Embracing the old style to get through this next stage..

Bobcatbelle

Hi everyone
 Not really sure what area of the forum this goes in but I'm into meal planning, bargains and being as thrifty as I can and life has thrown some curve balls in the last 18 months that has well and truly given need to get a handle on things... 

Currently separated but renting probably above what I can afford... its a much bigger and messier story than all that, but my focus for now is to try and focus, after having very little control for years, on what I can ..

I'm trying to save/ scrimp as much as I can and currently in a stage of needing to live on very very little for the next 3 weeks till I get paid by which point I'll be on a more even keel (*ish!) . I have enough food to last , have claimed cashback on credit card (as well as paying off) , switched bank a/c for cash back , buy reduced food at all times I can (shouldn't need more than milk before payday) ... 

have nothing to sell as wasn't able to even take everything with me post leaving...  (another story ) but definitely not options there, and using cashback sites etc.not an option at this stage with no money to spend for 3 weeks ... 

If I got desperate my sister would lend me some ( I haven't asked ) but I think I can manage okay - 
My plans for this week as well as sorting cash back bank a/c is to : 
Meal plan for the next 3 weeks to account for anything else needed. 
Claim some expenses owed (this will cover 2 bills this week for the cats vet vaccinations and dentist) 
search any vouchers to see if there's anything I can add to a *going out for free* stash... 
phone and check council tax banding/ payment schedule 

I don't have a lot else I can do in the short term other than knuckling down and keeping my head down ....there's nothing I'm doing in terms of plan for going out that costs money but I will probably need to get petrol and there is £50 transport into work in about 2 weeks I need to find from somewhere (ideally not shoving on credit card but can if I have to!) . 

Any tips/ thoughts/ ideas most welcome  
thank you lovely people 


BcBelle x

maryb

Welcome.  I’m sure there will be lots of people coming along to give you help and encouragement but you seem to have got a very positive attitude and that’s half the battle.  Three weeks will go quite quickly.  Don’t forget, the last working day (assuming that’s when you get paid) is actually Thursday 28 March because of Good Friday.  And because the shops aren’t allowed to open on Easter Sunday there are often lots of yellow sticker bargains to be had on Easter Saturday afternoon 

Siebrie

Also check out the debt-free wannabe part of this forum, with many ideas on how to make more money.

PipneyJane

Welcome to the Forum @Bobcatbelle.  We will be cheering for you.

Have a look at the monthly Grocery Challenge Thread, which is pinned to the top of the Old Style board.  As well as some excellent (cheap) recipes, there are multiple links in the first few posts to threads re money saving.

- Pip

Bobcatbelle

Thank you everyone appreciate the welcomes .. I'll definitely be checking out Grocery challenge thread. I'm okay food wise I reckon till payday  3weeks!! I have stocked up previously so reaping the benefits of it now  
It's more anything else I can do  (I  have around £100 of expenses to cover till then - maybe a little more if I count petrol ) to cover the shortfall .... I've had a few months now of starting the month on payday in deficit and not really getting a handle on it ... month to month am at the edges but doable but could do (somehow!!) with a couple of hundred quid to cover till April... for all bills/outgoings! 

I'll take a look at the Debt Free Wannabe boards too !
thank you 

BcB

Bobcatbelle

Thought I'd update (more for myself than anyone - though if you are interested, welcome ) 

Switched council tax payments to spread out - £40 pm "saved" 
Set up a new bank account £175 in (within next 2 weeks) 
Meal planned within an inch of  my life - £10 over next 2 weeks for  milk /fruit but have everything else. 
Re-done budget (really showing how tight things are- I don't think there's v much wiggle room in the medium term (6- 9 months) but leaving myself £80 p/ m for food for me (maybe could cut down on this ) £80 petrol and £50 for anything I want to do (coffee out/ cinema etc.. ) . I'm tied into a few bills (internet/ mobile) for 18 months and rent/ water/ electric for another 9-12 but also the best deals I could find- don't leave anything running unnecessarily . 
No TV licence- watch on catch up if I watch anything at all or free internet . 
I've searched/ switched car and contents insurance, have nothing to sell (other than the pets... but they are actually good company ) .

I've definitely got a good idea of rental cap going forward (less than paying now) but in the short term for 2024 I think this may be what I can manage... 

