Never have money - want to cry

skintchick

I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have cut back all my utilities/mortgage/phones etc to as little as I can, but still never seem to have any money. I've been working for ten years and nothing has got better!

Seems to me that if you are single and live alone, espeically in the south, then you are destined to be permanently skint.

My outgoings (which I admit include a car loan and credit card paymetns but both on 0%) are £1,000, and I only get £1272.

So I have £272 for food, fuel, phone bills, budgeting for car tax/insurance/maintenance, holidays(yeah, right), birthdays, Christmas, etc, etc and I just can't make it stretch!

Every time I think I've got it sorted, I end up having to spend out on something unexpected like vet's bills or wedding presents or some other nonsense.

IT seems my only options are to rent a room out (small house, not good at sharing) and/or work on Saturdays and have no life!

Does anyone else feel like they're going to be skint till they die?

Just letting off steam! I know compared to many other people I am lucky ie not in masses of debt.

jazzyjustlaw

skintchick wrote:

I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have cut back all my utilities/mortgage/phones etc to as little as I can, but still never seem to have any money. I've been working for ten years and nothing has got better!

Seems to me that if you are single and live alone, espeically in the south, then you are destined to be permanently skint.

My outgoings (which I admit include a car loan and credit card paymetns but both on 0%) are £1,000, and I only get £1272.

So I have £272 for food, fuel, phone bills, budgeting for car tax/insurance/maintenance, holidays(yeah, right), birthdays, Christmas, etc, etc and I just can't make it stretch!

Every time I think I've got it sorted, I end up having to spend out on something unexpected like vet's bills or wedding presents or some other nonsense.

IT seems my only options are to rent a room out (small house, not good at sharing) and/or work on Saturdays and have no life!

Does anyone else feel like they're going to be skint till they die?

Just letting off steam! I know compared to many other people I am lucky ie not in masses of debt.

YOU need to post more specific information for people to assist. Although you are lucky you earn £1272.00 per month!

skintchick

After ten years of building a career? £20,000 is NOT a good wage in the south-east. I don't FEEL lucky.

BWZN93

Welcome to MSE! I certainly know how you feel, my partner and I live down south too, and everything does cost a lot of money.

Aside from the credit card, mortgage and car loan, do you have any other debts? If not, then thats good, at least you dont have additional hassles in making payments all over the place and it should be easier to see how and where to make some changes.

One initial bit of advice, I recommend the OldStyle Board in the forum, we are very freindly and have hundred of tips to reduce the outgoings on essential bits and peices, such as food shopping, household expenses etc. Telephones and Utilities boards are particularly good at helping bring down these costs too.

I completely understand not wanting to take a lodger or part-time job either, its not like we dont have enough on our plates! If you want to try and clear the debts faster so there is more money in your pocket after, then post your income v outgoings in full or use the budget planner at the top of this thread, and definately make use of the hundreds of excellent brains here for other bits of advice!

Take care and good luck!

Jo xx

rchddap1

Think of it this way... at least you are covering your bills. There are so many people out there that stick their head in the sand, do what they want, end up in mountains of debt and then start to panic when someone knocks at the door. I know its not nice looking at all those nice houses, nice cars, adverts for holidays etc... but you have done really well to get this far.

Stick around the boards (hard not to once you find them) and keep your eyes peeled for good deals that might serve as Xmas presents, or birthday presents. Most of us have a cupboard of stuff that we've bought for pennies that are intended to give away. SOme people on the Old Style boards make their own presents rather than buying something. If you are clever you can make good savings.

skintchick

I did the budget planner and discovered that the only way I can balance things is by not 'doing' Christmas (I only allow £200 for pressies in total anyway) or holidays!!

That's why I came on here!!

Here's my outgoings:

Powergen 35.00
Council tax 96.00 yes, that's with the single person discount
TV 10.41
Water 27.31 am getting a water meter which should cut this down by a fair bit
BT 11.00
VW 173.67 (car loan till Jan 07, on 0%)
Church 75.00 this is a controversial one but my religion says I should tithe (give ten per cent gross) and I am working up to that. It's a faith issue and I've struggled with it but it really isn't worth arguing with me on it!
Savings 50.00 (this is for emergencies as I own my house and things do break, plus it covers car tax, insurance, home insurance etc)
Mortgage 312.41
Gym 34.00 this is a special rate (!) and I do need to go for health reasons
Halifax 125.00 (till Dec 05 on 0%)

TOTAL: £949.80

I have my home phone on OneTel deal of £3.99 a month and landline calls are free at weekends and evenings. Mobile is on Virgin, no line rental, just pay for what I use. Total for phones is £20-25 a month max.

