Any ideas for more moneysaving?

Prudent

Same is true in my situation. I am a teacher and travel to different school to work with children. Our rules are now so tight that if expenses are not in by the final Friday of the month we don't get them.
I also have a mobile phone and calls are not refunded. I also buy 90% of resources myself because they simply aren't there. I am a single parent and feel my daughter misses out because of this.

Brummie babe I have to say I think you do exceptionally well with regard to your outgoings. The only thing that did strike me was your presents budget. I (like anyone with children!) seem to be constantly buying presents especially for daughter's friends. I have found I can really cut costs in two ways. Firstly I buy a lot from car boots sales. You will surprised at the amount of stuff you can get in new condition. Yesterday I picked up a board game (new in wrapping) that my dd had asked for for Christmas - £14.99 Argos, £2.50 boot sale. I also got her a brand new top for a £1. It was a quality beaded dressy top and would have cost around £20 in the shops. I also use my advantage card to buy pressies. This month I have stocked up on toothpaste and got more back in points than I have spent. I used the points to buy Christmas pressies.

Prudent

I should also add that car boots sales are great for children's clothes. They are particularly good for clothes for children the age you have. I have a teenager and still manage to get a lot of her clothes at them. In fact I think we are down to paying shop prices only for underwear and nightwear, which I won't buy at boot sales. My best buy in the last month has come from someone who was selling off lots of clothes (sadly most too small for dd) at 10p. I found a brand new (with labels on ) pair of designer trousers in dds size and style. The prices on the label was REDUCED to £59.99 and I got them for 10p. DD very chuffed.

brummiebabe

KatrinaC wrote:

Hi Brummiebabe,

can you actually claim your mileage after one month? The trust I work for refuses to pay out expenses not claimed by the fifth of the following month. I've literally lost about £300 in a year because I've not been able to get the claims in. :mad:

You are definitely right about goodwill propping up the NHS.

Kat

Blimey, and I thought our trust was bad!!

We have 3 months to claim our expenses, after that, we lose the money!!

brummiebabe

Prudent wrote:

Same is true in my situation. I am a teacher and travel to different school to work with children. Our rules are now so tight that if expenses are not in by the final Friday of the month we don't get them.
I also have a mobile phone and calls are not refunded. I also buy 90% of resources myself because they simply aren't there. I am a single parent and feel my daughter misses out because of this.

Brummie babe I have to say I think you do exceptionally well with regard to your outgoings. The only thing that did strike me was your presents budget. I (like anyone with children!) seem to be constantly buying presents especially for daughter's friends. I have found I can really cut costs in two ways. Firstly I buy a lot from car boots sales. You will surprised at the amount of stuff you can get in new condition. Yesterday I picked up a board game (new in wrapping) that my dd had asked for for Christmas - £14.99 Argos, £2.50 boot sale. I also got her a brand new top for a £1. It was a quality beaded dressy top and would have cost around £20 in the shops. I also use my advantage card to buy pressies. This month I have stocked up on toothpaste and got more back in points than I have spent. I used the points to buy Christmas pressies.

Presents budget - I KNOW we overspend there! Very difficult though at times - its not just kids birthdays but family ones aswell! We've all got into the habit of giving £30 for a family birthdaty. Daft, I know! However, have spoken to my mum & we'll ALL be cutting back (none of us can really afford it anymore.) Yesterday, I bought my SIL a pressie instead (a beautiful winter scarf) it cost me half what I would automatically have spent before:D

Thanks for the advice about clothes etc. Really shouldn't need to buy ANYTHING now until next summer (except for shoes, possibly.) Will certainly consider it next summer (don't fancy a car boot sale in this weather!!)

mne2

brummiebabe wrote:

Blimey, and I thought our trust was bad!!

We have 3 months to claim our expenses, after that, we lose the money!!

Same here - 3 months to claim any expenses. And yes you are both right about
goodwill propping up the NHS. Sad really.

