please help

NewShadow

this is the 6yr old and 4 year old?

So, what takeaways do you buy?

Buying pizza in your monthly shop is cheaper than takeaway, and throwing it in the oven is easier and quicker than a delivery.

A curry can be made in the slow cooker and the weekend, then half frozen for a mid week takeaway another time.

Stirfry and instant noodles take seconds and can be made with a few rounds off a cabbage, a chopped up carrot, leftover meat and a jar of sauce - or swing by the shop on your way home and buy a pack of sf veg when you know you're too tired to cook.

I know its a little overwhelming, but even having some frozen supermarket ready meals - not that i'm advocating them - but they'd be cheaper on your budget than the same amount of takeaway?

katkin

I'm sorry to hear things are getting you down. You have an incredible amount on your plate to deal with so be nice and kind to yourself.

A lot is about a change of attitude and focus. Instead of using retail therapy and shopping as a comfort and distraction, try getting into the old style way of wanting to beat the consumer system. Make it a game - how much and how canny can you be to reduce costs. The sense of pride in getting one over on the system (consumption spending) is amazing. Track every little bit of spending obsessively and think new ways up of reducing that.

Being frugal can be a joy, a healthy lifestyle that makes you can feel far more in control. It's all about quality rather than quantity.

There's some great advice here I can't add to. The only thing I can say is get a notebook / household binder and get plotting and planning. Be stubborn and refuse to spend - rebel!

Really wish you all the best, you'll get there, you are already on the path xxx

BigMummaF

skintmum2012 wrote: »

Hi we already eat budget food basics I just don't see the point in buying the brand names when basics taste the same. We do however get to many takeaways. I have just sat down and worked out a budget that should be very do able. My problem is when I get down I go out and spend a fourtune n stuff we don't need and I am really struggling to stop.

Is there any way you could batch cook some meals--perhaps at a time when their father is there to help with the chopping & child care--so you could have something in the freezer for those times you can't be rrrrst

maman

katkin wrote: »

Being frugal can be a joy, a healthy lifestyle that makes you can feel far more in control. It's all about quality rather than quantity.

I definitely agree with that. And I understand exactly what you mean about the challenge.


I'd say to OP that eating more healthily (which in my book easily goes hand in hand with frugally) might help to give you a bit more energy and help you cope.


I'd focus on that little slot you have in the mornings and get something prepped or in the slow cooker/oven. You're far less likely to send for a take away if you know you've got something ready.

skintmum2012

Thank you everyone that's a fantastic idea about getting in pizza and putting it in the freezer not something I have done before as I hate ready meals whenever I give them pizza I make from scratch including the dough but then I am buying take aways that are not healthy so be cheaper just to get some in. Hubby has taken the bank card given me money for the week and I have done a food plan for the first time in ages he has come back with a huge bit of ys beef though and I have no room to freeze it so going to have to change meal plan.
I used to be so pleased about beating the system ys hunting looking for the best prices putting money away I got lost somewhere along the way. Time to find myself again I think.

Shortypie

Hi,

I am a mum of 3 also, 7 year old twins who have learning needs & ASD (one is being assessed for ADHD currently too) and a 4 year old girl who has no needs but seems to be harder work than the boys at times :rotfl: we are just downsizing (renting to buying) to a two bed and all three will share :eek: I'm figuring that if things get really tough hubby and I will gave to go on the sofa bed . . .

Do you own your home? Would it be cheaper to extend if it's possible?

I know what you mean about spending, my downfall seems to be buying my daughter cute clothes I was in a shop yesterday and I'm still pining for a gorgeous pair of green patent shoes and yellow cord pinafore dress! But I only got her a pair of jeans, which she actually needed. And I do feel good knowing I resisted temptation :T

As I work and hubby works shifts, we are always knackered, with our kids needs too, they can't do anything by themselves, or entertain themselves for very long (particularly the one with ADHD). The house is pretty much always a tip, if I'm here, they're here and I can't do anything.

Re. Food, the only way I can get dinner made is that they know 5pm is iPad time, the only thing that keeps the boys engaged. I also am trying to use the slow cooker more, depends what your kids will set though. One of mine us particularly fussy with food textures. I'd use that slot in the morning to prep something for later. Or the night before, which is what I do as I don't have time in the morning before school and work.

Good luck with your budget

Shorty

skintmum2012

Hi shorty sounds like your house might be as mental as mime which is also always a tip I hate the mess. Mine seem to needle each other so if left on I pads would soon be fighting. We don't own our house need to safe the deposit which we have been trying to do for years hubby dispairs of me. I take my hat of to you working there is just no way I could we have had years of kids on part time time tables now if their ever comes a day they are all at school full time won't know what to do with myself hubby works full time though.

dingdongsaving

I was in a shop yesterday and I'm still pining for a gorgeous pair of green patent shoes and yellow cord pinafore dress! [/QUOTE]


:rotfl:


Shortypie! I think I purchased that dress with a multi pack of tights last week when I only needed tights........I returned it the next day swearing I had no idea how shopping fever had influenced my spending when we're so thrifty! My argument would just be that it was an amazingly cute dress! Hehe. I do feel better NOT having it though. Little ones look cute in anything!

Lots of good advice here! It's always important to remember this forum for support & tips. So many people work full time, have large families, kids with special needs, dogs that need walking, gardens & house work to tend to, elderly relatives that need a hand etc. etc....it can all get on top of you without staying focused & being a bit proactive & I def. find posting on here helps me try & keep my eye on our ball.

Good luck finding your map back to a happy & manageable place for you & your little ones. xxx

Butterfly_Brain

I really think that you need to see your GP because you have the classic symptoms of depression.
Try not to be too hard on yourself, you have a lot going on with the children and as NPM and others including myself with a child who has aspergers will attest it is really hard bringing up an autistic child with no back-up.

Do you have any family or friends close by who could help you out for a couple of hours while you do a batch cook?

Takeaways are not good for a child with ADHD, full of MSG's and sugars which can exacerbate the symptoms.

When my two were small and I had a few hours when they were at school, I cooked as many dishes that I could, so if I was having cottage pie for dinner I would buy 4lbs mince and I would make a basic mince recipe out of which I would make 2 cottage pies, then I would add a couple of tins of tomatoes, tomato puree, and garlic to the mix to make a bolognaise and a lasagne and then added some kidney beans and chilli to the last batch for chilli.

I would serve up one of the cottage pies and froze the rest.
I would do that same with sausages make up a casserole, toad in the hole etc
The same went for chicken, beef, pork an lamb meals.

Pizza bases were always a freezer staple, I just had to take one out add a few toppings and 20mins in the oven and the pizza was ready.

Cooking this way not only saved on fuel it stretched the ingredients, so I got five or six meals when most would only get four meals out of the ingredients, the trick was adding plenty of veggies and lentils.

Basic mince recipe was :
Mince
Diced onion
Diced Carrots
lentils
oxo cube

You will not be able to go oldstyle all at once it is just too much when you have so many problems, the trick is to make small changes as and when you can.

God Bless xx

Bobarella

Good luck getting back on track Skint mum. You do have a lot on your plate, but you can do it!!