To think there’s not much else I can do with this budget.

[Itgetsharder]

My main income is approximately 2600
child benefits 280

So that’s 2860

Rent 1400
Life insurance 84 (which I will be reducing in the new year, I just can’t do it yet)
Internet and phone 52 (again contract is up in Feb, though most deals are similar)
Netflix 15
Disney 11
Bins 23
Apple 20
DS football 25
Electricity 120

Total 1750
Leftover 1110
Amount leftover is to cover food, petrol, other clubs for dc every so often (they are not monthly costs) more like termly and their dad pays half of them too.
I have my DC 50:50 custody but it doesn’t make a huge difference to food costs.
Im not saving a lot and would like to be saving more although I’m getting there.

Theres not much I can cut is there? The dc watch both Disney and Netflix, I watch Netflix and I use Apple Music etc A LOT.

Is there any way you can add to your income? Even small things like surveys?

I can do extra shifts every so often but it’s not guaranteed. And it’s great because I only work two hours at the weekend and I’ll get paid for 8. But they don’t come around every month and there’s always something it needs to go towards…this month it’s car insurance 😂 typical. But it’s a great way of increasing income yes!! I’ll have a look at surveys too, thank you.

Have you posted about this already?

What's £23 a month bins? Council tax after benefits?

I had a similar thread a while ago, just looking for extra ideas is all. ☺️

It my bin collection charge.

council tax after benefits? I don’t understand this sorry?

What’s £23 bins? And what’s Apple? I know you said you use Apple Music but that’s not £20 a month.

Sorry, cross post. You have a bin collection charge? Is this a thing?

Apple, Netflix and Disney seems excessive. How much TV are you watching? I'd just swap every 6 months or so.

That's what I was going to suggest. The kids will quickly adapt to just having one or the other.

Lower the Netflix and Disney as they have cheaper packages.

Apple, Netflix and Disney are luxuries so have to be the first to go if you need to make savings.

I don't understand the bins charge.

Bin collection charge, what bins? Why is it so high? Our garden bin collection charge is £50 per year.

This is why I thought you might be describing your council tax bill as 'bin collection', but this would be around £100 a month, not £23, so wondered if you are in an area that still has council tax benefit instead of Universal Credit.

I suspect OP isn't in UK maybe mentioning bins charge?

My internet is £49 and includes Disney's and Netflix and EE tv and nowtv

@Aposterhasnoname It’s Apple one -so it’s music, tv, arcade (which I don’t use but my dc would play on my phone the odd time) and iCloud storage. It’s the cheapest way instead of doing them separately.

yes it’s a bin charge, no council tax here do it’s a private company that I pay. (In Ireland)

Look up Prolific for online surveys that pay around £10 per hour.

Yeah…I should do this. I do watch quite a bit yeah. I don’t go out much at all really, tv is my entertainment. I might ditch the Disney for a while. But DD loves it so I’m hesitant 😬 which is ridiculous I know 🫣

I’ll have a look and see if I can get any deals like that here…thank you!

Get rid of apple one. Waste of money. Child rarely uses it and music can be downloaded from YouTube (the old-fashioned way 😉)

Noooo the apple is for me 😂😂 it’s my joy! I love music.

I'm in Ireland too. Tesco boost can be used for Disney. I get 3 months free each time I exchange vouchers.

What about 48 for your phone, it's something like 12 euro a month for unlimited internet and phone

Oooh @Wendysfriend thsnk you I’ll look into this with Tesco!

its 52 for my broadband and mobile with eir which I didn’t think was awful but I’ll look around to reduce for sure!

Have you checked your UC eligibility OP?

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=8a42fe7d-b41f-45ab-93af-9b6c3e6f070d

In Ireland yep ☺️