Where do I start?

Belt-tightener_2

Sorry possibly I should have been clearer it is £50 just for food no petrol or any other bits just basicaly what I buy in Asda, Aldi, or Tesco.

I am pleased to see that it is done by several of you.

We will still have a very good income by others standards its just our comparable standard of living will go down and we won't have the same disposable income

dancingfairy

How about posting your SOA (bdget on Debtfreewannabe)? they should be able to give you some ideas of where you can save - eg by switching gas/electric, changing mobiles,cancelling sky/cable tv. etc, etc. The gang on here will save you loads on your shopping bills but Debtfreewannabe will help with all the other expenses.

Magentasue

Could your children go to school where you live?

Lilmil

Hi Belttightner
Good luck with the challenge. I might be stating the obvious but do you have a spending diary it's amazing to see where all that money goes and it helps you concentrate on what areas you can cut back on. Also as others have suggested meal planning and the Grocery Challenge might help.
You mentioned that there is food in the house you could make out a meal plan for the coming week based on what you have and just shop for what is needed to complete the meals. I have found this has really cut down on waste in our house and I am spending a lot less at the supermarket.
Best of luck
Lilmil

Belt-tightener_2

Thanks all, I have cut back on everything else so there is no spare we have no debt other that mortage, loan and small amount on the crdit card so its just shopping I need help with I'm fully budgeted, I used to teach people how to do household accounts so my bigest problem is the food as it is the one area I've never kept control of due to not needing to.

As for the children going to school where we live ekkk no I'd rather have no shoes than let that happen the ok local school (20-30 minutes walk) is full it also has some issues since the new head took over, the school 5 minutes away no chance I was driving past one day and saw a boy of about 6 or 8 with a knife went and told the head and she wasn't bothered.

Other school is 30 minutes away and in a poor are with bad results and a head who is very set in her ways.

I am going to draw up a meal plan once the children are in bed.

Lilmil

Hi Belt-tightener
I have also found batch cooking and freezing cuts the grocery bill and frees up more time e.g. spag bol, chilli, stew, curry, lentil soup, pizza dough, pasta sauce
Also it means that all the vegetables and meat get used up rather than left sitting in the fridge to go off.
Take care
Lilmil
Good luck

zarazara

Belt-tightener check if your children will be eligable for free school meals when your income drops and make sure you are getting the right amount of tax credits too. www.entitledto.com is a good easy web site for you to check up about things. you might even be eligable for a council tax rebate and/or free eye tests and perscriptions.

lynzpower

have you thought about doing a little bit of growing? Rocket and other lettuce leaves are easy-peasy, as is spinach. You can also grow your own potatoes in a big plastic bin with a load of compost and seed potatoes, if you start now you should be well under way by September. Climbing beans might also do OK if they are planted now, well I hope so as Im starting mine this weekend! ( after recently moving again)
Seeds cost pence from lidl/ B&Q etc, or you can google and find seed exchanges, I think I saw an MSE one once ( or an MSEr who started a yahoo group)

Belt-tightener_2

No we are not entitled to anything at all.

Basically my hubby has a very good job with long hours and lots of stress and we have made the decision that we do not need the lifestyle we have if we have no life so he is swapping to another job where there is no on-call and no being called up on a Sunday because the lad on call doesn't answer his phone, he doesn't need the grief he gets of the managers when other people have not done their share of the work, he has been there the longest and knows most systems so he seems to get 4 to 5 times the jobs of the others.

I am worried I'm starting to sound ungrateful but we need to do this for us and our happiness, I know we are doing this through choice and not necessity and I know a lot of people live on a lot less because they have to.

I have paired the budget down to the bare bones, I'm just worried about buying food and re-educating myself. We have spent 10 years working our way up to where we are today and we are taking a huge step back for our children. I see it as lifestyle vs. life quality.

I know it is doable the maths is there but I know its too easy to fall into old habbits.

Belt-tightener_2

lynzpower wrote: »

have you thought about doing a little bit of growing? Rocket and other lettuce leaves are easy-peasy, as is spinach. You can also grow your own potatoes in a big plastic bin with a load of compost and seed potatoes, if you start now you should be well under way by September. Climbing beans might also do OK if they are planted now, well I hope so as Im starting mine this weekend! ( after recently moving again)
Seeds cost pence from lidl/ B&Q etc, or you can google and find seed exchanges, I think I saw an MSE one once ( or an MSEr who started a yahoo group)

Sadly our terrace has a yard that I can't swing a cat in (our son has tried) what little space is taken with all the recycling stuff and my clothes lines its so small we struggle to dry a full load of washing, I did try growing in wall baskets but they have to be out of the reach of the children so I'm very limited I have cherry tomatoes and some herbs.