Advice on reducing food bill?

kimwp

I think putting the house value is mostly about determining which approaches of DMP, IVA or bankruptcy might not be options due to losing the house.

That fuel cost is astonishing. I think you could easily cut down your groceries to change the current SOA to show no amount short for debt repayments, but you have nothing in your SOA for entertainment, which is unusual, and car maintenance might be low for that amount of mileage.  Also fuel costs are rocketing at the moment, so it's going to eat up any other cut backs you make. Can you liftshare?

wmp92

kimwp said:

I think putting the house value is mostly about determining which approaches of DMP, IVA or bankruptcy might not be options due to losing the house.

That fuel cost is astonishing. I think you could easily cut down your groceries to change the current SOA to show no amount short for debt repayments, but you have nothing in your SOA for entertainment, which is unusual, and car maintenance might be low for that amount of mileage.  Also fuel costs are rocketing at the moment, so it's going to eat up any other cut backs you make. Can you liftshare?

The fuel cost is outrageous; I agree! Sadly not - job involves a long commute and full days of being out visiting and own car is essential. I am repaid for mileage for at work but not the commute which is the hefty distance. Realistically this won’t change for another year. I’m trying to drive economically and am watching my mpg. 

I think groceries are the key area that I can do something about right now.
I haven’t included entertainment because I’m honestly not sure what to include! Occasional meals out, occasional air bnb long weekends, but tend to do a lot of walking and free activities at the weekends. 

Spendless

Have you room for a counter top freezer? My DS (student) and his gf were in the same predictmenat. Their digs is a self contained room, with ensuite and mini kitchenette but just fridge with a freezer shelf within it. They too were struggling but FIL had a mini freezer that sits on a worktop (or similar) that he no longer needed and having that has made things a lot easier. This sort of thing (first hit I found) https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8572066?clickPR=plp:1:2

kimwp

wmp92 said:

I haven’t included entertainment because I’m honestly not sure what to include! Occasional meals out, occasional air bnb long weekends, but tend to do a lot of walking and free activities at the weekends. 

You need to include literally every spend on your SOA that isn't a very occasional big purchase like a car or replacement of broken white goods that ideally should be being saved for. So you'd cost up the meals out and BnB long weekends per year and divide it by 12 for the SOA. It's up to you whether the BnB cost goes under holidays or entertainment.

emwi

Could you ask for a pay rise based on the massive increase in costs for you to get to work?

wmp92

emwi said:

Could you ask for a pay rise based on the massive increase in costs for you to get to work?

I work for a local authority and so everyone is in the same boat (well not everyone has a long commute but that would be seen as my issue I guess rather than the employers). There isn’t much wiggle room for negotiating salary (although they struggle to retain staff so there should be!), it’s all on fixed bands. I am due a small pay rise in April though which I estimate will be £100 a month more.

wmp92

Spendless said:

Have you room for a counter top freezer? My DS (student) and his gf were in the same predictmenat. Their digs is a self contained room, with ensuite and mini kitchenette but just fridge with a freezer shelf within it. They too were struggling but FIL had a mini freezer that sits on a worktop (or similar) that he no longer needed and having that has made things a lot easier. This sort of thing (first hit I found) https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8572066?clickPR=plp:1:2

No room in the kitchen (it’s teeny tiny!) but I could put one in the hallway. Would be a bit unsightly but I think the extra freezer space would be valuable!

MovingForwards

I had a freezer in the second bedroom of my last rental. In a way I regret not buying a small counter top fridge to stick on my freezer when I purchased my own flat. Instead I got an under the counter one and removed a couple of kitchen cupboards to fit it in; I have a pantry so no real space loss.

You've said the company pay your petrol miles, is that included in your salary figure?

I slip a few extra items in my shopping to keep my kitchen full.

Are you able to slip some tubs under the bed, on top of a wardrobe in a cupboard or on top of kitchen cupboards? that way you've extra storage for dried items, pasta, tins, herbs and spices.

Evening meals are things like spag bol, curry, stew, soup, spicy chicken wraps all batch cooked on the Sunday, extras are frozen. Weekend meals are things like steak, pork chops or a roast.

If you head down to the old style section, lots of us can provide recipe ideas, on a low budget to reduce your food bill.

warby68

I know you've only asked about food costs but your SoA does show quite a tricky position as far as paying for anything more than the absolute essentials and reducing debt goes.

Just to check your SoA, is your mileage allowance included in either net income or net fuel cost? If not the picture may look a little better and this plus coming council tax reduction might clear your shortfall.

I agree its the fuel cost which is crippling you. Its 25% of your net salary and if you add in all your vehicle costs that total rises to well over a third.  You will only be able to make the remaining salary stretch so far. If there's a good reason why you can't change this for another year, you might need to dig deep just to hold your overall position. There isn't any room for gifts, or the occasional social items you mention.

Yes you can probably squeeze the food budget if you work at it but unfortunately I suspect any savings here will be swallowed up by the large price increases we're all facing this year, especially domestic fuel. Plus your petrol bill will also currently be rising.

I don't mean to be a doom merchant but I really don't see those travel costs as sustainable for very long whatever you do with the rest of your income. Hopefully you have a plan to address this though and its short term pain for long term gain. 

kimwp

I'm getting a bit confused - is any of that £450 fuel cost on your SOA reimbursed by your employer (because it's part of the work you do) or is it all for commuting and personal driving?