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Tightening belts in January- advice required!
silentNate
Posts: 84,079 Forum Member
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So it is coming up to the festive period and then NYE. I'm getting rather concerned about my cash-flow as we get paid early in December then it's a long wait for January's pay. Need to take some serious austerity measures. :eek: 
I'm thinking of...
-not paying council tax and then waiting for the final bill
-giving up newspapers
-more beans on toast as a main meal
-cutting out all alcomahol
Any advice on cutting bills and expenditure from the DS massive?
I'm thinking of...
-not paying council tax and then waiting for the final bill
-giving up newspapers
-more beans on toast as a main meal
-cutting out all alcomahol
Any advice on cutting bills and expenditure from the DS massive?
0
Comments
I really don't think my credit rating is a worry at this stage
One tip would be is when you get paid at the end of November is too try and pay double of the most important things like rent.
Failing this as I have done so..
.....
Go and buy a montly shop of all the real basics you need to make sure you to eat.
Loads of pasta, tin tomoatoes, tuna etc.
You could get all of this around for a minium price of 60 quid.
If you smoke get some tobaco in from someone that will sell it in the pub ( duty free ) stock up on the basics, if you use public transport, try and buy a monthly ticket failing this, and if you´re as bad with money as me, give it someone who is good with money.
I have had some really bad Dec / jans and at times not even had the money to get to work, running out of money from around the 5th JAN, having to get the help of friends whom have been on benifits to help me out. and I have to use my Holidays to cover the embarrsement about not getting to work
Try and not borrow to much money until the end of Jan, as you will be in a Cycle that at times takes until April to come out of.
Its horrible as apart from worry at times where your next meal is coming from is also very depressing and embarrasing to be in such a situation.
Bottom Line pay as much as you can out of the way as soon as possible, get the basics in, then just blow what you have left. Enjoy your new year / xmas to the MAX..
The monthly shop is good suggestion.
Already got a monthly travel pass, would be way too expensive to travel to work otherwise
I think the last payment on mine is due on the 10th of January, so if i left it, i'd arguably only have to pay about £15 quid at the end of the month.
=less time to go out so less expenditure.
=more money in Jan pay.
boring, but it works for me.
My best tip would be to make sure you have enough money on you for eg travel/lunch, then leave your bank card at home. People did use to cope day-to-day with the cash they had in their pockets
Could you maybe manage some bar work in the evening, even once or twice a week?
If you lived near me I could offer you some extra work
The bit highlighted is a good suggestion. Already doing loads of hours in my job so part-time work isn't really an option but thanks anyway
My local pie shop gives away unwanted food to pig farmers, so get in there before they do that!
If you have a pet, butchers and fishmongers often have fresh "waste" that they are happy to give away to pet owners, and the pets will demolish it!
If you can do this, and you have a freezer, bulk-buy the giveaway stuff and freeze it for later. The quality of the food is just as good at 7.30pm as it was at 11.30am, after all they are kept (supposedly) under ideal conditions.
One way to save on heating bills/papers is to spend an afternoon in your local library, reading all the papers and mags and keeping warm.
If you go to work and rely on vending machines for drinks, etc, take a flask of coffee instead, made at home. It tastes better and is cheaper than vending/cafe coffee. Take your own packed lunch and snacks as well.
Cars cost more to run the first two miles than the rest of the journey per mile. If you travel to work by car over a distance of 1 - 3 miles, it may be cheaper by public transport, especially with monthly tickets.
Just leave enough credit (on PAYG) in your mobile for emergencies, say £1. That stops you making impulse calls to your mates and saves dosh.
These little things add up over a month or so!
By the time they get a threatening letter together I will have been paid, my council is run by wet wiberals not the Gestapo
Ah, ok Didn't realize it wasn't countrywide
I think it's February and March here
My tip is rather than buy lots of processed foods, go to the market and get plenty of big potatoes (with dirt on). they do them for £1 a bowl on our local market. Nothing better than a good English spud well scrubbed and baked in it's jacket for warming comfort food. Scoop out middle and mix with butter or whatever you use, put back into jackets and cook for about 15 mins on 6 til the top is golden and crisp. Add your beans, pizza, sausages or whatever you fancy and it's a hearty meal. You can also add cheese and a bit of onion relish to the twice baked potato, in fact whatever you like. We love this with a tin of Heinz tom soup as a starter and a bread roll (I get those par baked ones on offer or a big pack of supermarket rolls and freeze).
We do this on the run up to Christmas and again in Jan. I'm hungry already!
What else you have suggested is okay but I do advise going to your local market on a late Saturday as most stall holders will be selling off fruit and veg. Veg cooking will also be cheaper than meat cooking, make up large amounts and freeze what you can if you have a freezer. Do you have an spare room in your garden to plant veg and grown them yourself. I do all of these things and have saved loads on my shopping bill. Sounds like a contradiction but going to the butcher for cheaper and larger cuts of meat and putting them into a slow cooker helps save pennies as the slow cooker is less to run than the oven over a long period of time and any joint cooks really well. Avoiding a supermarket will save loads as you are less open to temptation if you go only to the shops you want. I estimated that I saved £40 a month in giving up supermarkets, growing my own, using the butcher and buying household things from a cooperative wholesaler.
Can you cut down TV channels if you have digital tv? Smoking - a pointless and costly habit can go. What about mobile phones - can you go totally mobile and not have a landline or vice versa, or pay as you go?
Try www.frugal.org.uk/
But please do pay that council tax bill. If anything it costs other tax payers money as the council chase you for money.
If you are set on not paying your Council Tax ring the council & ask tell them you will be paying it a few days late.
They should put your account on hold until the date you say you will pay.
plus the £250+ court and baliff fees
In what world would that happen then ?
If i missed the final payment, i'd get a reminder a short time afterwards and i'd go and pay it. job done.
they don't automatically take you to court on the back of a single missed payment at the end of the billing period.
But losing £15 in admin fees? That's a takeaway curry; enough beer to be merry; decent stash of chocolate; a night at the cinema...