Need to stop spending

marksandsparksgal

Just a thought: could you get the kids to help with the garden, they earn their pocket money and it could be something for you all to do on the weekends, keeps you fit, keps the garden nice and stops you going to the shops!

Nails....if you HAVE to get them done, have you thought about contacting your local college and getting 3rd year students to do them for you? As I understand it most colleges are dying for people to practise on, you get a really nice manicure/pedicure/wax/treatment for dirt cheap. It's a good way of cutting back without missing out, have a search as there was a massive thread on this a while ago. Either that or look at getting the stuff and do it yourself, I manicure my own nails as in England I worked/studied at some weird times and could never get appointments, so I bought the drill thing they use, bought some buffers/foot spa etc on the cheap from tesco and now they look wicked all the time.

Food can def. be cut down, that is mad! Cooking stuff in big batches then freezing is also a good weekend activity, again get the littluns involved.

A good tip for impulse spending, freeze your cards! Put them in a bowl of water in the freezer, and then if you feel the need to buy something you have to wait until they're unfrozen, by which time you'll usually have come to your senses!

Also could the phone be cut down or switched to PAYG..have a look at Quidco for getting cashback if you decide to switch.

Good luck

PS The spending diary website is genius, I found it much easier typing stuff in that mucking about with a notebook, plus it makes all kinds of pretty charts for you,, and yes as someone has said, it scares the heck out of you!

BigEars_2

Hi Liz :hello:
Welcome to DFW - I lurked for ages too but everyone is so helpful I'm sure you won't regret this. I'm defo not an expert and there are many more people who are a lot more savvy than me but, for what it's worth, here are some initial thoughts (funny how it's easier to look at someone else's SOA than your own!:rotfl: )
By the way I know what you mean about wanting to spoil the kids, my mother was the same as she wanted to counter our dad's perceived 'meanness' but in fact she ended up skint. Now we are older anyway BUT she gives us smaller, more thoughtful gifts and we know she's really thought about them so they mean as much if not more than the mad amount she used to spend on us.
Anyhoo, some thoughts.....
Hope they help if not please feel free to ignore
BE x

SOA

Salary £1684.19
Other income £445.80
Total £2129.99

Car Insurance £22.45 seems ok but its that the cheapest you can get?

Mobile phone £30
Contacts lenses £19.50 Can you not get these cheaper? i went to monthly from daily and cut it from £30 to £6 a month. Also the brand name lenses are more expensive for no real extra benefit to the shop's own (usually the same manufacturer anyway!)

Rent £695
House insurance £13.76
G&E £63
Water £24
TV licence £11.61
BT £20 approx
Council Tax £100 (10 months) Can you get this spread over 12 just to give yourself some breathing space
Inland Revenue £11.20 (repayment of overpayment, no interest)
Halifax CC £150 (try to pay this much each month)
Other A&L card £20
Monsoon card £25 approx each month
Next Directory - paying minimum, currently £40 These are the worstest for interest - kill these first!
Broadband £20
Dentist plan £10.25 Do you need this or maybe a BUPA type thing would work out cheaper?
Laptop repayment £25.11
Gardener (I know I know!!) £15
Savings £160/montn incl some to the kids
Nails (OK OK) £66 ha ha know how you feel, it's the grooming raises your self esteem BUT could you not get the DIY nail kits, you can get really good ones (acrylic, not just the sticky-on sets!) Also then if you want to offer a mate to do hers they may give you some of the cost of the materials back??
Food £350 Bet the Money Saving Old Style board would help get this down (I'm also trying but can't vouch for the results...Yet)
Petrol £140
Therapist £40 Can't you get one free on the NHS?

BigEars_2

PS How do people make their writing go different colours? Can't do it!!
BE x

marksandsparksgal

Big Ears... when you reply to a post, there is a button above the box where you type that looks like an A with a black line under, with a small arrow next to it. Highlight the text you want to change the colour of, then when it's highlighted click this and you get a drop down list of colours, then pick your colour, and done!

In_Search_Of_Me

LizTaylor wrote: »

Thanks to all of you who have replied so fast - it really really helps. I will add my SOA to this and see if that prompts anything else. I even have it set up on my computer already so I know what it is - that makes it even worse. Thats a good sign - its when you dont we worry!
I am seeing my lovely counsellor on Monday and I plan to talk to her about this. I'm sure she can help.Yes if you're honest! Dont worry if you cry, they're used to it!
I really don't want my kids to have my attitude to money so I need to stop this befoer that happens.Can you start gving them pocket money & getting then to earn money by doing chores? Get then a piggy bank for Christmas...
I even lie about spending - I have no partner but I had bags in the car until the kids are out so they won't see. When my Dad asks me if I'm OK on the money front and 'not too much credit card spending?' - I say everything is fine and of course I don't spend too much!which all adds to the guilt...I found when was honest with people close to me it really took the pressure off & most were VERY supportive! My mum even gave me tesco vouchers when I ran out of money one month!!

