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

flea72

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

If I'm allergic to something in the environment there's not a right lot I can do about it. Hayfever runs in the family but my sister's has more or less stopped so I'm hoping I'll be the same in a few years.

For most people who have yea round rhinitis symptoms, the cause is most likely house dust mites or pets.

if you don't clear up the main, year round cause, the seasonal pollen just makes it worse, so you put it down to hayfever.

Has your sister got laminate flooring in her house, as this could be why her symptoms have stopped, as dust mites are worse in carpeted houses. People think wow it's suddenly stopped, but don't even consider the change I flooring has helped

Spendless

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

All her friends go and if she can't go, she ends up in a different form class for those days without any of her friends.

I was talking about the one at Secondary school, sorry I don't know which child is the eldest and was guessing. They don't all go at Secondary school do they on residentials? Is it only a small school? My child in yr 8 has around 230 children in his year and each year there is only around 45 places for a school residntial trip and they tend to be tagged onto weekend or when school hols are to minimise time spent away from the classroom. I agree primary is a different kettle of fish when the whole year is away together. I wouldn't want mine to be the only one not going either.

ScrimpingandSaving

flea - my sister has carpets. We have laminate. Been here nearly 2 years now so carpet for stairs and bedrooms is new. No pets (unless you count hamster).

My husbands thinks it might be because of the open fire - we burn wood. Might be might not. I try to keep dust down as much as poss.

Spendless - yes daughter in secondary and son in primary. Primary is village school, secondary is bigger with over 1,000 pupils overall.

Residentials are usually just one or two nights in secondary. Yes places are limited but she usually gets in. She's a shy girl with just a couple of friends. If they went and she couldn't it would be a disaster for her as the rest of her class just ignore her.

I kinda feel that a school residential in other countries is very good for them and I wouldn't ever want to not give them that opportunity.

Oh and yes, school meals in the village school are so expensive! £2.30 a day. They aren't even very good. He gets one a week and he chooses which day according to the menu. That gives him something to look forward to.

Funnily enough I did start buying lumps of chicken to cook and make into sandwiches but my lot weren't keen on chicken sarnies. Not a bad idea with regards to the gammon though. It's either that or SmartPrice ham which is cheap enough. I tend to give them pasta salads, mini quiches, homemade cakes/scones or mini pitta bread pizzas (yes they eat them cold!) as I feel bad giving them crappy ham. I don't mind him eating it but not them.

pickle54

Hi, we are a family of 4 and probably spend about £400p/month on food, like you we have dvd/beer (and nibbles!) at the weekend - I stock up on beer when they are 2 boxes for £20 etc, and dp knows he has to pace them, I prefer Baileys so stock up at Xmas Have you tried getting your wine delivered in a bulk mixed order like from tescos wine, that should save you some pennies there?

I think on-line shopping will definately help you, less temptation picking up the random bits and bobs in Asda. I get 7 or 10 cards for £1 in cardfair for kids bday parties, and have a few bits stored when I find bargains for gifts. I agree with a pp that bobbles should come out of pocket money (or included in Xmas stockings etc). Maybe more of the random bits and bobs should come from their pocket money, even if you increase it slightly - you might be better off?

My kids are younger than yours (3 and 5) but we always take a picnic out with us for walks/free farms etc, if it's cold we eat it in the car...I always make sure there is a "treat" in the picnic so it doesn't feel like we are depriving ourselves too much!

When we go out for meals we use vouchercloud, or check this site for bargains first.

Pitlanepiglet

A number of your replies make me wonder if you are trolling?

As for contents insurance, do you seriously believe non smokers and careful people never have house fires?

You have a good income and relatively modest fixed outgoings but you are frittering away the excess and then complaining about how awful you're life will be if you have to give up the things you perceive as making your life worthwhile. The reality is that if you get to grips with your everyday unnecessary spending you should have sufficient income that you could afford contents insurance, a pension and a couple of bottles of wine a week.

If you want to make changes you have plenty of opportunities to do so without suffering the hardship that many face. You have to really want to make changes though.

suki1964

The one trouble about shopping online, is you don't get the whoopsies

Op, try to avoid the smart price ham if you can, buying a gammon is not only cheaper, but you also have control over what's in it. I don't know if you can buy ham shanks? One here is about £2 and after soaking over night, then boiling up its absolutely delish stripped off the bone and added to sandwiches. I can also use some for a quiche and use the liquid stock for pea and (very little) ham soup -that's another three meals for less then a fiver

B+M and poundlands have to be added to your weekly shop. I buy as much as I can from them, branded toiletries, cleaning materials, loo roll, tissues, sanitary protection, tinned goods, herbs and spices, cereals. All a lot lot cheaper then even Asda

When I do have to shop in the supermarket, I keep away from the aisles I don't need. I avoid the sweeties, snacks, magazine ones. Any special offers are always one the end plinths in the centre and end aisles so you won't miss any bargains. And I shop later in the day, yesterday I hit sainsbobs just right and got a lot of veg reduced to clear - peppers, chillies, herbs, all either drying or frozen to be used when I need them

ScrimpingandSaving

Thanks piglet.

Yes we are taking a risk on not having contents insurance, but I haven't asked for advice or opinions on that and am not about to enter into a discussion over it now.

We're frittering away our money are we? Have I not taken any advice on board here? These people have given up their time to help me and I fully appreciate it. What I don't appreciate is being called a troll. In fact I find that really bloody insulting and so should all those posters who have taken the trouble to give advice.

If anyone doubts me, please message me and I'll direct you to my website. (I'm a self employed copywriter)

I have said that I shall make some tough changes. Thanks for your input piglet. Would you like to do some more kicking now?

ScrimpingandSaving

Suki, I watched a documentary about how branded items in Poundland were actually more expensive than supermarkets because they reduce the weight of the packets or have 'offers' that are actually not good value for money at all.

We don't have a B&M. It would be more time consuming for me to seek out different shops and do individual shopping. I guess that's why I buy so much from the supermarket because living out in the sticks, going into town can be a real hassle and the nearest cities aren't very near. It just seemed so much easier to get everything we needed from Asda.

Upsidedown_Bear

You might find this useful (it was done by a MSE member) although it's a couple of years old.

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/index.html

Lavender_Rose

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

Thanks piglet.

Yes we are taking a risk on not having contents insurance, but I haven't asked for advice or opinions on that and am not about to enter into a discussion over it now.


If anyone doubts me, please message me and I'll direct you to my website. (I'm a self employed copywriter)

I have said that I shall make some tough changes. Thanks for your input piglet. Would you like to do some more kicking now?

I would definitely get contents insurance. It's not that expensive and as someone who works from home I would have thought it was essential. What would happen if your computer equipment was stolen?