Please help me sort out my short term situation

skader

happysinglemum, you've been given some really useful advice by the wonderful people on this board already
just wanted to say well done as it seems you've already changed a lot of things
before joining MSE i had never tried 'value' ranges for anything, now its my first choice before even looking at a branded product in the supermarket!
you will find a way, and i just wanted to wish you luck on your journey

happysinglemum

Thanks skader! I've even been back shopping again today to turn this week's shop into a bulk monthly shop. £95 spent and a freezer full of batch cooked food, plus non-perishables, drinks etc for the month - many of them value brand! I should be able to bring in the rest of the month's food shop under £200 now!

Even my DS was getting excited about hunting for bargains and working out best value for money! So he's getting a great financial education while we're at it!

Feeling so much more positive now - I even de-cluttered my kitchen cupboards (so I'd have room to store all this food!)

Thanks again everyone, it all seems so much more achievable now! Think I'd got into some bad habits.

xxx

happysinglemum

I just wanted to update you all on how things are going.

I've reduced my gas and electricity DD by £25 a month by shopping around.

I've spent hours online comparing prices between Tesco and various other shops, including Aldi... This has led to me applying for a place on their Graduate fast track scheme! :j Obviously, it's only an application, but this is the first time in ages I've actually felt excited and positive about something!

And in the meantime, I've registered with a private tutors directory and put adverts in local shops, etc.

I've also had loads more energy because of this, so my house and garden are looking lovely again and everything seem so much better!

So a HUGE thank you for all your ideas, advice and support! :T:T:T

xxx

oldtractor

Could you move in with your parents until the council house comes through?

Hopeful1

happysinglemum wrote: »

I just wanted to update you all on how things are going.

I've reduced my gas and electricity DD by £25 a month by shopping around.

I've spent hours online comparing prices between Tesco and various other shops, including Aldi... This has led to me applying for a place on their Graduate fast track scheme! :j Obviously, it's only an application, but this is the first time in ages I've actually felt excited and positive about something!

And in the meantime, I've registered with a private tutors directory and put adverts in local shops, etc.

I've also had loads more energy because of this, so my house and garden are looking lovely again and everything seem so much better!

So a HUGE thank you for all your ideas, advice and support! :T:T:T

xxx

It is great to see how much your spirits have lifted since you started this thread. I think it's fab that you've been so open to everything and just gone for it! The proof is in the pudding as they say I really hope you are successful with your job application. You thoroughly deserve it 3 cheers for a positive attitude :T

happysinglemum

Thanks Hopeful1, I really was ready to try anything by the time I started this thread, so all of the ideas really gave me a kickstart!

Thank you for another happiness boost with your lovely post! :j

oldtractor, I've talked to my parents and we will be moving in with them if my house sells before the council house comes through (unless I can find a private rental where I can take my pets). My parents only have 2 bedrooms though, so it would have to be temporary, with my ds being almost 13 (he certainly doesn't want to be in the same bedroom as Mum at his age lol).

Thanks again to everyone who has helped me out here! :T

xxx

dramarama

hi happysinglemum, I stumbled ony your thread and think you are pretty awesome! You are really going for it and sorting stuff out. I am a Secondary trained teacher and have just spent the last 2 years doing supply work, my tip with this is to sign up with EVERY agency near to you and in the surrounding area and bug them constantly for work. Contracts are becoming harder to find and I only recently got mine out of chance.

Things like meal planning, using basics and following a lot of stuff on the OS board helps, other things like car boot sales and saving up change can help as does selling bits and bobs on ebay or amazon.

I bet your son is proud of you and learning valuable lessons we are rarely taught!

well done again and I hope you're having a good day

happysinglemum

dramarama, thank you so much for your lovely comments! I was only saying to my Mum yesterday that my son is getting the kind of financial education that most kids will never get! So, although he perhaps has to grow up a little faster than his friends and has to understand more than I'd like, he will be far better equipped for 'real life' as an adult than I was!

He has also become far more helpful and responsible since all of this started. As well as the batch cooking I've been doing (with DS helping to chop the veg), we've learnt together how to make soup - and today we baked our first loaves of bread! (With the added bonus that he will be learning about bread this term in Food Tech, so he now already knows how to make it).

And, although I'm only working a few hours a week in my local shop, I'm LOVING being at home to supervise - and chat about his homework. He got a credit in French this week as a result of us spending 10 mins chatting about his homework!

My house goes on the market later this week and I'm currently looking for somewhere to rent (this will clear my debts, so I can start afresh). I will start again with nothing - but at least anything I have will be 100% mine, with no strings.

My earning potential has dropped dramatically, but my quality of life has increased beyond recognition! I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I haven't felt this happy for years!

xxx

dell33

happysinglemum wrote: »

My earning potential has dropped dramatically, but my quality of life has increased beyond recognition! I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I haven't felt this happy for years!

xxx

So wonderful to hear you speak like this, hope the sale of your house goes quickly & you can put this behind you and move on.

sugarcube84

I think Asda and Sainsburys do grad schemes as well,might be worth a look. On the pet front where do you buy food from its often cheaper to go to a corn mill/country store where a 25kg sack of food usually costs £10 might be worth investigating.

Also as your moving can you de clutter and ebay anything?