I'm useless with money.

[OnlyGodKnowsWhy]

As the title states. Since last Christmas I've basically lived pay check to pay check, with a monthly payday loan of £200 that I pay £240 to clear then reborrow each month. Christmas this year is terrifying me.

Long story short, I have four children aged between 7 and 12. I've been a lone parent for 7 years though I have reconciled with DH (not kids dad) 2 months ago. He is currently job hunting.

I work as a manager of a shop, 4 week days, one day and weekends off. Monthly wage is roughly a grand. However we receive £300 of our wage half way through the month, the rest is given on pay day so £700.

Universal credit varies as my hours can vary slightly depending on holiday cover, staff sick etc, so I'd average it out at £900 monthly.

I also receive 61.00 child benefit weekly and £81 child maintenance weekly.

Summary monthly income:

Wage: 1000
UC: 900
CB: 244
CM: 324
Payday loan: 200
Total: 2668

Outgoings:

Rent: 360
Council tax: 75
Payday loan: 240
Mobile (three contracts) 66
Internet: 40
Debt: 50
School dinners: 160
Electric: 120
Gas: 20 a month (will increase to same as electric in winter due to gas heating, single glazing and highlands of Scotland!)
TV licence: 24
Spotify family: 14.99
Netflix: 7.99
Pet insurance: 25
Pocket money: 80
Ejuice/coils: 50
Xbox live: 5.99
Gardener: 40 (big gardens)
Window cleaner: 8.00
Food: I don't know. I'd say 450 a month?
Argos card: 100-150

Total: 1980.

I know this doesn't take into account haircuts, clothes, childcare when needed. Basically I don't really know my income and outgoings because it varies each month.

I need a budgeting for dummies guide, how to work out what's being spent where each month and any other advice. Please!

That really does indicate that either there is something wrong with your meter or there is debt on it???

During the daytime you need to turn everything off bar one or two things and see if it's whizzing around still!

Trying to work out my meter:

Display F: total weekly fixed charge: £1.92

Display H: number of units domestic rate: 18815.28 (is this the one I record?)

Display I: price per unit 14.97pence

Pics of boiler

Another

And more

Every time I try to look at settings on the boiler it starts making noises and telling me gase valves are open. I dislike the boiler immensely. I may just call the council and ask for assistance.

Oh and a million posts later... there is no debt on my meter.

Other possible ways to save money:

All lights (but 1) out by 9pm. Buy the kids cheap torches for reading.

Buy all toiletries and cleaning stuff in Wilko, stock up on items on offer.

Buy most food in Aldi and go to the other supermarkets at closing time for bargains.

ID mobile do good rolling contracts for £5 a month.

Wash clothes less. Everything except underwear or very muddy or sweaty clothes can be worn 3 times.

Instead of pocket money, pay the kids when they help out, £1 a job.

Yes it's H you need to read.

What do you mean it says "gas valve open" is that a warning message @PigletJohn

I have a letter here about replacing my meter with a smart meter which tracks your electricity usage as much as half hourly. I will call my supplier tomorrow and order one I think.

namechanger the batteries in torches are going to be way more expensive than the electric for some lightbulbs, especially now that you can get LED bulbs as cheaply as any torch!

OP your unit price seems high- ebico charge 12.87 per unit and 25p per day standing charge here. So maybe a bit of saving to be made by changing supplier too?

MoneySavingExpert had an article on cheapest pre-payment meter suppliers so please read that. It's just the sheer amount you are using- something is drinking it at a colossal rate!!!

Is your drier ancient, or your oven?

My tumble drier is ancient yes. I got it second hand, it’s probably at least ten years old I’d say. It’s also used daily, sometimes up to three times a day. There just seems to be endless washing between the six of us, clothes, towels, dish towels, bedding once a week, throws and cushion covers. I said to DH id like to clear out the kids clothes so there is just the minimum as I don’t know if it’s normal for a family of six to be doing up to three loads of washing a day.

It really isn't normal IMHO!!

Probably 10 x 9kgs loads per week?

Does bedding really need washing once per week for everyone? If they have own bath towels then probably fortnightly is fine too?

It’s a hot point dryer deluxe 9304. Can’t find date of manufacture but it has to be ancient.

I have a 5.2kg washing machine. It was one given by new start when I was given the council house.

Ok so 2 loads per day pretty normal then. Are you spinning everything on mac and what is that? I have 1400 on mine?

I wash everything on quick wash so 30 min cycle at 40 degrees then put it on an extra spin cycle. 1000 rpm. It’s rated A+ energy efficiency. Then into tumble drier. The tumble drier has a 2.75kg capacity I think. Runs for 120 minutes a cycle.

I haven't RTFT but maybe try an app like Yolt if you do any banking on your phone? It was created by a bank and uses bank level security, it automatically tells you how much you're spending on each category of thing (eg entertainment, food etc) so can be a really good way to work out where those little bits that add up are going.

See e have an A energy tumble drier and it only tumbles until its dry as it has a sensor! You can also set it to different levels of dryness. We select just below "dry" and it feels dry on that!

Anyway you need to find out if it's that first or a faulty meter or something else not working properly. My friend has also got HUGE electric bills on a par with yours and all the companies keep asking if she has a heated swimming pool because it is that astronomical! That's despite her having av5 bed older detached house - they are saying £200 per month is too much.

So when I keep going on about something is wrong I really mean it.

In my experience, setting a budget doesn't help unless I you Keep close track of what you spend against your budgets. I find paper really difficult to use for this so use software called YNAB. You do pay a yearly fee but you get a months free trial with no obligation to buy.

Did you turn the immersion heater off? You need to heat water with gas, not the electric.

In your washing machine manual it will tell you which cycles the cheapest. The smart meter will help with that though.

I only realised the builders had left our immersion on was the smart meter went red every afternoon.

If you switch the power off the water tank & unscrew the square panel I bet the thermostats there & set to over 60c. Ours was 70c when we moved in and the cupboard it was in was so warm you could've grown bananas in there.

700 after all bills paid is good surely? I'm confused.

DEBT CAMEL! fantastic website for anyone that has borrowed repeatedly

Honestly, check it out