Always skint and have a 3 month old child. I need money advice

fairy_lights

I don't know how much time your apprenticeship takes up, but have you considered getting a part time job at the weekend to bring in some extra money?
If you make a strict meal plan you should be able to get your food costs down slightly, and you really need to start making packed lunches. £2 a day is a lot of money - if you've got a freezer you can freeze bread etc to stop it going off.

chanie

Ask your Mum if you can do your laundry at her home and save yourself £11 a month.

Forget buying lunch, bring it from home. Ideas for cheap lunches:

leftover dinners e.g. if making something like pasta, make a bit more and take it to work the next day.

Jacket potato with beans.

Supernoodles - value noodles are 20p and if you find ones you like, they aren't too bad.

Faith177

Flinchy-Stryder wrote: »

Running is too far its about 7 miles from where i live and college is even further. I have cycled in the past but my bike got nicked and i cant afford another. I dont think a part time job is viable cause i already work 32 hours a week and have a full day at college on fridays. I'm usually knackered at the end of the week that's why i go back to my mums at the weekend for some rest.

I work 35 hours a week mon-fri I then do over time at 3 hours a night so that brings it up to 50. I then do 6 hours on a Saturday if the overtime is there if not I do 10 hours at my pub job and then another 10 hours on Sunday so in total working 70 hours a week

While doing all this I STILL manage to run my own home and do everything for myself. my mum lives 600 miles away so can't pop over to hers whenever I feel like it.

My OH works over 110 hours some weeks and just gets his normal salary nothing on top it's just expected

!!!!!! my mum worked 2 jobs totalling about 65 hours while having chemo for breast cancer! She is on her own so again had to do everything herself

If you want to stop being so skint and supply for your child then you are going to have to make some sacrifies simple as that is what a good parent does

sulphate

1. I assume the £11 a month on laundry costs is because you don't have a washing machine?
2. You can't justify buying lunch at work every day on your income. I am on a higher wage and rarely buy lunch at work. This is an extremely easy way to cut costs. Buy bread and sandwich fillers. It won't all go off if you buy it every week - you don't need to freeze ham and cheese, it won't go off if you seal it! You can buy an 800g bread loaf in Tesco for 45p.
3. Phone costs other people have already brought up.
4. Plenty of people work weekend/evening jobs as well as working full time in the week - it's manageable. Even just a Saturday or Sunday - working 8 hours in a shop/wherever on minimum wage would give you an extra £40 a week.
5. Most apprentices live with their parents - is this an option for you as you seem to spend a lot of time there already anyway?
6. If not, 7 miles isn't too far to cycle. Ask for a cheap bike for Christmas.

notanewuser

Flinchy-Stryder wrote: »

I have a freezer and fridge. I do feeze most stuff but with sandwich items for lunch they dont freeze well. I froze a pack of ham and when it came to it i couldn't seperate the slices cause they froze together so i had to defrost it all and it went off.

Think, Rodney, think!

Buy a loaf. Make loaf into sandwiches. Freeze sandwiches (in ziplock bags). Each evening remove 1 bag and put in fridge. You'll have sandwiches all week. You can even do it for a whole month.

somethingcorporate

Less than 40 hours a week and you're knackered?

Trying working in the real world! That's a cakewalk.

I think you've got a lot of growing up to do. If you want to give your offspring a better life it will have to come at a personal sacrifice which will means working harder/longer/smarter.

Flinchy-Stryder

Faith177 wrote: »

I work 35 hours a week mon-fri I then do over time at 3 hours a night so that brings it up to 50. I then do 6 hours on a Saturday if the overtime is there if not I do 10 hours at my pub job and then another 10 hours on Sunday so in total working 70 hours a week

While doing all this I STILL manage to run my own home and do everything for myself. my mum lives 600 miles away so can't pop over to hers whenever I feel like it.

My OH works over 110 hours some weeks and just gets his normal salary nothing on top it's just expected

!!!!!! my mum worked 2 jobs totalling about 65 hours while having chemo for breast cancer! She is on her own so again had to do everything herself

If you want to stop being so skint and supply for your child then you are going to have to make some sacrifies simple as that is what a good parent does

The sacrifice would be no rest and no life. I would be doing something 7 days a week. I'm only 19 and this is my first time living away from home. Its pretty tough managing things when i have no experience. I am trying why do you think i'm asking for help?

Gigglepig

Flinchy-Stryder wrote: »

Running is too far its about 7 miles from where i live and college is even further. I have cycled in the past but my bike got nicked and i cant afford another. I dont think a part time job is viable cause i already work 32 hours a week and have a full day at college on fridays. I'm usually knackered at the end of the week that's why i go back to my mums at the weekend for some rest.

To be brutally honest, a 19 yo man with no health issues should be able to walk/run/bike 7 miles with ease - check for bikes on freecycle or ask your family and friends if anyone has a second hand one spare?

32 hrs of work and a day in college isn't very much. Many people work significant amounts of overtime (and then cook, clean etc and look after large families in their spare time) . Plenty of people work 2-3 jobs to provide. It is not something you (hopefully) need to do forever, but it makes lot lofsense to do so until the apprenticeship is done and you are on a better salary. Try to think like a busy hardworking parent...

Reality is you just had a child, and having children is hard. It is normal for a parent to spend all their wake hours working or caring for their baby. The person looking after your child full time does not get to do a leisurely 40 hrs then "rest" all evening and all weekend!

notanewuser

Flinchy-Stryder wrote: »

The sacrifice would be no rest and no life. I would be doing something 7 days a week. I'm only 19 and this is my first time living away from home. Its pretty tough managing things when i have no experience. I am trying why do you think i'm asking for help?

Then take the advice and pull your socks up FOR YOUR CHILD'S SAKE.

When you have a child what you want should become second priority.

Unless you're a child when you decide to do it, of course.

Flinchy-Stryder

notanewuser wrote: »

Think, Rodney, think!

Buy a loaf. Make loaf into sandwiches. Freeze sandwiches (in ziplock bags). Each evening remove 1 bag and put in fridge. You'll have sandwiches all week. You can even do it for a whole month.

I'll give that a shot on payday del boy