Newbie looking for some advice before it spirals

Tuesday_Tenor

jac53 wrote: »

Childcare is a pain my older children leave before my son starts school and come home later due to extended school for their GCSE's although I don't arrive home until an hour later than this I might ask them to collect him when they finish which will save me £7.50 per week (every little counts)

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Your budget is tight so it is hard to justify things like holidays.
Explain to the older children that the bulk of a holiday fund will have to come from savings elsewhere, such as £7.50 /week from childcare if they do this. I realise it's not 52 weeks a year, but 40 weeks would give £300. Account for this somewhere, perhaps a separate bank account, or a chart on the wall/fridge, so they can see how much they are contributing by helping in this way.

Willowpop

Tuesday_Tenor wrote: »

Your budget is tight so it is hard to justify things like holidays.
Explain to the older children that the bulk of a holiday fund will have to come from savings elsewhere, such as £7.50 /week from childcare if they do this. I realise it's not 52 weeks a year, but 40 weeks would give £300. Account for this somewhere, perhaps a separate bank account, or a chart on the wall/fridge, so they can see how much they are contributing by helping in this way.

Great idea, show them how they are contributing - holiday fund, or Xmas pressies, their birthday pressies etc. £300 can go quite a long way.
It's amazing how small amounts can add up, isn't it?

asparagus1968

Hi, haven't read the whole thread so sorry if I'm repeating...


as a nurse, you can claim tax relief on NMC fees, union fees, uniform laundry, purchase of shoes for work and professional subcriptions. Really easy to claim, they will back date it too.

When you can cancel sky, keep the box-( they don't ask for them back) it acts as a freeview box, loads of channels.i have broadband and calls with Talktalk for about £5 a month, I pay the landline in one lump sum, so it's cheaper too. I avoid using the landline unless I've ran out of mobile minutes.

meal plan,batch cook, only shop to a list- your grocery bill is mad:)
Occaisionally I do a "eat out of the cupboards" week. Cobble together meals from what you have in store, fridge and freezer.

put your holiday budget to your overdraft, they can be recalled with hardly any notice and are usually expensive.

see if you can claim free prescriptions/sight tests etc due to tax credit entitlement.

Ring mobile companies, tell them you are struggling, they usually do something to help, eg.lower tariffs etc.

expensive phone handsets? sell and put sims in cheapies. recycle old handsets no longer needed.

pay council tax over 12 months, not 10.

Good luck

asparagus1968

jac53 wrote: »

Just a quick update as I have made a start and seen a positive difference mainly on the food shopping I bought a small chest freezer new so had to invest some £££... followed by a huge shop but just got what was on my list I bought tons of fresh food/ meats and dedicated a day to cooking about 40 family meals, in turn has saved me loads of time and prevented many take away nights during the week :-)

I have worked out I have saved approx £300 in shopping so far... Sky will be also going at the end of next month talked to kids, they are not impressed but told them we will have freeview and might try to find a low cost internet streaming for films etc... So they are slightly happier.

Childcare is a pain my older children leave before my son starts school and come home later due to extended school for their GCSE's although I don't arrive home until an hour later than this I might ask them to collect him when they finish which will save me £7.50 per week (every little counts)

Thanks to you all this has been a great source of support and ideas, I feel that with a few bits of tweaking I should be able to start getting rid of those debts instead of gaining more :-)

oh well done, good start ( could you look on freecycle for a freezer and return the new one....:) )

judi24

Sounds like you are making a good start - grocery shopping has always been my problem - but I can honestly say that over the last month I have shopped in Al*i and go everything I needed and there have been no complaints! I am sure with a bit of effort i could get better offere on some things at the big 4 but my problem is I cant go into AS*a and only buy dishwasher tabs on offer! so I just make do with Al*is even though I prefer branded - its alla bout how much time and energy you are willing or able to commit to being frugal - I have to be able to go into a shop and get what I need for the week without running around wheras others are happy to visit 5 shops to get the best deal! - menu planning and writing a list takes 5 mins though and is invaluable - even if i tweak it mid weak - i still know I don't 'need' anything so just stay away from the local shop (used to quite happily spend £20 a couple of time a week on top of shopping just cos I couldnt remember what was in fridge or freezer!)


