OS tips for new stay at home mummy!

Jo_R_2

Hey all

I'm flitting around MSE a bit this evening for advice, and here is my next stop!

Just been made redundant, will be at home with my two DDs (1 and 4) for the near future so money going to be tight.

I'm very looking forward to meal planning, I used to do this a while ago but slipped.

Any tips for meal planning on a tight budget, and any other OS tips for a harrassed single mother of two young kiddies?! Usually shop at Tesco but am hoping with more time to be able to do some more independent shopping, I want DDs to see that food doesn't have to be bought at a supermarket! Was thinking farm shops for massive sack of potatoes, that sort of thing, and buying fresh little and often.

Also use cloth nappies for DD2, and have been offered a tumble dryer but very wary as never had one before, and worried about a) space in kitchen and b) amount of extra electricity it will use!

Any tips about anything that might be vaguely useful in a time AND moneysaving way welcomed!

lil_me

If you've been offered the TD free take it, see how it works out, mine isn't expensive (cheaper than having the heating on to dry on radiators) but all machine are different. As for space many use them in their bedroom, outhouse, garage etc my last one was in the bottom of a large cupboard in the hall.

Compare prices, buying larger isn't always cheaper (like pasta in supermarkets sometimes the big bag works out more per kilo) Shop around if you can and it's cost effective (if the journeys are worth the saving/if the shops are close enough etc)

Buying fresh little and often is a bad thing for me but works for others, I spend more in 'little shops' than doing larger ones.

Bunny200

Welcome, I'm in a similar position, got made redundant last year, DD1 = 5yrs, DD2 = 2yrs. I used to work full time and so I'm really throwing myself into the SAHM lark (and I never thought I'd say that!)

As far as advice goes, it depends how much you need to cut back, IMHO its best to go slowly cos its not so scary then.

Mealplanning is an absolute must, non negotiable, it makes it so much easier cos you know what you need to buy. I usually do 4 weeks at a time as I find it easier like that. I make sure that the kids have fish at least once a week (I hate fish) and that we have a cheap lentily/soya mince meal at least once a week. Think about batch cooking, chilli, bolegnese, fish pie can all be cooked in big batches and frozen for other meals. Keep a track of whats in the freezer so they get used up. We usually have a whole week of leftovers!

I find shopping online (Tesco.com) the best solution, ( as you know if you have to take the kids thats 2 hours out of your life!!) check out the Discounts board for money off vouchers, I rarely pay for delivery and sometimes even get £10 off shopping! Check out the special offers first when you are doing your order (Tues/Wed eve are cheapest delivery slots) and adjust your mealplan if necessary. Downshift your purchases, own brand from branded, value from own brand etc.

Declutter - is there anything you can sell? Kids clothes seem to sell well on ebay but other people can give better advice than I.

Get yourself into a routine, dunno if kids are in nursery/pre-school or anything but having a routine really helps me.

Check out the FlyLady thread on here, its a really good starter in keeping on top of the housekeeping. You'll discover a whole new world of distilled vinegar, soda crystals and Stardrops!

Keep coming back here and we'll all help. I'm still learning and making mistakes, HM bread was a disaster but I will try again! Theres always someone here who knows what to do and it gets quite additive, my OH is fed up of hearing how much money I saved this week on BOGOFs etc!!:rotfl:

Jo_R_2

Rule of parenty moneysaving OS number one:

Never EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER take the kids shopping with you. You all know what I mean :mad:

BusyLizzie_3

I'm a stay-at-home Mum of three lovely girls (twins of five and a little one of three) and I reckon with my MSE ways we have more money than when I was working! Take the tumble drier, but only use it in emergencies. I don't have one (and used washable nappies on all three of mine), but I do know they use loads of electricity, especially if they aren't A-rated. Your probably already do - but buy as many clothes and toys as possible in charity shops, NCT sales, tabletop sales, car boots etc - often fantastic quality at low prices. Or find someone with children slightly older than yours and let them know that you're not sniffy about hand-me-downs.

Food shopping - how about growing some of your own veg? Start with easy things like herbs, tomatoes in growbags etc and progress from there. Kids will love it too. Make your own bread, biscuits, yogurt etc. I live in an area where there are Asian and Chinese supermarkets and they're great for buying rice, spices and vegetables in bulk at low prices.

