Mission Statement 2013

It has been so lovely to read all the comments, I have tried to spend as much time as possible looking at them and responding to everyone.

What I loved was looking up areas I had never heard of Comox, Kirkville, Gardiner etc. They all sound brilliant!

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond.

If I win the lottery can I visit each and everyone of you and take you out to dinner??

So 12 months down and all change after the move.

I am nearly done with the flat, and after a deep clean this weekend. I will be out of the flat and ready to start tackling Southfork.

So perhaps as it is January, now is a good time to think about what needs to be achieved in the next 12 months. What do I want to do?

I need a mission statement

"Keeping It Simply Thrifty will endeavour over the next 12 months to reduce debt to £0.00, increase savings and whenever possible seek out cheaper alternatives to branded goods whilst ensuring that items purchased are done so to ensure longevity of use or (as frugal girl puts it) heirloom quality."

Yes there is a lot more to say. But lists get lost. I wanted 3 or 4 lines, which can be printed on a piece of paper and kept in a wallet or in a pocket.

I know my flaws, I want everything now and I need to be constantly reminded of what needs to happen to reach my goals.

My plan is to print these few lines out and put them in my purse as a daily reminder for the next 12 months of what I want ultimately.

As a quick aside I started the £5 challenge again. To live on £5 from Monday – Friday. So far £3 spent on a value pack of knik knaks for TC, Some cheese biscuits and 3 cans of pop all from Poundland.

One commentator yesterday said how much she liked seeing the cat pictures. So here is Twinkle getting fussed by The Chap.

Frugally yours
Abigail
x

Oh Sh*t"

I checked my bank balance today, and had an “Oh Sh*t!” moment. I have £130 left to last me until 28^th June – 18 days away and I have a book club meal and another weekend away to London to contend with.

Breathe Abigail! Breathe!

After spending 20 minutes panicking. I calmed down sufficiently to put the high heels and short skirt away.

I phoned my friend S straight away and asked if we could swop the weekend to the 2th June?

The theatre tickets (my birthday present from her) had not been booked so no problem. 1 thing less to worry about. Phew!

Time to re-budget. I am going to need £80 at least for petrol to get me to and from work. So lunchtime today I visited the cashpoint and grabbed the cash. It is now in an envelope ready for the times I need to fill up, and stuck in a handbag pocket ready to be decanted into a box at home.

That leaves £50. Plus the £4.69 I currently have in my purse which I am going to make last until Friday and will be keeping you updated over the next 5 days to see how that goes. How long since a £5 challenge?

I am not going to visit the supermarket except for milk between now and Sunday.

This really for me is very tight and I am worried.

I seem to have reached the “the wall” at the moment about my debt of £562. I still want it gone but my internal warning light about my savings keeps flashing.

So much so I am currently contemplating making 2 months of minimal payments (say £50) in July and August and redirecting the money into my savings account.

I still would love to get my the remainder of my debt paid off by December, but there are plans afoot for after the summer and by my calculations I need £1000 in my savings account by then to make some changes so I can achieve them.

I do not want to say just yet what those plans are, in case I jinx it. But, I am excited. I will get this damn debt gone, but not quite as quickly  as I initially hoped it looks like and certainly not at the expense of peace of mind of having money saved.

Damn it, today I am a little bit frightened, frustrated and disappointed.

On the plus side I am feeling a lot better, after feeling so sick at the end of last week. My nephew was a delight this weekend, and I bet none of you were being a horsey at 7.30am on Saturday morning!

Seeing my sister is always wonderful, I wish we lived closer to each other. We speak 2 or 3 times per week, text and email, but nothing…..nothing is like having a cuddle with her or talking in our dressing gowns on a Saturday morning about the world, the universe and everything whilst drinking tea and watching her son play.

Priceless!

Frugally (and still a bit panicky) yours

Abigail

x

I Tried My Best.

The £5 weekly budget has not gone well today. As always everything seems to come at once so I gave in today and just got what I needed.

Following my decision to give up crisps for Lent, I stopped off at the town centre greengrocers for some fruit to last a couple of days.

This came in at £2.34, yes, daylight robbery for the quality. Not going there again.

Then went to Poundland and spent £2.

