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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think we can live on £800pcm...

75 replies

LumpyMcBentface · 29/08/2016 11:04

For food, petrol and spends?

I really want to get our shit together, pay off our credit cards and save for a holiday. My plan is to transfer a fixed amount for the month into a different amount for spends, and stick to it. That way we can build up a healthy balance in the other account and use it to pay all the credit card debt and a holiday.

Does it sound doable? Family of five plus pets.

Any tips?

OP posts:

PinkissimoAndPearls · 29/08/2016 12:42

How old are your DC? Teenagers are much more expensive than little ones, IME. Phones, shoes, lunch money (you won't be eligible for FSM I assume?), food, stationery, clothes, shoes, the odd trip out with mates, shoes, Netflix, school stuff, shoes...

If you do have older ones ( apologies if sucking eggs here) I find it's easier to transfer a certain amount (child benefit?) into their account once a month for stuff they want (I buy stuff they need ) so you're not constantly handing out money here and there. Also teaches them to budget.

Still, £800 seems like loads of frittery money to me if all your other bills are paid

I used to overspend at the local shop so I actually increased slightly the amount I spend on weekly
Shop to factor in "treats" etc and it reduced the overall expenditure, if that makes sense.

PollyPerky · 29/08/2016 12:43

I know what you're saying Squirrel, but Fags can't be that much of a red herring because she's not saying how much she spends. If it's around £100 a month (or more) that's just bonkers. I wonder if her DH smokes too?
Smokers always say they'll stop when they are ready- which is just a cop out cos they really don't want to.

happypoobum · 29/08/2016 12:46

I am so at all these people who spend so little on food. It's just me, two teenagers, happy dog and happy cat and I spend an average of £135 a week on food/cleaning products etc. That's at Tesco.

I rarely throw anything away, and am happy to buy supermarket brands and look for special offers. Maybe it's because one of the teens is vegetarian, so if I am making, say, fajitas, I will buy chicken and quorn pieces, Making chilli or bolognese and I buy minced beef, plus frozen veggie mince. Or maybe I am going wrong elsewhere?

Sorry for the derail - good luck OP!!

Original poster

LumpyMcBentface · 29/08/2016 12:50

Kids are 14, 12 and nearly 5. Ds1 buys lunch at school, I top his balance up with around £50pm (already accounted for in main budget). DD and Dh take packed lunches, ds2 will get free school meals as he's going into reception.

Dh doesn't smoke and actually rarely spends any extra money. He gigs most weekends so usually brings home some extra cash, which we use for meals out etc.

My smoking is complicated, I gave up for a long time but then got ill and started again. I'm not mentally ready to give them up again yet.

OP posts:

caroldecker · 29/08/2016 12:52

Smoking at 20 a day is around £240 a month.

SheDoneAlreadyDoneHadHerses · 29/08/2016 12:55

Lumpy, I agree - you have to be in the right headspace. I don't smoke but I've seen my mum try and fail several times as she's just not been ready. She actually oversmokes leading up to trying to stop as it's almost a Pavlovian reaction: no more cigarettes, smoke ALL the tobacco.

she's cut down by buying smaller packets of tobacco (she makes her own) so psychologically her brain thinks "small packet, must make it last" and it works for her.

I'm currently redundant and I could have highfived your comment on frittering. I'm used to frittering. So now I don't take my cash card out with me unless I have to.

Original poster

LumpyMcBentface · 29/08/2016 12:57

I smoke about ten a day, sometimes less. So maybe £100 a month.

OP posts:

annielouise · 29/08/2016 13:01

Lumpy, I know how hard it is to give up. It took me many tries. I think your steps towards sorting out the other finances will provide a foundation for that last step of giving them up. I think psychologically when you're cutting down the debt and on track with that you'll finally turn your mind to the fags. It's incredibly difficult. No attempt is wasted though. Allen Carr's book was wonderful even though I smoked again after that. I think what ultimately got me there was I didn't want to be a smoker, as you don't, I was getting older and worried about my health. Actually giving up smoking I didn't find hard. Resisting when there was a hiccup in life was what was hard. So many times something in life would upset me and I'd reach for the fags. My dad dying didn't put me back on them but a spot of trouble at one of my DC's schools did. No rhyme or reason to it. You will do it when it feels right. Best of luck.

