My SoA....please help!

justmarried06

Main chat forums page and they're in the listings further down from the Pure Money ones, two separate boards.........

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi:D

Do you have any credit available on any of your credit cards? May be worth calling them and asking if they would increase the credit limit and asking what deals they could do on a balance transfer....not a huge help but a start! You need to work out what your highest APR's are and throw any money at them first-this is called snowballing and there are a few threads about it around.

To pay your debts sooner, you either need to increase income or decrease outgoings, either way you need to do it sooner than later. You say that your GF is looking for work which is great, but ATM she needs to do whatever work she can find to bring in more money. Could you handle a second job? Maybe she could work of an evening whilst you look after the kids at a supermarket...doesnt sound like much, but its not bad money and free kid care from you:D

You could cut back with the food. Meal plan a week at a time, cook from scrtch and use what you have in the cupboards. Have you shopped around for best deals on insurances, utilities, phones etc? Mobiles should last longer than 6 months, Ive had one for 3 years..abit dated but does the job.

You simply can not afford the sky, and looking for a cheaper running car would be best.

You sound like an intelligent person and have worked out that you do have more going out than coming in which will increase your debt monthly unless you increase your household income. Many of us have been where you are, but thanks to this site and great people we have been saved!

Do you have anything you could sell on Ebay? Maybe your GF could sort out some Ebay stuff whilst being at home Do you have anything of high value that you could possibly sell privately? Extra bar work over Xmas period? Are you claiming all benefits (CB and Tax credits)?

HTH

PP
xx

Benson112

You learn something new everyday!

melaniec_2

"Sky plus....no, the answer is no i dont need it BUT....we have young children therefore have to watch CBeebees all day everyday. Sky plus lets me still watch the stuff i want. And yeah to be honest, having the sky probably saves us more money as we get bored really quickly. If we didnt have sky id be out wasting money a hell of alot more!! I stay in Friday and Saturday nights now too (which used to be un-heard of), i have boycotted the pub compeltely so i need my TV lol. I was spending over £150 a month in the pub...since ive had sky i bet ive spent a tenner in there. So in some ways its expensive, but in others it saves me cash."

I know other people have commented on your dedication to keeping sky in a healthy profit but without intending to offend you I wanted to say this.

You say you need sky because the kids need to watch cbeebies and you need sky plus so you can record while they are watching it. You also say that its saved you money because like a saint you no longer go out at the weekend. How about this - you are a Dad to two young children shouldn't you be playing with them and not going out drinking or sitting them infront of the tv?

I can see you are coming round to the idea of changing but if you want to be able to give them the life you want to you will have to make changes and sacrifices with their futures in mind.

scootw1

Benson112 wrote:

your right mate...im just lazy sometimes but you missed an important bit..most of the time we have no food in so i end up having to go out an get the food, come home and prepare it, cook it....by which time im not hungry anymore, the kids are in bed with no food lol...so its easier to order a takeaway. If i could learn to shop properly id never eat takeaway again!!!

If you know you havent got food in the house, why not pop to the shop on the way home?

Benson112

penny-pincher....thanks very much for your help and suggestions. I could handle a second job however looking after the kids at work isnt going to happen. Jay is only 5 months old and Ellie is just over 2...hence she knows best about everything lol. Ive considered maybe working nights (complete career path change involved there though), then looking after the kids while the OH goes to work in the day, then i get a few hours sleep and back off to work. Its the only way i can see us both working without a. childcare costs or b. the OH out the house in the evening on her own (as said before im very protective).

Erm not really as i only have one card and they just upped my limit to which i exceeded within a week! O doubt they will give me more!

The food is a massive opportunity for saving! Were soooo bad at this bit. I need to research some more on food shopping tips.

I think were claiming everything but ill never know! lol i dont understand alot of the way out government works things out. I earn too much for help by the sounds of it.

Ive just switched to NPower for gas and electric which reduces my payments down but not sure how much to so i left the old prices up. I think its coming down to 30 and 35 so not too bad really.

I get the picture with Sky :mad: lol. I need to get rid but have just started a 12 month contract so will try to reduce as much as possible!

Thanks again for your help.

Uniscots97

Best way to plan your shop is plan breakfast first for the week (its the easiest). Do you have toast, cereal? and work from there. If its cereal then write down on your shopping list what you need:-

i.e.

cornflakes
milk


Don't pander to the kids screaming for 'chocolate covered make them high as a kite and cost the earth' cereals. There's nothing wrong with cornflakes, rice crispies, shreddies etc but buy supermarkets own version as its cheaper.


Lunches:- jacket potatoes are great and really easy (and cheap too). Make sure you take packed lunches to work, work canteens or the local sandwich shop usually cost a fortune. Again work out what is for lunch every day and write down what you need.

Do the same for dinner. There's a great recipe on here (can't find link at moment so if someone finds it can they post it please) for oatmeal flapjacks. Seem popular with lots of people on here and pennies to make. Means you're not tempted to buy biscuits in the supermarket.

I have a lot of recipes that mimic take away ones if you let me know which take away foods are your favourites.

Benson112

melaniec wrote:

You say you need sky because the kids need to watch cbeebies and you need sky plus so you can record while they are watching it. You also say that its saved you money because like a saint you no longer go out at the weekend. How about this - you are a Dad to two young children shouldn't you be playing with them and not going out drinking or sitting them infront of the tv?

hold on a second here...im asking for financial advise not parenting advise...do you even have kids?

Let me just set the record straight here...

2 Kids
1 Baby, 1 toddler.
Baby doesnt give a hoot about the TV, all he does is sleep and eat as babies should.
toddler....regardless of if she is watching it or not...will not let me turn over. We sit and play constantly yet the TV must be on and have cbeebies on even if shes not watching it!

Just becuase i "USED" to go out and have a beer doesnt mean i sit my kids infront of the TV and drink beer picking my !!!!! Im a damn good father and have a good balance between my work, family and social life so dont judge me. If i wanted your advise on how to look after my kids i would ask.

IF you have kids you should know that 2year olds do as they please. And when it comes to what channel is on TV im not going to argue with her. She is already gettign told off enough for testing the water! I am not saying i need it, infact i said the oposite! I want it and it CAN go but not yet as i have a contract!!

I dont go out at the weekend and that is a big thing for me, not saying im a saint or anything but i have a life and lots of friends. I run a football team sponsored by our local pub so its not easy avoiding the place!

I spend all my week working my balls off to put a roof over my families head. I have no money/time or energy to go out in the week therefore i USED to go out on friday nights (i.e. get a babysitter and have a night out with the gf...not sit the kids infront of the TV and go out getting !!!!ed!). We now dont do that as we cannot afford it!!!!

Clear enough?? Ive only said it 12 times now!!!

I suggest you word your comments more constructively as im sure it said somewhere on here that i will not be judged! I spend more than enough time with my children!

Uniscots97

Benson, I don't think people are having a go we are all trying to help.

Benson112

unixgirluk wrote:

Best way to plan your shop is plan breakfast first for the week (its the easiest). Do you have toast, cereal? and work from there. If its cereal then write down on your shopping list what you need:-

i.e.

cornflakes
milk


Don't pander to the kids screaming for 'chocolate covered make them high as a kite and cost the earth' cereals. There's nothing wrong with cornflakes, rice crispies, shreddies etc but buy supermarkets own version as its cheaper.


Lunches:- jacket potatoes are great and really easy (and cheap too). Make sure you take packed lunches to work, work canteens or the local sandwich shop usually cost a fortune. Again work out what is for lunch every day and write down what you need.

Do the same for dinner. There's a great recipe on here (can't find link at moment so if someone finds it can they post it please) for oatmeal flapjacks. Seem popular with lots of people on here and pennies to make. Means you're not tempted to buy biscuits in the supermarket.

I have a lot of recipes that mimic take away ones if you let me know which take away foods are your favourites.

Thanks very much :-) ill have a butchers about.