FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE part 3, July - Dec 2010

Dh has just nipped home (works 5 mins walk away) his boss has said he will have to cut hours and pay across the board to help keep the business afloat. We don't know what exactly as yet, but he wanted to let them know what is going on.

He is putting together a package for the accountant & bank to see what needs to be done including re-mortgaging his own house as well. (very small company boss plus 5 workers).

Will know more next week hopefully.

Try not to worry too much mama until you know what's going on. these things can be a blessing in disguise sometimes altho that doesn't always stop the immediate panic. Don't forget www.entitledto.com can help you plan for a reduced change of circumstance if things get tight.

We're not tracking our budget too much at the mo (althou I'm eyeing up cheryl's spreadsheets and thinking that I really need to use it). We seem to be doing okay so far with a bit left over at the end of June - unless I've forgotten something major. Got given a pack of mature cheddar earlier in the week, and an extra book of 12 first class stamps for Royal Mail surveys, sure there was a third good thing but can't remember. Have a loverly weekend one and all.

top_drawer wrote: »

hey,

I've thought a lot about the breadmaker and am not sure whether to go for a cheap one or look into it properly and go for the cheapest of the best make (seems like good advice from the old style board). Who is the best make in breadmakers? The one Morphy Rich's was offering at £49 down from £129 doesnt look good, apparently the fancy lift up kneading blade gets stuck in the bread!. Are they all basically the same now do you think?

Jen

Hi Jen, just wondering if you've considered making your bread by hand? I've had some small successes (when I'm organised enough to bake my own bread) and I know there is at least one OldStyle thread about handmaking bread. It's not hard, very satisfying in fact - and great for working out any frustrations! I know someone (thriftlady maybe?) makes a no-knead bread too. Good luck with uni appeal and jobhunting - keep your chin up! x

Mama, hope the cuts aren't too bad but like the others have said, try not to worry till you know what you have to deal with. Hope your elderflower champagne turns out nice!

Heya everyone.

Well as it stands we have spent 36.6% of our budget (£1,830.53) which looks very good as we are half way through the year now :T.

We do still have my partners bike insurance to come out which we have a budget of £600 for (this was the cheapest we could get last time as his last bike got stolen :mad: but we are hoping for it to come down) which is 12% of the years budget. We plan to pay this off in one go when it comes along as we should have the money to do so. We will be looking around for the cheapest quote when it comes to re-new the insurance but my partner does this every year anyway.

We have been careful with our elctricity so the bill wan't as much as we had budgeted for.

We have been careful with our gas usage and haven't spent as much on our PP meter than we thought we would. However we have been putting most of the budget money on now in anticipation of a cold winter. Also if it snows or becomes icy going to where we top it up could be very difficult so it will be good to have the extra on it incase as the emergancy balance on it isn't a lot.

We have been careful with our water usage (we are on a meter) and have come in under the budget for that so that has helped us.

Unfortunatly we are over half our budget for pet costs (vets lol) as our rat had another operation the other day that cost us quite a bit (my face looked like this :eek:). She is however very active for a rat with one eye that isn't far off 2 and a half years old :rotfl:.

We want to take the chinchillas we rescused a about a month ago to the vets just for a check up - as they have never been to a vets in their 3 years alive - and so the vet knows them. I know it's probably not the right place to ask (the pet board would be better I know but I'll go out on a limb here to) but does anyone know what a vet usually charges to do a check up on two chinchillas?

re Breadmakers

I tend to like get it cheap from Mr. S about 7.30pm. I enjoy hunting for the bargains...

Sleep kerfunked again (story of my life - sorry to be such a bore)....Up at 2/3am till 6.30am so no kirk and it's blowing a gale and like I'm chesty .

Well asides from the washing machine all is good here. I don't know about my 6 monthly thing (don't think that's for me till the end of the month) but like my main whoopsie was the first month. Now it's settling down to about £450 a month (excluding debt, rent, CT and tithe).

Current aims =

Elec = 78 every 4 weeks
Broadband = 10 a month
Landline phone = 30 a month (can't get down as started new contract just before FL)
Mobile = 30 (pre cashback)
Food and cigs (smoking a lot) = 180 a month
Insurance = 5 a month
Laundry (to pay 'off' the washing machine) = £10 a month

total = £363 a month (plus debt = £250 and like tithe = 85 a month)

Save/necessary extras = £162 every 4 weeks (if I stick to budget)
Expected reality = Monthly spend = £450 + 250+ 85 =785 = save £100

E