Saving Inspirations please

[Guest k8bug79]

Well I thought I could pick your brains. TOday has bought black ice, we are stuck as we can't get off our drive. We have spent our years allowance for oil in ajust a few months, the kids have been off school for a week and we were without food for a few days and now oil until at least next week. We can't get to the bank to pay cheques in so we have some money so all in all I am a bit fed up of the UK at the moment. Both me and hubby are now dead set on striving for Adelaide but the biggest problem for us is Money.

We rent a house and we live pretty much to our budget. We need to save a minimum of £10K really and we have been trying to put anything away we can, sell anything surprlus to requirements. We raised £400 ina few months and were chuffed (slow progress but progress) but Hubby wrote the car off last week, we ran out of oil and our TV licence is due at the end of the month so savings have taken a battering now.

As we don't own we don't have the luxury of selling up and using equity. Hubby is working 45 hours plus a week and I am working part time round 3 young children selling Avon and hubby is valeting and body restoring cars in his spare time.

I'm sure there is no quick fix to save money but I though maybe someone may have some ideas we've not thought of,

 

Over the last week we have searched for the realsitic prices for our lifestyle out there and whilst we won't be loaded we will be in a better situation so we know we want to do this but can see it taking years and years at this rate and then some.

Thanks in advance

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Hi guys just to try and give you a bit of inspiration....we too did not have anything to seel house wise...we saved up Car booted..etc etc....to get our dream...we got here and landed at ADL with around $!2,000 no jobs....no long term rental..no nothing really...we are hjere now coming upto 2 years in April....and hopefully our build on our house should start Feb/Marcn time....

 

If you want it Badly enough it CAN be done....drop me a PM anytime for a chat about anything...we are always on hand to help anyone out as we know just what its like...

 

 

HG

[Guest the4hopes]

Once you are here and one of you working, which shouldn't take long, you will be better off, we spend less on food and don't have to spend money to go out. It's a great way of life here, and happier. So stop worrying and start looking forward to it, you will be fine.

Laura x

[Guest k8bug79]

Hi guys just to try and give you a bit of inspiration....we too did not have anything to seel house wise...we saved up Car booted..etc etc....to get our dream...we got here and landed at ADL with around $!2,000 no jobs....no long term rental..no nothing really...we are hjere now coming upto 2 years in April....and hopefully our build on our house should start Feb/Marcn time....

 

If you want it Badly enough it CAN be done....drop me a PM anytime for a chat about anything...we are always on hand to help anyone out as we know just what its like...

 

 

HG

 

 

Thats incredible thanks. We are going to be doing the same. We will have to . I see posts of people arriving with £40K etc . We will be selling everything buying second hand and freecycling but the upside for us will be we will be able to save a little out there (presuming all my figures are right, only time will tell) Thanks for the offer of contact I may well have to do that

 

The first question I have is what did you do about a car on that sort of budget?

[minty]

what can you do in the uk to save money.

 

Rent a smaller place.

Set a weekly food budget and stick to it.

Sell things you do not need (you tend to get better prices on ebay then at car boots).

Shop around for utility bills.

Get a smaller car (also saves on road tax).

Look for better paid jobs.

Both work full time (have you tried childminding if you have small children).

Dont drink or smoke (if you do that is).

Cut back on luxury bills (sky, mobile phones, lottery, ect).

 

10K sounds a lot (and is a lot) of money but with some little savings i bet if you look hard you could cut back on your monthly budget by £250 per month and thats 3k a year.

 

Good luck.

[Guest k8bug79]

what can you do in the uk to save money.

 

Rent a smaller place.

Set a weekly food budget and stick to it.

Sell things you do not need (you tend to get better prices on ebay then at car boots).

Shop around for utility bills.

Get a smaller car (also saves on road tax).

Look for better paid jobs.

Both work full time (have you tried childminding if you have small children).

Dont drink or smoke (if you do that is).

Cut back on luxury bills (sky, mobile phones, lottery, ect).

