Help with food shopping - need to budget due to new baby

mummysaver

Hi! It is hard and it can be daunting when you have little ones and not a lot of money, but you will manage. When mine were tiny we had a tiny budget like yours, but we coped, somehow! And don't forget that financially things will improve with time, the children will come out of nappies, nursery will be free when they're bigger, and wages will (hopefully) go up.

You sound sensible in that you've worked out your budget already, which is a big help. Try making a list of the meals you like and making a meal plan and then writing your shopping list from this, then you can see where you might be able to make cut backs, by substituting more expensive ingredients or opting for a cheaper meal.

Freecycle as others have said is great for baby stuff, most people just want to see it go to a good home. And little ones really don't care if things are second hand, they don't even know!

Have you had a look on the utilities boards to see if you can get your bills down further, the people there are usually really helpful.

Will have a think for any other tips, oh and congratulations on your newest addition!

discodolly_2

Charleybabes, please don't feel like a failure!
To be very honest, I've spent the last few years wasting a hell of a lot of money and spoiled my kids rotten, and it's the worst thing I could have done. They got to the point where they were miserable because they had nothing to get excited about. Nothing was a treat anymore, and even when they got everything they wanted, the toys were quickly forgotten about, lost or broken. They just didn't care and it made us all really unhappy.
Luckily I've discovered old Style and stopped all that .
My kids now love going to the farm (£1 each), or going to the park, feeding ducks, making arty things from recycled junk and helping to grow our own veg.
I'm currently trying to persuade hubby to let us get chickens but he's having non of it!
You're doing great xxx

kj*daisy

Also remember that childcare goes down eventually - the term after your children turn 3 they start to get 2.5 hours free nursery care a day. This can help reduce the amount you pay for childcare.
If you have loans and things why don't you post on the debt free wannabee board with your statement of income and outgoings as they are very good at helping people reduce their outgoings therefore meaning you may have more left for fun things.

moanymoany

charleybabes wrote: »

hi everyone

havnt been on here for quite a while,

i had a baby boy back in july and have been working out a new budget for us
its going to be pretty tight really
i have to go back to work in january for 3 days a week..dont want to go back at all but there is no way we can afford for me NOT to go back
anyway this means two lots of childcare as i have two children now

have worked it out that after all loans and bills plus mortgage and with a little help from tax credits we should have about £90 a week left to live on to buy everything, food,clothes,anything else holidays etc
just been on the asda website now and just putting in baby milk,nappies, wipes and 6pt whole milk for my two yr old comes to £20...
so really we are looking to live on £70 a week..can this be done and still have a life at the end of it.. i dont want to live some frugal life..
i want my children to have lovely memories of their childhood not remembering it as a hardship or a struggle..
never having holidays or any new clothes..i feel such a failure already as a parent

I know that for children, if they are loved and treated fairly, taught how to deal with life's problems in a positive way and are brought up to have mountains of self esteem - no holidays, no big presents, no wardrobes full of clothes are of little account.

Read the Tightwad Gazettes - they will show you how to bring up children on a shoestring. I know it's American, but so much of what she says is usable here.

I've said this several times over the past week - my gran brought her three daughters up in the 1920's and 1930's. She was a widow, no benefits for her she earned money where she could, mainly taking in washing. Her children were brought up on a mainly starchy diet with little meat and the basic veg. There was no health service and they all had to help in the house and with the washing.

All three lived to be well into their 80's and the middle one is still going strong. There is a lot of hype about what children must eat or drink - not that many do! I'm sure that those who need the advice don't even know it is there and the ones who listen just end up feeling guilty because who could do all that stuff.

Relax, you can only do what you can do - your children will look back on how much fun they had doing the small things with parents who loved them. Mine - now in their 30's still talk about dh reading to them every night - they remember the cheap holidays we had camping more than those we pushed the boat out a bit. We didn't have many day's out at theme parks, they were usually part of a holiday. We did have days at the seaside or walks in the country with a picnic and they loved those.

Money and possessions do not make happy children who grow up into happy adults. Love, care and support does.

Triggles

DH & I decided for me to be a SAHM starting this year, as I would simply have been working to pay for childcare, so we've really had to trim our budget. We buy clothing/toys ahead of time on clearance when possible, take advantage of his discount at work (grocery store), buy secondhand or freecycle if needed, and take DS to free or very cheap things - park, walks, and such. As far as holidays are concerned, we don't even take one - DS is only 2, and isn't going to notice a big difference between a park elsewhere and a park here at home. He just wants to play. So we'll put money towards paying off what bills we can now, and when he's older we can go on holidays that he will be old enough to remember and appreciate.

tessie_bear

dont be to hard on yourself.im sure u are a lovely parent.its funny the things kids remember.its not big toys but things u have done for them and places u have visited........if u try u can normally find a cheaper version of everything............did u fac tor in child benefit into your calculations ?

bertiebots

All I can say is I agree with everything that has been said already. I had 3 children in 4 years and between the first and second managed a part time job. By the time no.3 arrived I had to stop (no tax credits for childcare 9 years ago!) My dh worked very long hours and it was impossible to juggle a job around everything else. I stayed at home for about 3 years until my youngest started nursery. Basically what I am trying to say is that you will always manage. Your kids dont need anything but a safe secure family where they are loved. The rest is just trimmings.
I am now a sahm again after doing a back breaking job that has bugge*** my back. Money is tight but we go camping and take advantage of free holiday activities that the local council provide..parks , walks and picnics all play a part. My kids love finding a bargain in the charity shops as much as I do and they understand the real value of things. There is always something to do that doesnt cost anything.

Money doesnt equal LOVE xx

moanymoany

Just thinking - don't the Sun newspaper do cheap holidays? I mean really cheap, about £9 for a caravan holiday?

overlykeensaver

I just wanted to comment on how lovely all these posts have been. And they are all right - very young children don't care/don't know about exotic holidays, expensive clothes and toys. All they want to do is play with you! We have lots of fun with an egg box and a empty toilet roll - these things are free! As are dancing to the music on the radio, running and chasing in the park and so on.

On a practical level - lots of people on here make their own nappy wipes that can be used again and again - could be worth a try?

slm6002

yes the sun do. I think it went up to £9.50 per person but there were a few extras like entertainment passes and an admin chg for elec type things. We have just returned from ours and it was a lovely break and it can be done on a budget. I had managed to save £100 for food and treats and part of the petrol - other half paid for the rest. We also had the treat of being able to turn the heat on. I figured that we had paid for it so we could use it for the week when we got cold - i am not turning on home heating until at least nov!