Any advice please?

emmad5689

Hello all, this is my first post so hope I am doing it correctly. Last week my husband lost his job, I have updated tax credits with our income drop and he has today registered for JSA so is waiting for an appointment to go and see them.


We have things that we can cancel and cut down on but things I really don't want to. We have a debt management plan so that can be reduced with him not working however I would prefer not to have to do that. He has a son prior to our children and the maintenance is done through CSA so again he could cut that but again not something we really want to do.


We have a daughter with mental health issues who we get DLA for and I am her registered carer and I am a self employed childminder so don't earn a lot as I need to keep numbers low for our daughter. We have a younger daughter age 4 who starts school tomorrow and will get free school meals.


Has anyone got any tips to reduce bills day to day for me? I am making a point of turning things off, not even switching lights on unnecessarily, thinking about what we are going to eat but any other tips would be fantastic, thanks xx

[Deleted User]

Draw out the cash you need for the week for shopping and petrol etc and don't take your card out with you. Its surprising how much you think about purchases when you only have a certain amount of cash on you. No more impulse buys and you really start to apreciate the value of a pound.

LB29

Making meal plans, cooking bigger meals and using left overs is saving me a lot of money. We've started having veggie nights and I'm really enjoying them.

Could your husband not speak to his ex?
Surely she wouldn't mind you paying a reduced amount until you're back on your feet. I'm pretty sure she would only get £5 a week if you were reassessed through child maintainance options.

emmad5689

LB29 wrote: »

Making meal plans, cooking bigger meals and using left overs is saving me a lot of money. We've started having veggie nights and I'm really enjoying them.

Could your husband not speak to his ex?
Surely she wouldn't mind you paying a reduced amount until you're back on your feet. I'm pretty sure she would only get £5 a week if you were reassessed through child maintainance options.

It goes through CSA so if we reduce it then it has to be through them, it's just a mess about to do it and then have it reassessed when he finds work but we are probably going to have to unless he finds work quickly x

[Deleted User]

emmad5689 sorry to hear of your OH's job loss honey,I hope he gets another one soon. So its belt-tightening for awhile.

Right make a list of absolute stuff that really has to be covered , i.e. utilities, gas electric,water ,rent/mortgage. Keeping warm and a roof over your head is a definite must. Then see what you already have in stock. If you can list what's in the freezer/cupboards etc.Often you'd be suprised at how much food is actually there.

I keep a list of stuff in my freezer blue-tacked to the outside of the freezer door and cross off as used up.The same with my store cupboards.

Next ,and to me is most important .if you can manu plan for the coming week. I have done my menus every Sunday morning for the past 50 plus years and it really does focus you on using what you have when you are trying to cut back a bit.

The same with cleaning stuff. As a previous poster said use cash only I have a seperate food purse where my food-to-buy-for-the-month cash goes into.

I keep a small list by my kettle for essential things that I need and try to cut back to around a week-ten days for actual shopping trips

Often if you go to the shops for a couple of things you end up buying more than youe need or want. Supermarkets are in the job of tempting folk to part with their cash, so don't fall for the bog-off offers unless its really needed.16 toilet rolls may look like a bargain, but its money thats just sitting in the store cupboard that you may need to buy dinners with so try not to over spend .


The most important after paying your bills is, if you can, make from scratch.Pad out mince with veg or oats. Meals can be streeetched at times just buy adding an extra veg.

Also try if you can to put a little bit aside ,even if its only a very small amount until you have enough tucked away for a small treat for yourself and OH.
If you can get a family member to babysit just a walk to the local and a couple of shandy's with your OH as a date night won't break the bank.

I daresay your Oh is feeling a bit panic-stricken at the moment so making sure you have an hour or so to each other will help you both feel as though this rotten blip in your life can be got through if you both pull together.

Unemployment can be so demoralising for everyone concerned, but it can be got through. When my late OH came home from working on a big contract in the Sudan back in the 1980s he was out of work for 16 months and things did get very lean at times, but we got through it somehow.

I do feel for people in todays world as times are tough,but even if you only come on and have a rant here people on here often have been there and know how frightened and worried you can be. So share any problems , even with us total 'virtual friends ' sometimes just having a rant can help you get things in perspective .

Last of all try to laugh,sounds daft I know, but laughter won't pay the bills I know, but its a lot better than crying.

My favourite laughs are watching old Morecombe & Wise shows they can always make me smile

Good luck with your new ,hopefully short-lived way of life .Your children will need their Mum and Dad to be strong for them so lots of cuddles, and for each other as well
JackieO xxx

FairyPrincessk

Oh, what a tough time! You'll definitely find lots of support posting on OS.

You've had some great advice above--if you have odd items in your cupboard don't be afraid to post a list and ask for ideas of what to make with them.

You might also pop into the preparing for winter thread--they have great ideas about how to keep your house warmer without putting the heating on. Obviously you'll need to keep it warm for your child-minding, but they can probably make some suggestions for how to minimize energy costs.

emmad5689

Thanks ladies, hubby has signed up with a driving agency today and they say that 95% of the people on their books are out most days so fingers crossed there. He is at the job centre in the morning so we will have more idea of what we will get and when tomorrow hopefully x

smeeth

Hi Emma (hope I'm guessing right?)
So sorry to hear about you and your OH.. I'd second what FairyPrincessk said; the preparing for winter thread is a good place to find some energy saving ideas.
I hope it goes well for him tomorrow! Fingers crossed for you and yours.

LHW99

Can be worth checking http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/ if you have local access to several supermarkets. There are definately price differences from one to the other, but even the Aldis and Lidls don't have everything cheapest every week.

The other thing I try to do when I've had to cut down is:
a) go shopping towards the end of opening time - particularly on Sundays our Morrisons sells off items cheaper. They spread them around though so you have to look in several places in store. They usually have bakery, fruit & veg and fridge items on offer which are mainly dated for that day. However many things can be frozen and used later in the week, and fruit and veg is "fine unless its off" so to speak.

Hope everything sorts out well quickly for you.

Lynplatinum

Hiya

Loosing your job is horrible - I have been there myself.:(

As well as the wise ladies above I would also add the following

1) read the Make Do Mend and Minimise thread through :A
2) Go through all your direct debits and check that you have got the best deals on Energy (see the Energy Saving club on MSE); Water (are you on a meter - if not is it worth you doing?); Phone and TV access contracts (ring em up and haggle - see advice on MSE). - I do this yearly - I saved £1750 first year (per year!) and £700ish the next! this year I saved £12 per month - which eases a budget! :T
3) always pay cash - but carry an Emergency £10 in a plastic bag in your purse/wallet. It makes you think before taking this out and spending it on nothing!
4) Plan, plan, plan
5) Plan for the CBA days by cooking twice the amount needed and freezing it - baking twice the amount and freezing it - saves on take aways and bakeries!!!

Good luck - many of us have been in the same or similar boat

Pollycat

Maybe post on the Debt-Free Wannabe board (if you haven't already).

They give advice on reducing general outgoings all day and every day.

I would agree with LB29 about meal plans.
I do 3 weeks at a time.
So - for example - if I'm wanting mushrooms or peppers for a pasta dish and then a risotto later in the week, I buy a value pack instead of 2 x small amounts.