 

10K sounds a lot (and is a lot) of money but with some little savings i bet if you look hard you could cut back on your monthly budget by £250 per month and thats 3k a year.

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks all great suggestions but ones we did because we got in financial situation last year. Our car needs to be upgraded becasue we can't fit 5 in it we're worse off by me working full time as we get so much help from child tax credits and housing benefits due toe the kids, that I earn £10 more a week by going full time. Peril of living in an area with a low average wage and high costs for petrol (we do a 40 mile a day school run!!!)

Non smokers and drinkers we never go out becasue we have no babysitters.

We live on £50 a week food for 5 of us most weeks so nothing to save there and we have an incredibly cheap rent. To move to anything smaller would actually be more expensive.

Sorry don't wish to sound negative or t hat I don't appreciate your suggestions. But we really are at the bottom trying anything to get some money together,

Thanks anyway because maybe I could look at them again and see if there is anything else we can save and they are excellent suggestions for someone else who may be able to do that

[Diane]

Don't want to be the voice of doom, but unless you already have permanent visas in your hands, then you're going to find the whole process will cost you a fair amount of money all the way through, and especially if you're not on permanent visas, it will keep costing you even after you get here! If you're unable to save any money and it sounds like you're already living just about as basically as you can do, then it may just be that you'll have to accept that migration isn't going to happen in the near future, if ever.

 

At least in the UK, you can get benefits etc to keep you marginally off the breadline. Adelaide isn't cheap, life here isn't free, and salaries - especially to start with - are not any higher than in the UK, and in many cases lower, and don't forget it might take a while to find a job when you get here. Plus you'd have childcare costs, set-up costs (even stuff like store cupboard staples would have to be completely replaced), new vehicle costs, school costs, flights out here to pay for, rent advances and bonds to find....

 

The grass isn't always greener......

[minty]

Don't want to be the voice of doom, but unless you already have permanent visas in your hands, then you're going to find the whole process will cost you a fair amount of money all the way through, and especially if you're not on permanent visas, it will keep costing you even after you get here! If you're unable to save any money and it sounds like you're already living just about as basically as you can do, then it may just be that you'll have to accept that migration isn't going to happen in the near future, if ever.

 

At least in the UK, you can get benefits etc to keep you marginally off the breadline. Adelaide isn't cheap, life here isn't free, and salaries - especially to start with - are not any higher than in the UK, and in many cases lower, and don't forget it might take a while to find a job when you get here. Plus you'd have childcare costs, set-up costs (even stuff like store cupboard staples would have to be completely replaced), new vehicle costs, school costs, flights out here to pay for, rent advances and bonds to find....

 

The grass isn't always greener......

 

This is all a good point if you do not have your visa you are looking at about 3k to get trade recognition, visa, meds, and police checks and then about 2k in flights.

 

Not trying to make it seem unachivable but maybe a caree change here would go towards a higher wage and a move in the future.

[Guest k8bug79]

This is all a good point if you do not have your visa you are looking at about 3k to get trade recognition, visa, meds, and police checks and then about 2k in flights.

 

Not trying to make it seem unachivable but maybe a caree change here would go towards a higher wage and a move in the future.

 

Sorry just realised I picked your post to quote again, not picking on you personally and what you and Diane say is very true. However my husband is an Australian citizen so we don't have to do any of the visa bits, apart from my spouses visa, which we already have the money for sperately and likewise we have flights money saved. The other advantage is that if it became necessary he could claim benefits there (although we have yet to investigate what this would be as we are hoping not to need to use this option) My husband is a chef with 16 years experience but the reality in this country is that most chefs are barely paid above minimum wage. In Cornwall the chance of any job paying more than £14K is incredibly rare unless you are a Doctor/ lawyer etc.

Believe me the last thing I want to do is pick up our lives on a gamble so the actual living costs have been investigated over and over again and we are a lot better off just based on the fact that Chefs are paid over twice the rate my husband is paid over here. We won't be rich but then we are not rich here lol. But we will be able to save.