Unfortunately, I forgot to grab some bread from the freezer this morning for lunch so had to pick up a sandwich. Interesting point a Meatball Sandwich from Subway costs £3.19, but at the moment they have a deal on a sandwich and a drink (bottle of water / cola / tea/ coffee) is £3. So by asking for a bottle of water too I got the sandwich for £3, 20p less than if I just had the sandwich. I hate this kind of cracked logic.

I then needed some milk for the office - 2 pints for £1.

Finally, on the way home I stopped off at Morrisons as I needed some washing up liquid. I am and Ad Man's dream and went after seeing their posters for the Basic Range. Washing up liquid for 38p. Great, I will try some of that and let you know my thoughts. The cheapest I could find before then was 59p.

I also grabbed some strong white flour 60p and some yeast 79p, both the same as Tesco. Spent £1.77.

Total Spend today - £10.11

I am taking the Morrisons trip off my food budget for the month, which leave £4.07 to spend until 1st March.

Shame, I overspent this week by £3.34. I would not have done so if I remembered my lunch today and had not bought that fruit. The plan, now is not to spend until the weekend.

It is easy to become obsessed by the overspend, and not see the bigger picture. I can afford to go over I just do not want to. When I do go over it is by £1 or £2 not by hundreds. Since commencing blogging in January I have paid off £327.92  which is 16.5% off my debt.

Is it sad that I am looking forward to Pay Day as it means I can make another debt re-payment ? Possibly, but I do not give a monkeys!

Frugally yours
Abigail
x

The Weekly Menu Plan, Blown.

I am really glad that I spent the time organising the weekly menu yesterday, because today I can blow it out of the water.

To explain, today as the whole western world knows, is Valentine's Day. I remembered and popped round to The Chap's this morning to pop his card under his wiper so it would be found later.

The Chap offered to pay for a take away, but as he has paid for a lot recently I said "No" and offered to do something. Turns out The Chap is not fond of Mr Brains Fagots, the only way I could cook something quick when I got home and allow us both to eat the same meal. Plus I did not think egg and chips would make the grade tonight.

After much texting it has been decided I will pick up a cooked chicken from Tesco which I can then serve with mash, peas and gravy - all of which I do have in stock.

Whilst it is an extra £4.50 from the food budget, I can adapt as a cooked chicken will do me many many meals plus soup. However that means no Fagots again (are they ever going to get eaten?) and basically junking the menu plan for the next few days at least. I do need to grab some more flour too.

Whilst buying a cooked chicken is a waste of money, I know I could buy fresh and then cook it, I think I can justify the extra £1.50 as at least I will not have to wait ages for it to cook, and as I get in at 7pm tonight, I think we will want to eat fairly swiftly as we will both be hungry.

Also I have spent all of my £5 pocket money today after an NSD yesterday. One trip to Poundland - Crisps, Coke, Sugar, Washing Up Liquid and Bin Bags - Total £5 BUT the Sugar / washing up liquid / Bags are for the office so I can claim them back on end of month expenses. So perhaps, I can say only spent £2 so far?

I am well within budget for food so far with enough to pay for petrol and extras in the bank account. So with just over 2 weeks to go, it is all looking good.

A Little Bit of Love
I always look forward to seeing The Chap, we have only been together (very nearly) 9 months and I just think he is the kindest, most handsome man I have ever met. I cannot believe I have been so lucky. And we were introduced by The Chap's best friend's mum who I go to evening class with! Small world!

Frugally yours
Abigail
x

Making Life Simpler

Being thrifty and not spending it is constant struggle, two evenings of not putting the heating on. Making £5 last 5 days to cut down on unnecessary spending. It is all aimed at the ultimate goal, paying off the credit cards, overdraft and loan.
Every day I think "How can i reduce it?"

But, so far what I seem to be missing is the other goal of this blog, making life simpler.

This is where everything comes together, by paying off my credit cards, loan and overdraft I am making life simpler. But, also by not "buying" (if you excuse the pun) into the culture of of our throw away society it appears to me that suddenly life becomes simpler. One pair of black high heels are enough, and they do not need to be Jimmy Choo. I have come across a few saying recently that have really resonated with me, and I wanted to share them with you. Something to think about during this cold and rather bleak weekend facing us.

The first is courtesy of my sister
"Happiness doesn't come from getting something you do not have...it comes from recognising it comes from something you have"

The second is an old Spanish proverb.
"Take want you want, says God, Take it and pay for it"

I realise now that that my friends do not care what labels I am wearing, and that my home does not look worse for not purchasing some little trinket for it.

