Could do with some help

[Tally]

I need some help, and I don't know who I can ask.

 

I'm not really coping with everything at the moment. It's hard to explain.

 

When I lived with my parents all I had to deal with was wages, and my bank account, and keeping enough petrol in my car.

 

When I moved out, I rented a room in someone's house, so I had to pay rent, but that rent covered the bills and stuff, and I had to buy my own food.

 

Now I live in my own house with my husband, I have to pay mortgage, insurance, electricity, gas, council tax, water, food, everything. I get very confused. I've been charged some late payment fees on my bank account because I didn't pay something that I thought they took the money straight out of my account, and I keep getting sent reminders for all the bills, and I don't remember getting the bills (once might be the company's mistake, but it does happen a lot, from lots of different companies, so itmust be me).

 

Does anyone know if there is someone who could spend maybe half an hour with me every week, to go through my mail, sort out what needs to be kept, what is rubbish, help me write cheques and get them ready to send, that kind of thing? If someone could just help me to write a list even, it would be a massive help. I'm getting in a complete mess, and I just need a little bit of help to keep on top of things.

 

My parents live too far away to help, and my husband can't do it as he works really long hours and is severely depressed at the moment.

[Tally]

Sorry, I've just realised I posted this in the wrong folder. I meant to put it in the Help and Advice folder. I'm sorry about this.

[lindy-lou]

tally how about getting a big wall planner and you and your husband could go through everything and write down exactly what you have coming in and when things need to come out of the bank,i need to do this myself as i have a very disorganised mind,you could also get a diary and write reminders in it and refer to it everyday to make sure you have done what needs to be done.

[OPooh]

Are you in the UK? Am sure you may qualify for home start to come out and help you with it if it's getting you down. I've never used them so don't quote me on it - but might be worth looking into.

 

<'>

[Lynden]

I'd suggest setting up all your bills so they come off your account by direct debit. Ours all do and its so much easier as you dont have to worry about forgetting to pay things. I think the only bill we have that isn't direct debit is the one for our oil heating and its only 2-3 times a year.

 

Lynne

[Bullet]

Direct debit for the bills is a good idea, because then you can budget more easily. At the start of the month, when you get your pay packets in, sit down and work out the following.

You need to pay: Your mortgage

Your house insurance

Your utlity bills (gas, water, electricity)

Your car expenses (if you have one) or other travel expenses.

Your food expenses. Start off with the very basic home made three meals a day budget, using lots of budget recipes, then allow yourself a little extra for luxuries.

On some months you will also have to buy things like new shoes, clothes, or birthday presents.

 

 

These are all the things you actually need to keep a roof over your head and the basic provisions in. If you have a tv, yes, you'll have your license to pay but a tv is not essential so if you were really hard pressed for cash you could always get rid of your tv.

 

So work out what you HAVE to pay and deduct it from your pay packets and any other money you have coming in. With the remainder, put some into a savings account for emergencies. Doesn't have to be a lot, just what you feel comfortable with. The remainder of your spare cash you can do with as you want.

Edited January 27, 2006 by Bullet

[UltraMum]

You could contact the citizen's advice bureau to see if they can help. There is also a good book called "The Money Secret" about managing finances

[Tally]

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

At the moment there is no spare cash. After the bills, there is ?30 a week for food for 2 people. I work in a supermarket, so I get 1st pickings on the reductions, so this does go further than you might think.

[Bullet]

Oops sorry, I forgot to add any credit cards or loans you have must come out of your things to pay each month.

If you want to cut your spending down, there's several things you can do, so check you're doing them.

Firstly, go to www.uswitch.com and look at the different utility companies. Find out whether you're paying the cheapest and if not switch to a company that is. Bear in mind as well that with a lot of the companies if you pay by direct debit you get a rebate at the end of the year, so take this into account.

Secondly, do you have any credit cards? If so, transfer them to a 0 % interest rate card. Now, place them in a bowl of water and stick the water and cards and bowl in the freezer. You should only thaw them out when you really need them. Or, if you're really brave do what I did and cut them up

Do a meal planner each week and do things like casseroles, pasta dishes, shepherd's pie, curry and fish pie which can all be made very cheaply. Use lentils and beans in place of meat on some of the days and when you do use meat buy a whole joint or chicken rather than separate bits. That way you can make several meals more cheaply and the carcass can be used for soup. Tinned tomatoes are a godsend if you're not allergic to them.

Don't bother with cleaning products. Some lemon juice and vinegar and hot water cleans up most stuff and for stubborn stains add some bicarbonate of soda.

Edited January 28, 2006 by Bullet

[kirstie]

You've had some great advice there.

I was going to suggest paying your bills by direct debit too. I do and i am not in trouble. without it i would've been a mess with my money.

Some times if you pay Gas and Electricity with the same company by direct debit you can get a reduction for having the two services.

I remember my Mum used to make us savory mince (like shepards pie) and add baked beans to it and tell us it was what the cowboys ate!! we loved it and it meant the tea stretched a bit further! Pasta is also a good one, i do what i call a pasta bung-in. Its basically cooked pasta, tinned tomatoes, bit of garlic, mixed herbs and onion sweetcorn some tuna and whatever else you fancy grated cheese is good too. I'm making myself hungry now.

I hope you can get your finances sorted out because i know it can just mount up and you end up in a tizz!

[Kathryn]

In order for Tally to get as many replies to this as possible, I'm going to move this topic to the Help and Advice forum. I hope that's OK with you Tally.

 

Kathryn

[reuby2]

Hiya,

When we got married we decided to set up 3 different accounts. 1 for bills, 1 for the car and petrol and the other one for household, food, going out etc.We have never got into trouble because we only use the accounts for their set purpose.

Before this, all the money was paid into one account and I just didn't know where I was.

 

All the bills are set up for Direct Debit and this really helps.

 

Hope you find everyones posts useful

Fiona <'>

[lil_me]

A friend of mine has just been to see her local Citizens Advice bureau, they were extremely helpful. It was called a debt counselling service but she isn't in debt, it is so she doesn't get into debt.

[Guest flutter]

i put all the bills on a clipbaord and go over it every weekend

i also use a white board, to write messages to myself

would not do any harm to go to citizen advice, and they maybe able to help set u up with support

good luck

C xx

[invent 10 things b4 breakfast]

We also do what "reuby2" does and that is to have a seperate account for just the bills which go out by direct debit each month. I work out what they are on a spreadsheet and make fine tweeks if necessary and then put that much in the account and leave it until the following month and do it again, less stressful than worrying if you've overspent and things are going to bounce.