I put £40-80 fuel in the car each month. Public transport is more expensive and takes more time than driving to work.

If you've any helpful ideas, post them please!

rchddap1

Hey are you a morman (I've probably spelt that wrong). My OH's daugher is so I completely understand the tithe issue. Personally if I felt that I had to do this I would struggle to make ends meet each month too.

Edit: One further thing. One of your debts is cleared in december of this year...this will give you another £125 a month to play with. Don't think about how little you have now, but try to look forward to this date.

GIRLPOWER_2

your right.. you are not earning enough for the area you live in.. don't know how you are doing it.. does not seem from what you have said that you need to list your outgoings as you seem to have everything to it's lowest. but my freinds who live alone are in the same position I feel for them cos one by one as they live with someone the situation is totally different and suddenly they have more money.

In your position I would seriously think about whats important to you. If it's a better quality of life then something has to give.. such as more training to get a bettter paid job, move out of the area where the cost of living better, overtime, second job or sharing with someone.

If it were me.. I work to live so applying for better paid jobs would be my goal.

What my single friends do to get a holiday/break every year is the sun's 9.50 holidays... they all go to the lakes or wales take some food and a few gallons of beer and have a ball.. I have used these deals before for the family and they are great, just use it as a base. I mean 9.50 total for 4 nights.. look out for the offers and get a gang down to devon.... chin up.

Spendless

skintchick wrote:

I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have cut back all my utilities/mortgage/phones etc to as little as I can, but still never seem to have any money. I've been working for ten years and nothing has got better!

Seems to me that if you are single and live alone, espeically in the south, then you are destined to be permanently skint.

My outgoings (which I admit include a car loan and credit card paymetns but both on 0%) are £1,000, and I only get £1272.

So I have £272 for food, fuel, phone bills, budgeting for car tax/insurance/maintenance, holidays(yeah, right), birthdays, Christmas, etc, etc and I just can't make it stretch!

Every time I think I've got it sorted, I end up having to spend out on something unexpected like vet's bills or wedding presents or some other nonsense.

IT seems my only options are to rent a room out (small house, not good at sharing) and/or work on Saturdays and have no life!

Does anyone else feel like they're going to be skint till they die?

Just letting off steam! I know compared to many other people I am lucky ie not in masses of debt.

This is how I felt too when I was single in my own house. Now we are a family of 4 with hubby working full-time and me recently gone back to work PT. We still don't seem to have much spare cash but do have a holiday every year-something I couldn't afford when single. Agree with looking at the oldstyle board. Look at the freebies board too, some really good things get posted on there which might help you cut your pressie costs.

crossleydd42

I'll second the Sun (newspaper) hols. Look out for them in the paper around early January.

I notice you mention vet's bills which can be expensive and unpredictable. Have you considered taking out pet insurance. I have a feeling that it's as little as £4pm from Tesco. At least you can budget on a regular basis for this, rather than £60 at no notice!

It's true you can only cut back so far. I assume you don't smoke or buy convenience foods. Remeber simple cooking like omelettes and casseroles can cut expenses and are nutritional.

I agree about your trying to get a better-paying job. Meanwhile, how about an evening job (eg supermarket/petrol station) for a couple of nights a week? It would keep the wolf from the door and ease your worries.

And count your blessings - I assume you've got your health if not your wealth!

Good luck

skintchick

Thanks all.

I suppose I have to focus on after Christmas when I will be £125 better off with no credit card debt.

I do have savings I could use to pay this off, and also pay off the car loan, but as they are on 0% I assumed it was better not to do this, as I will lose the 4.5% I get ont eh savings?

Or is it worth it for peace of mind and less anxiety?

Am off to check out the recommended boards.

PS - Not Mormon, am a Christian.