HELP! Have cut back all I can but am still over-spending!

dory22

Domino9 wrote: »

Comments above,

HTH

D9

you can get avast internet security for free for a year, if you have a smart phone download voucher cloud, shoptize quidco app to get cash back on certain items, get reduced items at the supermarket if possible, for presents etc see if you can get a discount on here/groupon etc then combine with topcash back to get money back.

do you have a spare room?

dory22

notanewuser wrote: »

I find nestle's sickening business practices help me.

www.babymilkaction.org

iv been avoiding nestle products for years because of this as well as nutella and pringles etc because of the devestation to the rain forrest for palm oil. shocking.

and certain cosmetics because of animal testing, basically iv saved a fortune with my views! lol

regarding your daughter earning some extra cash have you thought about using her craft skills she could sell things she made at a local faye/fete online (if pitch is free obv) etc or maybe asking the neighbours if they have some odd jobs she can do on the weekends cleaning their cars, helping an elderly person get there shopping etc is what me and my sister use to do, get the shopping for one of the elderly neighbours, wash cars, help out in neighbours garden etc she might even find a friend along the way

PurpleJay

Hi S&S and all

I have spent the last couple of days reading through this thread and have found it really helpful. Well done to OP for taking all the advice on board and making the changes.

How are things now? Hope your hubby got another job. Good luck x

Prothet_of_Doom

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

Yes I see what you are saying. We spend time as a family going on a long country walk and then we buy drinks for everyone in the pub afterwards. It's something we all enjoy.

If we cut back on all you are suggesting, how do we enjoy life?

My husband can't access the newspaper online, he's a truck driver. He likes to read it and do the crossword during his lunch break.

Again, this is all stuff that makes our lives a little more bearable day by day. If we cut all this out, we are merely existing surely?

I guess that's what we have to do though. Or else lose everything.
Facing up to reality sure does suck.

If you sepnd more than you earn, you are not actually Surviving.

Just take the newspaper example. How much does that cost a week ? My 7.50 a month contract on a smart phone, has just enough data to allow me to access the Independent on Line. If the cafe has wifi, I use no data allowance. Crosswords on an app ?
You've got to start thinking like a 1960's value Engineer. What Functions do I want, how can I get them cheapest ?

Try the spend diary and also I work on only using cash, and only going to the cash point once a week. Quite sobering when you run out after 4 days and can't afford lunch...did I need that extra pint last night ? :rotfl:

Katgrit

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

If you sepnd more than you earn, you are not actually Surviving.

Just take the newspaper example. How much does that cost a week ? My 7.50 a month contract on a smart phone, has just enough data to allow me to access the Independent on Line. If the cafe has wifi, I use no data allowance. Crosswords on an app ?
You've got to start thinking like a 1960's value Engineer. What Functions do I want, how can I get them cheapest ?

Try the spend diary and also I work on only using cash, and only going to the cash point once a week. Quite sobering when you run out after 4 days and can't afford lunch...did I need that extra pint last night ? :rotfl:

Keep up! The OP started this thread in February and a lot has changed since. Despite being initially horrified by how much she was being pursuaded to cut down S&S has done a sterling job. Have a read through and catch up - there's one car less, chickens, lettuce in a toy box and allsorts! Hooray for S&S but BOOOOO!! to recent bad news about hubbys job. Hang in there OP you'll ride this storm too. xx

Verbatim

And she hasn't posted on her thread since 7th June!
Hope all is well S & S.

ScrimpingandSaving

Is it too late to give an update?

Hubby as you know, got made redundant and his efforts to find another job failed. He contacted his old firm and agreed to their T&Cs if they gave him a role. As he's a bloody good worker and they were left short of drivers, they agreed. So we got his redundancy money and he secured a job (it was 6 weeks after he was made redundant). The work is hard; he is working 4 x 12 hour shifts and is often pressured to work a 5th. He leaves at 5am and gets back home at around 7pm. By 9pm he's asleep, so it has affected the family. But what can you do?

I am also working hard. I no longer do the B&B but I do work as a secretarial assistant to someone local, 2 mornings a week and I am getting more work as a copywriter.

We are now finding that we're not just breaking even but we are managing to put a little away each month too

I still have the hens who are cheap to look after and who give us around 10 eggs a week. I've marked out a vegetable plot in the garden for all my summer veggies. I still shop at Asda and Aldi and I use the cashback sites when shopping online.

I think if we had stayed in that situation, we would be desperate by now as we just weren't earning enough and making savings is great until you get a higher bill or an appliance breaks down. Or heaven's forbid, you want to actually go away on holiday!

Hubby will start looking for a different job this summer as the long hours and the travelling are taking their toll, but for now we are grateful that he's got work and we are able to afford some luxuries like wine

The support on this thread was incredible and really did help me to focus on the practical and take control of our spending. It was what we needed to do and all those little savings really did mount up.

To anyone in the same boat I would tell them not to give up. Life deals you some bloody hard knocks at times, but you truly don't know what's around the corner. Never stop looking for work, never let pride get in the way of a job and once you have work, give it 100% no matter what work it is. Hard work does pay and sooner or later those talents you possess will be noticed and you'll be offered a much better position.

And come on MSE, be honest, be strong and you'll get some cracking advice

Verbatim

Thanks for updating S & S. I'm so glad things are a bit better but OH's hours sound terribly gruelling. I hope he finds another job soon.

ScrimpingandSaving

Thanks Verbatim. He's working today too and yes, they are taking a toll on his health. He currently suffers from insomnia and night sweats so I'll be relieved if he finds something else.

We've made so many changes to the way we shop and those changes are now a habit that is paying dividends. I was spending an awful amount on pure fruit juice thinking it was good for our health. Course now it turns out that the sugar content is actually toxic and far outweighs any benefits, so I buy concentrated sugar free juice now, saving me around £4 a week.

The takeaway supermarket curries are gone. I do use jars - never could make a decent curry from scratch - but I make batches of curries which last 2 weeks so there's another saving of around £5 a week.

I no longer buy jars of pasta sauce, I use tinned tomatoes instead.
I buy frozen fish which is cheaper and much nicer tasting.
Cheap cuts of meat are lovely when thrown in the slow cooker.
I bake my own bread and cakes.
Sunday roasts last 2 days and many sandwiches inbetween.
Leftover pasta is recycled in lunchboxes and bolognaise sauce or even the scrapings of curry sauce make a lovely sandwich filler, particularly in wraps or pitta bread.
I stretch shopping out to 8 days, forcing myself to use everything in the fridge, thus cutting down on waste.

It's all made a huge difference as it was our weekly shop that was causing the most concern. So from around £140pw on food shopping it's now around £90. And we really don't feel as though we are scrimping at that, we eat healthily and well.

We've made savings in other areas too, but the biggest saving is food shopping. With our increase in earnings and our decrease in spending we have started to save again and I'm putting money away each month in a private pension, so we are not caught out when we retire.

I'm really pleased this thread has been an inspiration and help to others in the same boat. I hope it continues to be so. I thought there was nothing more I could go to improve our situation. I was wrong

Verbatim

You sound so positive S and S which is wonderful. Perhaps with the jobs market picking up and the economy improving there will be more opportunities soon for your OH. It sonds as if the difficult work patterns are affecting his health.
Good luck with the veg growing. I started some peas and courgettes off inside and put them out 2 weeks ago. Just need a bit of sun.
Vx