Statement of affairs need help

heeeeellllllppppp

The mobile is dear but were locked into contracts for about another 12 months, who thought of 24 month contracts!!! :mad:

The internet and phone is the same, were locked into contracts for the time being.
Landline broadband here is poo, barely 2mbps and my wife uses it for her work. She is self employed and works on the internet. Our internet, phone and tv is on virgin.

heeeeellllllppppp

Oh, something else I forgot to mention that makes my food bill a bit higher. Were all vegitarians, quorn subsitutes are mostly more expensive than meat equivilants.

I do like the present idea for the clubcard points, I do get quite a lot of either tesco or nectar points depending on where i get my diesel.

I do have to buy my own tools in my job, my employer doesn't supply them. Seems to be typical with maintenance engineers, you have to repair your employers machines with your own tools. Luckily I dont have buy very often, about £30 a year to replace broken or worn out tools. So long as they don't get nicked, i'm ok.

Tixy

Actually the thing about being vegetarian suprises me, often it seems that people who are vegetarian can eat cheaper than meat eaters (though I suppose it depends on the quality of the meat and where you buy it).

For meals with quorn type products have you tried the Asda frozen vegemince? I can't remember the name but it works out at about half the price. I buy it sometimes because quorn has egg in it which one of our lot doesn't eat.
Also making meals where your protein comes from pulses can work out really cheap. Eg I make a casserole type dish with a can of chick peas and a can of mixed beans with loads of veg, and it feeds at least 4.
Perhaps try reducing the amount of ready made substitute products and bulking the meal out with lentils etc (good for veg chilli dishes).
Or another favourite with us is a 'veggie shepherds pie', again using chick peas, with chopped tomatoes & onions and root veg mash on the top.
If you are worried about the kids not getting enough protein have you considered using quinoa instead of rice/couscous/pasta? If acts like the carb part of your meal but has a much higher protein content.

Perhaps your OH could sign up to some of the survey sites/review sites online. She obviously has more time than you, and a lot of these pay in vouchers which can again go towards presents (or maybe a treat).

heeeeellllllppppp

Tixy wrote: »

Actually the thing about being vegetarian suprises me, often it seems that people who are vegetarian can eat cheaper than meat eaters (though I suppose it depends on the quality of the meat and where you buy it).

For meals with quorn type products have you tried the Asda frozen vegemince? I can't remember the name but it works out at about half the price. I buy it sometimes because quorn has egg in it which one of our lot doesn't eat.
Also making meals where your protein comes from pulses can work out really cheap. Eg I make a casserole type dish with a can of chick peas and a can of mixed beans with loads of veg, and it feeds at least 4.
Perhaps try reducing the amount of ready made substitute products and bulking the meal out with lentils etc (good for veg chilli dishes).
Or another favourite with us is a 'veggie shepherds pie', again using chick peas, with chopped tomatoes & onions and root veg mash on the top.
If you are worried about the kids not getting enough protein have you considered using quinoa instead of rice/couscous/pasta? If acts like the carb part of your meal but has a much higher protein content.

Perhaps your OH could sign up to some of the survey sites/review sites online. She obviously has more time than you, and a lot of these pay in vouchers which can again go towards presents (or maybe a treat).

I didn't know that about the Asda veggie mince, thats great. We really don't make enough meals from scratch. We have not heard of quinoa before. I think i will make a shepards pie tonight, not sure we have any chick peas though.

My OH did sign up to the survey/review sites a little while ago, I will have to ask her how she is doing. I know she has wrote a few reviews now.

Just found out that one of my cards (barclaycard) the interest rate is now 22.9%! This is the card that I was trying to pay off first. Do the smallest first, probably the wrong thing to do but I thought it will feel like im actually getting somewhere.

RAS

heeeeellllllppppp wrote: »

My wife is getting depressed from never having any money to buy new clothes for her and the kids.

Can you suggest that she joins your local group on www.freegle.com and get new clothes and kitchen stuff and toys and and - for free?

RAS

You could save £350 per month off this budget relatively easily, £450-500 if you really skinned it.

If your missus has bene used to buying stuff, then what is there that can be sold on e-bay, amazon or at a car boot sale? if you can knock £1000 off the card with the highest rate, it will start going the right way.

Tixy

heeeeellllllppppp wrote: »

I didn't know that about the Asda veggie mince, thats great. We really don't make enough meals from scratch. We have not heard of quinoa before. I think i will make a shepards pie tonight, not sure we have any chick peas though.

Its not to everyones taste but I like it! Its most like couscous I guess so depends if you like that. Important thing if you try it is to wash it really well before you cook it (otherwise it tastes bitter), I throw in a vegetable stock cube or 2 to make it a bit tastier.

Making food from scratch does make meals a lot cheaper but obviously its not always easy to make the time, perhaps you can increase it gradually. And of course some things can be prepared in advance and frozen, so they are like homemade ready meals.

Frozenace

Fashion is one of the biggest cons... if you don't re-sell your stuff.

Selling old bags on ebay can make quite a bit of money if you describe them well...

katsu

Well done for facing up to things.

£100 per person on pressies etc :eek: Make the cakes not buy them and seriously review your gift giving. I gave around 23 people christmas gifts for £180. I shop all year round (I started Christmas 2010 in December 2009). I get sale bargains, use charity shops, 99p/poundland type shops, special offers and some things new and full price when I can't get them any other way I've already got my OH's parents sorted - and I persuaded OH's siblings to come in with us on a special offer BOGOF deal I found online for a great gift that would have not been affordable at full price.

Electric - turn things off, everywhere, use energy saving bulbs, can you turn down the underfloor heating/use it less? Your bill is scarey.

Quorn on some good offers in my sainsburys and morrisons in the last two weeks - check out deals online before shopping. Use pulses etc with your quorn to make it go further and have some quorn free meals with just veggies. I find quorn good value, not dear, but I also don't have it every day.

Drop the vodka & get a freeview box to drop the satelite TV package.

Get your wife to fish out some supermarket receipts and work out her clothing spend - then stop it for a month! Work out what it is she buys that you apparently need.

heeeeellllllppppp

!!!!!!, just done my credit score on experian. 382!
Two searches from rbs for insurance, !!!!!!??
One from applying for a new credit card, to see if I could reduce the interest im paying.