New and lost

Lalaladybird

Hi

I have just joined this forum because I need to sort out my finances but this forum is so massive I don't know where to go! :eek:

I don't have any debt but we need to cutback on our outgoings.

I want to switch energy provider, inverstigate whether I should have the same phone and internet provider, Find ways to spend less on food and energy etc. I need to lose weight so need some cheap healthy tasty menu ideas for the family. I'd like to also find out some work from home options for myself, I am a full time mum but would happily dedicate 10 hours a week to bringing some more money in if I could work from home. AAAAH so much to sort out it seems almost impossible. Can anyone help me pretty please?

mummysaver

Hi there and welcome!

I'm sure someone who is fantastic with links will be along soon! But meanwhile you might like to have a look at the meal planning thread (on the first page at the mo I think) and a browse of the grocery challenge (a sticky at the top of the page), these should give you some ideas about how to cut down on your food bills. There is also a weight loss thread on the first or second page which will have lots of advice and support.

You could also come and join the daily thread where we chat about our day and offer support and advice to each other about all sorts of things, some of them are even old style!

Hope this helps to start you off!

Lalaladybird

Thank you, I will check those out! It is good to know where to start, it all seemed so overwhelming!

mummysaver

That's ok! There is a lot of information to take in, loads of people here have been doing it for ages and are experts, so don't feel intimidated cos everyone is lovely and people are only too pleased to help and share tips and information. I'm sure if you post on the grocery challenge and ask for help you will be inundated with shopping tips and the recipes on the first page of it are brilliant.

mumoftwo

Welcome lalaladybird, It can be a bit overpowering can it?

This OS thread is where I am most and the Special Occassions Board,

I find where I can cut back most is in the food shopping/cooking/freezing and not being wasteful so like mummysave I would go and read grocery challenge first. And if you do internet grocery shopping, never pay for delivery. Look at the discount boards first for a voucher

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=38

With Christmas coming up, the Special Occassions board have lots of ideas for making Christmas gifts, hampers etc.

Just do one thing at the time, say: I am going to work on getting my grocery bill down, read the threads with that subject, picking out things that apply to you and your family.

Hope that helps, and we are always willing and ready to answer any questions, they are a really lovely bunch on here

Lalaladybird

Thank you so much - I feel very welcomed already and like I know where to start now which is great. Do you know if there is a particular place on the forum or a thread relating to how to save money with a baby? I have a 9 month old girl and I need to get a playpen and safety gates etc but it will be over £100 for those things alone unless I can find something cheaper...Told you I had so many areas of my finances to address ugh!:rolleyes:

mummysaver

If you look on the relationships and families board there are assorted threads about where to find baby stuff and how to economise about it.

There are also some old threads about having a baby old style, just do a forum search (just above the list of threads on this board).

Also you might want to join your local freecycle group and request these things as people are often getting rid of them on our local one.

Obukit

Lalaladybird wrote: »

Thank you so much - I feel very welcomed already and like I know where to start now which is great. Do you know if there is a particular place on the forum or a thread relating to how to save money with a baby? I have a 9 month old girl and I need to get a playpen and safety gates etc but it will be over £100 for those things alone unless I can find something cheaper...Told you I had so many areas of my finances to address ugh!:rolleyes:

For children you could look at these boards: -

MoneySaving in Marriages, Relationships & Families
Child Support

as well as the main Family and Health section on Martin's website. If you're looking for things for children I'd recommend finding your local Freecycle group as there's often a lot of good quality stuff on there you can collect for the price of a bit of petrol, if you're happy to accept what's offered rather than wanting a specific brand. You can find more about it on the MSE Freecycle Thread.

As for changing phones etc, you're best to start off reading the articles Martin has written - links to different sections are across the top of the page. You could then check the relevant forum sections and ask any extra questions you may have on the Home, Work and Play sub-board.

With food, no matter how complicated it seems at first the best way to cut your food bills permanently is to use a Menu Planner - there's more than you can shake a stick at on the The Complete Menu Plans Collection.

poppyoscar_3

hi lalaladybird and welcome!

apart form looking at switching energy providers, how about looking at ways to cut back on consumption? i'm just trying to do that, so making sure things are switched off not on standby, energy saving light bulbs, and batch cooking.

on the whole i try to concentrate on one area at a time (it's gas and elec at the moment) then as that becomes embedded i go for something else.

PO xx

Pink.

Hi Lalaladybird,

Welcome to MSE :hello:

If you feel that you are beginning to live beyond your means have a look at Martin's Budget Planner, that should help you to find out if/where you are overspending and give you ideas on how you could cut back. There is also his article on Supermarket Shopping which has lots of hints and tips on saving money on groceries and as others have mentioned the Grocery Challenge is a great thread to get help and support in cutting back.

Meal planning is a good way to save money. To get some ideas and help with this, have a look in The Complete Menu Plans Collection and for cheap meal ideas these threads may help.

I know that you have no debt, but the regulars on the Debt-Free Wannabe board are brilliant. If you post a SOA (statement of affairs) on that board they will find ways to save you money.

Also if you read Martins Articles on Utilites and Phones they should help and if you have any questions the regulars on the Utilities Board and Telephones Board will be able to help.

Finally, if you're still awake after reading that little lot, you should get some ideas on working from home on the Up Your Income board.

Hope this helps you to find your way around and good luck with cutting back.

Pink

ZoeGirl_3

Just an idea for cheap safety gates, not sure if you would want to do this, or have a suitable handyman/gal or could do yourself, but I once cleaned as a student for a lady who had a very OS version of this that was thin planks of wood that she slid into bits of wood bracket on the well, done very cheaply and I thought very good, can't provide a pic, but might give something to consider lol...