SOA

Salary £1684.19
Other income £445.80
Total £2129.99

Car Insurance £22.45 Can you get this cheaper, try Martins money saving article - I saved £250 this year!
Mobile phone £30 ARe you on contract? If n try PAYG & ony use it for emergency & if you need a new phone get it via quidc etc
Contacts lenses £19.50 Theres a thread on here where you can get them dirt cheap!
Rent £695
House insurance £13.76 again see if you canget this cheaper, use quidco & Martns cost cutting articles
G&E £63 and again...
Water £24 pigsback did a free water hippo reently and you get extra points - see pigsback thread and its a good way of getting money for nowt!
TV licence £11.61
BT £20 approx
Council Tax £100 (10 months) are you entitled to any rebate as a singe parent & can you get this over 12 m to help the budget. ARe you banded correctly? AGain check the money saving article here - maybe entitled to a rebate if its wrong!
Inland Revenue £11.20 (repayment of overpayment, no interest)
Halifax CC £150 (try to pay this much each month) APR?
Other A&L card £20 APR?
Monsoon card £25 approx each month APR (bet this & next are shockers!!)
Next Directory - paying minimum, currently £40 and again! Always pay over the min if you can or you will never get it paid off!
Broadband £20 you can prob get this cheaper
Dentist plan £10.25 again have a hunt...
Laptop repayment £25.11 apr & can you pay this in full?
Gardener (I know I know!!) £15 yup, need or want (unless he's seriously lushious!!)
Savings £160/montn incl some to the kids give them pocket money & put money to debt but U would try & keep a bit back for emergencies...
Nails (OK OK) £66 REALLY REALLY RIDICULOUS!
Food £350 Quite high - g to old stye & see how you can fee the 5000 for a fiver! Never managed this myself but working on it!
Petrol £140find your cheapest petrol station locally...
Therapist £40 is that per week?

This may not be in the best order but that's it! I think!

You need to factor in things like car tax, repairs, birthdays, haircuts & clothes and have a budget!! Sorry...its the only way to do it!

Kevicho

The first thing id say (sorry not more advice am at work now) is to use savings to pay off the high interest debt.
Basically check your savings account, find the rate of interest, and anything over that rate use savings to pay off.
I would use 100% of the savings to clear debt, but some people like a comfort zone, so just work something out that is appropriate

supersavershal

Have you looked at snowballing your debts using www.whatsthecost.co.uk.I find it helps to have a debt free date, which by paying a bit extra you can bring forward. (its addictive by the way)

BigEars_2

Thanks Marksandsparksgal, I actually tried this but there is nothing in the drop down box, only white! Boo! I think maybe I'm not allowed colours until I've earned my MSE stripes!:p

Anyway just wanted to say Liz, defo get onto your local college - that's where I get my hair cut too. There's always a supervisor so you're likely to get a better cut than downgrading and going to one of those manky local salons anyway.;)

Right, I really have to go and do some work - see you in a bit
BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :cool:


BE x

LizTaylor_2

You are all so fab with your help and advice. I feel better already.
Just looked to see what balances i had on Next and Monsoon and I'm paying them off today along with one of my cards.
I going to check my mobile contract and try to sort that too.
I already get a council tax rebate.
Will look at insurances.
I live in a rented house - do I have to stick to the utility supplier my landlord originally set up with do you think?
I will look for the laptop credit agreement and try to pay it off if I can.
Gardender is NOT luscious but I have a bad back and doing the garden is really difficult for me.
I am also going to change the kids money stuff in some way that will help.
Is £85 a week for 3 for food a lot? I already got that down from £100-115 per week. It includes toiletries ect often - oh, and wine!
Therapist is per month - the free one on the NHS was awful and unreliable.
The nails is awful I know but I love it and I never really go out!

BigEars_2

Liz I know I said I was going BUT just wanted to say - no-one is judging you re the gardener etc, so if you feel that's one of your unarguable costs, fine by us...:D .
I changed utility suppliers in my rented house (if the landlord is that bothered, he can refund me the flipping difference to switch back!!):p
BE x