Keeping down spending on "stuff"

lisa_75

After all the positive advice on this thread I have spend the last few hours getting off my !!!!!! and trying to do something.

Got my Mum a book from the bookpeople site. Was a fiver, should have been £15 and used a free p and p voucher from this site.

Sexymouse’s post reminded me I got a £10 boots voucher from some survey site last week. That will be used to buy my friend a gift.

Went on the next sale online and managed to buy an outfit for the christening gift for a fiver. Also used a free p and p code from this site.

Have some Tesco vouchers I was saving to buy myself some diamond earrings (I know, I know) from Goldsmiths. Used some of them to buy enough days out vouchers to take the kids out 4 times during the holidays.

I received a £26 cheque from globaltestmarket today. The money will be used towards the two parties I have to attend. My husband can drive, we can have a couple of drinks to show our faces then leave. Usually I would spend a fortune on booze and taxis for such things.

Am going to apply to the student hardship fund when I return to uni in September. My husband is on a good wage, so they may laugh in my face, but I can try.

I feel so much better. As Lookingahead said, the key is planning, something I am just not used to doing. Thanks again. I can get through this. I just need to get off my !!!!!! and stop feeling sorry for myself.

Eager_Elephant

Hi lisa,

I do agree with other people's comments on not spending too much on gifts and days out .etc.

I like the ideas you have been given and what you have already implemented but what if next month other things crop up - I think you need a longer term plan.

So lets start at the beginning, the income - I know you have mentioned your husband could do overtime but what about Tax Credits are you getting the right amount? and also have a serious think about jobs that you could do which would fit in with studying and the children.

Secondly what about your normal everyday expenditure, your rent I presume is a fixed amount, so is Council Tax but what about electric, gas, water?
Have you thought about switching supplier or having a water meter or if you already have one - thought about how you could cut down.

What about things like Sky or Telephone packages - are you using everything you get or would you be better off on a lower package?

Petrol, Insurance - Can you cut down the amount of petrol used - maybe walk somewhere instead of taking the car? Insurance will be a bigger one but you might need to wait until renewal time before doing anything.

Food - check out the Old Style board, they recommend menu planning and cooking extra and freezing it so you don't rely on takeaways when in a rush. Cleaning products - they have recommendation for using the very basics such as vinegar and bicarb.

Irregular spending such as Xmas, Car Tax, Holidays - these are things that we know are going to happen but don't do anything about until it is too late.
Maybe you could open a couple of savings accounts and start saving a set amount each month towards these things that way when they come round it is not such a shock and doesn't dent the budget as much.

HTH
EE

nellis10

hi!!

another gift idea is to buy part of a cow/pig/goat/chicken etc from the Charities that give them to villages in Africa/South America etc.

It's a thoughtful gift, knowing you are doing good for some less fortunate than you (even though it sometimes doesn't seem it). You friends/family will feel fabulous at the thoughtful present as they probably didn't really need anything anyway!!

My sister bought us all these gifts for Christmas...you can personalise the card you send...it was really funny opening them all up to find I had been bought a set of pots and pans for a cillage ( my cooking skills are the family joke!!) My dad was bought part of a toilet!!!! (You can guess why!!) My mum was bought part of a goat and my Ex was bought some chickens.

It was a really fun thoughtful gift and I think they start at £5. So why not think of the gifts as giving to 2 people at one...one for your friend/christening/wedding etc and one for the person who ulitmately receives the chicken/pig/toilet!!!

Also...i love making sweeties and cakes for Christmas for family...it shows you put the effort in, instead of trudging round boots 2 days before Christmas!! Make litle hampers for your gifts....cheap baskets from Au naturale etc..fill them with homemade jams (Pick Your Own is cheap!!! and a fabulous day out!! one for me, one for the basket, two for me, one for the basket!!!!!) All it takes is to keep your old jam jars, make a lovely little lid and decorate with you family motto or something silly!!!

HTH and keep at it...all these post are an inspiration for me too!!!

Ebany

Certinaly apply for the student hardship fund - Student parents are a key target group for this money, and so long as you can show that the money your husband is brining in just isn't seeing you through (and thus forcing you to consider getting a job, cutting into your study time, or even worse leaving uni altogether) then they should help out. The worst they can do is say no. Have a detailed SOA put together to show them, including everything (and give us a look too!).

Has your situatin changed at all since you started uni, or would you have had to go into debt in the first place? Are these expensive presents you exchange with everyone carry-overs from before you were a student and had more money? Surely everyone can understand that as a student you don't have as much spare cash and need to economise.

Ask your student union for advice, students are always having cashflow problems and most unions will have people experienced in advising you on exactly what help you can get. I have already approached my husbands university union for advice on what would be available IF we had kids while he is a student, to try to find out if it would be affordable. They gave me loads of great advice, that I would never have thought of on my own.

