Ok guys can you help me tighten my belt please???

kellymundy

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1771
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 120
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1891

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 741.9
Secured loan repayments................. 172
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 86
Electricity............................. 67
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 18
Telephone (land line)................... 35
Mobile phone............................ 10
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 19
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 250
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 105
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 30
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 220
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 20
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 34
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1819.9

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 130000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 500
Other assets............................ 1100
Total Assets............................ 131600

Secured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 114131...(741.9)....6.19
Secured Debt.................. 20000....(172)......9.6
Total secured debts........... 134131....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
loan...........................19817.....131.2.....6.19
virgin cc......................4000......101.......0
overdraft......................4700......75........19.2
lloyds airmile cc..............125.......5.........15.9
Total unsecured debts..........28642.....312.2.....-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,891
Expenses (including secured debts)....... 1,819.9
Available for debt repayments........... 71.1
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 312.2
Surplus(deficit if negative)............ -241.1

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 131,600
Total Secured debt...................... -134,131
Total Unsecured debt.................... -28,642
Net Assets.............................. -31,173

We are 2 adults and 1 child plus a golden retriever and 2 cats. I'm currently off work sick and I'm trying to make some money on ebay to make up a bit of the difference (made around £150 in the last 10 days).
I know you'll all tell me to cut back on the food budget but it's not really possible due to me being on a special diet at the moment that costs around £160 on it's own.
We've cut our sky package right back to the £19 and I've switched and fixed our electric today (I was paying £80 before).
Anything else you guys can help me out with would really be appriciated.

notenoughcash

What is the other travel of £220? Seems a lot on top of running a car too, is there any way this can be reduced? I see you struggle to reduce your grocery costs too. Do you buy branded products or shop's own brand, this can make a big difference week by week. Could you try a local market for fruit/veg? If you can go around 3pm on a saturday afternoon you can get loads at reduced prices. Also is freeview an option rather than paying a sky subscription or are you stuck in a contract?

Just a few ideas for starters, hope it's some help

x x x x

RAS

kellymundy wrote: »

I know you'll all tell me to cut back on the food budget but it's not really possible due to me being on a special diet at the moment that costs around £160 on it's own.

is this medically necessary? If so, could you get it in bulk on prescription?

And get a season ticket for prescriptions?

kellymundy

notenoughcash wrote: »

What is the other travel of £220? Seems a lot on top of running a car too, is there any way this can be reduced? I see you struggle to reduce your grocery costs too. Do you buy branded products or shop's own brand, this can make a big difference week by week. Could you try a local market for fruit/veg? If you can go around 3pm on a saturday afternoon you can get loads at reduced prices. Also is freeview an option rather than paying a sky subscription or are you stuck in a contract?

Just a few ideas for starters, hope it's some help

x x x x

The £220 is my husbands train fare to get to work but because he works sundays to he needs the car for those days as the train times are awful hence the cost of running the car to.
We are stuck in a contract with sky and I had a real battle just to get them to let me reduce the package.
With the shopping we try to buy as much economy stuff as possible but my husband is a really fussy eater and has to have some stuff that is branded. I've even started making my own bread because it works out at about half the price of buying a pre made loaf!

kellymundy

RAS wrote: »

is this medically necessary? If so, could you get it in bulk on prescription?

And get a season ticket for prescriptions?

It's not exactly medically necessary but it is helping with my current health situation so I will only come off it as a last resort. It's actually diet related (blow my own trumpet - I've lost 4st so far!:D) but if I can stay with it for at least another 6 weeks or so I can actually turn it into an income by becoming a diet counsellor myself.

notenoughcash

Does your husband go with you when you do the shopping? If not there are ways around 'branded' products. you can buy economy tea bags/coffee etc and put them in a 'branded' box, put branded tins at the front of the cupboard and economy at the back, just remove labels when you use them before you put them in recycling box or bin, buy economy pasta, flour, sugar etc and put straight into storage boxes before he notices. I know it's not always easy but worth thinking a bout, just a few pounds difference a week can make a big difference over time. And could you grow a bit of your own veg? If you have the space and the time and the patience it is so rewarding, much healthier, saves a bit of cash......

kellymundy

I am going to be doing my own veg soon (fingers crossed) but I only have room for a very small veg garden so although it will help it would be a huge difference.
As for the branded good my hubby does pretty much all the shopping because of my diet I don't eat what he and my little girl eat. The pets are on economy stuff already so I can't cut back there either....I'm in a real pickle here!:(

kellymundy

Any other ideas guys??? I'm desperate!

Horace

Could you not do the shopping instead - that way your hubby won't be tempted by branded products. You should make a list of what you need including stuff for your own diet and stick to it. Nip over to the Moneysaving Oldstyle board for tips on meal plans, shopping etc.

The greenfingered moneysaving board will also help with stuff to do with gardening. You don't need a huge veg patch - I use tubs on my balcony and am currently growing tomatoes and lettuce, some flowers (I can't do without them) and I have some alpine strawberry seeds sprouting and other bits n bats.

kellymundy

When I say he buys branded items I mean non economy things, most of the non economy things are still store own stuff barr a couple of items (he won't drink store brand squash).