New debt-free wannabe

curlywurlygirly

Right, we are a family of 4, me, my husband, and two young children.

We have cut sky right down to basics with just kids channels as extras (for my sanity) - and sky includes broadband

Electric is high - which I have always assumed is because we're at home alot with the kids.

Not really sure of costs of birthdays, haircuts etc - wouldn't really know where to start....

Yes, two waters - Portsmouth water and Southern Water

Thanks ;-)

trying-very-trying

:hello:Hi, curlywurly and welcome to this excellent site.
I'm sure they'll all help you find the correct solution to your current problem.
I notice that your food bill is what a lot of people here would consider a bit high. Have a look at the old style board for ideas on how to cut this back, I know it can be done, see my signature, that's for 2 adults, 2teenage kids, 2cats, a dog and all of my petrol this month. I wouldn't have believed I could work on this figure 3 months ago.
I also notice that you have two rather substantial loans, I don't know what these are for, but I do hope that neither of these was for consolidation purposes.
Good luck with your challenge, but remember it can be done!

msmicawber

Hi Curlywurly,

I too reckon you should be able to get your monthly grocery bill down quite a lot even with 2 adults and 2 children. If the £300 includes your budget for clothes, shoes, birthdays, etc. then I'd recommend that you set those out separately as it's very easy to assume that you're spending less than you truly are.

As regards the high electricity bill. I think you need to check your old bills and check your usage and that you're not just paying estimated bills. Once you've worked out your actual usage in KWh for the past year, check whether switching will bring the bill down for you. If you find a better company to switch to, then check first to see whether there's cashback to be had from one of the cashback web sites before switching. Any cashback you earn can be put towards your debt. Finally, is there anything you can do to reduce your usage? Low energy light bulbs can be bought cheaply from Lidl and Wilkinsons and some Councils give them away. Do you leave TVs etc. on standby instead of powering them off properly; are lights and appliances left on in empty rooms? Check those sorts of things and see if you can't get the usage down.

The other things that can help are: selling things that you no longer need at car boots or on Ebay; could one or both of you do a second job - not always viable as this can affect benefits levels - ?

lunar

hi curly, im in about the asme amount of debt as you and have recently found this site. the support you get is amazing. Hopefully we will both start getting out debts reduced now. ill keep watching your diary for inspiration!

msmicawber

P.S. If you're not sure what you're spending on clothes, birthdays, etc. have a look at your old bank and credit card statements and add it all up.

curlywurlygirly

I have just started shopping online, using discount codes and shopping.com as a price comparison - and actually seem to be cutting down grocery bills already.

I never did it before as I begruged paying the delivery charge, but that £3.99 delivery charge saves me time, petrol, and the leur of buying crap I don't really need!

I also have a mid-week shop in Aldi to buy cat food etc (our cats are fussy, but luckily they have cheap tastes) and usually end up spending £20-30. I spend £50 shopping online this week (for the weeks shop), and thought I did really well - so now beginning to think I may have even underestimated shopping total.

It doesn't include clothes etc, but I am very fond of a second hand bargain, and also get given alot - especially in the way of school uniform etc.

The loans were taken out to pay off credit card debts which were ecrued some years ago when my husband was off work for 2 years with an injury, and only recieved SSP - I was unable to work at the time as our children were tiny.

I am currently on incapacity benefit, so taking a job is not am option - although I have been totting up the pennies doing survery, mystery shopping, and click through sites.

I have changed gas and electricity suppliers, as I found out I was with the second highest in my area, and we use energy saving lightbulbs.

Thanks for the tips guys - I want to get the outgoings down, the income up, and the debt slowly reduced, so I know I am in the right place.

FrugalJo

Hi CWG
Nice to meet you.
I had similar shopping habits, shopped online and a 'pop' into local supermarket to top up, always ended up spending an extra 20 - 30, just too easy isn't it.

sweetchilly

Please could some one help me to get relieve from my debt around £21000

msmicawber

Hi Sweetchilly - it would be best if you post your own thread rather than post in the middle of someone else's.

Please look at the sticky for first time posters at the top of the board, then create your own thread, setting out your Statement of Affairs and people would be pleased to help.

curlywurlygirly

Am totting up funds on quidco, plus a load of other click through sites.....

Hoping it will help pay for DD's birthday and Chrissie - so I don't end up caneing the credit card