Paying back debt is hard, but in doing so I am finding a simpler life and hopefully will ensure I do not face this situation again in the future.

Life is good.

Food Waste - None, Zil, Zero and Nada. Yabadabdoo!!!!!

Any ideas Dear Friend, what else I could do to make my life simpler?

Frugally yours
Abigailx

Hobbies Help

Evening!I am feeling a lot more hopeful and positive today. Thank goodness, I was a bit down in the mouth yesterday wasn't I? To tell the truth I had some rather worried family after yestersdays post.

It is best to concentrate on the positive and one of those is is my current project

Yes, I am making a dress for work.

Actually it is a little further forward than this picture would suggest. I do not really enjoy dresmaking, but the amazing sense of satisfaction I get from finishing and wearing what I make, well I feel proud and I do not get that feeling from work.

Actually, I am not bad at dressmaking, I have...ahem....won a couple of first prizes locally. The last dress which won was this.

I think having a hobby is really important, to retain your sanity and identity. TO create something makes you feel proud of yourself. I do not get much pride from my work in recent times.

Anyhoo the wrap around dress should be complete in the next couple of weeks. I will blog about it again then and show you the finished article.

I have completely used up my £5 budget today for this week. But have enough to get me through until the end of tomorrow i.e. drinks etc.

I believe it snowing most places, well not currently in Staffordshire. Darn it! Fancied having tomorrow off "snowed in" cough cough.

I hope Visitor you are safe and warm if it is snowing near you. I am and well that is more important than being a little skint isn't it?

Frugally yours
Abigail
x

The Low Lows of Debt Repayment

For the last few days I have been feeling very low. After the highs of making another (for me) substantial repayment on my debt, I am left feeling very down looking at the bank balance.
This is the reality of paying off debt, you have no money. I always knew it was going to be very tight this month, but here I am a few days in and I feel depressed on what I have got to live for the next three and a bit weeks.

I am actually feeling depressed at the thought of what I have to live on this year to make me debt free by December. I have had to accept the reality that unless something drastic happens at work over the next few weeks and months, commission is going to be thin on the ground for the foreseeable future.

I can live with the thought of gruel and dry bread (ok I exaggerate for comic effect) but what i hate, i mean what I absolutely LOATHE is the fact that I cannot treat someone that I really care about. You see I want to buy a present, and I do not have the money to do it without raiding the savings. I have a dilemma and have about a week to make a decision on whether to go ahead and buy this gift or not. I will let you know what I decide.

I also have had to accept that a holiday is not in my immediate plans either. Every year I like to take advantage of a beautiful and free apartment in Spain. But, for the time being at least I cannot afford to go, again unless I raid savings or this damn recession decide to bugger off once and for all. Even a free apartment costs - flights, car hire and spending money. All of which I do not have.

I accept responsibility that I have got myself into this situation, but damn it sometimes it just plain depressing.

Not having a holiday or buying a gift will not injure me, i have food and I have savings, plus a roof over my head. More than about 80% of the world's population. I know I am lucky. But, this does not today stop me from feeling low about my situation and lack of funds.

I am keeping to the challenge of only spending £5 this week, and currently have £1.61 left to last 48 hrs. Achievable. But, this is not fun.

I also have managed two evenings without the heating on. Probably adding to my emotional downer.

I will not loose, and I will pay this money off and live simpler, but today..... now...... it is just bloody depressing.

Frugally Yours
Abigail
x

Menu Plan and £5 Challenge

Sunday again.....?
I have had my first ever No Spend Weekend! What a result. I bought a few things I documented yesterday on Friday on the way home and then avoided all shops for 48 hours. So proud of myself. In actual fact the snow was the reason. I did not want to get caught out, so I got everything I needed (not wanted, just needed) then avoided shops. Besides which, it has been to cold and snowy to venture too far from home.

The snow came down for a few hours on Saturday afternoon and evening and gave us about 3inches here in Staffordshire. The roads look pretty clear now, so hopefully getting to work tomorrow should not be too difficult. Though the forecast is prediciting snow for later this week. Gosh, I hope they are wrong.

I have spent the afternoon cleaning W Towers, doing the ironing and generally returning everything which had migrated to it's rightful place.