LanaorAna1 · 29/08/2016 13:10

Lumpy try not to get derailed by the smoking stuff. You'll always get someone who wearily brings it up. I'm never sure how barked advice stating the bleeding obvious helps, to be honest.

If you've been hypomanic and am now recovering, don't beat yourself up about it. Take heart - if you can beat hypomania, you can sure as hell give up fags - when you're ready.

Back to saving for that heavenly holiday: shop on the bottom shelf of supermarkets, it's the cheapest one. No, you won't notice a difference. Except there'll be mysteriously more in the bank.

GabsAlot · 29/08/2016 13:23

have u considered trying vaping?

my husband and i are started this in march and he still dos it i barely use it anymore

u can start on higher nictine level then slowly bring it down-to not see him smoke is a miracle

specialsubject · 29/08/2016 14:02

Books - not from amazon. From charity shops, from libraries, from real bookshops.

Petrol - how is the mpg? Try never to go out for just one thing. Milk freezes, for example, so stock up.

Paying monthly on insurance and car tax costs more. Budget monthly by all means, but save to pay in one go.

Have you hammered down utility bills by switching and using less?

Original poster

LumpyMcBentface · 29/08/2016 14:28

We've switched our mortgage and saved £250pm. We have a smart meter for energy and are careful about what we use, we're on the cheapest tarrif.

I'm going to have a look at all our insurances, I need to update mine with all my recent medical stuff and it might be best just to cancel it (car and life).

OP posts:

ImYourMama · 29/08/2016 14:34

We have £500 PCM as I'm on mat leave, that's me, DH and 2 cats

steff13 · 29/08/2016 14:41

Don't cancel your life insurance.

Original poster

LumpyMcBentface · 29/08/2016 14:55

I think I'm pretty much uninsurable after six suicide attempts in the past year.

OP posts:

bakeoffcake · 29/08/2016 15:13

You do have to update the insurances when you've been through something like you have, im sorry you've had to deal with that

You sound really positive and together regarding the budgets, I hope you're able to afford your holiday soon!

Memoires · 29/08/2016 16:18

It sounds doable to me, but I don't know your circumstances. Try it for a while and see if it works.

Memoires · 29/08/2016 16:19

Shit Lumpy, are you OK?

Memoires · 29/08/2016 16:21

Also, have you tried vaping? Much much cheaper than smoking, doesn't take long to get used to it and make the switch, and rapidly becomes the preferred option!

FrazzleM · 29/08/2016 16:28

You can manage on that amount.

My advice is to keep your weekly budget in an envelope, pay cash and every time you buy something, wrote it on the envelope. Money left at the end of the week goes into next week's envelope.

I've done this before on a similar budget. It was tough, but seeing how much money we saved was satisfying.

Ditch Tesco. It's one of the most expensive supermarkets. Go to Asda, Lidl or Aldi.

FrazzleM · 29/08/2016 16:29

Just read your last post OP.

I hope you're getting the help you need.

Original poster

LumpyMcBentface · 29/08/2016 18:44

I am, thank you. Lots of therapy and I'm (hopefully now) on the right mix of meds, I've been stable for a whole month.

OP posts:

americaandhawaii · 29/08/2016 18:54

Good luck Lumpy sounds as though you have had a really hard time of late.

I am a fritterer too and it drives me mad. We spend money like water but god knows what on!

Mummaaaaaah · 29/08/2016 19:00

for you and glad you are getting the help you need. I think it's doable although i'd struggle as am a hopeless spender. We spend more than that on food and wine a month. But I think it's a really good amount to aim for and I wish you the best of luck.

Mummaaaaaah · 29/08/2016 19:01

Oh and meant to say meal plan. Makes the biggest difference to weekly shop. Literally write down every meal for the week and only buy those ingredients. When I'm trying to budget it saves a fortune.

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