Newbie and a spendaholic overeating carer!

Overeating-spendaholic

Bobarella wrote: »

Good luck to you. You sound like you have a good idea of the why, now it's starting to control the situation.

Thank you so much

Overeating-spendaholic

Mojisola wrote: »

Get a little notebook and write down every time you spend money and what you've bought - you'll quickly see how much the trivial things are costing.

Add it up over a month and be prepared to be shocked!

Another good exercise to only spend cash. If you have to count the money out into the shop assistant's hands, what you spend becomes more real. If all the cash you've taken with you gets spent and you have to go the machine to get more out, you'll reduce what you're buying.

Thank you and wow some good ideas! Love them

Overeating-spendaholic

Mojisola wrote: »

Think of how you're going to change your spending habits like a 'money diet' - there are similarities to how you have to get used to 'not choosing that but having this' in order to lose weight and the same principles apply.

Whatever you do has to be a long term change otherwise you'll see the weight go back on and the money disappearing again.:)

I need to go on a food diet too! He has to be a long term change I am so fed up

Overeating-spendaholic

I am totally embarrassed and have rounded up to the nearest pounds.

Please bare in mind partner and I do have separate accounts on most things and I'm on a DMP - I do not have a mortgage only he does.

All figures are monthly

My income £630
Partners income £2300
Child benefit £81

Total £3011

Outgoings

Mortgage £700
Council tax £125
Gas £40 - debt of £80
Electric £40 - debt of £55
Tv licence £12
Telephone, Internet, tv £55
House insurance £45
Car insurance £46
Petrol £300 (partner works 45 min drive both ways and I use for local work)
Mobile phones x 2 £85
Water rates £65
Food £400
Secured loan (partner) £200
Credit cards (partner total balance aprox £15000) - £340
My DMP - £60
My catalogues x2 (needed new washing machine, fridge and few clothes (bad)) £115
Life insurance £25
Going out for meals/playcentres/farms/lunches/coffees/going out and shopping clothes toys around £300

I am sure I have forgotten something else but off the top of my head And from my list I'm not sure if there is anything else but I would say that's it but please be gentle with me!

Car tax and mot sort of just get paid when they come up and get credit card' if too much! Would love to have savings for it.

Overeating-spendaholic

I lack financial dignity, I'm rubbish with technology, I eat far too much and am on the larger side thanks to the endless unhealthy habits for both thighs and the purse!

new positive start!!

19lottie82

Ok the £300 on basically what is entertainment is HuGE! But I think you know this. Reduce this to £100. Draw the cash out at the start of the month and when it's gone, that's it!

Also £400 a month on food for 2 adults and a child is a lot. Do you meal plan? You should be able to cut this down to £300 very easily. Possibly even £200 if you're really dedicated.

When are your phone contracts up? They are very expensive. As soon as you're out of the minimum term go sim only / payg, no more tying yourself into an expensive 24 month contract just so you can have the latest handset!

xJOJOx_2

Hi

A thought on the mummy meetings. I am a very active in mummy meetings. I am a single parent and really enjoy meetings up with other mums. However, it doesn't need to be expensive. If meeting for coffee we always go our local spoons, quiter during the day and a re-fillabke coffee is 0.89p and you can keep topping up til about 3! They don't tend to mind if you bring juice for little ones if it's in a childrens bottle (some places don't may not be the same though) doesn't need to be a expensive coffee shop, it's the company. We also have play dates at each other houses, we will do a few sandwiches etc but as we take it turns it so not just one person taking the expensives. Then there's lots of free toddler groups around, again we all meet up at them. When the group are doing something more expensive I tend to decline, no one is offended and they know I can't afford it. If they are truly your friends then will be more than happy to swap the expensive coffee. You don't necessary hAve to say your in debt, you can just say your saving etc

Spending less money, doesn't mean living less

Good luck xx

When_the_going_gets_tough

Just to add to JoJos comment - my cildren are now grown up but when they were little all our meetings were at each others houses/parks or other free places. It is actually a LOT more fun for the children if they can run around and play and use toys and books - I do feel sorry for children cooped up in pushchairs in coffee shops.
Try encouraging your friends to try this - you might all have more fun and it will be free.

LannieDuck

If you still have things to sell and are disillusioned with ebay, try a facebook selling group. If it's baby stuff, you could also see if there's an NCT sale near you to sell at.

xJOJOx_2

LannieDuck wrote: »

If you still have things to sell and are disillusioned with ebay, try a facebook selling group. If it's baby stuff, you could also see if there's an NCT sale near you to sell at.

Completely agree. Sold a lot of baby stuff on facebook selling pages xx