Oh and a small thing, but with cards for birthdays and christenings and so on, look in the cheap bookshops that are around (The Works is the main one that springs to my mind) I have picked up loads of gorgeous cards in there that I would expect to cost at least £2 each in the likes of clintons, on 3 for £1. I just keep them in a drawer and always have one handy when I need one!

lisa_75

Eager_Elephant wrote:

Hi lisa,

I do agree with other people's comments on not spending too much on gifts and days out .etc.

I like the ideas you have been given and what you have already implemented but what if next month other things crop up - I think you need a longer term plan.

So lets start at the beginning, the income - I know you have mentioned your husband could do overtime but what about Tax Credits are you getting the right amount? and also have a serious think about jobs that you could do which would fit in with studying and the children.

We are only entitled to the minumim tax credits - about £500 a year. We aren't even getting that at the moment as they overpaid us about £4000 a couple of years ago, so we get nothing until that is paid back. I am in uni 2 days a week, so could work the other 3 days, but I have no idea where to look for jobs that you can only work on certain days. Also I have no childcare during the holidays. The nearest holiday club is 4 miles away and as I don't drive it would be impossible. I think my husband doing overtime is going to be the way to go as he can earn more in a day what I would take home in a miniumum wage job over 3 days after I have paid out for before and after school club.

Eager_Elephant wrote:

Secondly what about your normal everyday expenditure, your rent I presume is a fixed amount, so is Council Tax but what about electric, gas, water?
Have you thought about switching supplier or having a water meter or if you already have one - thought about how you could cut down.

I will look into suppliers. Just had the electric and gas meters changed from pre pay to normal ones, so that will be a big help.

Eager_Elephant wrote:

What about things like Sky or Telephone packages - are you using everything you get or would you be better off on a lower package?

We are tied in at the moment, due to changing suppliers recently, but will look into this in a few months.

Eager_Elephant wrote:

Petrol, Insurance - Can you cut down the amount of petrol used - maybe walk somewhere instead of taking the car? Insurance will be a bigger one but you might need to wait until renewal time before doing anything.

I can't drive and therefore the kids walk to school etc already. My husband needs his car for work as he works irregular hours he can't use public transport. We spend £40 a week on petrol due to this, but it can't be helped I`m afraid.

Eager_Elephant wrote:

Food - check out the Old Style board, they recommend menu planning and cooking extra and freezing it so you don't rely on takeaways when in a rush. Cleaning products - they have recommendation for using the very basics such as vinegar and bicarb.

I am slowly trying to change my takeaway habits! Have budgeted £200 for food this month, trying to get it down further.

Eager_Elephant wrote:

Irregular spending such as Xmas, Car Tax, Holidays - these are things that we know are going to happen but don't do anything about until it is too late.
Maybe you could open a couple of savings accounts and start saving a set amount each month towards these things that way when they come round it is not such a shock and doesn't dent the budget as much.

Thanks. I will look into that.

Eager_Elephant

I'm glad my ideas will help hopefully on the future - the only job I could think off would be something in a school so you only worked term time and school hours possibly learning assistant, kitchen assistant or something similar.
I think colleges have even shorter terms.

Find your nearest county council that deal with education and type their name into google followed by the word jobs and see what it brings up.

Our county council often have over 100 jobs advertised each week from teacher vancies, to lollipop ladies to cleaners.etc.

EE

rkh001

Lisa

Welcome to the board.

I have had 5 big birthdays in July. So far I have managed by doing some creative shopping. The sales are now on and for women, I have bought some jewellery (no more that £10) and wrapped it up in nice crepe paper and re-used the gift bags and boxes that I always save. Add a touch of glamour by using some old silk fabric (I use a blouse that does not fit any more) and a few beads (I use the ones that I have had extras with blouses/tops) stuck with glue on a very plain tag (made from the back of a card).

I have to say I feel exhausted as I had to think very hard what to do without breaking the bank and also hoping that I won't feel embarassed when the presents get opened.

Hope this helps.

Mrs_Arkwright

Could your husband get a pushbike for work instead of the car?

lisa_75

Mrs_Arkwright wrote:

Could your husband get a pushbike for work instead of the car?

It is a 40 minute drive to work so he would be worn out by the time he got there! I also wouldn't want him riding a bike at 3am when he is on earlies or coming home on a bike at 3am when he is on lates. Thanks for the suggestion though.

calleyw

I have not been around much due to work and study commitments.

Have you done a Statement Of affairs so we can see where the money is going. If you have sorry I missed it and if not why not.

Even When my household income was £32K a year between the two if us no children. I still shopped for bargains and put a limit on how much we spent on presents etc.

I spend about £5 per person but use vouchers I have earned and points from shops savings schemes. To top it up to make it look good as well as freebies.

I use to attend brownies and guides but never went on camps because my parents could not afford it. I knew that and never made a fuss. And £90 for a week away sounds a lot.

Going out does not need to expensive try drinking something that is non-alcoholic which is cheap. I go out for the company and not the drinking. And don't buy rounds.

You need not tell people how much of the sticky brown stuff you are in. But say you need to tighten your belts because you want to save for a car/house/holiday etc.

You are nearly at full blown lightbulb moment but you are flickering at the moment.

I wish you all the best.


Yours


Calley