Please can u help me

[Deleted User]

Hi I have be on this site for a while, I have posted on the debt free diaries before and and have not continued with my posts as people seemed to tear me to pieces, and I ended up feeling more depressed than ever. Basically I have big debts to clear and I have been spending around £500 in supermarkets, and bits and bobs, in are house there are 2 adults, 1 huge teenage lad, and a dog, I am wondering whether I am being too ambitious as I would like to cut my spending right down to £200, then I would have £300 to put to the debts, we only have one wage at the moment, I am looking but cannot find a thing, so I think for the moment when it is impossible to get more coming in the outgoings have to really be cut back, so I am looking for ideas in the home to cut back on food, toiletries, so really need some good ideas. It will take about 3.5 years to clear the debt, but I am really determined now, I just want my life back.
I have started to do a few things to cut back, they seem silly but if it saves a few pennies , thats good. I have found a few old style blogs , so if you know or have one please let me know, by sending me a pm.
This week I brought a big cotton wool pleat, to replace the makeup wipes.
Saved bread bags.
Saved the water from the washing up bowl to wash the dog bowls.
Used half a piece of kitchen roll instead of one piece.
Used less laundry detergent.
Got the slow cooker out today, put in diced turkey breasts, onions, butter beans, carrots , potatoes and will add dumplings later.
If someone can give me more ideas I would be so grateful, I just want to stay motivated, I am gonna clear the debts once and for all the os way :j

pink_princess

Hi

I don't think your new budget is unrealistic at all.

Do you have a bread maker?

Some tips I've picked up that really saved me money were to:
Keep an inventory of what you have in the freezer, this lets me know how much food I really do have in so I'm not tempted to buy more. It also writes our meal plan for us. Added bonus is that I save money by not rummaging around in the freezers for ages, I know where everything is.

Batch cooking also saves alot of time & money.

Not throwing any food out where possible, there is always some use for it.

Have you thought about joining the grocery challenge?

[Deleted User]

Hi thanks princess I have not got a breadmaker, I am looking on freecycle for one, and I have just printed out a menu planner for the next month, just need to find some cheap, but nutrious meals.

sonastin

Grocery challenge is a big help. I started it last year and then life events intervened and it got too complicated for a bit. Re-joined in January and stuck to budget for Jan & Feb. Found myself too busy to keep up with the thread in March so stopped using it or even trying to follow the thread and budget drifted quite a bit. Blamed that on March being a busy month but then April drifted quite a bit too. So determined to get back on track and i'll be back on the grocery challenge thread in May, even if I don't manage to read every post.

Other tips are just keep thinking about what your spending at every turn. Is this something you NEED (i.e. buy now), something that you don't necessarily need but would be a big help if you had (i.e. buy when there is a bit of money to justify it - s/h breadmaker if you can't get one on freecycle could fall into this category), or just something that you WANT. In which case forget it until the debts are paid off. The more you get into the OS habit, the more you find that things you thought you needed aren't so necessary and things you thought you wanted you now don't because you resent spending the money on them!

Basically, just lurk a while on this forum and the money saving ideas will turn your life around :T

mummybearx

Hey fairyface :wave:

Sorry you haven't had much luck on the DFW boards :-(

Before I started on here, I spent about the same as you a month for me and DH and one small dog :mad:

First thing to do is write a list of everything you have in your cupboards, fridge/freezer, every scrap of food you have write it down. I find having a list of what I have, I can make meals from it with only needing to buy a few ingredients.

Then get a list of meals you family like to eat. Shepards pie, pasta bakes, whatever they like list it.

Then post that family meal list here. We can help you find ways to make those meals cheaper, make them last longer, and probably make them tastier

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your help so far, Sonastin, I really hear what your saying, this week I am not going near the shops at all, and I have to be more disciplined,zepsgal thanks, I will be going through the cupboards and freezer and will start menu planning from there, please keep the tips and advice coming in, I feel a bit better when I can get a bit of help, like I say it will keep me motivated.

lucy_lemon

Where are you fairyface? I have a breadmaker I'm thinking of getting rid of, as I've found an easier recipe for bread made in the oven.

Good luck with everything. Luckily I don't have any debt, but am really poor at the moment so trying to make savings everywhere I can. I find avoiding the supermarket helps me quite a lot, as I'm forced to use food that's been lurking for years!

mummybearx

I've got my spending down to about £250-ish per month, but I know I can do better than that.

If you look on the April grocery challange - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3870011

there is a huge big long list of recipes you can make. I've only started looking through them, have printed out a few of the 'soup' recipes. Using ingredient's I usually have lurking in the fridge and turning it into dinner!

Also check out http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=38
The top post is for printable money off coupons. I've saved lots of cash using these vouchers. There is one floating about for 80p off Wrights bread and cake mixes. My local supermarket sells the ciabatta mix for 75p, so I've got it for free! Other mixes are 89p, so I've spent 9p for a 500g bag. It's free or almost free bread!

Also check out the freebies http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37
In recent weeks I've had free shampoo/conditioner, free toothpaste (several in fact). I'm using all my freebies, inc free samples I've got, saves me buying products!

[Deleted User]

I am already addicted to freebies, I get anything I can, talking about free, a few months ago a local shop closed down and I actually got some really big plant pots, and at the weekend a relative gave me some canes and two extra large bags of compost and I bought some tomato plants 80p so that was a good bit of money saving, I will get some herbs over the next few weeks and plant them up, its all gonna help.

Re: the vouchers, do the supermarkets still take the ones you print off at home, I heard they stopped this?

McKneff

Why not do a proper SOA, there are lots of other things within
the household where money can be saved.

By the way, you dont need cotton wool or wipes, wash your face with soap and water or just water and a flannel.

Yu dont neeed kitchen roll, use a dishcloth to wipe with.

Dont use showere gel, soap is lots, lots cheaper and lasts lots, lots longer, buy four bars of imperial leather for £1 at the cheapie shops.
Tell your family 'tough' if they object.

GreenQueen

our biggest spend is meat, so we've tried to have one veggie meal a week and one soup/baked potato meal a week. Can be a shock to the system if you're used to meat with every meal, but it does help with the bills.

GQ