What a fudgewimple

bmthmark

You need to reduce the dog walking costs £325 is just mental!

I have a similar aged dog and I also work full time. I also looked in to dog boarding, dog walking etc. But its just too expensive.
I make sure on my lunch break I go home and take him for a walk and give him some food. Its quite hard work but my dog is happy and i'm not spending £325 a month, so I am happy.
If I can't get home, my wife will adjust her hours.

If I were you I would make the changes as you both are entitled to a lunch break. £325 would be a great amount to use to pay off the debt.

Sorry if you have already mentioned this, but does your son finish school and go home as the person looking after him could let him out at that time.

Also as the dogs get older they will be able to hold on longer.

You could also look at a dog litter tray?

I would be aiming to get dog fee's down to zero and use that money on the debt.

Good luck!!

AstroTurtle

Amount short for making debt repayments. -640.43

Amount short for making debt repayments. -640.43

Amount short for making debt repayments. -640.43


I really think you need to remember this, £325 for dog walking is ridiculous given you're imminently going to reach credit limit and go into deep financial crisis which you may not recover from.

This can affect tenancy agreements as well if they come up for review.

I understand how amazing it is to have a dog but you cannot afford them if you are paying £3,900 per year 30% of your individual income on someone else to walk them because they are alone for a large portion of the day.

In simple terms if you cancelled the dog walking alone you could pay of your debt of £52,000 in 13 years off the dog walking money alone..... Or continue and in the next 13 years you'll have racked up another £99,907 in debt at -640 per month

I appreciate they may be great for your mental health, but you also have to consider the dogs mental health of being left alone for large portions of the day and walked by strangers.

Either figure out a way to train them to not have a pee during the day (Our dog is walked at 6am, 4pm, 7pm and 9pm) or rehome them now as in 6 months or a year, you might struggle to feed yourselves let alone your dogs.

Even if the dog's might wee upstairs (Do you not have a garage - utility room - lounge to contain them and train them to respect rooms or are they given the free run of the house) i'd risk a pee stained carpet for £4k a year.


(P.S) The reason I'm homing in on the dog cost is that your other expenditure looks very reasonable so I struggle to see where else you can make drastic savings.

MEM62

laveugle wrote: »

I feel like I'm just making excuses especially with the dog thing

It's not about excuses or guilt at this point. It is about being realistic with your situation and what you need to do to resolve it. And, to be frank, some of the decisions you will have to make with be hard.

Well done with your budget. It's generally lean and I am sure that you have worked hard to get it that way.

Now for the tough bit, the dogs are killing you financially. I understand that you want to keep them and I am not going to say whether you should or shouldn't but I will suggest that you are vey honest with yourself in what keeping those dogs means. You have to understand the impact that this makes on your circumstances, particularly in respect of the things that you are not going to be able to do for your child over the coming years. If you are making that decision honestly with yourselves then it is yours to make one way or the other.

I do have one thought though. I love dogs but our situation at home is not suitable so I can't have one. I have often said to my OH that there should be a 'dog rental' scheme where you can go walk someone else's dog in order to get your doggie-fix. Are there any retired neighbours near you that need an excuse to get our of the house? Retired people often do not go out as they have no reason to do so and can become a little housebound and lonely. Could they walk the dogs? They benefit from having a reason to go out every day, will chat to other people (as you often do when you are out with dogs) and you get the dogs walked. A win-win situation and worth looking into I think.

System

What it comes down to is that you may love your dogs, however you cannot afford to have dogs.


I love Ford Mustangs, but for the above reason, the closest I've got is a picture of one on a screensaver.

Help28

Putting some other ideas about the dogs as I completely understand the health benefits. Can you get up earlier and give them a decent run for an hour? Then train them to use puppy pads during the day? They may be fine with a walk first thing and you will save $$$. If they're not find, then you can get dog walkers back in again.

Regarding your salary - have you ever asked for a raise? If they're getting away with paying you £13k less then they won't want to lose you. At least have a look at jobs at other firms that are offering more.

pennystretcher

Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 600 can you move somewhere cheaper?
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 54.5 a bit high, layer up!
Gas..................................... 54.5 ditto
Water rates............................. 35
Mobile phone............................ 23 can you find cheaper deal?
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 16.23 cancel this as soon as you can
Internet Services....................... 28 cheaper deals, switch as soon as you can
Groceries etc. ......................... 200 go Aldi/Lidl
Clothing................................ 20 cut this for now and shop in CS for kids
Petrol/diesel........................... 200
Road tax................................ 11
Car Insurance........................... 30
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 25
Childcare/nursery....................... 302
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 30.4
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 59
Contents insurance...................... 9
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 15 cut this out for now
Haircuts................................ 15can you reduce this? Add a week or so in cycle?
Entertainment........................... 20 cut this out for now
Husband and Son Pocket Money............ 60 reduce this
Pet Food................................ 60 Try Aldi/Lidl pet food..
Pension................................. 10
Dog Walker.............................. 325 you can't afford this, try finding a teenager who can take them for a walk and don't rely on "professional dog walkers"
Total monthly expenses.................. 2325.63

I get your dogs are important to you, however they are also the most expensive things in your budget. You may have to look for rehoming them for a while - e.g. friends/colleagues/families who are thinking about getting dogs etc.

Good luck on your journey!

lindens

Puppy pads are quite cheap too from Home bargains/ B&M etc

Red-Squirrel_2

Help28 wrote: »

Have you looked at an app called Borrowmydoggy? You may be able to find someone who would walk your dog for free as they like dogs. That would help knock down the dog walking bills.

Also, I am fully aware I may be shot down here, but could you rehome your dogs? If they went as a pair it wouldn't be so traumatic for them and you could save a huge amount of money.

If I were the OP I would rather go bankrupt and have to change career than give up my animals. Especially so soon after willingly taking on the responsibility and with a 7 year old who might never truly forgive me. It!!!8217;s not the dogs or the child that caused the problems!

A change of job might be beneficial for mental health too, at the moment you!!!8217;re working rubbish hours with a pain of a commute for not very much money. Maybe it!!!8217;s timefor a rethink of what matters? Without the debt hanging over you you could afford to earn less and get home sooner for the dogs.

System

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

If I were the OP I would rather go bankrupt and have to change career than give up my animals.

Are you barking mad?


We're talking about a couple of dogs and there's at least five things OP can consider instead of getting rid, should they really put their mind to it. Bankruptcy over a couple of dogs and a job change? That's possibly the worst advice I've ever heard on here.

freshstart11

read to me as personal opinion rather than advice.

andydownes123 wrote: »

Are you barking mad?


We're talking about a couple of dogs and there's at least five things OP can consider instead of getting rid, should they really put their mind to it. Bankruptcy over a couple of dogs and a job change? That's possibly the worst advice I've ever heard on here.