Any advice welcome - need to cut weekly shop costs

janb5

Hi- just relooked at your figures and wondered whether you could do a credit card transfer to a card with either 0% APR or at least low? I`m pretty sure there is a `sticky` on this site to guide you through it. Once you have you new card- you arrange a fixed amount each month to be paid towards it and don't spend on it during this period. At the end of the 0 % period, find another card. I also wondered if you could reduce your payments of £100 to your credit card at the moment to boost your monthly income. I`m guessing you`re paying back your card? Even reducing it to £75 might help.

Your car insurance works out at £600 p.a. Not sure what car it is and how long you`ve been driving. Find out when the renewal is and shop around for a more competitive quote. Also check when your home/personal insurance is due so you have plenty of time to check prices.

Finally could anyone share taking your son to his activities or could you ask for the 15 minutes after school club to be done by another mum in return for taking children to activities etc? HTH Believe me - we`ve all been through the same worry and well done for sorting it out!

Debt_Free_Chick

Nikkiclaire wrote: »

After reading a few posts think I will set my challenge of £20week for me and my son ( not including dinner money of £10)

My son also has tea 4 days a week at After school club ( which costs £32) a week and eats breakfast at breakfast club 4 days a wee ( which costs £ 20 a week)

I'm not a parent so don't know how these things work, but what strikes me is that you're looking at a budget of £20 pw for food - BUT your son's tea & b/fast alone for only four days costs £52 pw :eek::eek:

Are these optional?

As I say, I'm not a parent, so I may have misunderstood but that appears to be an excessive cost, assuming he attends each one for the food content.

mummyroysof3

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I'm not a parent so don't know how these things work, but what strikes me is that you're looking at a budget of £20 pw for food - BUT your son's tea & b/fast alone for only four days costs £52 pw :eek::eek:

Are these optional?

As I say, I'm not a parent, so I may have misunderstood but that appears to be an excessive cost, assuming he attends each one for the food content.

I think the child attends child are while she works but a meal is included

Rummer

I have been thinking about this myself and I have decided to take a different approach this year. I am going to budget £50 per week for our shop but I will buy in bulk from the supermarket all the dried goods and household items at the start of the month using £20 of the weekly spends and then will use the remaining £30/ week to buy fresh ingredients from local suppliers.

retromother

I tend to find my weekly shop really varies based on my cupboard and freezer contents (plus coupons). Next week I suspect I will only need about £23 for a shop, this weeks was £33, the week before was about £50. Meal planning is great, I wasn't doing it until recently, but already I'm seeing the benefits. Coupons also help. Tesco clubcard sends them out frequently.

Nikkiclaire

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I'm not a parent so don't know how these things work, but what strikes me is that you're looking at a budget of £20 pw for food - BUT your son's tea & b/fast alone for only four days costs £52 pw :eek::eek:

Are these optional?

As I say, I'm not a parent, so I may have misunderstood but that appears to be an excessive cost, assuming he attends each one for the food content.

Sadly not optional - it's child care so I can work- just so happens food is included

Nikkiclaire

Am sat doing a meal plan and searching for good cheap easy meals at minute- let the budgeting commence lol

Debt_Free_Chick

Nikkiclaire wrote: »

Sadly not optional - it's child care so I can work- just so happens food is included

Ah, I see. It's a pity as that's a fair chunk of your weekly budget, especially when you compare it to your planned £20pw food shop.

That said, I'd guess it's good value when you add in the alternative child-care costs :eek:

Cooking in bulk & freezing "ready meals" would help. Also, creative meals maximising use of veg and frugal use of meat would be helpful too.

See what others say though - and good luck

mrsmortenharket

As you only need childcare for 15 mins 4 days a week, I would see if there was another parent who would help out.
You could take the children on your day off.

MessyBetty1

Hi I am in a similar situation to you single mum although I have two adult offspring living at home who like to eat often. I print off a free monthly calendar and menu plan I tend to plan weekly I need to cut down also so my plan is to serve homemade soup and reduce portion size. I find that a couple of vegetarian meals a week help to reduce costs or adding small amounts of meat to a dish like two rashes of bacon to macaroni cheese. I find buying smoked bacon and mature cheese helps as you need less and still get a great taste. I add porridge oats to my mince it certainly helps it go further and you wouldn't know, there is no waste when you meal plan. If you have some outside space growing salad in the summer really helps to cut costs also a nice activity to do with your son.

Look out on the freebies and grab it board for stocking fillers for next year, also look out for vouchers for things to do in the summer holidays with your son.

I wish you well, I know what it is like to have all your wages spoken for before you are paid, keep going, you sound like a lovely mum who is doing a grand job x x