Frugal babes - how do you make ends meet??

[MrsMiniver]

I take home around £1,000 and live in a lovely house with no mortgage (so I know how lucky I am). Don't get any child maintenance from ex, DD is 11 and growing so fast her shoes only seem to last her 5 minutes. Her dad gives her his time but doesn't buy her ANYTHING - unless it's from a charity shop! He refuses to contribute because I get the child benefit and tax credits. Having said that he has to budget very carefully himself but it does make me cross. It was part of the reason we got divorced, moths used to fly out his wallet when he opened it :(

Don't go out much, don't buy clothes for myself very often, but I'm eating into my paltry savings regularly to just make ends meet so know I'm living beyond my means. Does anyone manage on this sort of income and how do you do it? Or am I just crap with money?

Oh! And stop going shopping.

make your own washing powder?

Heh, it only takes 5 minutes to make up 6 months worth (simply mix in a 1:1:1 borax, grated soap, soda crystals, and add 2tbsp to drawer) and it costs less than a penny a load, so it's worth it to me. Also my DP is allergic to everything on the planet and it's just easier to make my own cleaning products than deal with the flareups.

I realise this is not for everybody!