How to cut down on bills?

[crazymotorbik...]

Hey,
After our tax credits were cut from 50 quid to 6.50 a week (Apparently i earned to much last yer...21K is not a lot!!!) i've decided its time to start saving some cash......My problem is with already having such a tight budget i'm struggling!!

My GF has applied for lots of jobs but there really is nothing. Grimsby is a dead end town. She gets no benefits as i earn too much (Yer right) Moving isn't an easy option as we have a mortgage.

So i've a few questions you guys and gals maybe able to help me with. Trawling Google has not helped.

Phone Bill
Currently with VM but looking to move to Skype and get a Skype phone. With a number and unlimited calls to landlines it works out as roughly 8 quid a month. Does any one use Skype in place of a landline?

Income Protection Insurance
Is it worth it? They recently increased it from 12 to 22 as well so im considering getting rid of it. My only problem is i work in thr civil aviation industry which is notoriously unstable Currently been there nearly 4 years.

Gas and Electric
Pay 88 a month with Scottish power. Hardly use any gas however i do have a server and HTPC on 24/7/365. Uswitch suggests a saving of 100 a year but im very dubious.

Anyway any useful advice would be helpful.
Cheers,
Shaun.

[-LG-]

With the phone, do you use it alot? Could you get by getting rid and just using a mobile? Cheap phone, and a sim only deal maybe? Might save a bit.
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Snow rider wrote: I'm far to annoying to be near for long periods of time

[crazymotorbik...]

Hey,
Use it a fair bit to ring parents, GF's job interviews etc. We did try just using mobiles but ending spending even more hence why we went to VM
Cheers,
Shaun.

[daemonoid]

[crazymotorbik...]

Hey,
Mortgage and bills cost me 800 a month. Traveling to work costs me roughly 160 a month in petrol. Food shopping for the 3 of us, that's including my lad, costs me 200 a month.

So after all that I'm left with 40 a month. I have to save for my car insurance/tax /MOT which just last month cost me 600 quid. If i hadn't saved i'd have been without a car which is not an option when i have a kid and a job in the sticks.

Cheers,
Shaun.

[panrider_uk]

I decided that Income Protection wasn't worth it for me.
You have a kid so maybe different for you. Does it give you 6 months or a year's salary?

Do you have Sky/Virgin TV? If so look into Freeview/Freesat.

Get fuel from ASDA if you don't already. They're significantly cheaper than anyone else in town (about 4p/l cheaper than Morrisons for diesel).

The server will be using a reasonable amount of leccy. Do you need it 24x7? I replaced my 24x7 pc with a NAS using much less power.

Do you have sufficient insulation? If on Tax Credits I think you'll qualify for a grant to make sure you have a good layer of loft insulation.

Get on uSwitch and get the cheaper gas and leccy.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[willis1337]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

Look at the above site. You may be able to get some sort of reduction out of VM if you're out of contract lock in period, by threatening to leave as you are cutting costs.

Also have your moved your energy supplier / fixed the rate?

Can you remortgage to a better deal? Or maybe sritch to interest only if things are getting really tight.

Maybe question keeping the car (or the bike - but things would have to be really bad to get rid of that!). If you rarely use the car maybe think about borring a friends from time to time or joining a car club (do your maths before though).

When I was hard up I just questioned literally everything I spent, no matter how small, and asked myself, do I really NEED this, can I get it cheaper anywhere or share the cost somehow with someone else. Hope it gets easier for you.

edit: cavity wall insulation AND loft insulation is FREE for all now - look on your local council's website for details.
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[daemonoid]

[piazza]

You earn £21,000 a year and got £50 a week for your a kid. Kudos to you mate...some people earn less and get fuckall. Can you hear the violins.

[GhostRider]

You need to start earning some tax free income, its the only way you can hope to survive in this day and age.

GhostRider
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I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[panrider_uk]

[crazymotorbik...]

Hey,
Don't get me wrong i'm not looking for sympathy just a way to cut my monthly out goings. It would be nice to put money away for holidays etc Currently i end the month with nothing and have neither done nor bought anything either.

@Piazza
We are certainly not getting 50 quid a week child benefit try 80 a month! I work so get naff all. I didn't come on here to argue but just to get some money saving tips

I live in an old Victorian mid terrace (1850) with solid walls and no cavity so insulation is out of the question. The loft is very very very well insulated as i did it myself (What a horrible job that was)

@willis1337
Lots of useful tidbits which i shall look at tonight. Mortgage is up for renegotiation next year.