Will definitely continue with the meal planning into April and beyond and have a look at some of the grocery challenges. 

thanks for listening bcb x

Nathalia

It might be worth contacting your mobile provider, even though you are tied into a contract, and explaining why your situation has changed. I don't want to put two and two together and make five regarding your personal circumstances, but some companies do offer support for people, especially women, whose circumstances have changed suddenly, and you may find that if your provider has a specialist unit or member of staff, they might be able to suspend your current contract and switch you to a cheaper one, whether temporarily or for the foreseeable future.  It's in their interest for you to be able to pay and you would be acting responsibly by speaking to them.

Regarding selling things, is there a possibility you could go back with a group of friends and take your possessions?

xx

Bobcatbelle

Thanks Nathalia

I hadn't really thought about contacting mobile company etc.. re: contract - I think you are probably right in putting 2 and 2 together though , it was a quick and difficult move with not much time to get more than the basics sorted. 
I'm not sure even if I go back for things ( I have most of my stuff to be honest) there would be very much money in it .. in time that will happen, but right now it's more making ends meet month to month whilst I sort something out longer term ... 

In good news though, I'm covered for bills and food till payday. 
I have calculated my credit card debt (0%) to pay off which is £400 which I'm planning on making/ saving in the next month!....
via £175 bank account cashback
£70 owed from some recent work 

£150 ish left to find.... 

Going to have a look on the debt free threads for some inspiration too . 

Made a huge pasta dish yesterday which will feed me till tomorrow , plus a friend round tomorrow, have pet supplies and food for next month so that puts me £25 ahead of next months expenditure at least!...
Have some veg to cook up into a massive curry for tomorrow to last a few days and then bits in the freezer that can do me the next week or so till payday . 

PipneyJane

How did you do @Bobcatbelle?  

Hopefully, things are getting easier for you.  In the meantime, we’re here, if you need cheering from the sidelines.

- Pip

London_1

Hope you can get sorted out its difficult when things change in your life but tie your purse up, and batten down the hatches and you will survive honey

Back in the 1970s when the mortgage rate went up to 16,5% then the three day week happened along with all the blackouts it was like everything we had planned for went out the window.I can remember counting how many slices of bread I had in the bread bin until my late OH got paid and if there would be enough to get us through until then

 I had two small children of 4 & 2 and we had very little behind us as we hadn't long gone from a rented two roomed flat to a mortgage and a house. but we survived .

Thursday nights dinner was odds and ends pie basically a pastry case filled with grated cheese a couple of beaten eggs, sliced tomatoes some cooked odd mushrooms from the fridge, and two skinless sausages I cooked and cut lengthways into slices and turned the top this quiche/pie into a clock  or fill a pastry case with odds and ends of anything from beans and topped with mashed potatoes and onion ,and a little bit of grated cheese I would make something out of anything I could find to feed the four of us. I even once made a pizza and topped it with a tin of sardines in tomato sauce and grated cheese over the top. a rice pud made with a tin of evaporated milk and a dollop of jam in the middle was a filling pudding.I used anything that was edible in the cupboards before I went near a shop.

Growing up with rationing and post war austerity and seeing how my late Mum coped with three food demanding kids on very little rations meant I could streeetch food with all sorts of things, reduced veg turned into HM soup is a good filler-upper if a soft roll or two are added.
Don't stress about five a day or healthy eating, being hungry is far more unhealthy than egg and chips at the moment 

Plain egg chips and beans will fill you up Time enough for healthy eating when you have more cash, but don't panic or stress as that won't help list what you have in store and see how many meals you can turn it into.

There's always some one here who will help you with a recipe if you list some of what you have in the cupboard.

what ever you do try not to worry you will look back one day and think YES I did it and survived   

  JackieO xx

Bobcatbelle

PipneyJane said:

How did you do @Bobcatbelle?  

Hopefully, things are getting easier for you.  In the meantime, we’re here, if you need cheering from the sidelines.

- Pip

Thank you @PipneyJane
I did okay thank you!! Payday came (and went!) . Credit card now , very satisfyingly sitting at zero! 
Still eating out of the freezer/ cupboards till next payday TBH (11 days to go!) but not starving! 
I've cut back on all bills I can so I'm hoping from next month it's a bit more doable from then! ... 

Thank you