Cant do this anymore - SOA

alibob_1986

I recommend a spending diary too, I am only on day 5 of mine and have been amazed how quickly things add up, I always think I don't ever buy anything as I never buy big things but the little things soon add up!

KxMx

Can you maybe find some free/low cost things for the kids to do where they can use the bus. Then you are not paying out more on petrol and for clubs/activities.

I didn't have the chance to do anything when I was a kid and I lived!

Jules69B

We live close to the beach and parks so do use them a lot but the kids play football and rugby which involves running them around. it is too far to walk or cycle for a 2 hour training session and then cycle back. The schools are 3 miles away and the time scale from dropping them off to me being in the office is too short for buses or cycling, I have tried!
The insurance for the van is too much at the mo, due for renewel next month and am already shopping around to cut that.
Will look at electric direct debit.
heading off to shops with a proper planned shopping list to see where we can cut corners. I know that I must be spending way too much on groceries.
Car was worth £2500 last year but some idiot crashed into the side and drove away so it is not worth as much now. If it was only worth £800 we wouldnt have had the gearbox done. we normally drive throw away cars that cost less than £200 but our last one died, we were spending £20 per week for fuel! Just need to bite the bullet and find some money to get a cheap car and get rid of the big one.

off topic... yes we do pay £360 per month for a 3 bed house. we are lucky enough to have a council house. it took 4 months of liviing in a b&b and 2 years of halfway housing before we got one. we have 3 boys in 1 room and the girl in the other.


Thanks for all your replies, it has made me look at things in a better light and i dont feel quite so awful today, lots to look at and see where we can reduce costs.
Jules

Lizzielonglegs_2

Glad you have felt better today Jules and that you are making a plan of action!

Keep up the good work

x

Memory_Girl

It takes time Jules - but trust me it is worth it when you have your family finances on an even keel.

The hardest steps are the first few - because change of any kind is so difficult - but those little steps add up to huge changes in the near future.

I have not long reached my "tipping point" - where my one remaining debt is actually "offset" in my account and every penny we have coming in is ours to keep - but it has taken nigh on two years.

I have a sub £1k income and two boys and own my own home - so pennies are very tight. Kids are great because as long as you regard this "getting organised" in a positive light so will they.

I made a decision that nothing was sacred - nothing was more important than saving our home. So no holidays (DS1 went on a Sun Cheapie with Gran), no expensive TV package (Kids have freeview and we read together as a family), no more meat n two veg (Sundays only for meat and loads of veg including a much loved garden), no expensive Christmases (kids give and receive home-made gifts mostly - well Grandparents spoil them too)

I have even gone as far as requesting Grandad's old golfing trousers and shirts and have recycled them into co-ordinated summer wardrobe for DS2 (leaving some pennies to spend on DS1's school uniform). But I actually love to sew so this was no hardship.

It's the little adjustments that you make that will create huge differences believe me.

So roll up your sleeves and get stuck in - between now and the kids going back to school is your time to get sorted as a family and get a plan together - things will look so much better when you feel in control.

Good luck in getting sorted

MG