eggs in one basket with work, hence the reason I'm self-employed and keep on my miniscule part-time job at same time. I also hate being within the working tax credits threshold, as it's like a personal affront to your earning ability, but having looked into how much I'd need to earn to take me beyond that, I am saddened to say - never in this life could I earn that much, other than by a lucky break in self-employment. That's why I attempt to live on what I actually earn and bank every other penny, 'just in case'.

Pirategirl, welcome to our thread. We are a friendly bunch most of the time, honestly, so feel free to post at will. Frugalitis has strange side effects that most of us have suffered at some stage or another and my only words of warning are that the frugal bug is considered highly contageous

I had the guilt-syndrome side effect from an unscheduled spend-attack, so have just done a full review of my figures and annual budget. I've merged telephone, heat, light, TV and mobile phones into 'utilities' and am thoroughly discgusted that it costs such a high proportion of my budget.
Ummm......... running to hide now :eek:

Groceries: £1200 - £375.94 = £824.06
Gifts/Special Occasions: £500 - £70.69 = £429.31
Utilities: £1500 - £1013.30 = £486.70

Household Insurance: £60 - £52.40 = £7.60
Internet: £240 - £61.89 = £178.11

Everything else: £500 - £319 = £181

Total: £4000 for year. Already spent £1893.22, balance = £2106.78
Target average weekly spend = £76.50 over a year
Actual average weekly spend = £111.36 to date

Day 119 of 2008, 247 days left with average of £59.70 per week

In fairness, I haven't disclosed my recent spend and I do hope to get some of it back at some point. And I have already banked £30 cashback from the house insurance, so it actually only cost me £22.40 but I'm sticking to my plan and hoping to have a few pounds extra tucked away by the end of the year. I need to go make dinner! I forgot again! :eek:

lingojingo

lyndasharp wrote: »

I I've spent my whole life hating chopping things because they never go straight, now I've got knives for a left hander, and it's amazing! It's so easy!

Could you tell me what make the left handed knives are? I have a left handed friend who will be 50 next January, and they'd be a brilliant present for her!

Marru

Hi,

I am back. Completely shattered. I had 16 items on the list to do today and I managed 7 and half. So it will be long night for me. Need to go and fuel up and sit down for awhile first. DD was in right mood. She hates having a wash and this evening there was no avoiding it. Then she was crying and shouting that she was not tired. Funny that - there is not a beep to be heard from her room now.

I have reconciled my bank account but not my cash as yet and the budget has been blown. At this point I should have spent max 644.81 (hopefully less as more expensive months are still ahead) and I have spent 737.91 and that is withoug todays spends and the cash spends. So one more full tank of petrol will go into that figure as was driving on fumes.

I had no willpower today at all. Went to Mr T to get a birthday present for my neighbours girl and bought two t-shirts for DD (they were really pretty ) and a book and a chocolate bar for myself. (Nyk, the yellow doesn't work as you can highlight the text and it is then blue on white - very easy to read ) The pressie wasn't really the most frugal but she is very nice girl so thought it was worth it. At Mr T was drooling at the frozen pizzas and managed to walk out and then drove past pizza takeaway and found myself walking in and ordering a pizza. Ok it was from their lunch special menu only 1.99 but still! Anybody quick please easy and frugal pizza base and tomato sauce recipe into my direction to avoid this happening again. Then went to Lidl to get fabric conditioner (I still have loads of w-powder left, when it finishes will move to soap nuts) and came out with f conditioner AND jar of pickle. (Bails - I go to Midsomer Norton). At petshop I was more disiplined and came out with just what I went there for.

On more frugal side I got a bookshelf from freecycle and managed to drag one third of it home today. Will go tomorrow for second installment. Now I have one month to make room for it as then my brother comes here and I am going to put him to work and carry the shelves upstairs into my "inventory room" with me.

Need to go and raid the fridge now. Oops - my washing is still out...

Marru

PS I did pay for the deposit for the makeover + photoshoot thingy against what is adviced here but it will be such a nice treat and there are no good pictures of me and DD together so I am allowing this pampering day for myself that means that in May petrol budjet will be blown again - and nobody saw this as you wouldn't bother reading stuff after signature would you.)

bails

Oh NO WAY!! Two secrets...now I really am intrigued! Come on, spill the beans you two

Nyk, I think that's the route I'm going to have to go down. My reluctance comes from having been trapped in my house for several years, so I'd rather be in the social environment of a school but perhaps I can do both and then incorporate my planning/marking time. There's also something new called Return to Work benefit which could really help me get back on my feet, but only if I'm on 16+ hours. I can't WAIT to be off benefits and independent again!!

Oh, I read it all Marru - smaller writing makes things so much more interesting I don't think you did too badly at all today so don't beat yourself up. Come on then Nyk, 'fess up!