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Original poster

Budget- can I make this work?

120 replies

Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 07:40

I need help budgeting. What can I do to reduce things or is it impossible?
What have I forgotten?

Income : 3000
Outgoings
Rent :1650
Bills: 250
Phones: 125

Entertainment
Amazon Inc kindle, prime, audible- 36
Netflix- 7
Aws/gcp- 20

Transport
Bus fares - 200

Food
Approx 500

Pocket money/ things for school
200

That leaves - about 100?
This isn't possible is it?

OP posts:
Lottie4 · 28/09/2023 08:47

It's really worth DH looking for some temporary xmas work. He should easily find a full-time job in retail, catering or a factory. Might only be a temporary solution but will help out over next few months.

You mention you're in a five bed house, is there likely to be anything cheaper going locally for a four bed house?

NoSquirrels · 28/09/2023 08:47

Christmas is coming and temp staffing will mean there are jobs out there for your DH. Is he receiving JSA or anything? Have you included child benefit in your figures?

Original poster
Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 08:47

Income has gone down. Dh stopping working 6 months ago so we have been using savings.

OP posts:

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Original poster
Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 08:49

He's applied for jsa recently so that will help.
We need a 5 bed. Bedroom each and an office as I wfh.

OP posts:
Lottie4 · 28/09/2023 08:50

Can't be easy.

DD needs to bombard them about here NI No and not let it go. It needs sorting, not just for financial reasons not but for her in the very near future.

Is your other DC over 13? If so, they could get a paper round. Won't necessarily make much difference to you, but could reduce paying so much pocket money and they'd have a bit of spare cash for extras.

NoSquirrels · 28/09/2023 08:52

You don’t share a bedroom with your DH? If not, and you couldn’t, then your office could double as your bedroom? It does seem a lot to have 5 bedrooms for a family of 4. Fine on 2 incomes, but above your current means on 1 income.

CissOff · 28/09/2023 08:53

Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 08:49

He's applied for jsa recently so that will help.
We need a 5 bed. Bedroom each and an office as I wfh.

Come on! You don’t need a 5 bed. We are the same amount of people in our household and I WFH and manage fine with a 4 bed. A 3 bed would be fine if there was somewhere to set up my office downstairs. It wouldn’t be ideal but in your position, you don’t have the funds to pay for the luxury of extra space.

reesewithoutaspoon · 28/09/2023 08:54

Obvious ones are,reduce streaming services, go SIM only, packed lunches.
Temp Xmas job for DH,

caringcarer · 28/09/2023 08:55

What about house insurance
Life insurance
Clothes
Council tax
Shoes
Birthdays
Xmas

I'd be cancelling Audible, and Netflix or Amazon Prime for the time being. Definitely cancel 2 out of 3. Also can you cancel the mobile phone contracts and get a far cheaper SIM only deal? Can you get a bus season ticket cheaper than buying separate tickets?

Original poster
Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 08:55

We could probably be fine in a smaller house but the upfront cost of deposit and moving costs wouldn't be worth it.

OP posts:
miniegg3 · 28/09/2023 09:01

Well I think the obvious solution is your husband getting a job!

BarbaraofSeville · 28/09/2023 09:03

So you'd probably be fine if DH was working, even if PT, low paid. Is there something in particular that's stopping him?

Now you've said you're in a much bigger house than the 3 bed that you actually need, it might be a choice between him working and moving to a smaller house.

FiveShelties · 28/09/2023 09:08

Did your husband give up working six months ago by choice? He really needs to return to work, even if only part-time.

Theredjellybean · 28/09/2023 09:08

But of a drip feed.
Firstly why is you dh not working?
Presuming he can work then he should be doing anything right now... supermarket delivery, shelf stocking, working in pub etc...and I am seeing Christmas staff adds going up.
There is absolutely no reason presuming he is well that he isn't doing something.

PepeLePugh · 28/09/2023 09:09

It is your rent cost that is screwing up your finances. The advice is that rent/mortgage should be approx. a third of your income (which I appreciate can be unrealistic) however you are spending over half. I know it's nice to have 5 bedrooms but if you are killing your self financially to pay for it then you need to reconsider this cost. I also suspect you have underestimate the cost of bills- does this include council tax?

You can shave some costs in other areas such as phones but this will only save you £10's instead of the £100's you probably need to make sure you are covered for a rainy day. Not £100 left at the end of the month is not realistic.

Xqyz · 28/09/2023 09:34

We live one of the poorest areas of the country and I know of factory shifts that I could start tonight if I needed to so I'm sure your husband could get work in the SE!

Yes it might not be his dream job but it doesn't matter, it's a means to an end.

Overthebow · 28/09/2023 09:35

Wait your rent is that high because it’s a 5 bed? You really don’t need that. 1 room for you and DH, one for each kid and an office. You could even make do with a 3 bed with kids sharing. Your DH also needs to get a job. There’s loads of jobs around even if they’re not what he wants to do. Anything would be good right now as you really need more money coming in.

ferretface · 28/09/2023 09:37

To be clear does your prime subscription include Kindle Unlimited and Audible? If not i really would cancel those latter two - i have Kindle unlimited myself and it's hard to make proper use of it, i wouldn't hesitate to jettison it if things got difficult.

Similarly Audible - free podcasts available to fill that gap.

Snoken · 28/09/2023 10:14

It sounds like it's just a temporary dip in income so I would just cancel the streaming services and change your phone plans for now and maybe see if you can save £50 by eating cheaper . When your DH finds a job again you will be able to go back to living the way you are. I don't understand why you need a 5 bed though even if you need an office. I'd rather have money in the bank than lots of space.

Original poster
Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 10:17

The 5th bedroom is a box room. You can get a bed in but that's it. So a 4 bed is more accurate.
We spent years in a 2 bed flat when dds were small and I'd much rather have space and pay more.

OP posts:
sunlightinthetrees · 28/09/2023 10:20

Why is your DH not working?

If he could just bring in even a few hundred a month it would make a huge difference - doesn’t need to be the perfect job.

Original poster
Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 10:26

He's been applying for jobs but can't find anything he wants. He talks about getting a retail job but does nothing about it and would be unlikely to get one as he's never worked in retail or done any service jobs.
I despair but at least he's signing on now so that will be an extra 80? A week which will help

OP posts:
FiveShelties · 28/09/2023 10:29

Perhaps he needs to looks for something which pays the bills, rather than something he wants.

Of course, this assumes he is able to work as you have not said he gave up working 6 months ago.

cocksstrideintheevening · 28/09/2023 10:31

He needs to get a bloody job. Doesn't matter if he wants it or not. Why did he stop working in the first place?

Original poster
Stressedgiraffe · 28/09/2023 10:34

He was sacked after 5 months. Before that he quit and took 4 months to find a job. Prior he worked steadily.

OP posts: