Do you manage to pit aside any money at the end of the month?

[nipper]

Hi, I'm just curious as to whether any of you manage to save some money at the end of the month. At the moment I am full but feel as if all my 'earnings' are being spent on food. It doesn't help that I have a constantly hungry 8 yr old son and a fairly hungry 5 yr old daughter who both take packed lunches to school. As soon as they get in they're rooting around the cupboards because they are hungry again. I have to tell them not to eat certain things in front of the childminded children (especially the schoolies) otherwise I'd be out shopping every night replenishing the cupboards.

I would be greatful for any tips as to how you manage the whole food thing (mainly the snack type foods) and whether any of you have been able to keep a little money aside for a 'rainy' day if you know what I mean. I am full by the way (with children, not food) so I really think I should be able to break even and then some. I don't really spend much on new equipment, my main expenditure as I said seems to be the 'consumables' so I think I must be doing something wrong. I have even started shopping at Aldi and Lidl to try and keep my shopping bills down and have recently signed up for Bookers cash and carry.
Thanks!

[clareelizabeth1]

Dont have any advise as my LO is still cooking. But I think it is a problem for all mums as I still remember my mum making me buy three loafs of bread on the way home from school each day. One each for my teenage brothers and one for the rest of the family (4 people). My mum banes them from eating anything but bread as they would if let lose eat through all the crisps and I can even remember them eating tins of tomatoes. Don't think it gets better as they get older though as went out with one a week ago for a lovely meal and he ate his and then half of mine.

[Velleity]

We spend about 200 pounds a month just on fruit. Honestly .. everything I earn goes on food. I have no idea how we'd ever save anything.

[mrs robbie williams]

I only have 2 baby mindees at mo and am not making anything, im not even making enough to pay my monthly direct debits and am going to have to ask dh to transfer some money over to my bank this month :(

[Roseolivia]

I manage to save money mainly for the kids and Christmas but only because my partner pays all bills and my money is for the kids, cleaner, window cleaner etc....

Food wise, i only allow Rose (5yrs) to eat a yoghurt or fruit inbetween meals, it helps that we have tea at 4pm.

[watgem]

I've never managed to put anything back either, most of mine goes on food, school trips, parties my kids get invited too etc, just had a letter from school this morning they need £45 by next weds for school trip i knew nothing about, so thats most of this weeks money gone lol, what with electricity as well-we're on a key meter so seem to pay through the nose though at least i'm not landed with a huge quarterly bill, also all the bills seem to have increased quite a bit this year...but on the plus side I don't have to pay for child care for my own children, just need to stop them eating so much:)

[JCrakers]

Dh's wages pay the mortgage, and all the bills and food. My wages are used for extra such as holidays, clubs for my two kids, clothes etc.
I'm quite lucky that I don't rely on my wages to pay bills but if I didn't work we wouldn't be able to have a holiday or have the extras like cinema,eating out.Sons Germany trip cost £500, dds PGL trip cost £250. Things that we wouldn't be able to pay for if I didn't work.

But my food bill is probably £180+ a week or maybe more, I try not to think about it.:eek:
I know it could be less but I don't have time to shop around for bargains. We have a lidl and Aldo at the bottom of road but I get my main shop from ocado and the top ups from sainsburys.

My mum goes to morrisons, sains, and tesco to get all bargains but she doesnt work so has time to do it.

At the end of the month all money is gone and I don't actually know where it's gone..it just all gets spent, everything is so expensive.

[blue bear]

I only buy snack stuff as a treat so there is never anything like it in the cupboard.
Mine take dinner money so no pack ups. It's toast or bread and butter for snacks.
I always have fruit in but they only get one piece each, always have plenty of carrot sticks, celery and peppers for snacking on too.
Children of a certain age will eat out of Bordem I try to encourage them to wait for meals and supply regular healthy snacks.

[cathtee]

I manage to save, but my children are grown up and buy there own things, :clapping: so its only been the last 5/6 years that i have been able too. My fruit bowl is always full, so the lo's have fruit and a couple of biscuits mid afternoon, no snack after school as tea is at 4.30/4.45 so they wouldn't eat it if the snacked when they came in

[sillysausage]

Here are a few things I would try-
1. Encourage your kids to have a drink when they get home before they start eating. It is quite possible that after a day at school they may be a bit dehydrated and often children mistake being thirsty for being hungry.
2. Rather than having them choosing snacks for themselves get them to choose a piece of fruit and then do them some toast or a jam sandwich (or alternative filling). That should satisfy any 'sweet' craving they have plus fill them enough until teatime.

As far as saving is concerned I have all my childcare voucher money paid into an online savings account. That way I have to draw on it if I need it but can leave it if I don't. I also transfer some into another separate account to take care of any tax bill.
There is no shame in shopping at Aldi and Lidl. I use Aldi for the bulk of my shopping (we haven't got a Lidl) and I find the food is as good if not better than the main supermarkets and definitely a lot cheaper. You just don't have the variety of brands to choose from. My parents recently started doing the bulk of their shopping at Aldi rather than Asda and have saved on average £15 per week!!!!!
If you have a local market the fruit and veg can be much cheaper (though I don't find it lasts as long from my local market). Also try out your local butcher. The meat from my butcher is much better quality than supermarket meat and unless the supermarket has a particularly good offer it is cheaper too. Also the meat is predominantly locally sourced so I know I am supporting local farmers.
The forum on www.moneysavingexpert.co.uk will give you lots of ideas for cutting your budget. Meal planning can be an excellent idea as if you know what you are going to cook you buy accordingly and then you have less wastage.

[kel1983]

We shop online with Tesco. Love the fact I can keep to a budget as I can eaily remove bits from the basket if they are not really needed. I did fill a basket of the same foods from sainsburys and asda but still tesco worked out cheapest. For veg, fruit and salad we visit our local market on a wed and sat. If the weather hasnt been too good we pop to lidl to stock up on veg and salad. Much cheaper than buying from larger supermarket. Can also pick up other cheaper items there too.

If the older children come home from school hungry they re allowed a piece of fruit or a biscuit to keep them going till dinner. But we usually serve dinner at 4.45 as they start getting collected from 5.15.

As for having money left over anything I do have goes into my isa or savings account to pay my tax or to save up to move into my own place.

[funemnx]

I could spend a fortune on snacks for my mindees - as it is the fruit bowl is filled twice a week. I tend to bake a lot of stuff - scones, buns, flapjacks and cookies - they're more filling than shop bought and cheaper!

[The Juggler]

sometimes yes, sometimes no. I send £200 automatically to a savings account each month for my tax. Last year I ended up borrowing back each month as things were so tight.

At the moment things are good so its staying there :)

[Bluebell]

not managing to save anything - just scraping by at the moment. I am hoping things will be better after a busy summer holiday and my youngest starts school in September so I have new ones booked to start. I was doing minding and 2 other jobs. The one that was my main income gave up in April to do minding full time so its been a big loss of income. I have started paying a minimal amount into a pension though. Probably the amount is a bit pointless but if I start now and then maybe increase it later it might be worth something(!) I'm more concerned about the tax bill at the end of my first year minding as my income doesn't seem to go very far!

[Bluebell]

and my 4 yo and 7 yo sound like your 2 - eating ALL the time!!