I went to grab the cleaning stuff and noticed how bad the cupboard was..

So I got everthing out an gave it a clean..



Menu Plan

Sunday - Sausage Casserole made yeserday in the slow cooker

Monday - left over sausage casserole

Tuesday - something quick, probably spaghetti on toast

Wednesday - Burger and veg

Thursday - Baked potato with Spicy Mackerel

Friday - Roast chicken dinner

This week is going to be really tight for money and I am going to try and exist on £5 until Friday. I have lunches already set, so hopefully the £5 should cover me for drinks etc this week whilst at work. I need to put petrol in the car tomorrow, but that has been budgeted for.

Fingers crossed!

If you do have more snow round by you or if everyone gets blanketed again, then take care driving folks. And whilst it is a good idea to try and turn your heating down, don't freeze will you?

Right off for a bath to warm up then going to watch Top Gear whilst hugging a hot water bottle.

Frugally yours

Abigail

x

MInd Your Own Damn Business Nosey!

I have been upset most of today, and thought I would share with you the reason why.

Someone gave me a dressing down.

I was talking about my situation, and another overheard and then gave me a bit of a lecture on debt, on how good their financial situation was and on how bad mine was.

I am not sure whether I am genuinely upset, or cross or irritated. But, the fact of the matter is another person’s opinion has been depressing me all day. I wanted to say to everyone out there. If you are doing what I am doing, if you are paying money back, if you are trying to save. Then “do as I say and not as I do” and tell others to mind their own business and take pleasure from the fact you are facing your debt. Be strong, and continue. If you fail one day and spend too much. Well tomorrow is another day, try again. The only opinion that matters is yours. I say “Well Done You!”.

After posting last night, I decided to get started on my to do list.

Here is one kitchen cupboard pre clear out and clean,

And here it is after post - much more organised and now the pyrex should not lurch towards me as I open the door.

I also dug out the mushroom kit. Here it is

And got that set up. Apparently I should see something start to happen by the end of the weekend. I am not convinced it will work as according to the kindly donator from Freecycle they have had it for 12months. I believe the mushroom spores have a shelf life, but we will soon see. 

I also started on the washing. So the list is getting cracked off, which is great.

I also took these back to M&S today, and got my £29.00 back.  

I am disappointed, I have wanted a denim skirt, but the truth it that money will pay for about 4 to 5 days petrol, without me raiding my savings. So it has to go. Sob sob.

Whilst in the kitchen yesterday cleaning out a cupboard and preparing the mushroom kit I took the opportunity to pull out all three of my freezer drawers and review the contents. It is quite interesting to go through every now and again and review current food levels. I found some burgers, sausages and 4 Mr Brains faggotts I had forgotten about. So that means most the weekend and next weeks food is sorted with a little imagination and some vegetables.  

I could do with reviewing my store cupboard too, maybe next week now.

To update you on my weekly cash budget challenge, I started Monday with £7.50 in cash. Yesterday I spent £1.39 (coke and crisps) and today I spent £3.00 in Poundland on a multi bag of crisps, 3 cans of coke and some headache tablets so £4.39 spent which leave me with £3.11. It is going to be tight guys! 

I think living frugally is all about the little things to be begin with looking after your cash daily and keeping abreast of bank accounts. If you do that then the big savings follow naturally.

I thought I would share with you what I carry around daily in my purse. Here it is, nice isn’t? My sister bought it for me.

Inside is

-          Car insurance certificate

-          Driving license

-          Business cards

-          Tesco clubcard

-          Subway loyalty card

-          Boots loyalty card

-          2x debit cards (current and bills)

-          2xcredit cards

-          AA membership card

-          Blockbuster card

-          Library card

-          Online banking card

-          Local bank manager’s business card

-          Tesco clubcard coupons

-          Various shopping receipts

-         £3.11 in coins and £15 in notes to pay for my evening class in February.

It has made me wonder, if it is not a little too well filled. Perhaps I could take some stuff out?

What is in your purse?

Frugally yours

Abigail

x

To Pie or Not To Pie

I quite like Thursdays, well I like each day of the working week on a sliding scale as we get closer to Friday. My favourite time of the week is when you first get home on Friday evening. If I could just bottle that feeling of the weekend stretching out in front of me then I suspect, I really would not have to worry about my debts or financial future at all.

