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A struggling man.

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  • nadnad
    nadnad Posts: 1,593 Forumite
    seriously - would you not consider giving your job up to stay at home and mind the kids? you're earning £260 more than the childminder. If you satyed at home but went out to work even a couple of nights and at the weekend when your OH was at home you'd be far better off.
    DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY ;)

    norn iron club member no.1
  • black-saturn
    black-saturn Posts: 13,937 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Rent 595 - Quite high but I suppose unavoidable
    Water 29 - Very high. Have you considered going on a water meter?
    C Tax 94
    Gas 80 - Again high. Try cooking with a slow cooker, limiting heating.
    Electric 25
    Mobile 30 - Do you need a mobile?
    Phone 100 - Very high. Have you considered BT option 2?
    Petrol 100 - Very high, do you need a car?
    School 62.50
    Sky 36.00 - Ring them and switch to the lowest package which is about £19.00
    Car Ins 49.77
    Rachel 990 (Childminder)
    2008 Comping Challenge
    Won so far - £3010 Needed - £230
    Debt free since Oct 2004
  • nadnad
    nadnad Posts: 1,593 Forumite
    if you earned even £100 a week part time you'd be £140 a month better off and you'd get to spend time with your kids.
    DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY ;)

    norn iron club member no.1
  • Geespot
    Geespot Posts: 10 Forumite
    Other things to note.

    I could stay at home and look after the children for roughly the same money with an evening job.

    However, I have a good career ahead of me that I do not want to stop working on. Also for my partner and I to get a mortgage we need 2 solid incomes which is what we are working on. If I give up work I lose my uni course and a good career. My money will go up quite nicely in about 3 years time.

    Phone bill is normally £45
    School is important to my son
    Gas is normally £40 but we are about £300 behind
  • Geespot
    Geespot Posts: 10 Forumite
    all_hours wrote:
    Hi Geespot

    Do you get child benefit and child tax credit? Is your childminder registered. If so you could get help with the childcare costs.

    The gas bill looks high.

    You haven't included shopping in the budget.

    Not entitled to tax credits this year. They have written to me. Get abotu £120 a month for both kids for Child benefit
  • Geespot
    Geespot Posts: 10 Forumite
    lynzpower wrote:
    Hi there Gee

    Just to say, is this right your wife is now working? Or not?

    Yes she is
  • Geespot
    Geespot Posts: 10 Forumite
    Rent 595 - Quite high but I suppose unavoidable
    Water 29 - Very high. Have you considered going on a water meter?
    C Tax 94
    Gas 80 - Again high. Try cooking with a slow cooker, limiting heating.
    Electric 25
    Mobile 30 - Do you need a mobile?
    Phone 100 - Very high. Have you considered BT option 2?
    Petrol 100 - Very high, do you need a car?
    School 62.50
    Sky 36.00 - Ring them and switch to the lowest package which is about £19.00
    Car Ins 49.77
    Rachel 990 (Childminder)

    Yes have to have a mobile I am afraid for many reasons.
    Phone not normally that high as previously mentioned
    Have to have a car so my partner can get to work and drop kids of at Childminders
    Landlord wont agree to any changes in the house i.e water meter
  • violetb_2
    violetb_2 Posts: 119 Forumite
    Hi there, you sound like you are doing OK - your priorities are your family and that is the first step and the most important. Your pre school fees will soon be less because of funding from the state - that will make a difference. hang in there for the next few years - it sounds like you will get through this. Try to sit down and work out a realistic budget for the items it is harder to track - like food costs. you could probably see some savings there too.
  • Geespot
    Geespot Posts: 10 Forumite
    Thank you, It is just that we still struggle badly. We have run out of petrol 3 of the last 5 months and had to get lifts of people.

    Not sure how much longer I can go on with nothing left each payday and I am trying my best not to let the debts increase again.

    Am reducing SKy to the minimum now for a start
  • lynzpower
    lynzpower Posts: 25,311 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Gee,

    Ok a few thoughts from me

    Rent 595
    Water 29
    C Tax 94
    Gas 80 ( :eek: ok, your paying back arrears, but still its high. Have you checked out https://www.energysavingtrust.co.uk lag your loft, boiler, extra jumpers, the heating needs to be OFF! etc, have you checked if you on the cheapest supplier?)
    Electric 25
    Mobile 30 ( could you move to PAYG?)
    Phone 100 (Normally £5ish) ( try landline with BT 13, tesco or madasafish broadband, 14, then free evening & weekend calls with Primus 2- package is free!, saving 73pcm
    Petrol 100 ( can you car share? Is this the very cheapest, cut down ytour journeys, easily saving 15 a month)
    School 62.50 (Sons pre scool) ( does he ahbsolutely need this?)
    Sky 36.00 ( this can go, get a digibox instead )
    Car Ins 49.77 ( ooh this is high, have you checked your on the cheapest?)
    Rachel 990 (Childminder) ( :eek: crikey, this is high. as others have said, you need to slice down her hours. Have you checked out your companies approach to flexible working? You might be surprised what you can get, but your childcare is v crippling, there has to be a solution)

    My salary £1250
    Kel Salary £1550
    Total Incoming (Average) £2800 ( this is quite high :beer: great start!)
    :beer: Well aint funny how its the little things in life that mean the most? Not where you live, the car you drive or the price tag on your clothes.
    Theres no dollar sign on piece of mind
    This Ive come to know...
    So if you agree have a drink with me, raise your glasses for a toast :beer:
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