soa & How do you pay off a loan?!

specsappeal

Hi Scaredy, My food budget since looking at os board has reduced to just £230 per month. That covers 2 adults, DD 16, DS 13 who eat like a horse! and DS 11, 2 cats and 1 dog. Also includes all cleaning products and toiletries and cat litter. I was amazed by how much i reduced the cost just by cooking everything from scratch and batch freezing etc. I get my main shop delivered by Tesco but also spend £20 per fortnight at the butchers. Meal planning is the way to go! my food costs before were approx £400 - £425 every month. Takes a little planning and time but well worth it!!

scaredy_cat_2

specsappeal wrote:

Hi Scaredy, My food budget since looking at os board has reduced to just £230 per month.

thats fantastic - will keep visiting os board thanks

kazzaw

Hi scaredy

You're inspiring me as I've been meaning to try OS & flylady for over a year!!

Keep up the good work!! :T

scaredy_cat_2

Hi, this truely is my light bulb moment - i have been following threads on os and being so much better with food. We have also really been considering other spending and i cancelled window cleaner today. As well as simple things we have looked at budget and realised what we need to attack first and thinking about the bits of money coming in.

I think to start i thought people here were going to have all the answers for me when actually suggestions can be made but really the answers are here but we have to do the work - at last the penny has dropped.

People have been really really lovely and supportive - i find it amazing from complete strangers but it really helped as i just felt so low over the weekend. I realised that budgeting and watching money will always have to be a way of life so former habits and problems dont' occur.

If anyone is looking i would like to add some bits to my signature but not sure how to do it. i want to see stuff reducing

i really don't know what i would have done without this thanks

miggy

scaredy_cat wrote:

If anyone is looking i would like to add some bits to my signature but not sure how to do it. i want to see stuff reducing

i really don't know what i would have done without this thanks

Near the top of the page is a bar with links to Main Site, Chat, User CP, FAQ, etc.
Click on User CP and a new page will open.
Down the left are a whole lot of options, and near the top of those is 'edit my signature'.
(Don't do as I did and make such a long one that a moderator has to ask you to cut it down, hee hee! I think they prefer about four lines but it's on one of the stickies somewhere.)
You will find it easily by the light of that lightbulb !
(Good to hear of it!)

lynzpower

do drive down your shopping.

I used to spend at least 70 pw for me & OH ( god knows on what!) and now we are more like 25 a week, including lunches, toiletries cleaning.

We have a good nose around the pound shops for toiletries, use stardrops and wul for cleaning (dont need a lot else) and eat like kings for 25-30 pw.

Start by using up everything you have in. if youve been shopping like that ( as I did) chances are theres LOADS of stuff in have a good recky of whats there turn out bathroom cabinets, kitchen cupbaord ad the cleaning cupbard and USE UP before buying any more!!

tryhard_2

Hi re water use - you can ask your supplier to send save a flush bag to put in the cistern, look at any water companies website on ideas to reduce consumption.

deliciosa

:hello: Just popped in to show my support - well done for writing it down - you already got lotys of advices from people that are more experienced than me. Keep us posted :hello:

lynzpower

tryhard wrote:

Hi re water use - you can ask your supplier to send save a flush bag to put in the cistern, look at any water companies website on ideas to reduce consumption.

loads of other tips on beatthedrout.co.uk

You might have been overpaying and due some money back 0- give them a reading if youve been paying the same amount monthly

scaredy_cat_2

thank you deliciosa :A

tryhard - have put water stuff on list to do thank you :T

Lynzpower 'Start by using up everything you have in. if youve been shopping like that ( as I did) chances are theres LOADS of stuff in have a good recky of whats there turn out bathroom cabinets, kitchen cupboard ad the cleaning cupboard and USE UP before buying any more!!'

that is me exactly - will make a list and in os supposed to be tidying out a cupboard anyway so can do a joint thing

and miggy :A thanks again for tips and help

i really do appreciate it all