When things just aren't all that easy!

Businessgirl

I rejoined here because I need to learn to 'tighten my belt'.

You see, end of last year I had a complete nervous breakdown - together with a hospitilisation and everything. My family flew me overseas to get treated.

Overworking was the major contributor (I was LIVING at work and on duty 24/7 for 18 months...literally)

I have fought, over the last 10 months to get healthy without meds...and I have. In general, thanks to counselling, a lot of hard work, and facing my own demons, I'm happier than I ever have been.

I have had to leave family overseas and come back here (due to visa restrictions). On coming back here, I was officially homeless for a good 3/4 months. Some fabulous church friends put me up for this time whilst I was desperately job seeking. This in itself puts huge pressures on someone...and I was ok through this most of the time.

Now, I have my first job in a year (at a 38 hour week), and my own little bachelor pad. Life is looking up. I have new friends. I live close to work (a 20 minute walk).

The thing is, I'm on a £13000 starting salary, and I need to save up...heaps for next year. Life is just beginning. I work shift work, and I COULD essentially pick up more shifts, but I was warned that I need to ensure that I take it easy for at least the next year and consider it a recovery period. I've also had a lot of change in the last month. Looking at the extra shifts offered I'm concerned they would overtire me (most mean being at work 40/48 hours. I mean thats crazy.

New job, new home, new town...and I'm on my own...no family in this country and no partner.

I suppose I'm going to try to do it oldstyle. I can eat meals I am at work for - at work. I was trying to eat paleo, so I'll have to chuck that...but it does mean that I will save a bunch on food and could cut down my budget hugely. Eating very specialised meat and no grains at all (only veg) is a lot more expensive!

I was also considering whether doing something like Avon, or buying from car boot sales and ebay selling may be the way to go for making some extra, pressure free money. I really don't want to be having to spend HOURS - but a few extra pounds may come in handy! I need to pay for a holiday to my family next year, and I am determined to save up at least a few grand so if I am made redundant or lose my job at some point in time I have something to fall back on!

What do you guys find helps the most to save money...spend less...and live well...whilst staying sane?

Sambucus_Nigra

Hi - can I ask why you are doing all this here, and not where your family are?

System

First of all, a big WELL DONE for getting yourself to this stage without having to take medication :T

As for saving money, spending less and trying to stay sane, I'd say eat as well as you can and do some low-cost but enjoyable activities. Not sure whereabouts you live, but do you like going for walks, for example? Might there also be some evening classes near you that don't cost much?

Essex-girl_2

This board is an excellent place to help you save money, have a good look around there is grocery challenge, storecupboard challenge and loads of other great advice.

Re the earning extra money there is also the up your income board.
x

Jennie_2

Businessgirl wrote: »

I was also considering whether doing something like Avon, or buying from car boot sales and ebay selling may be the way to go for making some extra, pressure free money.

IF you feel well enough to take on the challenge of earning extra money I think the less stressful route would be to do an extra shift or so (if you can dictate when you work) rather than go through the upheaval of trying to start something like a new Avon business, getting up at stupid o'clock in the cold to boot sale or trying to find stuff to sell on ebay. I'm not knocking these activities for a moment but I am sure a percentage of people who do them don't have the option of extra hours at their place of work.

Primrose

Well done for pulling your life back together again. This suggestion will only bring you in a small bit of extra money but as you've got access to a computer have you tried doing surveys for which you get paid either in cash or High Street vouchers. Suggest you try signing up to:
Valued Opinions
YouGov
Populus Polls
One Poll

Valued Opinions pay in £10 vouchers which include Tesco & John Lewis/Waitrose, so these could help reduce your grocery bills a little if you have these stores nearby.

Barneysmom

Congratulations on the recovery it must have been a terrible time for you and your family.
It would be sad to see all that recovery gone to waste by a big setback caused by going back to the bad old habits of working yourself to collapse!

So I'm going to suggest you put off trying to find another little part time job like Avon and car boots sales just for a couple of months, even till spring!

Instead concentrate on the job you have and work out some good cost-cutting measures that will help you.

So how to save a bit of money in general.
Have you got you utilities as low as you possibly can, have you gone onto a price comparisn site and checked you're getting your gas/electric at the best rate you can?

Groceries need to be checked, there's loads of threads on the Oldstyle board that will help you budget while eating properly.

Is you home warm, is it insulated properly, have you got nice thick curtains up? If not, check out EBay/charity shops etc for some.

life_unexpected_2

I think as other have said that at the moment it may be best to concentrate on the where you are up to now. As Avon, car booting and ebay selling can all come with there own stresses and not always provide the financial rewards for the time invested. I would suggest that you pick up the odd extra shift in work because as you have siad you can eat at work this would also mean that whilst there you are saving on electric and gas or do you have the option of taking in a lodger?

Patchwork_Quilt

Well done for getting this far! I would say rely on the church for friendship and socialising. There's always something going on, for very little outlay. Try volunteering for one or two things and you will get to know people better.

I think you seem to have set yourself ambitious targets for saving. Your best investment now seems to be your health. Surely your family can help with the cost of visiting, rather than you earning it all yourself? I think my advice would be to take it easy and take stock for a while, live Old-Style and keep coming on to the MSE forums for help and sympathy.

Shropshirelass

Well done and good luck, many of us have been in the same situation.

My advice would be to stick with your new job for a few months, perhaps doing extra shifts there. Maybe later you will feel able to take on something else, but remember it would presumably be at minimum wage level (my advice as a former part-timer was that I was taken advantage of because they knew I needed the money), so might be better to concentrate on your main job with a view to being taken seriously, getting good at it, and progressing there.

[Deleted User]

Well done honey on getting so far,don't undo all the good work .remember its baby steps that will get you there Lots of good recipes on the boards here and we are always willing to help you out with ideas.let us know what sort of food you like to eat and worry less about money and more about getting back to full health money can be saved but health cannot
Good luck and keep checking the boards and ask away about anything you can think of