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Falling at every hurdle
embob74
Posts: 724 Forumite
So I started New Year positive and determined to clear debts. That didn't go so well.....January was a disaster but a real learning curve.
My first fall down was my shopping list which I had budgeted for and researched and then when I got to the shops they didn't have half of the stuff I needed for my meal plans :mad: I also bought two weeks worth of food but then struggled to use the fresh veg, fruit and bread before it went off. I will now only do one weeks shopping at a time and add a few substitute meals in case the ingredients are not available.
So now my biggest problem seems to be a variable income. OH has a seasonal job so it's basic wage in winter and bumper in summer. How do we account for that? It means that we are about £400 a month down on our income and while we will have surplus in summer we have to continue to pay bills before we get to summer!
Pulling your head out of the sand is hard work!
My first fall down was my shopping list which I had budgeted for and researched and then when I got to the shops they didn't have half of the stuff I needed for my meal plans :mad: I also bought two weeks worth of food but then struggled to use the fresh veg, fruit and bread before it went off. I will now only do one weeks shopping at a time and add a few substitute meals in case the ingredients are not available.
So now my biggest problem seems to be a variable income. OH has a seasonal job so it's basic wage in winter and bumper in summer. How do we account for that? It means that we are about £400 a month down on our income and while we will have surplus in summer we have to continue to pay bills before we get to summer!
Pulling your head out of the sand is hard work!
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Get things down on paper. SOA, budget and see what suggestions come in.Mortgage at 01.01.14 £119,481.83:eek: today £0 Emergency fund £5.5/5.5k & £200/200 cash.:jWeight 24/02/19 14st 7lb now 12st 1lb determined to stop defining myself by my mistakes. Progress not perfection.:T100%through my 1% mortgage challenge. 100% through my pb challenge. I’m not perfect but I’m good enough.0
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Hello and welcome to your happy new diary!
I too have a variable income. You have to live to the lowest income I'm afraid. In your case, the winter income. You can then throw everything that is extra at it during the summer meaning you will have more to live on next winter. It will be a tough couple of months coming up but the support and suggestions you get on this board are amazing.
A freezer, if you have one, will help with excess bread and vegetables. You can also batch cook with the veg and freeze portions away as 'ready meals' for those days when cooking is a phaff and the takeaway beckons!
Good luck, it can be done with a bit of organisation and determination
PiqTotal debt at October 2008: £67,213.30
Total debt today: £0 - debt and mortgage free 29th November 2013 :T
Sealed Pot Challenge member 14
Save £12K in 2014 - £6,521.90/£6K member 138
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