SOA - time to face the truth :(

Thisisme_3

Thisisme wrote: »

What do you buy in a food shop and what do you eat (meals, snacks, breakfasts, coffees etc.) on a weekly basis?

Some of the payments you have listed for the debts seem a little low even for the minimum payments and could amount for some of the surplus - can you double check these?

Do you buy newspapers/coffees/sweetie/juice for kids/magazine.

Hi, sorry if this hasn't done a part quote lol I had no idea how to do it. The payments are low as they are in a DMP with StepChange at the moment.



We cook mainly from scratch, my DS has to have Lactose Free Milk which is so bloomin' expensive. I shop at Asda or Aldi, I buy meat at the butchers. I find a weeks worth of meat can be £25, milk for my son is around £6-£7, nappies around £3.

x

Oops I see my attempt at quoting didn't work sorry!

Thrifty_Pixie

Thisisme wrote: »

Mobile phone............................ 50 (I'm tied to contract at £36 --- go PAYG as soon as you can
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 23 --- cancel this and go Freeview
Groceries etc. ......................... 320 --- as others have said, swtich brands, look at the old style board etc as this is quite high
Clothing................................ 40 --- halve this at least as it'll build up when not used
Petrol/diesel........................... 320 (Oh uses £50 pw for work) --- where does the other £120 go?
Other child related expenses............ 20 --- what are these? you already mentioned clothes, food etc
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 75 --- £900 for gifts is silly amounts, imo. maybe cut down to buying only for your kids for a while and tell others to do the same? i've done it and to be honest most people seem relieved not to have to buy us anything so THEY don't get into more debt
Emergency fund.......................... 100 --- once this covers boiler repairs, halve it at least

to be frank, i'm surprised that your DMP allows you to have satellite tv? i noticed that you've avoided the subject here when others have mentioned cancelling it.

also - DO keep a spending diary. it seems to me that you have an awful lot of money unaccounted for considering the amounts you're paying to your creditors...

beanielou

Im amazed TBH that StepChange allow you to have such a large excess.
You really need to start keeping a spending diary of where all your money goes.

Thisisme_3

Thrifty_Pixie wrote: »

to be frank, i'm surprised that your DMP allows you to have satellite tv? i noticed that you've avoided the subject here when others have mentioned cancelling it.

also - DO keep a spending diary. it seems to me that you have an awful lot of money unaccounted for considering the amounts you're paying to your creditors...

I haven't avoided the subject, why would I? It's my decision anyway! Stepchange allow you to have Sky, Gym Memberships, anything within reason and I personally feel £23 is reasonable as do they I assume as they know we have it?

Thisisme_3

beanielou wrote: »

Im amazed TBH that StepChange allow you to have such a large excess.
You really need to start keeping a spending diary of where all your money goes.

We didn't have this excess until last month as I was at uni and we were paying for childcare. I plan on increasing my dmp and have posted separately about it.

Danni-R

Hi,

I think that the food shopping bill is still pretty high (even with nappies and you're not adding the odd b-day present in there).


The clothing is still really high. Even if its just for a few months of hand me downs for the kids for clothes but new shoes when needed.

I’d love to know where the £720 a year on birthdays and Christmas is spent. That sounds harsher than its meant to but I spend £10 a person max for friends £20 for family and then £30 at Christmas. I get most of the Christmas stuff with ebay selling funds.

If you don’t have the £100 emergency fund then where is that £100 going?

Best bet is to keep a spending diary for where all the extra is going. Because you’re missing a fair amount of money somewhere.

LannieDuck

Sorry to mention the presents yet again (I know you've answered it a couple of times already), but £75/mth is huge.

You have two nephews, an unknown number of godchildren (lets say 2) and two children of your own. That's 4 birthday presents, 4 xmas presents, birthday and xmas presents for your own children, and easter eggs.

I would buy one big easter egg for each of my own children and smaller eggs for the others. Max cost for 6 children £30 (and I think that's v generous!).

Then birthday/xmas presents for 4 nephews/godchildren @£10 each = £80.

Then birthday/xmas presents for your own children. This varies hugely, but lets say £150 each to cover both birthday/xmas.

Total £410 per year, which is £35/mth. And I think that's hugely generous as a budget for 6 children! Where's the rest of the money going?

Edit: If you do Swagbucks, you can take your earnings as Amazon vouchers, and you might be able to cover most of this cost.

Thisisme_3

Danni-R wrote: »

Hi,

I think that the food shopping bill is still pretty high (even with nappies and you're not adding the odd b-day present in there).


The clothing is still really high. Even if its just for a few months of hand me downs for the kids for clothes but new shoes when needed.

I’d love to know where the £720 a year on birthdays and Christmas is spent. That sounds harsher than its meant to but I spend £10 a person max for friends £20 for family and then £30 at Christmas. I get most of the Christmas stuff with ebay selling funds.

If you don’t have the £100 emergency fund then where is that £100 going?

Best bet is to keep a spending diary for where all the extra is going. Because you’re missing a fair amount of money somewhere.

In presents I've budgeted for our nephews and godchildren, along with our own children, also our children have a joint birthday party which I've added the cost in to. We have 2 nephews and three godchildren plus our own two children so even if we only spent £15-£20 it still adds up, we then have Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter etc. It soon adds up and I honestly don't think we can get it much cheaper by I'll def give it a try.

Also as I mentioned previously we've not had the extra money before as we've been paying childcare

Thanks for your input x

Danni-R

Hi,

I've not picked up on the tv thing but the present thing is massive.

Mothers day/ fathers day?!

Seriously! You think your kids want you to go out and buy their dad a £50 present? Instead, whilst their young and they dont care, parks, space, sweeties they usually cant have. You say you're crafty, perfect. Make stuff/ cakes with the kids to give to daddy. Much more fun for them too.

I'm nearly 30. My memories arent 'i remember this one mothers day my mum got a really expensive gift'. Its all about 'i remember eating jam sandwiches on the big step things at 'wont name the location' and going crab fishing with all the family'.

I remember my dad teaching me to swim. Couldnt tell you half the presents he was given.

Whilst you're in debt and on a dmp dont waste your money. Memories are much better presents and they last longer.

Here endeth the lesson.

Thisisme_3

Danni-R wrote: »

Hi,

I've not picked up on the tv thing but the present thing is massive.

Mothers day/ fathers day?!

Seriously! You think your kids want you to go out and buy their dad a £50 present? Instead, whilst their young and they dont care, parks, space, sweeties they usually cant have. You say you're crafty, perfect. Make stuff/ cakes with the kids to give to daddy. Much more fun for them too.

I'm nearly 30. My memories arent 'i remember this one mothers day my mum got a really expensive gift'. Its all about 'i remember eating jam sandwiches on the big step things at 'wont name the location' and going crab fishing with all the family'.

I remember my dad teaching me to swim. Couldnt tell you half the presents he was given.

Whilst you're in debt and on a dmp dont waste your money. Memories are much better presents and they last longer.

Here endeth the lesson.

I meant for our parents x we don't buy anything for each other for birthdays, Christmas or anything.