We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

MoneySaving mums

A place for mums with kids of all ages to discuss parent MoneySaving matters.

Anyone Else Not Having Turkey This Christmas?
The price of turkeys has been getting ridiculous these past few years and as there are only 3 of us and no other family within 500 miles we've been having turkey crowns for as long as I can remember. But this year we started using an oven style air fryer with shelves instead of a conventional oven to save on electricity.…
Invisalign v braces
My daughter just told me my 11 yrs old grandson qualify for braces on the NHS if he did not qualify, the cost is approx £2500. She was given the option of going private at a cost if £4500 for Invisalign She does not mind him wearing braces but was put off with the idea that he has to have two teeth removed. He is also…
I feel like my son is spiralling out of control
Hi I am not sure whether I am seeking advice or just some support and someone to tell me I am not the worst mother in the world? In a nutshell myself and my husband separated 10 years ago, I brought up our two children and he saw them a few days a month. I have always been so close to my son who is 19 until the last 12…
Renting out your car on Turo
I'm thinking of renting out my car on Turo or Hiyacar. Post pandemic, with home working, and two days a week in the office, which I commute to on my bike, the car is standing idle on the drive most of the time. It seems a waste not to make some money from it. I'm struggling to find out about the insurance implications.…
Gift the money or pay for what they need
Hello, I am wanting to help my child with her home renovation financially. Am I better to gift her a few thousand pounds directly, or would it be better for me to “buy” something - I.e pay for her new windows directly to the glazing to company, or pay for her re-wire? So it doesn’t go through her first? It would only go to…
How does everyone do it? Household Budget Review
Hi All, My husband and I always say 'how does everyone do it' in relation to getting a house and getting on in life etc and we're looking for some outside perspective on our budget to see what's missing. Monthly income: £3700 + £1800 = £5,500 Monthly outgoings: £5,238 Mortgage 656Service Charges 83Water 27Gas +…
Ways to cut school uniform costs
Hello MoneySavers! It's tough out there for loads of MoneySaving families, so I would love to hear your ideas about how to cut the costs of school uniforms ahead of the new school year. Read more: Can I get help towards my child's school uniform costs?
Ex husband wants to register vehicles to my new address
Thoughts please just had a text from my ex husband asking if he can register his 4 possibly soon to be 5 vehicles to my address because he lives on a canal boat. I want to say no. im very uncomfortable with being asked. What’s your thoughts, am I being unkind ?
Switch question
Would someone be able to tell me if I had a mortgage with a bank who I then wanted to make a switch too would I qualify for the bonus they were offering. TIA x
Cost of school uniforms
There's an interesting article in the Guardian called Back to school: do uniforms really need to cost a fortune? (I can't post links yet) I was wondering what people thought of the comments by Matthew Easter, Chair of the Schoolwear Association. Most secondary school students spend a maximum of 2 hours a week doing PE.…
Son (7) just joined a football team - how do we get to away matches?
Elder son is football mad. We found a team nearby linked to my city’s professional team. He started practice last week and loves it. Matches start in September. I thought they’d be in different parts of the city but some are in towns fifteen or twenty miles away. This may be a hopelessly naive question but do the players…
Baby freebies?
I’ve searched the site but can’t find anything recent so hoping someone might be able to help (or point me to the right place if I’ve missed it!). Currently pregnant and wondering whether there are any worthwhile freebies ready for when baby arrives? I know about Emma’s diary packs and pampers coupons but that’s about it.…
Did you know you can get FREE HRT prescription medication with HRT certificate?
Hello to all, Thinking this is probably the most appropriate forum... and apologies if this has already been posted but in case not, did you know that by obtaining a HRT certificate (£20) which is valid for 1 year, you can get (most) HRT medication free of prescription charge? I wasn't aware until my pharmacist told me.…
How do I depisit my sons cheque
My son (23) left to travel Australia and shut his bank account down. He’s now received a hmrc tax rebate in cheque form and I don’t know how or where to deposit it for him, it’s for nearly £1k so we don’t want to lose it.
Maternity leave - How much do you save?
Hi all, I appreciate this is a pretty loose question and it'll obviously depend on a multitude of factors - How much you would regularly earn, your outgoings, how long you want off on maternity, the maternity package offered by your employer etc but I'm hoping someone can help me calculate how much I need to plug the…
Money Moral Dilemma: Should I save up child benefit to give to my children when they're older?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I have two children - aged one and four - and receive child benefit for both, totalling about £140 a month. I've been using it for their general living expenses, such as clothes, clubs and so on, but I've started to wonder if it's their money to decide what to do with. Should…
How do you divide up finances? Blended family.
Between yourself and your DP/ DH. 1. Split all bills and rent 50/50 and whatever you have left over is yours regardless of what you both earn. 2. split bills equatable to who earns more/less, ie the person earning more pays more. 3. Split the household bills relative to who is in the home eg one person has 2 children and…
Redundant husband choosing not to work
Hi, Just wondering if anyone has been in my situation and can give any advice. My husband was made redundant almost three years ago. It was not a shock, so he had plenty of time to prepare, it was not because of the pandemic, but it did coincide with the first lockdown. He said he wanted to take six months off to spend…
15 year old responsibilities
Hello I am just wondering what responsibilities you expect from your 15 years old regarding anything but especially household chores, pets etc. I have no one to compare to. Mine suffers from anxiety and bouts of depression (already receiving CAMHS support) so I know I have to be a bit lenient but I am struggling knowing…
Need advice to invest for the children's future
I'm a single mum with two kids: 10 and 12 yo. I have two child trust fund accounts but wondering what the best ROIs are out there. Need to invest and plan wisely :smile: Thank you in advance!