[minty]

If it works out better then go for it, what have you got to loose. Its why we are all trying to go for a better life. Good luck.

[Diane]

After I posted up last night I lay in bed for ages trying to think of something constructive to offer (sorry if I was negative!) It sounds like you're spending the absolute minimum already, so I guess what you really need is to find some way of getting some more money in, which can go towards your savings.

 

I used to have a friend in the UK with two small boys who used to do the following - don't know if it would work for you, but I know she made quite good money at it:

 

She used to get up early at weekends and hit three, sometimes four car boot sales. She was looking for baby equipment, mainly mamas and papas pushchairs as she knew they were well made. She would buy these at car boot sales, primarily looking for ones in good technical shape, that maybe weren't all that clean, take them home, clean them up really well, get her husband who was quite good with mechanical things to give them a "service", and then advertise them for re-sale, mainly on the free supermarket noticeboards, at a good mark up from what she'd paid.

 

This worked for her because (a) having small children of her own meant she knew all about baby/child equipment from personal use, (b) she could take the kids with her to the sales, or leave them and her husband in bed, and © the "value-add" was her time and effort - most people selling at boot sales tended to sell stuff "as was", so with a bit of time and elbow grease, she could make the product look much nicer, and therefore worth a lot more.

 

Don't know if this or something similar would work for you - of course, that was in the days before ebay really took off, so that would now be another sales outlet, but if there is something you know a bit about, it might be possible to adapt the idea. If boot sales are still as popular in the UK, and if there are some in your area, might be worth looking at.

 

Another thing I thought of was that sometimes the WI run weekly produce markets, so if you can cook (and to feed your family for that little each week you must be a whiz in the kitchen), you could bake cakes and sell them there, or if you grow your own veg, sell the excess.

 

Dunno if any of that helps, but felt really bad about being negative!

[Guest k8bug79]

After I posted up last night I lay in bed for ages trying to think of something constructive to offer (sorry if I was negative!) It sounds like you're spending the absolute minimum already, so I guess what you really need is to find some way of getting some more money in, which can go towards your savings.

 

I used to have a friend in the UK with two small boys who used to do the following - don't know if it would work for you, but I know she made quite good money at it:

 

She used to get up early at weekends and hit three, sometimes four car boot sales. She was looking for baby equipment, mainly mamas and papas pushchairs as she knew they were well made. She would buy these at car boot sales, primarily looking for ones in good technical shape, that maybe weren't all that clean, take them home, clean them up really well, get her husband who was quite good with mechanical things to give them a "service", and then advertise them for re-sale, mainly on the free supermarket noticeboards, at a good mark up from what she'd paid.

 

This worked for her because (a) having small children of her own meant she knew all about baby/child equipment from personal use, (b) she could take the kids with her to the sales, or leave them and her husband in bed, and © the "value-add" was her time and effort - most people selling at boot sales tended to sell stuff "as was", so with a bit of time and elbow grease, she could make the product look much nicer, and therefore worth a lot more.

 

Don't know if this or something similar would work for you - of course, that was in the days before ebay really took off, so that would now be another sales outlet, but if there is something you know a bit about, it might be possible to adapt the idea. If boot sales are still as popular in the UK, and if there are some in your area, might be worth looking at.

 

Another thing I thought of was that sometimes the WI run weekly produce markets, so if you can cook (and to feed your family for that little each week you must be a whiz in the kitchen), you could bake cakes and sell them there, or if you grow your own veg, sell the excess.

 

Dunno if any of that helps, but felt really bad about being negative!

 

No you weren't negative you were realistic, we know we are doing this on a tught budget. THanks for the ideas as they are great. I like the idea of the carboots, hubby works early on Satuday but has SUnday off, could easily take youngest off on my own and puruse for bargains, I sell lots on ebay so would be worth a try. As it happens I live in a little village where the WI is huge and there are lots of different groups round here and I love to do cakes, its my hobby at the mo so I could def investigate that and as hubby is a chef then between us maybe we can come up with a good idea. I am a usekess gardner lol so that wouldn't be any good. Up til now my husband has been working split shifts but from next week he is getting more days and therefore more evenings off so maybe we could investgate some more options.

Thanks very much thats been a real help

[Guest theknights]

following on from the post from Diane, you can certainly make money from car boot sales. I was making anything from 50 to 100 quid a week from buying kids clothes from car boot sales, names like Monsoon, Zara, Laura Ashley etc I was paying about 50 pence to 1 pound per item and then selling them on ebay for upto a tenner each. Rainbows and Brownie uniforms also sell really well on ebay.

Good luck,

[Guest Chelseadownunder]

Hi Guys,

I am happy to send any PIA member our budget planner spreadsheet.

Just PM me or text me.

Great thread idea guys.

"Its all good" as they say here.

Steve

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Thats incredible thanks. We are going to be doing the same. We will have to . I see posts of people arriving with £40K etc . We will be selling everything buying second hand and freecycling but the upside for us will be we will be able to save a little out there (presuming all my figures are right, only time will tell) Thanks for the offer of contact I may well have to do that

 

The first question I have is what did you do about a car on that sort of budget?

 

We had a friend of a friend who was selling a Ford Laser its over 20yrs old and cost up $900....and it never misses a beat....sure its a bit tattty and knocked about ( thanks to me running into the back of a truck )

 

PM me if you want some more info....We can offer you some advice of what we did and how we got to being where we are know....always willing to help people out to try and achieve their dream

 

 

HG

[Guest nurse sue]

Thanks all great suggestions but ones we did because we got in financial situation last year. Our car needs to be upgraded becasue we can't fit 5 in it we're worse off by me working full time as we get so much help from child tax credits and housing benefits due toe the kids, that I earn £10 more a week by going full time. Peril of living in an area with a low average wage and high costs for petrol (we do a 40 mile a day school run!!!)

Non smokers and drinkers we never go out becasue we have no babysitters.

We live on £50 a week food for 5 of us most weeks so nothing to save there and we have an incredibly cheap rent. To move to anything smaller would actually be more expensive.

Sorry don't wish to sound negative or t hat I don't appreciate your suggestions. But we really are at the bottom trying anything to get some money together,

Thanks anyway because maybe I could look at them again and see if there is anything else we can save and they are excellent suggestions for someone else who may be able to do that

 

hi kate,

gosh, know justhow you feel!! on about 4 occassoins for the last 4 or 5 years we have saved a tidy sum, only for some disaster to strike - the first was my mum having a stroke in jan 2006 - i had to give up work to look after her so that was a years salary gone, then when more was saved, my OH was laid off work ... then both our cars went caput ... 2 cheap second hand cars still eat into savings!! :arghh:

back to square one again for us ... started saving in oct last year, and OH hasnt been back in paid work since mid december

ive just upped my hours to full time and will be doing bank work (im a nurse) when i can just to get some money saved up again ... so your thread is very helpful!!

cheers, and good luck!! if i win the lottery, i will share it with you!

sue x

[Guest k8bug79]

hi kate,

gosh, know justhow you feel!! on about 4 occassoins for the last 4 or 5 years we have saved a tidy sum, only for some disaster to strike - the first was my mum having a stroke in jan 2006 - i had to give up work to look after her so that was a years salary gone, then when more was saved, my OH was laid off work ... then both our cars went caput ... 2 cheap second hand cars still eat into savings!! :arghh:

back to square one again for us ... started saving in oct last year, and OH hasnt been back in paid work since mid december

ive just upped my hours to full time and will be doing bank work (im a nurse) when i can just to get some money saved up again ... so your thread is very helpful!!

cheers, and good luck!! if i win the lottery, i will share it with you!

sue x

 

 

Thanks I'll hold you to it lol. LIkewise in return. I keep trying!! Sorry to hear about your Mum. Fingers crossed to a prosperous 2010 hey!!