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Original poster

Urgh just doing my budget and it's crappy crap crap

120 replies

nutcracker · 08/01/2007 19:20

I am trying to organise myself and my finances so that I do not keep running out of money or food all of the time and have to go borrowing off my mum.

Ok, monthly incomings are £831.48

Monthly outgoings are £821.48 and I didn't include clothes in the outgoings, so thats £10 a month to keep 1 adult and 3 kids in clothes and shoes.

Have budgeted for £20 a week for a driving lesson (haven't started yet), but at this rate i'm gonna have to forget that.

Have budgetted £60 a week for food, if I could get it down to £40 that would be great, but is highly doubtful I think.

I do have quite a bit of debt but at the mo I cannot reduce any of the payments.

I need a job.

OP posts:
Original poster
nutcracker · 08/01/2007 21:03

Thanks Popsy, but I should have said, I am on Orange.

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Ladymuck · 08/01/2007 21:09

I guess that the issue I see with the driving lessons is how you afford to drive once you pass? Insurance alone for a new drivier can be expensive, let alone getting a car, taxing, putting petrol and maintaining it.

Don't feel got at - people are just trying to help! I've had some of my best life changes from people criticising me!

My dc's have school dinners, and they don't get another main meal - beans on toast is fairly nutritious!

Original poster
nutcracker · 08/01/2007 21:17

Lessons will cost me £80 a month. Have already checked out how much insurance would be on my brothers car as thats what i'd have hopefully as he is changing it. Cheapest I got was £60 a month, tax would be about £10 a month and then I know there would be petrol too but all in all there isn't much difference in it.

At the moment it costs me £5.50 to get me and all 3 kids into town on the bus. I have to do that at least once a week, and in holidays it can be up to 3 times.
We are really limited with where we can go as my mum doesn;'t drive either.

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Ladymuck · 08/01/2007 21:24

I guess that is what would worry me - your £80 covers the insurance but you don't have enough for maintenance, so the minute you need a new tyre/battery you'd be stuck. But if you're going to be saving elsewhere on the list, then it might make sense. But I don't see bus fares or travel on your list?

Original poster
nutcracker · 08/01/2007 21:27

Yeah thats cos i forgot to put them on so infact I am over my incomings.

My dad is a mechanic so I wouldn't have to pay for servicing or anything and if it needed parts he gets them as cheap as poss.

Driving would also improve my chance of finding a job I think.

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beckybrastraps · 08/01/2007 21:28

Are you serious about the job? Are you looking, or is it not a possibility?

Hope that's not a daft question - I don't know what your circumstances are.

Original poster
nutcracker · 08/01/2007 21:32

Yep I am looking, although tbh I don't really want one yet as Ds doesn't start school until Sept, and the nursery he attends for 2 days a week is full, so if i got a job he'd have to move nurseries which I don't really want to do , but no choice really.

I check job centre plus site every day, local hospital site and local council site, aswell as peering in shop windows.

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beckybrastraps · 08/01/2007 21:36

I hope you find something that works for you. If you found part time work, would you be better off, or would it come off the benefits?

Original poster
nutcracker · 08/01/2007 21:37

I don't know becky tbh. I think I would be better off but only slightly, say an extra £20 a month or something.

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expatinscotland · 08/01/2007 22:26

Budgets suck.

They're like diets to me.

I've never done either one in my life.

fireflyfairy2 · 08/01/2007 22:45

OOh Miaous site is great! I just joined

Original poster
nutcracker · 08/01/2007 22:47

TBH expat, I wish I hadn't, was happier with my head firmly in the sand.

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LurkerNoMore · 08/01/2007 23:08

Hi has anyone seen this website www.moneysavingexpert.com/ it's got a newsletter with loads of great money saving ideas.

This is my first ever post - can I get a round of applause????

brandy7 · 08/01/2007 23:24

hi nutty, £40 a month is totally reasonable to save for the kids birthdays/xmas's thats only £480 a year, not a lot really for 3 x birthdays/xmas thats only £160 per child . felt i had to put that in writing as i think other posters thinks that initally it sounds a lot

could you go to citizens advice about your debts. they were brilliant with me and wrote to the debtors and agreed to £5 a month for each one and froze the interest. i know il probably be paying it off when im a pensioner but at least it means im out of that "borrow more money to live on" cycle

Surfermum · 08/01/2007 23:42

Get stuck in!!!

CocoLoco · 08/01/2007 23:56

It's not that £40 a month is an unreasonable amount to save for birthdays and Christmas as such, but it is discretionary spending that could be cut back on, and if her creditors were getting reduced payments they would expect her to have lowered her outgoings to a basic level.

