To ask for help with a realistic budget

[Pinkginxx]

I really need to get a grip on my finances. Every month I go a little bit more in debt, not huge amounts but £50-£100 a month which obviously is not sustainable. Before I get flamed, I’m well aware I spend frivolously which is why I’m asking for help. After coming out of a difficult marriage I’m maybe enjoying single life a bit too much - but I absolutely love my life and I think I should be able to sustain it with just a few tweaks whilst also putting money together for savings/a car (which I’m going to need if I progress my career)
So here we go nervous
It’s just me, no DP or DC. This is per month and I’m based in the NW
Total monthly income: £1,920
Mortgage: £502
Council tax: £120
Broadband: £26
Mobile: £28
CC minimum payments (on 0% deals): £80
Other bills (electric, insurance, water etc): £150
Travel to work: £50

So this should give me quite a bit left over. I socialise/date 2-3 times a week, I’d say eating out once a week the other drinks. I usually drink red wine so I’m thinking swapping to cheaper drinks would help there? I’m also terrible for just picking up ready meals (I have a 2 hour round commute so CBA cooking a lot). Usually Tesco 2 for £6 meals. Can anyone give me cheap meal ideas which don’t take any longer than 10 mins to cook?
I also spend far too much on beauty/cosmetic procedures. I’m knocking the Botox on the head, so any recommendations for effective affordable beauty products? (I usually use Environ which is also getting knocked on the head).
I don’t smoke anymore but I spend about £15 a week on NRT -and have done for over a year- so any tips there?

Also if there’s any more ‘grown up’ things I can be doing? I think my bills are quite low but I could be wrong.

I have a shops worth of ‘naice’ Clothes to get rid of but haven’t had much success with eBay.

Just any help would be very gratefully received.

waits to get flamed for being frivolous hussy

Have you gone through your bank statements to see where you spend your money? You can easily cover the basics, but they aren’t your problem...
Look on the money saving expert website- following their advice, for years now I have put aside money each month, for Xmas, birthdays, new winter coat and boots, etc. Evens out the cost over the year. Even if I have a money disaster, I will not touch that money! Am always so glad of it when It’s time to spend it!!!
Maybe batch cook some home made meals at the weekend? Requires a bit of effort every few weeks to cook and stock the freezer, but saves time and money on a daily basis.

Get a slow cooker! Knowing you have dinner ready when you get home will stop you buying ready meals.

Yep I second calvinsmam, get a slow cooker, dinners cooked when you get in and you can buy cheaper cuts of meat.

I stopped going out. I honestly just can’t afford to and sacrificed my social life to prevent the debt getting bigger. I buy clothes from supermarkets!

I don’t know if this will help but I put all my outgoings on a spreadsheet, including a weekly budget for food, petrol, dining out/coffee, childrens activities, gym membership, putting aside money for gifts, household repairs, tv licence, insurance. The works! Then used that to work out what i should aim to spend weekly. What i should put aside to make sure i could afford the car servicing/repairs, insurance and holidays and what would need to stay in my main account to civer the mortgage etc. I then draw out cash for my weekly budget to cover food, petrol, kids activities and dining out (£90p/w) and stick to it. Money is tight. But it just about works for me.

From my bad experience do not use the credit card. Cut it up and do not get another. Pay a bit more than the £80 minimum and get rid of that debt, I think it is likely to add interest after a while and the minimum payment hardly covers the interest.
Red wine is not an expensive drink unless you choose an expensive bottle. I drink white and in a restaurant pay £18 or so per bottle,
Can you reduce your NRT, get advice form a pharmacist or your GP, pharmacist is probably the easiest. A slow reduction would be good for you.
I'm a man so I wonder why you want to get rid of your ‘naice’ Clothes? Can you not wear them still? I know I am probably being stupid with that idea.
I'm really replying to bump up you post as you need some replies and I hope others have some good suggestions.
John

Thank you all
Can you use a slow cooker the night before? I’m trying to be realistic with myself, I know I wouldn’t consistently do it in the mornings, but I would if I could prepare it in the evening.
Problem with batch cooking is I have a tiny freezer so don’t really have room for it. I’ve tried cooking large portions of chilli etc before but because I can’t freeze it I end up getting sick of eating the same thing 3 acts in a trot and binning it
Think I do need to go through a couple months bank statements, but I’m pretty sure I know what it will say. Drinks out, Uber’s, and cosmetics 😢 I’m weirdly ok with not spending much on clothes. I love a good charity shop bargain. The stuff I need to get rid of is from my previous life when I was a size 6 which isn’t likely to happen again

Strike through fail!

