help with new household?? 14 February 2009 at 5:08PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Old Style MoneySaving 30 replies 10.8K views

kjn1000

Hi

Im new to money saving expert and am amazed at how well you guys seem so organised.

Im 20 years old an recently got engaged and moved in with my partner and have no idea where to start with running a household.

Was hopin for some pointers as its seeming fairly expensive at the mo.

Many Thanks
a very confused katie



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Hardup_Hester

Hi Katie, I'm not organised though a lot of people on here are, for hint on cleaning, try the flylady thread & for moneysaving recipes, chech out MBAZ's thread on feeding a family of 4 for a month on £20.
Good Luck
Hugs Hester

Patchwork_Quilt

Hi Katie

Have a routine - different household jobs on certain days. Have a meal plan menu. Keep all receipts and know what you spend money on. Keep reading MSE for new ideas. Above all, make sure you're in agreement about it. It's about working it out together.

Good luck

kjn1000

just had a look at the flylady thread an its got a lot of really useful stuff on there....

Thanks hester
kt

Blairweech

Hi Katie :wave:

You are in exactly the same positionI was in 2 years ago, so here are my ideas

1. Have a chat with your partner now about finances - what goals you want to achieve in 5 years time, what things you wont cut back on etc. I know it is not a pleasant task, but it is important that you are singing from the same hymnsheet from the start. If you are busting a gut to save money then he is going out and spending it all at the pub, it kinda defeats the object.

2. Make a budget. As posted before, keep a spending diary for 3 months, know EXACTLY which penny went where etc (you will be truly amazed). From this, you can make a budget.

3. Start slowly - you cannot be a domestic goddess overnight. Just work on one thing at a time - e.g. better cooking OR better household organisation. If you try and do too much at once, you will fail and get disheartened. It will come, and it takes time.

Specifically in regards to cooking...

- Learn to cook (if you can't already). Grab a student cookbook and master some simple recipes (chilli is always good)

- Meal plan/shopping list. Just write down what meals you want to eat for the next 7 days, including breakfast and lunch. Then make a shopping list based on this plan and only buy what is on your list.

And lastly...

HAVE FUN. Fending for yourself is great, and learning how you want to run your household is specific to you - don't feel you have to do something just because everyone else is doing it. It should always be fun and never a chore.

Stick around here and you will not go far wrong! Good luck

Hawthorn

Oh congratulations I remember those days well.

Prime tip for you - heat the oil up before putting the chips in, otherwise it turns into a giant soggy mess. I learned this the hard way, as a new independent householder myself LOL.

kjn1000

Thanks v much blairweech it would be v interesting him spending his money in the pub as he works there!! lol yes i no i wont be a domestic goddess overnight but it all just seems to be building up..... that and the decorating and havin a new job....... Thanks for the tip hawthorn but i dont have a fryer yet oh how i now no how my mum felt.. lol

McKneff

Just make sure that he does his share of the household running

Buddingblonde

anniehanlon wrote: »

Just make sure that he does his share of the household running

Without wanting to be un pc I have to agree. When I first set up home with OH I was very keen to play the little housewife and now I wish I hadnt - although OH is now doing more (due to a rather big talk and me deciding that I wasnt his mother). We each now have our jobs - I cook, he washes up, I clean round, he does the bins, I wash the clothes, he hangs them up to dry and puts them away.

Ax

Jasper27_2

I agree you must not become a mother substitute, it only ends up breeding resentment and damaging your relationship, so start as you mean to go on. Like buddingblonde we each have our own jobs based on ability and preferences. I cook, he does dishes, I clean kitchen and bathroom, he dusts and hoovers etc. Obviously you've got to have some flexibility so use common sense. Like you I was only young when I moved in with OH and neither of us had lived away from home before, it does take a while to find your feet. We quickly found what works for us and stick to it, we never argue about housework stuff after nearly 20 years together. It's great to have your own home and if you hit any problems someone here on the OS board will have the answer.

Mellika

Hi Katie, you're in the same position I was in a couple of years ago. New country for me as well.

It can be so daunting, where to start?! Just make sure not to panic.

The first thing I would recommend you do, is sit down together and work out a budget. I've been managing my own money since I was 15. Where I come from, debt is relatively uncommon. One of the tips my mum gave me was this: work out a budget, then use different envelopes to divide the money for different things. For example: Rent + C.Tax, Bills, Food, etc. What I used to do was divide it into weeks since I had no bills to pay. So I would divide everything by 4.5 (four weeks plus a half week for those extra couple of days).

I know it sounds complicated, but it really helps you stay within budget!

After that, make sure you menu plan and watch your spending on luxury items, as well as going out, new clothes, etc.

You will soon find your own style

HTH
Meli xx

Edited to add: Get a slow cooker!!! It will save you valuable time which you can then use to a. catch up on housework, b. panic about life, or c. relax!