We've just had two weeks of school holidays and managed to spend very little by visiting different parks each day, feeding the ducks (a lot!), trips to the library, cheap day-bus pass round town, local natural history museum etc. Of course, good weather helps when you want to save money on activities! Mine have just started to ride their bikes without stabilisers and will go anywhere under the pretext of bike-riding practice (cost to me = nil!).

Holidays - haven't done this personally, but you could consider house-swapping with a family who have similar-aged children to you, through an agency. I know the NCT run a house-swapping register within the UK for minimal cost.

Good luck and have fun - I love being at home and rising to the challenge of keeping our costs down as much as I can!

chunky79

I am sort of stay at home, i am at home most of the day.

First bit of advice straight jackets and gags lol these wil save your life. Only joking.

TBH i found it quite hard adapting at first to being at home in the day as now i should be typing up the minutes, sorting diaries etc... So my mind set had to completely change.

All of the above is brill advice. When your tiddlers get to be a pain shove their coats on and go for a walk, its free and blows the cobwebs off.

Also i shop at Tesco online save a fortune cut my bill by at least half of what it was.

I also save like mad for xmas i save £3 a week on Asda saver card, and £3 at morrisons also 1k with park hampers. If i save too much then so be it betters than having not enough. I also use spare vouchers to get half price pressies for birthdays and cards for the next year. I didn't save last year at all apart from Morrisons (£120) first time in years and i hated shopping for xmas i was depressed as it was coming out of the wages and slipping us into overdraft!

Definatelt check out flylady, when i have no routine my brain goes to jelly.Now the house is in check, meals on table and kids happy, I have been doing it 4 weeks now and have stated before, its the best fad i have joined and will def keep it up xx

Jo_R_2

Wow this is great stuff guys, much appreciated!

Might take the tumble dryer if it's still there... Thing is, apart from cost, not just my kitchen but my whole house is tiny so not sure where I'd fit it... There's hardly any room to spare as it is!

I want to be super organised, I did have a spreadsheet with money coming in/going out so am waiting til money is organised until I do that and in the meantime keeping things as minimal as possible.

The thing I tend to find (not sure if anyone else can relate to this?) is that whilst I often have grand plans of batch cooking, researching prices and organising paperwork and bills, I often find when it comes to the evening (ie now!) I'm far too knackered to do much else than either sit here or collapse in front of the tv! Having said that, I've taken the opportunity since being off work to tackle the house, so just been doing more tidying in the living room and feeling very organised with a nice neat folder of 'to do' bills to pay/check up on/inform of change of circumstances which is rather good for me!

Next on my list is a meal planner. Am thinking of doing it on a monthly basis, buying upfront all staples, dry goods etc then buying fresh every week as required.

Cheers guys!

angchris

take the td if its still going, use it just for emergencies or for when you really can`t cope with the drying mountain as they do cost alot to run. im lucky now my lad has stopped growing at least i hope he has at 6 foot :eek: so i`ve bought him loads of cheap tshirts etc to last untill i can dry on the line.
something i find invaluable is a website called offer of the day, i can`t put the link up as this site doesn`t allow it but if you google it its at the very top. this site gives you all the very best reductions in one place which is great for picking up cheap pressies throughout the year. don`t forget to checkout the discount and codes forum on here and quidco before buying as well because often i have had pretty good stuff for next to nothing from that website :j
batch cook and bulk out with lots of veggies/lentils etc and freeze what you don`t use for another day. make lots of muffins and traybakes/biscuits instead of buying them.
try and get hold of a breadmaker loaves are about 25p each.
and last of all keep looking around this forum for great tips...angchris xx

Mellika

angchris, i love your sig - can I copy it?

dizzy_lizzie

Hi Jo_R
This site may have some useful advice.
http://www.frugal.org.uk/
If you google 'frugal living' or 'frugal meals' etc lots of sites with good ideas come up.
Hope they help.:D
Luvz Dizzy x

angchris

Mellika wrote: »

angchris, i love your sig - can I copy it?

no problem! i think i originally pinched it from another site the more the merrier:rotfl: