Help needed to cut down outgoings - SOA included.

DavidHM · 11 March 2007 at 12:46PM

You don't have to sell *your* stuff on ebay

No, but if you do buy to sell on you'll be trading and therefore liable to income tax and/or reduction in your benefits.

flutterfairy · 11 March 2007 at 1:34PM

I found that in our family most of the money was getting frittered away on the little things such as lunch money and sundries. My DH taking a packed lunch to work saves us around £20 a week for a start ( not much I know but £80 a month almost pays my council tax!). My children also take packed lunch. They were taking £2 pounds a day each for lunch and I could pack them up for around 50p each so it made sense to us and for 4 children the cost went from £40 a week down to £8. Agreeing with PK2007, if you have anything sellable then ebay it or carboot it. When planning I always find I under estimate on my actual food bills and get a reality check when I end up spending more. Being realistic ie thinking you spend £180 on food a month when in actual fact you are spending an extra £20 a week on fresh daily goods such as milk, bread and other items. Take it into account. Using freecycle is a great idea. Good luck with the potty training I hope it goes well! Getting rid of the financial drain of nappies will be a relief!

barnaby-bear · 11 March 2007 at 1:35PM

DavidHM wrote: »

No, but if you do buy to sell on you'll be trading and therefore liable to income tax and/or reduction in your benefits.

True if you are doing it to significant scales - however buying second hand books for yourself and reading/deciding not what you wanted, and selling them on is perfectly legit... I guess it's where you draw the line.

Penny-Pincher!! · 11 March 2007 at 2:21PM

Hey Hun

Ive worked it out that you should receive about £10 a week in HB. Claim it anyway ASAP.

Do you both need mobiles?
Steves money for work really needs to be cut back and take a pack lunch in.
Steves driving lessons...how many has he had? Could you not just put him on an intense course for £150

...get it over and done with?

Normal cut backs: mealplan (but i think you do this already), shop around for cheaper insurance and utilities, walk more and save petrol, sell on Ebay etc.

I think you do extremely well.

Could you don any work from home? You are very good at writing and grammar-could you write letters for solicitors/doctors etc? Normally receive about £12 per letter in London. Ironing is easy money and you can do it with the kids there.

Good luck.

PP
xx

Penny-Pincher!! · 11 March 2007 at 2:24PM

Between Steve's lunches at work and his driving lessons he is spending £164pm...thats nearly as much as you are spending on food for the whole family.

PP
xx

choccyface2006 · 11 March 2007 at 4:31PM

Got my fingers crossed that Steve passes his test on Tuesday, good luck!

You are doing brilliantly IA, keep up the good work!

Sarah x

GirlRacer_2 · 11 March 2007 at 4:38PM

choccyface2006 wrote: »

Got my fingers crossed that Steve passes his test on Tuesday, good luck!

You are doing brilliantly IA, keep up the good work!

Sarah x

Well said choccyface. I_A is such an inspiration. She seems so determined to get this debt sorted. I also hope that Ste passes his test on Tuesday. We're all rooting for him. Big Hugs

System · 11 March 2007 at 4:47PM

Hey I-A I am absolutely garbage at SOAs, my own inlcuded. You could bin the toddler group for the wee one!! Only joking!!!

Prudent · 11 March 2007 at 6:06PM

Have you considered freecycle for a tv? My parents moved back from abroad earlier this year. They didn't bring their tvs because of cost, but got some decent ones for nothing from freecycle.