We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Finding the way through a £100k hole

Options
1468910

Comments

  • PurpleFairy26
    PurpleFairy26 Posts: 3,903 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Definitely food planning is an art form but tracking spending does help. I've done that on an excel spreadsheet for food for the last 3 years and it's really helped me keep it down and see where we're spending. Just not going to the shops helps. Milk and bread in the freezer helps stay out of the SM for those top up shops. And a portioned cake/ biscuits too if needed. 

    Well done on the fleabay sales and paying the aqua card. 
  • Isitdoable
    Isitdoable Posts: 96 Forumite
    10 Posts Name Dropper
    Definitely food planning is an art form but tracking spending does help. I've done that on an excel spreadsheet for food for the last 3 years and it's really helped me keep it down and see where we're spending. Just not going to the shops helps. Milk and bread in the freezer helps stay out of the SM for those top up shops. And a portioned cake/ biscuits too if needed. 

    Well done on the fleabay sales and paying the aqua card. 
    Thanks PF.....I agree, I need to be a lot more organised in terms of planning.  I know some areas we are really overspending (expensive products etc.) where I can look for alternatives.
  • Isitdoable
    Isitdoable Posts: 96 Forumite
    10 Posts Name Dropper
    My thoughts today re food shopping.....I think I am going to plan for one big dried order per month - I will do that online, have the space to store it and can get the things I like and can't get at Aldi (Heinz beans/ketchup, that kind of thing).
    I then plan to decide on some batch cooking for the month, thats one big Aldi shop to cover that, at which point I can stock up on the baby bits, as it is so much cheaper there (nappies for instance!).
    Then it should be a case of just a very small fresh weekly shop.  Also - frozen veg probably the way to go?  I think its actually supposed to be better for you isn't it?  We don't waste much veg anyway, but that would get it to zero.
    I've sectioned up my week in my diary, allocating slots of work and home and even a bit of time for me (as I never get that, and I have to say I am starting to feel pretty frazzled - I'm very anxious at the moment, the news worries me every single day).  I have some 'home time tomorrow' and I'm going to use that for menu and shopping planning.
  • supersaver1000
    supersaver1000 Posts: 2,465 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    Hope your planning went well @Isitdoable ?  Your post made me think about whether I could go for a free (over £40) Sains monthly collection for the things I can't get at Aldi.  Looking back at my receipts I've realised that I could order almost £40 of cat food, plus about 4 packs of coffee pods (although I'm hoping to replace that with cheaper cafetiere coffee).   I could even get it delivered to work in one of the £1 slots.  I love the fresh Black Sheep bread they are doing in Sainsbury, and I could get a couple of those and freeze one.  Oh, and Lentils, I've not found those yet in our local Aldi and DH likes their squash and possibly milk/beer.  All heavy things and it means I would just need to do my weekly shop in Aldi - ideally that would be first thing on a Sunday, but I just can't seem to get my lot organised to decide what they'd like the following Saturday (it tends to be our treat day).  Still, baby steps, and thanks for making me think.
    OSWL (start 13st) by 30Jun20 6/10
    £1/day Xmas'20-62 £214/£366 saved
    Grocery Challenge Jun £742/£320 spent
    Homeowner wannabe by July 2020 - WooHoo!!
    Starter Emergency Fund £1000/£1000 saved
  • Isitdoable
    Isitdoable Posts: 96 Forumite
    10 Posts Name Dropper
    Hope your planning went well @Isitdoable ?  Your post made me think about whether I could go for a free (over £40) Sains monthly collection for the things I can't get at Aldi.  Looking back at my receipts I've realised that I could order almost £40 of cat food, plus about 4 packs of coffee pods (although I'm hoping to replace that with cheaper cafetiere coffee).   I could even get it delivered to work in one of the £1 slots.  I love the fresh Black Sheep bread they are doing in Sainsbury, and I could get a couple of those and freeze one.  Oh, and Lentils, I've not found those yet in our local Aldi and DH likes their squash and possibly milk/beer.  All heavy things and it means I would just need to do my weekly shop in Aldi - ideally that would be first thing on a Sunday, but I just can't seem to get my lot organised to decide what they'd like the following Saturday (it tends to be our treat day).  Still, baby steps, and thanks for making me think.
    It did go well thank you supersaver....and my goodness hasn't that stood me in good stead.

    Coronavirus!!!!!!!  Quite frankly a disaster for our business.  The last week has got increasingly more stressful as the situation unfolds, and that is before I even start to worry about my family and loved ones.  I was very blasé about the whole thing before we had a video call with our friends in Northern Italy (for reassurance ironically), and they told us the full scale of how overwhelmed their health system is.  Scary stuff and really focused my mind of what was important - protecting my family.

    I've given a lot of thought as to how we may come out of this, so much so that I've only slept for 6 hours in the last two days.  In the immediate future - we should be covered by insurance if the country goes into lock down (ironically this may make us better off), HMRC have advised me they will not be persuing any of their debt while we are all in this situation.

    Financially I am pleased with myself that I have not done any emotional spending in this time (apart from a steam cleaner for the floor....OCD kicking in big style!).  I will update my figures at some point today.
  • brizzlegirl
    brizzlegirl Posts: 1,260 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Best of luck with it all, stay well and safe 
    have subscribed x
  • Isitdoable
    Isitdoable Posts: 96 Forumite
    10 Posts Name Dropper
    Hello diary, hello anyone still reading!   I've been AWOL for hopefully what is obvious reasons.  The Coronavirus saga obviously continues for everyone.  Financially for us, the ceiling has kind of fallen in on us.  Sometimes it all feels very insignificant, sometimes it feels like another disaster on top of the one that is wrecking our business and income.
    I need to get on top of financial planning etc. but given we are not going anywhere, the irony is the only thing we are spending money on is food!  Haven't spent a penny on fuel, all children's activities are cancelled, and obviously there is nothing else for us to do.  We are just at home, home schooling, walking, doing things at home and ticking over with work.
    Having our income cut to zero is obviously horrendous.  We lived off our credit cards in April, luckily we had one of the government grants come in which means I have paid off what we spent on the credit cards, but the rest of that money is earmarked for suppliers to be paid.
    I've applied for Universal credit, this may be our only way to eat(!), but it seems it will barely cover our bills.  So its all very hard right now.  Our insurers are looking at our claim, but as many have seen in the news, they are being bloody awful at paying out for anyone, so we really don't know if anything will come of this.  If it does, our situation is significantly better, if not, it is pretty dire.
    So I will post a financial update in detail in terms of debts.  And I will be spending the weekend working out the way forward for our business.  My second business, which was just getting going, may still be worth working on, but who knows what business is going to look like for anyone.
    Trying desperately to keep my mojo.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.7K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.7K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.5K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.8K Life & Family
  • 256.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.