To begin with, a quick update, after the new credit card arrived the other day, I rang them up and checked the balance transfer had gone through. It had, £690.00 on it.

I also thought to check the payment date and it was set to something like the 29^th of each month. Well as I pay the credit card off sometime between the 3^rd and 5^th depending on payday this would have meant I would have incurred charges for late payment as I would not have paid the card between the date the statement was raised circa 10^th and the date the payment became due circa 29^th. Can you imagine my horror if this had happened?

So I urge you, if undertaking a balance transfer, just check the payment date with customer services on the phone. I really am pleased about doing this, but I will have to remember that the company will add a £20 BT fee on shortly. This is the only charge that is going on that card for the next 12 months, believe me!

I also rang up the old credit card, and checked they had got a zero balance on it. I had not accounted for interest from the old account when transferring the balance over, therefore had £6.01 outstanding. I paid immediately, so the credit card should close automatically. But, I will be keeping an eye on these pests.

A good job done!

Another good job is the £5 challenge I set myself this week, (well in actual fact £7.50) I went out today and grabbed a packet of crisps 50p (well this is a frugal blog not a diet blog!) and also popped into my local 99p store. It is like Poundland….only cheaper….by a penny….get the idea? And bought a new car washing sponge. 

Huge isn’t it? Think I am going to cut it in half.

Anyhoo, this means £2.31 left for tomorrow. That is loads! I think I might be able to do this kids!

 I also like the fact that by using cash as I have, it has meant I am able to track my current account online a lot easier. When you see a balance on the screen I know it is accurate, as I have not been waving the debit card around purchasing overpriced knick knacks.

I did earlier this evening, dig out my rainy day jar (i.e. an old mah-ooo-sive pub whiskey bottle and emptied it. £45.70 in shrapnel. Cannot decide what to do with it whether to bag it up and knock it off the debt or wait until it gets a little higher say £50 / £100. Nice dilemma to have though isn’t it?

The Chap is coming over tomorrow night after work for dinner. We are planning a day out (venue to be decided) on Saturday to get away from all the DIY. I will not feed him my frugal fare, so I will tomorrow have to pop and grab a couple of things after work to make dinner, I am going to take this out of my weekend budget as officially the working week will be over. Cheating! I hear you cry…. Well my blog, my rules…:o)

I do have a bit of a dilemma, there is this absolutely beautiful pie dish at my local House of Fraser, I like it so much I have been in three times this week to keep looking at it. Reduced in the sale to £4.25, so not a fortune, yet a really useful size for one. I have stopped myself from buying it so far, but I know that if I do not buy it in the next few days then I will miss out.

http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Linea+Curve+20.5cm+pie+dish+red/138638799,default,pd.html

What does everyone think I should do?

I did pop over to pick up that book I got from freecycle this week after work - Rebecca By Daphne Du Maurier

I am loving it! Such a great story, read 50 pages in the bath this evening. Perfect... and Free!

Frugally yours

Abigail

x

NSD, and Another Frugal Five

Today, I achieved an NSD. What is an NSD you might ask? Well it is a No Spend Day. Which means no money got handed over to anyone during the course of the day. That is a SUCCESS! Yay me!

So halfway through the week and I still have £3.80 in cash in my purse. Hope I can make it until Friday without getting more cash.

I am really trying to get more financially organised and as part of that, my new credit card arrived, so officially I have only one credit card and the overdraft costing me any money in interest.

Had a quiet evening last night, I was supposed to go to my evening class, but as I felt so ill as I am still nursing this cold. I decided to go home. Grabbed a bath, then turned off the heating (remember target of £250 for next quarters utilities) and started cooking. Bumped the eggs dish for the fish fingers, and ate it with boiled cabbage and some frozen home made cauliflower cheese, very tasty and just what i faniced as a bit of "soul food" when feeling under par.

I have started thinking about upcoming expenditure and gave myself a shock about April. It suddenly came to me in April I will need to pay the Utilities again, pay my car tax, buy a present for The Chap's milestone birthday and the service charge on W Towers will be going up. So I need to start planning now.

I also came to the conclusion yesterday after putting £30 of petrol in the car that the money left in my current account will not last until the beginning of February when I get paid next. I was being a little optimistic, I think, as at the beginning of Jan (if you remember) I put £300 away into savings to pay for the gas and electricity. When that bill arrived I actually did not go into savings to pay it. So if I do end up taking some cash say £50 or £100 from my savings to help me through the next 2 week, then I really think that it will still be a win for January, some money put aside in savings and over 8% off my debt.

