A fresh start & learning to be thrifty

Busy_Mee

Hi Redcola - just wondering how you are getting on ?

Towser

Hi Redcola - just wondering how you are getting on ?

Teacher2

Most of the advice I'd give has been posted already but anyhoo:-

-Start an accounts book (Online or from W.H. Smith) and put EVERYTHING in it. Make a budget plan with incomings and outgoings. Also, estimate what you will have to pay over a year on utilities and other sporadic bills and divide it by twelve. Take that out of your money before you start the month. Then you will know what your actual disposable income is.
-If you can't handle credit, use cash. Get an amount out to spend and when it's gone, it's gone.
-Try for 'no spend days'.
-Write a weekly food plan and shop to meet it with no extras.
-There are plenty of free pleasures: books (the library is free), walking, cycling, reading, the radio (try the BBC radio catch-up 'favourites'), board games etc.
-Have birthday and Christmas present spending limits. Or only buy for the kids. Have someone buy you a slow cooker and a breadmaker. They're cheap and make really cheap, brilliantly tasting food.
-For holidays try a house swap. There are websites for these.
-Get the kids on board by explaining the situation to them honestly and asking for their help and advice. They will complain - but then join in.
-Build in some treats for 'pay-back' milestones.
-keep looking around Martin Lewis' website. There are thousands of people out there with brilliant thrifty ideas.

The very best of luck to you.

RedCola

Hello, just want to say I'm sorry I haven't been on here for a while.
I ended up feeling worse & falling out of routine . Got diagnosed with PND, though am getting help now. Just popped back on here to see if the thread is still going, and saw a message letting me know this made the weekly Money Tips :j.

Anyway, I'm going to read through this thread and see what I have missed. It really did help, so would be lovely if it could keep going. Anyone that has sent me a message, I will reply to this evening.

RAS

Hi

Nice to hear from you again.

Hopefully now you have a diagnosis and some help, you can pick things up bit by bit.

Be kind to yourself.

Busy_Mee

Hi Red Cola - really glad to see you back : )

Maitane

Glad you're back and I really hope you're feeling less daunted and getting support following the diagnosis.

[Deleted User]

redcola see if there is a 'Meet-a-moms ' group near to you or ask the HV.My youngest DD used to run one when her smallest boy was young.She had five children and it was a great way for Mums to meet and help each other out.DD ended up running it by accident as she was slightly older than the rest of the Mums.She was that voice at the end of the phone for lots of young Mums locally whose OHs were serving soldiers and away a lot .
Living in a satellite town away from your own Mum or family, which a lot of the Mums were, they just sometimes needed a bit of a 'there, there' at times and to realise they weren't alone.

PND is awful and when you are going through it it makes you feel even worse when you see other Mum's seemingly sail through the babys trauma's and teething etc.
But honestly thousands of Mum all have the same problems and feelings as yourself.

When mine were small we were living in a very damp tiny flat with two small children and my OH worked almost day and night ,I was so lucky I had a neighbour who became almost my second Mum as she had brought up 10 younger brothers and sisters when her own Mum had sadly died.So there wasn't much she didn't know about babies and children and she was always there when needed bless her.But never feel alone anymore as we are all here if we can you give you a bit of a 'there,there' when needed :)
You are coping well with three kids and financial difficulties brilliantly
Onwards and upwards honey you'll get there eventually
Love JackieO xxx

RedCola

Hello, just wanted to say that I'm back again (for good this time)

I hope no ones minds if we can continue this thread, its very helpful and the support is much needed. I really appreciated all the advice everyone gave & I hope I didn't come across rude by not being around to reply etc.

I am on the way to recovery now, and ready to tackle my cooking and thrifty lifestyle:beer:.

Also, in the time since Ii originally posted this, I have paid off £3000! Thank you so much for all the advice that helped with this.

mrsscattercushion

Well done and happy new year, good to have you back! x