Oh and you don't need to wear a uniform to claim tax relief on union subs NMC and for some reason nurses can claim for tights and shoes!!!

dancingfairy

See here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/uniform-tax-rebate for Martins guide on getting the tax rebate for washing your work uniform. Also here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim32712.htm it says you can get £100 as you are a nurse (per year) but don't forget you can get it backdated for a certain number of years.
df

Tommelise

jac53 wrote: »

Just a quick update as I have made a start and seen a positive difference mainly on the food shopping I bought a small chest freezer new so had to invest some £££... followed by a huge shop but just got what was on my list I bought tons of fresh food/ meats and dedicated a day to cooking about 40 family meals, in turn has saved me loads of time and prevented many take away nights during the week :-)

I have worked out I have saved approx £300 in shopping so far...

Thanks for the update - you are doing really well

I know it is only September, but have you started to think about your budget for Christmas?

We have been looking closely at our budget this year, and decided we would cut it down as much as possible.

Gifts for grandparents wil be homemade (they loved the homemade gifts last year, so will do the same this year)

Gifts done so far:
A nice framed picture we took ourselves in the summer (cost of frame only - poundshop)
For my mother and mother in law - Homemade knitted shawls and some matching mittens -(cost the yarn only - 100 % lovely lambswool found on ebay for the bargin price of 3£ for 600 g + PP - I found a nice free pattern on ravelry)
A basket of nice homemade chutney and crackers etc.
PJ for the children bought in last years sales

Try to make a spreadsheet with a budget, and ideas for the ones you have to buy to.

Remember that Christmas with presents and food is only one day, and that the Christmas spirit can be created in many ways.

We try to make the whole month of December a special by making present and homemade cards together. We listen to carols together every sundays( or even sing) with lit candels. we make our own cookies - and have a game of cards. The children love it.

Join Pinterest to find ideas for homemade gifts, that does not cost too much - but look like they did

Take a look at this tread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5045717

jac53

Tommelise wrote: »

Thanks for the update - you are doing really well

I know it is only September, but have you started to think about your budget for Christmas?

We have been looking closely at our budget this year, and decided we would cut it down as much as possible.


I have thought about it tons I have a tub where I put any change over £5 from my purse into currently totals £65, I have told kids this year is tight and the older 2 are getting £100 each ( they got iphone 5c's still on 2 year contract from last year told them that runs over this xmas too) I have already bought things from the 75% off boots sale and PJ's etc in sale for them too.. My son wants a bike so will use my argos £10 off voucher so that will cost £89 if I buy this month all his other pressies are sorted :-). :santa2:


I like your little ideas for other pressies I might make up some sweet jars etc fab ideas thank you :beer:


I feel like I have made a slow start, most importantly I have started to chip away at my loans only £15-20 extra per week due to my savings on shopping. Going to spend a day when I finish my masters work in November to claim all tax rebates/ refunds, just feels too much to take on yet with working full time, study, looking after kids plus my grandad who lives 25 miles away I have to see 3 times a week in the eves/ weekends to make sure he is safe/ well.

I still have a long long way to go and little hurdles keep getting in my way i.e. beginning of September NMC- £100 (just to work to do the job I love) £196 RCN (for union fees) school meals & snaks (£110 til christmas) Uniforms (£250) Bus passes (75) This week has been the added stress of gas & electric bill jumped up £25 extra per month, school trips, GCSE books required....... 1 step forward 2 steps back lol :rotfl: got to laugh at how typical that is.

Another big step I am about to embark upon is to get rid of my most terrible anti social habit of 'smoking' - will save some money too in the long run :-) I bought loads of cigs on my hols so technically I am not currently spending on my habit... but will stop any future spending, saving me £25 per week!

My mum has just reminded me that I owe her £2500 which I borrowed last year too lets hope I can put her off for a while until I get rid of my bank loans :shhh:

Going to set time out to ebay/ gumtree some stuff over the weekend one mans junk is hopefully another mans treasure fingers crossed!!

giblet1979

Oooh good luck with the smoking (well good luck with everything but that would make such a difference in the long term). I've been told the 'Alan Carr' (no not that one) book on giving up is excellent. Maybe see if the library has it?

Seems like you're making great progress. All those little bits soon add up and it gets addictive

What is your masters about? (feel free not to say or PM if you don't want to put it out there) x

Gigervamp

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

I use the US version of netflix for under a tenner a month.

There's an add-on for Firefox that allows you to use the US version of Netflix. We're signed up to the UK version, but switch to the US one if there's something on there that's not available over here.