ANOTHER FRUGAL FIVE FOR YOU

1. Did you know your freezer is most energy efficient when full, as it takes less energy to keep the drawers at the required temperature. Lesson: keep it full. When cooking make too much and freeze the rest into portion sizes. The same is true of your oven. When baking, fill up the spare space with baking trays and tins. More energy efficient, better for the environment and lowering your utilities bill.
2. Always look for alternatives, a case in point. I belong to a book club and need to read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. My local library did not have it, so I posted a Wanted on Freecycle, Within 12 hours I had received an email offering a 1970s copy of the book. From a lady half a mile from my home. All free. Great!
3. Mend it! Always, look at the option of mending an item, even in todays throw away society, big money can be saved. A man 10 miles from me mends Dysons for £35, and The Chap recently got his xbox mended for £25. But this month’s award goes to my sister. My nephew dropped her iphone about a week ago smashing the glass back. Apple wanted £200 to repair it. She googled her problem and found a “You Tube” clip on repairing her phone. She then had to buy the special screwdriver and a new back, which came in at £25. It took her 5 minutes to do it herself. Now that is a great saving!
4. Shopping, do not get tempted with "buy one, get one half price" deals in the supermarkets. Ask yourself, "Do I need another?" As when you buy these deals then you are SPENDING more money, not saving yourself money. This is a good lesson also in any sale. You are NEVER saving money at a sale but spending less.
5. If you live in the UK, join Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert website and sign up for his weekly emails. I have had free pizzas, cheap shoes and countless deals because of this man. Well worth the 2minutes it takes. Plus you only get 1 email per week and no spam.

Off to see The Chap tonight as been a week since I saw him last. Really looking forward to it!

Frugally yours
Abigail
x

It Is Good To Talk or You Are Not Alone

You are not alone.

It is January 2012 and you sit down to look at what you want to do this year, perhaps a nice holiday or a new car?

And slowly you realize that the debt that you were in in 2011 has grown and the £8000 is now £12,000.

It seems like all around you your peers, friends and family are enjoying the good life, holidays, expensive technical toys and fancy cars. They do not appear to be in debt so why are you?

Well, what I want to say is it is good to talk.

About 12 months ago when I really got the money saving bug, I started talking to my friends and family. I explained I was in debt and trying to pay it back, that my credit card took priority over a dinner out or an expensive weekend away. 

Honesty breeds honesty and it is an important tool in changing your financial habits. I am not saying ask you next door neighbour or friend how much debt they are in. But often if you tell someone they will tell you. Then, you realize you are not alone.

You  will discover that probably a lot of those around you are in debt too, you may even find that yours is minimal compared to those you envy.  Someone might be scathing, (well they have been with me) but I do not care, this is my business and I am taking care of it. Some might even say they have not got any debt. Take into account they could be lying.

Often that Wii, Ipad, new car, or even the deposit on a house has been paid on a credit card. Did you know the average UK credit card debt per household for 2012 is £7,982. Well if that is the average, there are many people out there without debt and many with a significantly higher figure. Ask yourself as you look at those you compare yourself with, which out of these two categories do you think they will be in? 

However, it has made me realize that I AM alone when it comes to paying everything back. Not many others are.

Paying back the money, makes me feel good

I will in 12 months be debt free, will they? I will be able to fall asleep and only worry about the mortgage, which I know I can afford.

In talking about finance with others, we stop pretending to be richer than we are, and therefore we stop feeling we are owed the new car, the ipad and the ensuite bathroom.

Talking is a good thing, and one I intend to continue to keep doing.

As a slight aside, I went out at lunchtime today and spent £2, nearly 27% of my weekly cash budget from Sunday, but I did get 3 tins of diet coke and a multi pack of crisps which should last me the rest of the week at lunchtime. You have got to love Poundland!. 

Total left: £3.80.

Frugally yours

Abigail

x

Simple Solutions, or How I Am Not Cool

I am not cool.For you see, I am never up to date on the latest tv.

I don’t own a sky box, this make me an enigma amongst pretty much everyone I know.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have Sky as there is so much good entertainment on their channels. But, I will not pay the money.      

I invested a few years back in a Humax recordable freeview box, and I love       it.