Murtle

brummiebabe

one thing before I forget, then I'll re-read it all again!!!

carboot and charity shops and sometimes ebay are even more brilliant for buying out of season items. If that makes sense!! ie lots of people want to clear their house out after the summer, and say goodbye to the summer items! So you can get great bargins that way.

Murtle

brummiebabe wrote:

£2316.92 of debt, all on a 0% Virgin credit card until June 2006.

Pension (Husband's) £50
Life Cover (3 policies) Total £36.85
TV Licence £10.49
Union payment £9.20 (need it for insurance etc - I'm a nurse!)
Council tax £101.00
Credit card repayment £100
Finance (for sofa, ends May 2006) £62.16
Nursery/after school fees £321.00
Swimming lessons (DS1) £11.00
Powergen (gas/electric) £70!!!:eek:

Apart from the powergen one I'm guessing these are fixed and you are happy/can't change them

Mortgage £519.15
House Insurance £23.32
Critical illness/life cover £21.52
Water £34.81 (no water meter - we have 2 kids!)

Are these all on the best option available for you??

British gas service £14.00

What is this for?? and is it really necessary?

Car expenses (ins. etc £150
(2 cars - both necessary!)

Don't know what cars you have, but I split the costs for my car over a year and put aside £60 a month for insurance, mot, servicing and tax. Is there anyway you can cut the cost of the insurance or servicing of the cars??

Phone bill £16.00

Have a look at the cheaper phone threads, I'm sure Edinburgh lass and her bunch of merry posters can help you reduce this cost or at least try to!!

Income protection £30.70 (do I really need this?)

Work out what it provides for you and in what situations. Then decide if you'll need it. I personally didn't take the redundancy option on my mortgage as it only kicked in x months after redundancy and I'd have to have got another job by then anyway as I wasn't entitled to redundancy when I started a new job. However, I took out pet insurance so that I could always afford to pay for them if anything happened and they needed the vet. EVERYONE is different, work out the pros and cons of having the protection and then decide.

Shopping £250-280

What does this go on?? Food shopping, cleaning products, toiletries??
Is it possible to set a target to reduce this again. I'm trying £100 per month for two adults and two cats! I limit my shopping and this month am trying the once main shop on line and then little pick ups of milk etc. I did it this way as Sainsburys sent me a nice money off voucher. Delivery on their free days and Voila 20% discount!! It all adds up!!! List everything you buy and see where it is going.

B'day etc £20

Hard on this one as it's good to have some money set aside for pressies - any chance you can buy pressies on sale and stash them in a pressie cupboard?!!! Particulary useful in the sales. Once you have the pressies you need until June, use the remainder of the money to pay off your debt

Spending money (ie for everything else!) £200 (£40 per week between 2 of us)

What is this going on?? Do you know??

Computer cover £4.99

I'm guessing you like this one, but again is it necessary?? pros/cons check it out!!!

Broadband £17.97

Can you change?? is there cheaper - I'm on wanadoo, I know they aren't the cheapest....I'll meet you on the internet and telephone board

Gym £33.95 (can't cancel until June 2006)

Do they allow you to reduce the membership to a basic one?

Petrol £160.00

Are you buying from the cheapest petrol stations?? if supermarket petrol are you getting points!!

Charity donations £4

Sorry charity begins at home!! When you've got rid of your debt you can up the amount!!!

Clothes (kids) £30

If they don't need anymore clothes add this to the debt budget.

Pay As You Go (2 phones) £20

Check out the best option for, PAYG or contract and with you!! The tarrifs even on PAYG can vary greatly between providers. Look out for their fee sims with free sms messages.


Not sure how helpful that is.....but as mentioned ebay and amazon to get rid of old stuff!! Including baby/children clothes in good condition.

Have you used the snowball calculator? and worked out how much you need in addition?? if so, the extra £5 here and there will really help.

I'm really impressed by how strict people are on these boards when getting rid of their debt!!

Good luck

x

*Sparkle*_3

Seems like your paying too many insurances....