I don’t do it the night before but it literally takes 5 minutes in the morning, use frozen veg and meat and its just pouring into the slow cooker, adding water and stick then off you go.

Personally I think going out 2-3 times a week is a lot. I'd be totally skint if I did that. Can you have nice nights in instead?

Are you getting the single person discount on your council tax?
Have you looked at having a water meter if you're not on one already? (if you are already on a meter look at water saving devices for your shower and toilets)
Make a packed lunch for work.

In the past I have prepped food for the slow cooker the night before and kept it in the fridge, then put it in the slow cooker in the morning and turned it on. Takes about 30 seconds in the morning.

When did you last switch providers for energy bills, broadband etc? You can often save hundreds of £ by switching all your bills over.

You can pre-prepare slow cooker meals at the weekend, so do any prep to meat and prep the veg. Then in the morning pick the meal you fancy, shove it in the slow cooker and off you go.
What about making one of your nights out a night in? Save on socialising costs and travel costs.
Check out the money saving expert website. They have something called a demotivater (I think) which might stop you spending money!

Join a credit union for saving. Use your local library. Get your beauty treatments at a local college (can be a fab saving!)

Oh lunches is another one. Meal deal every day which is over £60 a month that I hadn’t thought of
I know the going out is a lot but I really want to keep that aspect of my life. It’s taken a while to build up my social life after my divorce and it goes a long way towards my happiness. I think it’s doable if I can just get a grip on other aspects of my finances.
I do get single person discount on council tax thank you for who suggested that.
Think I really need to go through my bank statements as things like lunches I hadn’t even thought about.

Are you buying coffees as well as lunches? Magazines etc? If so you could easily be spending £10-15 a day that you could reduce drastically.

Get a slow cooker and some decent sized Tupperware boxes. Spare 10 mins in the morning to throw food into the slow cooker. You can portion it up and take some to work for lunch on a jacket spud.

Pre-prepare salads to grab in the morning for your lunch, boiled eggs keep well in the fridge.

Sell the clothes on eBay and use the cosmetics that you have already.

Cut down on the NRT.

Batch cook at weekends eg spag bol/chill/curry and box individually. Cheaper and quick dinners could also be omlette and chips/ beans on toast/ pasta/ big bowl of soup and sandwich
I would eat boring and cheaply at home to allow money for keeping up the socialising.

Sorry just saw issues of small freezer- maybe freeze in bags not tubs as easier to fit in .

You haven't mentioned your monthly food spend. Surely you food shop? What food are you buying? And what are you wasting?

Do you eat breakfast before you leave for work?

Also no mention of broadband bills there or tv subscriptions. I have a lot more outgoings such as contact lenses plan, insurances. You haven't mentioned a car or home insurance

Sorry. Just saw the broadband

Could you have a couple of evenings of beans on toast, egg on toast, jacket potato type meals, rather than ‘proper’ meals? I’m sure you know to try and cut down on the meal deals at lunch. Say take your own lunches three times a week? The other thing that jumps out is that you’re drinking wine. Could you change to drinking soft drinks twice a week and wine once a week?

In terms of beauty products I don’t think there is anything miraculous that comes in a pot. Nivea is as good as any. They do an spf 30 that is often half price. Superdrug also do some great budget products.

Start small easy changes like making lunch night before to take with you.

Think easy meals instead ready meals: omelettes, jackets potatoes in microwave, beans on toast, salad, salmon can be panfried with microwave veg, stir fry with noodles

I do have contact lenses which I buy on line and has just reminded me that I can claim back most of that cost through my work health insurance plan. puts in list to check out tomorrow
I don’t currently drive as it doesn’t make financial sense to and I hate driving but I’m going to need to for the job I want.
Home insurance is only £70 a year.
As for food - I don’t eat breakfast. Then I pretty much live off meal deals/ ready meals/ eating out. I like the idea of eating something more substantial at lunch time then just having soup and a sandwich for tea.
Yes the wine isn’t good at all. I could probably switch to soft drinks when socialising with friends but need the Dutch courage for dating. Cider was my drink as a student, maybe I need to find my inner 18 year old as it’s a fraction of the price of wine.
Lots of things to think about

I get ready meals from the M&S reduced counter - is this an option for you. Many freeze well too.

Also, my DP stopped smoking using Champix earlier this year

www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/prescription-medicines#tab-1

Would a taste card or vouchers using your Tesco points make eating out cheaper?

You've got almost a thousand left over each month but are getting into debt.

Just think of it like that. It's crazy. Each payday put 200 into savings. Withdraw yourself the rest weekly in cash and when it's gone, it's gone. You won't want to be buying meal deals then when you can take a sandwich and crisps or a salad for 10% of the cost!