It was a one off payment and allows me to do a lot that Sky can do. I can       “series link” a favourite programme.

I can record straight to the hard drive and I can record two channels at       once.

So, I am happy with this, but I do like a lot of programmes that are only       available on Sky. Their cheapest package is £20 per month, and I refuse to       pay that. So what to do?

Well this question was answered about two years ago now, when I joined Lovefilm. They also carry complete box sets of tv series. I am on a high usage package  - 3 unlimited discs per month for about  £13, £7 cheaper than Sky and as I do not mind watching the series I like about 6 months after everyone else then it really works for me.

Currently I am working my way through the latest series of Criminal Minds, and Fringe, plus watching on DVD or Blu Ray means I get to watch episodes back to back.

I would say that my Lovefilm membership is the one of two luxury items that I still have. The other is my private healthcare which costs about £70 / month just for me. This really is a luxury item, but one I can currently afford so I am keeping it.

It amazes me how many of us out there have unnecessary monthly bills that       could easily be culled if you went through your outgoings.      

If you do have Sky do you need ALL the channels, or really could you survive with just a basic package and no movies etc? Do you need that subscription to a website, or a bank account that is costing you money each month?      

I manage my money now pretty well, 2 days after getting paid, a large chunk is sent off to another account by standing order. From this account the       following bills are paid
-               mortgage
-               insurance policies
-               council tax
-               tv license

I then know that the balance must still pay for my utilities, petrol and food. What’s left is for “fun and games” or to fritter. Except it was, now debt gets paid off and savings grow. The fun and games element has been severely reduced.

This is my idea of thrift, constant and consistent review of expenditure.

This is not cool either, talking about thrift. After careful consideration,,, I can live with that.

Frugally yours
Abigail
x
P.S. Spent £1.70 today, £5.80 left until Friday.

Damn it, Damn it, Damn it! or A Failure To Report.

I am not having a good day today, I walked into work this morning and there was only half a pint of milk left, which would not do all of us all day for tea. As it is my responsibility to grab the milk (otherwise no-one buys it and I am evil without tea) I knew straight away I would have to grab some more cash at lunchtime. Bugger!

I had also checked my emails that morning and the utilities bill had arrived, I am on a dual fuel standard tariff and gave them my readings yesterday – so I knew it was on it’s way. But I was not particularly pleased to see it in black and white……£316.35 for the quarter.

I am naturally a very cold person and am rarely to be found in short sleeves, so I always know one of my biggest expenses is going to be gas and electricity. But at £105.45 per month, I am going to have to work something out for future. My aim is to get the next quarterly bill down to say £250.00. I think that is achievable. And I start tonight.

As I am away down south this weekend, off after work on Friday and back Sunday lunch time, I am going to turn everything off tomorrow as I leave W Towers to try and stop all expenditure on gas and electricity. I have changed most of my bulbs now to energy efficiency ones and I now switch anything I can off at the plug – Toaster, kettle, spare room lamps etc. But I am going to try a halogen heater I have been given one and see if I can make do with just that on in the living room of an evening even if only for a couple of nights per week. I think I am also going to stop the heating from coming on for an hour in the morning.

The negative side to this heater is every time I change channel on the tv etc it either starts rotating again or adds / removes another bar on the heater. Very eerie the first time it happened.

Organisation is proving to be invaluable again in saving money too. E.g. I changed my bed this evening rather than Sunday, so I am leaving the washed items on the line in the garage thus save on the tumble-drying costs.

I went to the cashpoint and picked up £50, much more than I ideally wanted to withdraw, but since I have such a journey ahead of me tomorrow I need to put more petrol in perhaps as much as £30 in to cover it and into next week. I will go to my local supermarket petrol station to do this where petrol is cheapest and I can pick up the reward points. Then hopefully the money I have left will get me through the weekend and perhaps into next week as well.

I am definitely going to try the £5 challenge again next week and see if I can last for 3-4 days on this during the week – really I should be able to this. I think I can get away with only a minimum amount of food shopping next week, but I need to look at the freezer and cupboards to check. I know I am very low on greens, and some basics are running out – milk, bread. But I will assess that on Sunday and let you know with my meal plan for the week.

So an expensive day – utilities bill and £50 out in cash. Gosh, do not want a day like that again for a while please!

Frugally yours

Abigail

x