@Panrideruk
As always very helpful The insurance covers me for a year but i have to prove i'm looking for another job no matter how crappy. So would probably end up getting a factory job on bob all and still be unable to afford to live here.
Don't have TV (Don't even have a license) just L broadband. I have considered a NAS box but can't afford one lol My current server is cobbled together from old PC parts and a couple of 2TB HDD's i bought when i had enough money and HDD's were cheap lol

@daemonoid

Mortgage Halifax £380
House Insurane £46
Mortgage Insurance £23
Income Protection Insurance £22
Council Tax £100
Gas + Electricity £88
Water £48
Sofa £35 (5 year DFS bought when we had money!!)
Broadband and Phone £40
Freezer £20
Credit Card £20
Jamies Savings £10.00 (Saving for my lads future)
Seedbox £10.00 (My one little pleasure. For backups! )

Total 842!!


All round. I shall take it all on board and see what i can do Hoping to get the CG125 on the road after Xmas which will half my fuel bill

Cheers,
Shaun R.

[panrider_uk]

£48 for water!! Get on a meter.

What's the mortgage insurance for?

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[_Will_]

That sucks, one persons (normal) wage just isn't enough to support a family the way it used to.

As you have a mortgage yes the income protection is important.
(If you were renting jobless land can be quite profitable )

Gas and electric seems low already tbh, although I would suggest fixing your tariff before they go up even more!

Take up any free energy efficiency offers!

Phone bill:
As you are with VM are you getting TV & BB with the phone?

It may be time to cut out some luxuries (assumption here so if you haven't got the tv ignore) Freeview has plenty to keep you going.

Although your tax credits have been cut still check to see if you are eligible for council tax discounts.

Can you cut fuel costs by changing to a more economical car, don't know what you drive so this one may be invalid too but I finally takes round my mother to getting a diesel it saves her over £100 a month!

Mobiles, can you go cheaper?
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[panrider_uk]

Just noticed the £40 for BB and phone.

You can definitely do cheaper.
I pay £11 for BB and phone with TalkTalk including all calls.
Add to that £15 for BT's line rental and it's still £14 less than you're paying.

Mark
____________________
Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[piazza]

[crazymotorbik...]

Hey,
Mortgage insurance is through Halifax and pays for my mortgage should i come out of work/ get ill.
Income protection pays me an income of roughly 700 a month into my account and should cover my bills.

Totally agree with the meter. Applying is on my to do list tonight. Even if i go over 48 quid (Which won't happen) i'll still only pay the fixed price. No brainer i suppose

I drive a 1.0l Corsa and drive economically some would say like a Grandad lol. Never been a boy racer and never will be.

As for my mobile i put 5 quid on every 2 months. No contracts.

Cheers,
Shaun

[_Will_]

[panrider_uk]

[Alpha-9]

21k is a good wage, if you can't live off that with a partner halving all bills then you've got too many luxury goods/services. LOL DIDNT READ, STFU ALPHA

Ie. Sky, smart phones on silly contracts, insurance etc.

Your gas + leccy is quite high too, ours was £21 last month in a 3 bedroom semi with the heating on nearly always...next month however may have a different story
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Fzr-600 1999

[crazymotorbik...]

@Piazza
If you actually read that you'd see it says TAX CREDIT not CHILD BENEFIT. The 2 are completely different. Get your facts right before sprouting off.

As for been abusive how very sad.

Cheers,
Shaun.

[Alpha-9]

And as for tax credits and benefits... A girl I work with is my age (22) has a kid and is a single parent in a house with her daughter by herself, she could make £80 more than she does now working by NOT having a job, apparently. But has the job because she wants to be more than a leech in life.

Also, how the hell is a freezer costing you £20 a month?
Buying things on credit, there's your problem.
I got our fridge and freezer for free from a garage as it was gonna be chucked out, plenty of stuff like that available if you look on the net.

certainly wouldn't ever have bought one brand new, on credit

All in all, you have too many nice things. Get shit ugly things and you wont be paying out on them for years to come.
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Fzr-600 1999

[crazymotorbik...]

[_Will_]

[Alpha-9]