Help me cope?

gayle1

formulas expensive i sure the babybit at the doctors let us have it cheaper x have u applied 4 surestart thing

Floss

What have been your unexpected costs & bills? Can your hubby do any overtime to help out? Can you get any benefits or tax credits while you have no income?

Guineapigsqueaks

Is it an option to go back to work earlier than planned, especially if you're due to go back in a couple of months anyway? Then you won't be fretting about money. It's hard to go back and leave little one, I remember it well. In my day (and I'm not that old), you had to go back after 7 months if you were going to and only about 4 months of that was paid.

Guineapigsqueaks x

bambos

Hi Tink,

Don't get down ( I know it's tough not to ) have you considered like pp said possibly using accured annual leave? Also you should have a certain number of keeping in touch days which are paid, you could use these? What about bank work? Could you get an evening cleaning job for now? What about Avon for a while? There's no set up fee & you won't make millions but a small profit would help.

Have you applied for child benefit, child tax credits? Are you entitled to any other benefits? Do you meal plan and shop cheaply? Local market etc?

Can you offer to do cleaning work for family and friends? What about doing online surveys?

Hope that helps a bit.

missindecisive

Hi. If you post up your statement of affairs on the debt free wannabe board the people on there will be able to look at how you manage your wages and may be able to suggest some ideas to you. (I'm not saying you are in debt). X
Also talk to your health visitor there maybe some help there.

Tink_04

Hi thanks for the advice so far, i'll try to answer some questions you have asked first.

• I have already tagged my annual leave onto the end of my 12 months maternity - this is the enable my leave to get me to my DD4 starting school as I can't afford child care for 2 children.
•the above answers the returning to work early issue.
•yes I meal plan and shop as best I can - we currently have a monthly budget of £200 which is already tight
• I can't get anything like milk/healthy start vouchers
• we claim child benefit & child tax credits and this is all we are entitled to.
• DH is working overtime when he can but there is not much this time od year.
• our bills were car related, someone hit me & then had a flat tyre & needed a new one - then we have changed provider with our phone so have paid a final bill (we are due a credit back at some point) then had to pay a double bill to our new provider.

Ok I can't remember any more!

I know we will manage and no one will starve, I just feel like I can't see the end end yet.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me tho, I know I've just got to get through it and start again I just didn't expect it to be this bad.

gayle1

ok so how many nsd an we get out of ure cupboards xwater everything down shampoo conditioner washing up liquid see what points u have on an loyalty cards start visiting public loos and stashing extra loo roll in ure bag for just incase moments join library u get free internet acess acess to books bookabug class for ure wee onex(foodbank) if really no food left sweetie its there if u need itx

gayle1

reading this im not a daft mum i save very hard i do collect loo roll sauce/sugar packets samples of shampoo do u have a flask? boil it in the morn and use this water for ure tea coffee bottles saves kettle 5/6 times a day to maybe just twice and i know im talking pennies but every penny is a prisoner ps avoid tumble it will eat ure leccy

pigpen

Do you have any hobbies/crafts/skills you can use to bring in a few extra pennies? Making cards or sewing little dresses/trousers and selling them on might help. typing student work/dissertations. delivering leaflets. My DIL sells avon and betterware and delivers both to the same area doubling her potential sales, she takes her little boy with her. My daughter does drawings of peoples babies ('Bibbles' on facebook ~ the cover pic on the group is the drawing of the photograph I have as my cover pic.. I just realised) We all have some talents!! taking in ironing?? *runs for cover* I did Avon for a long time when my older children were little.


voucher hunting/extreme couponing.. ones you can print and use in store?


Cashback sites.. such as quidco.


Mysupermarket.co.uk is a really helpful shopping site.. you do your shop, they offer cashback and options to buy cheaper/get more for your money changes to your shop and shopping online stops that loony 'I'll just get this *fling in trolley*' mentality.


You mentioned selling DSs outgrown clothes but have you shifted bigger stuff and toys?

Floss

Hover on this board & the DFW and you'll get lots of tips

Why not think about something like Avon, or finding a p/t job? I used to do 2 nights behind a bar when a single mum with 2 boys 12 & 14 when their dad was out of work so no maintenance. It put a bit extra into the pot that made a big difference.