★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Popular Tags

MSE News

Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to close 292 branches in 2024/25 – here's the full list, plus alternatives
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, which are all part of the Lloyds Banking Group, will shut at least 292 of their bank branches in 2024 and 2025, the Group has confirmed.
Martin Lewis: We need financial education in EVERY school for EVERY child
Universal financial education – providing young people with the knowledge and experience to thrive in our highly competitive consumer economy – is vital for the future of our society, MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has warned. Addressing an all-party group of MPs and peers at Parliament, Martin told them, loudly and plainly: we need financial education in EVERY school, for EVERY child.
State pension set to rise by up to £460 a year – but Martin Lewis warns it won't help pensioners this winter and most won't get the maximum
The state pension is set to rise by up to £460 a year (£8.80 a week) from 6 April 2025 under what's known as the 'triple lock' guarantee. But MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) founder Martin Lewis has warned that any rise will come too late to help pensioners set to lose their Winter Fuel Payments this winter, while most won't get the maximum increase. Here's what you need to know.
The Body Shop administration latest – here's what you need to know
Cosmetics retailer The Body Shop has fallen into administration, resulting in almost half of its 198 stores shutting their doors for good and hundreds of staff facing redundancy. Below we round up all you need to know.
Martin Lewis warns council tax debt collection is 'so aggressive it'd make banks blush' – change is needed
Aggressive council tax debt collection practices – even after missing just ONE payment – are putting up to two million people at risk of serious harm, new research from charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) has found. The charity's chair and founder Martin Lewis has called for Government action and urged local authorities to look at their methods in the meantime.
First-class stamp prices to rise by an inflation-busting 22% from 7 October – here's how to beat the hikes
The cost of standard first-class stamps will rise by an inflation-busting 22% from Monday 7 October, Royal Mail has confirmed – but if you buy some now, you'll still be able to use them after prices go up.
Nationwide to hike FlexPlus packaged account fee by £60 a year – should you ditch and switch?
Nationwide will raise the fee on its popular FlexPlus packaged bank account from £13 a month to £18 a month in December, the building society has announced. If you've got the account, it's likely worth sticking with for now – though you should diarise to look at alternatives when the new fee kicks in. Here's what you need to know.
FREE visits to 5,000+ UK historic buildings & heritage sites in September
You can get FREE access to many historical sites and tourist attractions this month including National Trust sites, castles, locations used for TV and film including Pride and Prejudice , The King's Speech , and Bridgerton, and more. It's all part of heritage open days across the UK.
School uniform grants: check if you can reduce costs by up to £200 with support from your council
If you're on certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, you may be able to get up to £200 to put toward the cost of your child's school uniform in the form of a non-repayable grant. We've pulled together a list of the councils that offer the support and how to apply.

View All

MoneySaving mums

Categories

Popular Tags

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free

MoneySaving mums

Discussion List

Categories

Popular Tags

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free