One income family of four - can we get ahead even after pay cuts?

joedenise

That's a shame.  My DH isn't keen on fishcakes but will put up with them now and again although he's quite happy to eat a fish pie.  Do you think Red might eat fish in a pasta bake?  I sometimes do that, just cook some pasta; white sauce, poach some fish and flake it and then just mix everything together and grate a pile of cheese over the top and bake in the oven until it's got a nice golden crust on it - the cheese seems to take away the taste of the fish a bit.  You can stir through some peas if you want to.

Bluegreen143

@joedenise no, I don’t think he would, but I will be making that for the kids and I when he’s out next or working away - yum!

I meant to share the present that Red has made for my sister and her boyfriend for Christmas 😁 it’s to hold plant pots in their garden. But initially I’m going to use it to hold the book lovers hamper I also made her (charity shop paperbacks, PJs, hot choc & a notebook) instead of buying a wicker hamper! I’m so pleased with it, he’s done a fab job. The wood came from the wood recycling centre too so it’s very ethically produced ☺️

mumtoomany

Hi Bluegreen, glad you got the help to save set up. Is the IS A going to be funded each month too? If so you might be better opening a help to save in Red's name instead. You'll never get a better interest rate. I opened one each for OH and I, two years ago, direct debit £50 each, each month. Never noticed out gone really, got paid out last month, £600 each, and left it to run another two years. Loving the horse Red made. He could make some and put them on Etsy or maybe have a craft stall if your son's school have a summer faire next year. Hope you all have a lovely Christmas if we don't "speak" again before then. Mumtoomany.

carolbee

That’s beautiful, definitely  would be able to sell those. I love it’s the wrapping and a gift in itself

Bluegreen143

@mumtoomany and @carolbee a few people have said about making them (and he could make a range of animals pretty easily using the same basic structure), something to ponder. He says he could get the materials down to £10-12 each and he’s seen them selling on Etsy for £40-50. 

I didn’t realise we could have a help to save account each @mumtoomany! I will definitely open one for Red. I may try to bribe him to give up vaping as he spends about £50 p/m on that. If I point out that it will turn each of his £50 into £75 surely that will motivate him?!

carolbee

Bluegreen143 said:

@mumtoomany and @carolbee a few people have said about making them (and he could make a range of animals pretty easily using the same basic structure), something to ponder. He says he could get the materials down to £10-12 each and he’s seen them selling on Etsy for £40-50. 

I didn’t realise we could have a help to save account each @mumtoomany! I will definitely open one for Red. I may try to bribe him to give up vaping as he spends about £50 p/m on that. If I point out that it will turn each of his £50 into £75 surely that will motivate him?!

maybe too late for this year, but what about the reindeer made from logs? I’m not too good at adding photos! My husband has made some as gifts

carolbee

Hopefully like this?

Bluegreen143

They look amazing @carolbee! I will show him those as I’ve no doubt he could make them. Definitely something to try next year.

mumtoomany

You can open one for each person named on the claim, don't know if that includes the children. Might be worth checking. Mumtoomany.

Bluegreen143

Lidl shop today ☺️

Spent £8.76 on milk x3, strawberries, grapes and peppers using the prepaid card I got for being on UC. I had forgotten about it but they put £17 on every four weeks so I must have a bit of a balance built up now. You can spend it on milk, eggs, fruit, veg and tinned or dried pulses so will try to remember to use it up. £17 is the cost of one week’s veg box for me but I don’t think I can use the card to pay for that as it’s on direct debit.

In terms of my own actual money spent, I spent £37.35. Not bad for a week’s shop 😁😁😁 especially  given I got steak and a bottle of red wine at £4.13 for cooking with (want to make a chicken and red wine casserole and I usually can stretch a bottle of cheap wine to do four meals, you can freeze it or tbh I just keep it in the bottle as I don’t mind it going vinegary when it’s for cooking).

Downloaded the Lidl+ app and it seems ok, you can get coupons for some things and 3/4 of the coupons were things on my list anyway (spreads, mince pies and soft drinks).

I got:

6pk mince pies x2 £2.36
YS sausages 84p
Crunchy 100% peanut butter £1
Cola x4 £1.32
YS bread x2 40p
Jelly cubes 55p
Stuffing mix 99p
Sirloin steaks x2 £5.50
Chicken thighs £1.65
Cheddar £1.79
Salted butter x3 £4.47
Chopped tomatoes x2 56p
Baked beans 22p
Mushrooms 79p
Cucumber 79p
Carrots 1kg x2 30p
Iceberg lettuce 43p
Plain flour 45p
Oatcakes 55p
Instant coffee £1.69
Basmati rice £1.29
Green olive jar 50p
EV olive oil £1.75
Stock cubes x4 (different flavours) £1.40
Tinned mackerel 60p
Melon £1.39

Meals for the week -

Th - salmon, veg, rice (have tons of cabbage to use from the veg box so will definitely have some tonight)

F - steak, chips, salad (will give the kids scrambled egg on toast or similar as they won’t eat the steak and it’s too much of a treat to waste)

Sa - red wine chicken casserole, with rice or mash and veg

Su - cottage pie, veg

M - soup & pudding night 

Tu - veggie pasta dish 

W - it’s Red’s brother’s birthday so he wants to come and have a takeaway with us, in our garden by the chiminea (something cheap like KFC), unless it’s really rainy in which case he’s suggested going to eat in at the KFC. This will make THREE takeaways this month, when normally we only have one a month (and before this year we could go months at a time without one) 😨 but will be cheaper than going to eat in a proper restaurant anyway!