Budget- can I make this work?

[Stressedgiraffe]

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?

Your DH doesn’t need experience to work in retail, just a good attitude and some common sense. Especially at the moment - there are loads of vacancies and there will probably be even more in the run up to Christmas. He could just do it part time and spend the rest of his time looking for something better.

I feel like this is by far the most straightforward solution to your problem!

My husband lost his job 8 years ago and couldn’t find anything in his sector. He started working for a retailer in their warehouse. 20 hours per week evening shifts. It gave him the day time to focus on job hunting and a much needed income boost, it wasn’t much but he was paid weekly and it covered our food bills. Once he started working there, the immediate financial stress reduced and he started getting more interviews for other roles. It took 8 months but he did end up with something back in his sector. He had no retail experience, but got taken on around this time of year as a Christmas temp.

Did you post about this last week?

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

Especially as they're struggling to pay the bills! He can look for something else while he works the job that pays (some of) the bills. I'm afraid I'd end up resenting him for that attitude.

I've posted about him not getting a job.
This is looking at our budget and trying to see if anyone can think of anything I haven't.
Top of my list is him getting any bloody job but I can't physically make him.

We all would rather have more space but your income is low for that outgoing, especially as you rent and don’t own. There is a big difference between a 2 bed flat and. 5 bed house, you could find something in between. Something will have to give anyway of your DH won’t get a job, your income with those outgoings isn’t sustainable.

What’s your reception space like? Both DH and I wfh and I make do with the dining table and just put everything away at the end of the day. Could you do this and be able to get a 3 bed? Would be much cheaper.

Moving could be a possibility but I can't afford moving costs atm but can pay rent

Are you sure you're not entitled to claim housing support or whatever it's called alongside his JSA? Also council tax support
CAB Can help with this
I don't think you'd be able to claim needing a 5 bed though
Anywhere else you could create space for WFH like a hallway?
Avoiding the obvious DH needs to pull his finger out, and will be expected to
Has he considered agencies?
They often have immediate start positions

I think housing may be a real chance of savings.

Family of 4 here, only 3 bedrooms and I WFH on a secretary desk (folds away) with a proper office chair in the corner of our living room.

Oh and join the library. You can borrow ebooks and audio books from most libraries. That should save you something?

Tbh unless he is unfit to work (and is seeking support to remedy that), I'd take such a massive issue with him just choosing not to work that I'd ask him to leave. How dare he just sit at home and squander the savings based on the fact he "hasn't found a job he wants". Fucking selfish prick.

What is AWS/GCP?

That rent is crazy. It’s just so hard with only one person working. Hopefully your DH finds something soon.

Do you need a 5 bed property for 4 people?

What’s the £36 Amazon bundle for? That’s much more than the cost of Amazon prime and audible.

“Pocket money, things for school” This is far too high. Your kids have £100 a month spending money?

Royal Mail sorting office have temporary jobs right now. Also lots of none qualified care positions and retail.

You can make tweaks but as your DH currently earns nothing, even if he got a 2 day a week role on minimum wage that would still make a massive difference to your budget. I can see you can't physically force him but I don't think there are any other solutions.

We've both got prime, I've got kindle
Pocket money might need to stop. Last month was v expensive for uniforms and school supplies
Neither of us drive so he's looking for hybrid/ remote it jobs.

A household of 4, two of whom are in a couple surely only need a 3 bed house. moving will not only reduce your rent but also the running costs.

If you are in the South East retail and hospitality are crying out for people.

You can share a household Prime account, you don't have to use a single account.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html%3FnodeId%3DGXULX24SE2RD7EXS&ved=2ahUKEwjO27u10M2BAxVYQkEAHQm-D6QQFnoECB0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0z7558xd6sEABQYeCWInGp

Do you live in a town? If you do, £2 each way for the bus fare would still be a lot less than he'd earn, and I think there will be more options that way?

As contracts end go sim only (we all have giffgaff £10 per month), pause audible every couple of months for 2-3 months, you can still access, it's not a lot but puts something into the kitty. Drop to one streaming service at a time, switch every few months (use Amazon lockers for free delivery), food you can get down to £400 for October and November giving you savings for Christmas (lots of cheap eats threads here)

WTH op. Why's your h such a lazy arse? He should be doing any job he can find to support his struggling family.

Get rid of prime and all the Amazon stuff.
That's £432 a year.
You can reinstate them once you've got more money coming in.

I've paused audible this afternoon.
Foodwise I do have a good pantry so am trying to cut down spending but also trying to pick up some Xmas things.