how to budget

For recipes look at the mega sticky at the top of the page - it will also give you tips on other money saving ideas

I'll be brutally honest and tell you what my parents would have done if I'd have said 'I'm not eating that rubbish'. They have simply replied...calmly of course....'fine you won't get anything to eat then until your next meal'...and then ignored me. It would then be my choice whether to eat or to starve simply put.

We only have my OH's teenage daughters round once in a while, but they know that we don't have fizzy in the house. If it isn't there, they can't drink it. If there are any 'do we have' or 'why haven't we got'....a simple reply of 'cos we don't have it, but if you want to buy it with your own money go ahead'. Usually they won't buy the item...so they don't 'really' want it.

We also make our own pizzas.....which is cheaper and far tastier....even a pizza hating daughter thought they were great.

Sounds like your kids need to understand that things have to change. Perhaps it might be worthwhile sitting them down in front of a pen and a bit of paper. Work with them to set a meal plan for the next week.

However, I'm reluctant to pander to 'I want' or 'but there isn't any x'. If they want something that you don't buy then they'll have to earn it some how or pay for it themselves. At least that's how we work anyway.

The more 'I wants' that are heard the less chance there is of that thing appearing.

Edit: Sound harsh don't I. But if daughter 1 had her way we'd eat plain boiled rice and ham sandwiches every day. So we have very little choice but to be a little 'strict'. They have become use to it to be honest.

Pink-winged wrote:

It would be a good idea for you to have a look at Martins budget planner for help with your budgeting and also to ask for help on the Debt free wannabe board where you will get lots of great advice on how best to manage your situation.

I found him on the Debt Free Wannabe board and sent him here

Hello again Paul :hello:

rchddap1's advice is excellent - if you can just get your kids' attitudes to change, it will make things so much easier for you. As you're about to start afresh with your finances, that's a really good opportunity for you to start afresh with your kids' "life education" - they will need to learn that things don't always get handed to them on a plate. They will see you laying down the structure of a healthy financial life, and if you're open with them about it as they grow up, they should be able to learn from your mistakes and with any luck not end up in debt crisis themselves in later life.

As for the food issue, with a little re-education of your kids it shouldn't be too hard to get your expenditure down to £50-£60 or so a week straight away. I'm normally only shopping/cooking for myself, and I eat a good and varied diet for about £15 a week not including wine.

Once you've eased yourself in, you might find it helps you to join the monthly Old Style Grocery Challenge - there's a link to "Monthly Challenges" in the dark blue bar at the top of this page - which should enable you to shave even more off your expenditure.

HTH

Rzl

I have been cooking all my own meals since I was 11 (due to me being the only vegetarian in the family) so I'm having a bit of trouble sympathising with kids of 10 and 12! ;o)

Anyway, one thing you could do is make healthy/cheap food that looks like fast food. Pizzas are one example. They are cheap to make and can be as healthy/unhealthy as you wish. You could also make burgers yourself from minced beef and whatever else goes into burgers (sorry, I'm a veggie remember) and you could keep a family-pack of burger baps in the freezer to have with them.

There are lots of students cookbooks out there which have very cheap recipes that appeal to teenagers. I'm sure your local library could get you one in. Get your kids to look through it and tell you what they like.

I would get your kids to start cooking some meals themselves. My (male) cousins started cooking in their early teens because their impoverished single mum was out working all the time trying to keep them off the breadline. I think it make kids realise that dinner doesn't just materialise out of thin air - they learn that it takes time and money.