Nutcracker, do you do online surveys, or sites like pigsback.com where you can earn gift vouchers? You could save those for Christmas spending. Just an idea.

Another round of applause for LurkerNoMore - moneysavingexpert.com is a great site.

S88AHG · 09/01/2007 09:52

If you want an O2 sim card email me and I will post one to you petergustafson at btinternet dot com £15 credit gives 1000 texts and some talk too.

virgo · 09/01/2007 10:08

Nutcracker - I'm new to this thread - are you on your own with your dc's - it must be v difficult on £831 incoming

charliecat · 09/01/2007 10:27

Ok, ive just added up your costs and its 483 without Driving Lessons.
200 a month on food would be 683, with Driving it would be 763...

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/01/2007 10:35

Yep I am on my own with the kids.

I knew I would regret posting this thread.

Thankyou brandy7 for pointing out that actually £480 a year is not alot for xmas and birthday pressies for 3, kids, family and xmas food.

Yep I have debts, is that my kids fault no so why should they go without on their birthdays and xmas when they go without all bloody year ??

We don't have holidays, very rarely go on days out, don't get new clothes unless really needed and then they are 2nd hand, and they don't have new toys and things except for their birthdays and xmas.

Their birthdays are 11/11, 06/12 and 12/12 so alot of exspense in a short space of time and that was why I decided that this year I would be prepared for it and not have to try and find the money at the last moment.

£50 each for their birthday and £50 each for xmas is not alot IMO and then leaves me with £180 to buy xmas food, family presents and get extra gas and electric.

I'm sure some of you would rather I said 'stuff the presents' and paid the £480 towards my debt though.

I posted this thread for advice, not to be jumped on about presents and driving lessons.

Seems to me that on MN, if you have some debts or are on a low income then you are just not allowed to do or buy anything other than pay bills and buy food.

Thanks to everyone who did give advice, I am very grateful. Oh and welcome and huge round of appluase to Lurkernomore

OP posts:
saltire · 09/01/2007 10:40

You are right, it's not their fault (or yours) that there are debts to pay. None of us know your circumstances,but i don't think putting £40 a week away for presents for them is unreasonable.
Someone suggested asking a friend if they could take you to a supermakret to stock up more, instead of going to perhaps more limited shops. Even if you offered them a few pounds for petrol it would surely be cheaper in the long run.

JARM · 09/01/2007 10:43

Nutty, Im on your side here.

We too are struggling. We have very little disposable left once debts and bills are paid.

Stupidly, we went with a debt management company, so silly as it sounds, they are taking a cut of my monthly payment for sorting it all out, but it means I no longer get letters or phonecalls threatening all sorts of horrible things, and despite having £26k of debt (most of it DH's from before we got married) in July 2004, we are now standing at about £10k plus interest - although most of the interest has been stopped or suspended.

Its not a nice way to live, literally hand to mouth, but its what is needed to get by.

We are currently saving £30 a month towards christmas, and although I would love for it to be more, come christmas, £360 is going to be well needed.

We are even considering selling the car in March to enable us to rent a house in Ipswich. What I would get for the car would be the deposit, so its a case of car vs house!

I budget every month, I need to, with the help of a spreadsheet on the computer totalling what is going in and out and when and so i can see how much i have per week to spend on food etc.

With regards to clothes - same here, very few new things.

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/01/2007 10:43

Saltire, I don't have any friends I can ask.

1 person offered to take me once a week when i first split with xp. I asked her twice and she said she was too busy.

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Original poster
nutcracker · 09/01/2007 10:51

I have considered doing that too JARM, but just not sure wether it would work, or if i'd be better off or what, and I also feel like I am then taking the easy way out which sounds stupid, but the debts are mine and I do feel I should pay them.

Seeing as I have been jumped on anyway, I might aswell post the debts.

Barclays - £6000 - Currently paying £40 a month, but that is a 1 yr temp arrangement and will go back up to £90 a month in Dec.

Provident (yes i know) balance is currently £1346 so £72 a month and doesn't finnish until June 08.

Cooker - £300 so £30 a month - Only just brought it and I did need it. The balance is on a 0% credit card of my mums to be paid off over the year.

Next CCJ - £10 a month, think balance is about £230.

Thats it i think, other than the water, which I included in normal water payment amount. Am paying £70 a month to clear a debt of over £600. Balance at the mo is £350 ish but obviously I use water too so am paying for both debt and usage.

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Original poster
nutcracker · 09/01/2007 10:52

I only borrowed £1000 off Provident by the way, the rest is interest.

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