Keeping afloat till I can get round to the debts!

NeverendingDMP

So our childcare is mainly term time so 177 is an average per month from sept. This is definitely affecting how I budget. For e.g my average is 345 per month at the moment but in march I will actually pay about 500. I think this is where I need to get ahead on. I did get ahead last summer but then spent a lot of it on the roof so I suppose it's not been right ever since. 
Low spend day planned today. Just housework again. Fed up of doing it all but someone's got to eh !

jwil

You're not too far away from the available amount.

Car insurance looks high to me, mine's £175 a year, and DH is probably similar.

£90 a month for activities on top of swimming and football also seems a lot, is this classes or just general spending?

Is the laptop spend time limited or ongoing?  i.e. will it come to an end once paid off?  How long does it have to go?

Can haircut frequency gradually be stretched a bit, i.e. if you do 4 weekly, change to 5 weekly etc?

Any luck with sorting tax free childcare yet?  It's definitely worth trying to get that sorted so you can benefit from the discount as that will more than cover the overspend.

NeverendingDMP

jwil said:

You're not too far away from the available amount.

Car insurance looks high to me, mine's £175 a year, and DH is probably similar. 

Hopefully a saving here then come renewal time. I've got business insurance on mine s well but I think mine was about 400 last year so slightly cheaper than I've put down. I'll find out end of may!. Dh is 38 a month. Quite pricey isn't it. I'll shop around again next time see what happens. His always seems higher. Not sure why 

£90 a month for activities on top of swimming and football also seems a lot, is this classes or just general spending?

General spending for school trips/ days out/ family stuff. 20 a week. I have my suspicions that I budget for this but over the last twelve months it has been my food overflow. Spending diary will solve that. And I've upped food to 140 so should be more realistic now.

Is the laptop spend time limited or ongoing?  i.e. will it come to an end once paid off?  How long does it have to go?

Not started yet. If he gets highschool of choice it's the school laptop they have to have. My brain thinks it was two years but surely it cant be more than three.... It's a long time since the open evening. I would have to check once I know which school he's at. 

Can haircut frequency gradually be stretched a bit, i.e. if you do 4 weekly, change to 5 weekly etc?

 This had us all having a haircut every 8 weeks. I can stretch mine though. I don't know about anyone else but the kids haircuts have gone really dear recently so I've had to up the budget. 12 pound per child. What does everyone else pay?


Any luck with sorting tax free childcare yet?  It's definitely worth trying to get that sorted so you can benefit from the discount as that will more than cover the overspend.

No luck. Have a gap this week where I can ring them from my car. Would be a huge help wouldn't it.

Thanks Jwil really appreciate you taking a look. Always helps to get another viewpoint doesn't it. 

jwil

No problem.  Sorting the tax free childcare will definitely cover the surplus.

My car insurance is fully comp with business use.  I don't do huge mileage though.

Ouch to the laptop.  Is that standard and you have to pay it or is it to purchase one.  We've got some at home so I'll be annoyed if I have to fork out for a school one.  I'm probably very naive as to what's heading my way  

I can't help with haircuts as we don't pay for them.  I do DH and little jwil with clippers, and I or DH do mine.  I trim little miss's periodically.   I don't have a hair style  

peb

I can't comment on most of the SOA, and you know what it actually costs you but £140 a week seems high for the food for the family.  I know everything is increasing dramatically but things like changing from fresh vegetables to frozen may help?  I'm currently spending £40 tops for one adult.  

NeverendingDMP

Thanks for having a look peb.
I'm definitely needing to get the spending diary in full swing and be strict on my meal plans. I'm hoping I can get it to that or less or even just have a better idea. 12 months ago we were ticking along paying debts had some savings and now we are day to day just in time budgeting. I'll pull it back I'm sure just a bit of a down moment when I realise I've got back in a mess. Onwards and upwards eh

peb

It's so difficult.   I was spending £25-30 a week on one and it's easily ten pounds more.  I can itemise 20% here and 30% there on core things I buy.  I have to be disciplined as a top up milk shop can mean a fiver.  

NeverendingDMP

So it's been a fairly busy week.
Eldest did not get his number one high school choice. We are ok with his second but he is upset understandably as a lot of his friends got the one he originally applied for. Some others also got very random things they didn't want at all so in some respects we have come out of it okay.
The payment I missed has resulted in loosing my 0 percent deal. I rang the day after I missed it (was at hospital - tbh I thought I had a d debit in place so would have missed it either way) they still took the deal off me but thankfully I've got another transfer deal. Just means I have to pay a fee but that's my own fault isn't it. We live and learn. Just a pita to pay for transfers. One step forward nine steps back!

I have one out of three tax free childcare accounts now working which will save me a bit. 

I have meal planned this week. Four family birthdays before end of march though so it will be offset somehow 

jwil

Shame about the school.  Annoying about the balance transfer too,

Great that one TFC is now working.

NeverendingDMP

I would like to say I've have some low cost days but tbh honest if I added it up I'm not sure. Bought balloons, cards,wrapping paper for presents and the dreaded sweets to hand out at school when it's your birthday. So likely not low spending at all. On a plus point two more big birthdays then Easter then it's only small stuff again till sept, phew!
Also done some DIY, been out in the fresh air and had a free health check and mini massage at work. Was very nice. Been told I have high blood pressure though. I'm not surprised. They said try and take it twice weekly then if still high take all readings to go.