All avenues exhausted please help

chrisfreelander54

Been on MSE a while now and because of this we have have managed to halve our debts using advise from others on here and by reading diaries.

The problem is we have now made many changes in our lives and have now run out of ways to save, we have done many things including the following.

*shopped around for cheaper car insurance
*changed our mortgage for a lower rate
*moved utility suppliers
*cancelled virgin and moved to Freeview
*moved our debts to lower rates (inc SBT some to 0% CC)
*all our shopping done in ALDI
*buy meat in bulk from local abbatoir
*turn off all lights and switches when not in use
*set heating on timed and turned stat down
*turned the temperature of hot water down
*buy online using cash back sites
*use vouchers and discount codes where possible
*cook from scratch most of the time
*wash clothes on 40degrees
*insulated loft walls and replaced our back boiler with a condensing boiler

As you can see we have done quiet a lot to cut back and save money, but as mentioned above we have hit a brick in where to go next in regards to making savings, and was hoping that others could share the ways that they managed to save in the hope that I will help us as well as others on here.

Regards
Chris

iolanthe07

Look at the other side of the equation - increasing your income. A career change or a second part time job might help balance the books.

Tixy

Hi Chris

It look like you have made a lot of changes so far.

Are you on a water meter or unmeasured water? have you looked in to whether you would save by switching to a meter? if you are on a meter have you looked at whether you can reduce your usage at all?

Have you read through this checklist? http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/money-help it looks like you have made many of those changes but might be worth another read through in case any more of them could apply to you?

chrisfreelander54

iolanthe07 wrote: »

Look at the other side of the equation - increasing your income. A career change or a second part time job might help balance the books.

Thankyou for your input, much appreciated, but as far as work goes both the wife and I have full time jobs, mine is working 12hr day and night shifts (with chance of overtime when available) and the wife works monday to friday.

Most of the time I work weekends so the wife has the kids while Im at work, also as we don't want to start paying for child care again, this would be something we couldn't do as we now have some help from family and don't really want to put on them anymore than we already do.

chrisfreelander54

Tixy wrote: »

Hi Chris

It look like you have made a lot of changes so far.

Are you on a water meter or unmeasured water? have you looked in to whether you would save by switching to a meter? if you are on a meter have you looked at whether you can reduce your usage at all?

Have you read through this checklist? http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/money-help it looks like you have made many of those changes but might be worth another read through in case any more of them could apply to you?

Thankyou for your reply Tixy, at present we are not on a water meter as we are a family of four, 2 adults and 2 children, so I don't think we would benefit, especially as I have to have a bath everyday to wake me up for work, :rotfl:.

Will take a look at the link you have posted to see if there is something in there that would benefit us.

I have just updated my snowball calculator and after making some overpayments our DFD has gone from February 2017 to April 2016 feels like We are getting somewhere now. :j

sleepygirl126

I think you're doing really well!!
Try joining the £2 savings club on here, sell some stuff on fleabay or do a car boot, join one of the survey sites, consider nectarads
I would just advise don't be too hard on yourself...you've got to have the odd treat and some fun!!

chrisfreelander54

sleepygirl126 wrote: »

I think you're doing really well!!
Try joining the £2 savings club on here, sell some stuff on fleabay or do a car boot, join one of the survey sites, consider nectarads
I would just advise don't be too hard on yourself...you've got to have the odd treat and some fun!!

Thanks sleepygirl, I used to be in the £2 savers club a few years back,didn't do to well tbh, but might join again as I have 10 £2 coins stashed away from he wife and kids :rotfl:.

Had a clear out out of a fewu items but prefer to use gumtree and preloved for larger and more expensive items due to ebay and paypal fees. I am thinking of getting rid of a few things via music magpie or the other similar site that's been advertised on Tv this morning, will need to keep an eye out for when advert comes on again.

Have recently joined my survey and am already upto 950 points. :T

Don't worry we never go without a treat, but I must get a discount to make it worthwhile.

dotdash79

Has you looked into the work at home options like lionbridge, leapforce or something like that. It might only be £50 - £100 per month but it all helps

Sinhanada

Do you have pets? I use Sainsbury's pet insurance for my two cats - slightly more expensive than other suppliers but they offer a £60 gift card pet pet insured so we received £120 in gift cards plus double nectar points on shopping so we currently have over £100 which will go for the Christmas shop.

Also looking out offers such as washing up detergent at half price in most major supermarkets means I buy six or seven which last me until the next offer that comes on. Shops smart and stay smart but it does sound like you have made an awful lot of savings!

hummingbird

dotdash79 wrote: »

Has you looked into the work at home options like lionbridge, leapforce or something like that. It might only be £50 - £100 per month but it all helps

What are these dotdash? Never heard of either of them but sound interesting?

chrisfreelander54

dotdash79 wrote: »

Has you looked into the work at home options like lionbridge, leapforce or something like that. It might only be £50 - £100 per month but it all helps

Thankyou for your input dotdsh, i have taken a look at the Lionbridge website, but are at present not recruiting within the UK, unless I need to be recommended by someone already registered with them, not to sure, so will check their website regularly

As for leap force it seems according to job description that they reqiure highly educated people, preferably with a degree or similar, so this automatically puts me out of the equation.