We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
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!
Budget Help
Options
Comments
-
Is your monthly amount to the council tax the actual monthly amount or is it the amount you are paying over 10 months of the year. If the latter, you could ask your council to amend your payments across 12 months - this can sometimes help with budgeting.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Budgeting & Bank Accounts, Credit Cards, Credit File & Ratings and Energy boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
If you can't be the best -
Just be better than you were yesterday.0 -
If it is just you and the children are you claiming the single persons discount on council tax? A lot of the expenses are fixed so not much room for negotiating those down except for the loan to the family member. When the HP deal on the car finishes will it then be yours or is it a PCP deal where you need to find a balloon payment or take out a new deal? If so you could ask the family member to accept maybe £100 a month until June 2023 then up it once the HP deal finishes.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£162.90
Save £12k in 2025 #1 £12000/£70000 -
Hi,
The only thing others haven't mentioned is food. You're not spending that much but working to menus and only buying the things you actually need can reduce food shopping massively. We thought eating no meat would be tough but it really hasn't been and the savings are enormous - 2 adults, £50/week
After you speak to your family member. When I lend money it sometimes turns into a gift and is always with a proviso that they only pay me what they can afford, when they can afford it.0 -
The post above mentions food, which could be reviewed and reduced (like the BBC's Eat Well for Less) but most regular expenditure is not fixed. There is always room to use less.
For example reducing consumption of petrol, gas, electricity, and water. Are you able to use less?
I also find it useful to monitor consumption on a regular (monthly) basis and see if this is consistent with the figures you have given.
When I first started budgeting, I monitored all of my expenditure, was amazed how the small items added up. As a result, I stopped or cut back much of my "unnecessary" expenditure.1
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.5K Spending & Discounts
- 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.9K Life & Family
- 257.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards