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Sporty1977 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 21 August 2011 at 8:21am
I am a Mum to two- DS 20mths and DD 6 wks, I have been an at home Mum. We have just moved house and my DH changed jobs, slight pay decrease a move that should pay off long/medium term. I went through our bills last night - whilst we have $18K in savings and only debt is Mortgage - our bills nearly are our full income...I am soo sick of bills going up. The only luxury is Sky - movies and sport, but we very rarely go out so this is our entertainment. Yes we eat well and I can bring our food bill down, but otherwisee I am stuck. Looks like I may have to go back to wok and pay for two kids in childcare which means Id have to get a great paying job to make it worth while...
Our mortgage is $270K approx so $440/wk, food $200pw, sky $90/mth, other bills rates, petrol, power, water, phone etc i have gone through and yes we can cut food, we dont need sky - but thats our entertainment, we have 2 cars but mine seldomly used, ds goes to one activity per week at $75/term, otherwise we do free stuff, we do have internet at home, but have family overseas so use it for skype plus my dh work - so otherwise what cann we cut back on....so depressing....oh and we are fully insured ie house contents car income health etc
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kebakat View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kebakat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 August 2011 at 8:51am
Have you been through all your bills and done research to see if your getting the best deals? I ended up saving the most around our insurance.

I did this with mine nearly a year ago and saved quite a lot. We also eat very well and our groceries are like $120-150 a week and that's with eating a lot of fresh produce.

There's lots of ways to cut back but it depends if your willing to do it or would rather go back to work
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InthemiddleMummy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote InthemiddleMummy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 August 2011 at 3:48pm
can you lump sum $10k OFf your mortgage and get the payments down lower? have you got them set up weekly automatic payments (or fortnightly depending on DH pay)

have you looked at http://www.workingforfamilies.govt.nz/


have you applied for the $1200 rebate you get when you haev a newborn?

http://www.ird.govt.nz/resources/9/8/982d938045f5f783a3f9bb7747109566/ir271.pdf

$270K is a large mortgage to repay off one income, IS IT FIXED TERM? Maybe talk to bank to look at options like float some and fix some.?? we just lump summed some off ours is now down to $100K and its helped lots also on floating rate at mo which has made a difference as was fixed at 7.5% before that
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snugglebug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 September 2011 at 11:50am
I feel your pain. My DH is making a good salary and got a promotion and payrise recently, but we lost all our working for families so now we are only $10 better off and with the rise in groceries, petrol and power that is eaten up right away. Our income pretty much only covers rent, bills, groceries and whatever the baby needs, with a teeny bit left over for buying a coffee or lunch on the weekend or something. I am now considering going back to work part time, not because I have to but more because it would be nice to make things a teeny bit easier with the rising cost of everything and not have to live so close to the wire despite having a good income on DH's part!

We too have sky but we only have basic sky and we never go out so it's our entertainment. We have one car but a huge petrol bill as DH commutes but his job is worth that.

So frustrating aye. I get so tired of it.
Me 28, DH 29
DS born 20 Nov 2010 (4 years old)
#2 due October 7
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pudgy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pudgy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 September 2011 at 2:15pm
Have you thought about ditching sky and hiring dvds instead ? Our local has a day where you can get weekly movies for $1 and days where new releases are 2 for 1. I used to spend $6 a week for dvds for thw kids and us.

Also it'd be worth looking at selling your car if you don't use it very often. Depending on where you lie and what public transport is like in your area.

Only buy veges/fruit that are in season.

Like Kebekat said, there are loads of ways to save money / cut down f you're willing.


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MamaT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MamaT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 September 2011 at 3:27pm
We cut sky as we found it was something like $70 a month and generally the same shows on again and again. Now we get DVD's out and know we have the money and can sit down and watch when it suits us and not be subjected to the same movie tomorrow, or next week
We don't go out and tv is pretty much our only entertainment, especially in the evenings. DH is a real TV addict and TBH cutig sky was the best thing we ever did

We only buy veges that are in season, or frozen veges as they last longer and are just as tasty

There really are a million ways to cut costs, you just have to be willing to make a few sacrifices
 
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Nothing View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 September 2011 at 6:00pm
This is a really good budget worksheet. Good luck :D

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AngeC View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AngeC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2011 at 2:45pm
Hi, what is the $1200 rebate for having a newborn???

I am a sahm but never heard about this.
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High9 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote High9 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2011 at 3:02pm
I agree with shopping around. Also your internet can you cut it back at all? To a smaller plan I mean. Does food include groceries/other items?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AandCsmum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2011 at 4:36pm
Parental tax credit is around $1200 or there is paid parental leave which is for 14 weeks depending on your prior income.

Both are on the IRD website
Kel


A = 01.02.04   &   C = 16.01.09   &   G = 30.03.12
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High9 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote High9 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2011 at 5:00pm
Pretty much what MamaT said we did too. And as there is only 3 of us we have $130 a week now for groceries - meat, vegies/fruit, toilet paper and whatever else we need and every few weeks we get dishwashing liquid, shampoo, soap and other minor bits and bobs too. But on special, in season and shop around for good deals too. I don't buy the most expensive things either. I don't care about the brand/label.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blossombaby Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2011 at 9:34pm
You can get it if you didn't recieve ppl or a benefit - its paid for 8 weeks of approx $150 a week - you can get it for eight weeks before the baby turns 3months old - it would be paid in wff if you get it outwise at the end of the tax year in your pts.

I can't beleibe you guys that spend around $100 at the supermarket i have tried so hard and just can not get it down - tho most of ours is time - we both work fulltime i'm gone from 7.30am till 5.30pm so don't have alot of time to prepare my own sauces etc. it also alwasy cost me around $50 more if i take hubby
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote High9 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 November 2011 at 2:02pm
Originally posted by blossombaby blossombaby wrote:



I can't beleibe you guys that spend around $100 at the supermarket i have tried so hard and just can not get it down - tho most of ours is time - we both work fulltime i'm gone from 7.30am till 5.30pm so don't have alot of time to prepare my own sauces etc. it also alwasy cost me around $50 more if i take hubby


I don't take DP. He easily adds Money to ur groceries. I do buy one or 2 extras if things are on special but basically I get the cheapest milk in the size I want (unfortunately DD is dairy free so I have 2 buy 2 cartens of rice milk a week too which is about $7), I get the cheapest 18 pack of loo paper x2 a week, I do use cloth but I also use sposies at night and sometimes during the day but again buy the cheapest pack. Wipes - none I use separate face cloths I have set aside. I only buy the fruit and veges I need and in season. I do buy sauce mixes but again I got for the cheaper brands.

I also do meal plans too so I stick to what I need and not what I don't need. We are only a family of 3 but we all eat the same and at the same time and you need to be really disciplined. Sure there are lots of things I want and would love to get but I don't unless there is enough left over after I have all the essientials. Oh and no fizzy either. We want something sweet we have juice mix.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote clover Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 November 2011 at 10:17am
You'll save a lot by paying your insurance annually rather than monthly (you basically pay a whole extra months premium if you pay monthly).

Apart from that your fixed costs are your fixed costs so the only thing that can change is groceries and luxuries.....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote andweknowthis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 March 2012 at 12:34pm
We don't have sky - we paid an extra $20/month to get unlimited broadband and download movies etc instead.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dophy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 March 2012 at 3:54pm
We saved on our sky by our in laws getting an extra decoder on their sky account and we just pay them so we get all movies, sport etc for $25 a month which saves alot :) but dont tell sky that hehe.
Try frozen veges instead of fresh. I find that doing online shopping helps alot and I just pick it up for an extra $3 instead of delivery (unless there is free delivery) and I sort the items i'm looking for by lowest price or specials and find my grocery bill is so much more affordable this weeks bill was $110! and that included lamb (expensive so a treat in our house).
We are really struggling with money at the moment even though I'm working part time too but we've found ways to cut down on spending. We also use cloth nappies part time and use little cloths for wipes so no yucky chemicals either.
Also making your own baby food is a great money saver too and putting containers away in the freezer, jars are so expensive around $2 a jar!
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