SUMMARY

Check your current benefit entitlement - Are you getting the right amount
What hidden benefits does your bank account have - get one that benefits you
Discount codes - Sign up for them, you’re buying that item anyway!
Utilities - Do a comparison, go cheap! save ££££
Record your spending habits - cancel your subscriptions
Meal plan - reduce waste, save money
Pay upfront - save more
Free tickets - always check websites and research where you are heading for good deal
Be frugal

As a single mama and a SEN mama, keeping as much money in my household is so important to me. We don’t know what the future holds, it’s very unpredictable. And as a SEN mother, the cost of raising a child with disabilities is higher than a child without. Scope did a research study and it had some alarming results, the average extra costs are £581 a month with 1 in 5 families facing £1000 price differences. You can read the article here:

Life costs more for disabled children and their families | Disability charity Scope UK

So I’ve come up with a few ways to lighten the load.

1) Benefits check - make sure you are receiving the right amount of benefits. This isn’t just for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you are caring for anyone over 16. Disability premiums are paid in tax credit awards, universal credit, housing benefit and for some people on council tax support. Check with your local housing and benefits agency to see if you qualify. There are different premiums, for different awards.

2) Carer’s Allowance - If you, or someone else cares for someone for 35 hours or more a week, receives the middle or higher care component of DLA and earn less that £128 a week then you may be eligible for carer’s allowance. Carer’s allowance is a taxable income, but it also counts towards your National Insurance contributions, which is incredibly important for any pension income you may be eligible in later life. Carer's Allowance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

3) Make your bank work for you - What bank are you with? Have you checked their benefits and rewards system? I get so many rewards with mine. I get a cashback for all my direct debits I’ve made £94 since April, and although it might not seem a lot when there is hundreds going out every month in direct debits, but it did buy some Christmas presents this year! I also have a range of other benefits which include phone insurance (handy if you’re rubbish with phones and have 2 teenagers). Travel insurance for me and the children, discounted travel benefits and good rates on travel money, UK car breakdown cover, a tastecard giving benefits for 2 for 1 dining or 50% off your bill on selected restaurants and cinema discounts. Martin Lewis from Money Saving Expert always has some great tips

Bank Accounts - MoneySavingExpert

4) Use online discounts - This should be a no brainer, however, how many times have you bought something online without checking for a discount? Download apps that do it for you. I use Honey which searches for codes and Quidco that gives you cashback and discounts on their partner brands. Don’t be afraid of a discount code, I can’t remember the last time I bought something full price. The discount codes doesn’t have to be online, if you can get them instore or through other advertisements then do it.

5) Utilities - Are they working for you? Are you on the lowest tariff? Have you done a comparison check? If the answer is no to any of them, then change. Why are you still paying for services that aren’t working for you and your family. Utility services aren’t loyal so you don’t have to be either. Turn your thermostat down, I turned ours down from 30degrees to 20 degrees, it’s now almost December and I’ve not had to switch up the thermostat yet, it works and it will cost me less in the future. Do you know all the benefits you can receive from your utility service? A few are listed below:

6) Understand your spending habits - check your bank statements, where is your money going? Have “no spend days”, days when you do not and can not spend money. Give yourself a challenge, choose a few days a month and stick to them. Become familiar with your spending, are there subscriptions you can save on? Have you signed up on a free 7 day trial and then forgotten about it? Set a reminder. If you want to cancel the free trial, don’t wait until day 7 cancel the trial straight away or the day after when it is fresh in your mind you will still get the 7 days but you won’t be charged if you forget. Do you have too many takeaways or meals out, find the deals. Find days where restaurants have special deals and use those as your meals out instead. Do you spend on your card? Set yourself a spending limit, take physical cash out and be mindful on how much you are spending.

7) Meal plans - The number one way to save money and reduce waste is to make a meal plan and stick to it. Not only is it great for your purse, but for your health too. Make a daily meal plan, write a list of the ingredients that you need for each meal and only buy those ingredients. Work out what you would have for snacks, and measure out your snacks, don’t impulse buy treats. Meal planning will also save food waste, that in turn helps the environment. Check what you have in your cupboards already. I used to go shopping and buy the same things every week, but then I would end up with 5 packs of 1kg pasta what a waste! See if you can already make a meal with the food you already have and then shop for your meals. If, like us you enjoy a takeaway count it into the weekly budget. You don’t have to feel guilty, we have dominoes on a Tuesday because they have a deal. Sometimes we’ll have a chippy tea on a Friday, that is Friday’s meal plan it’s counted in the budget. Choose when you go shopping, don’t just go on a Monday because it’s habit, go when you need to. And once you’ve been try not to go again, if you go on Monday, there might not be a reason other than habit to go on Friday. If it’s not important and you can manage, stick it out. If you are going on a Sunday to set yourself up for the week, make sure you count Sunday in your meal plans for the week, then you will always have extra.

8) Pay up front - When renewing any policy, whether it is an insurance policy or a subscription consider paying the fees up front, there is often a discount for paying the yearly figure. My home contents insurance last year was £72 if paid annually or £89 if paid monthly over the year! So with the prospect of saving £17 I choose to pay upfront. And I really do benefit from that extra £5 a month that I don’t have going out as a direct debit every month. Now, go back to step 5 do a comparison check, use a comparison website and check out the prices of annually and monthly costs you will find that the annual costs are lower. If you can, pay the annual cost and enjoy the financial freedom of less outgoings monthly. You will win overall.

9) Free carers tickets - Always check the websites for concession rates and free carer tickets wherever you go. In most cases you will need evidence of this, such as your benefit letter. But it is worth it, we have saved a fortune in trips out by using the discounted prices. But the best way to enjoy a free day out is to go on local trails, take a flask of hot drinks and a packed lunch and look online at some local nature trails or country parks. It’s free and other than parking charges you will be able to have a day out and better still exercise! If you’re paying for a gym membership and not using it, get rid! Not only are there free nature trails but you can pick some with hills and get that work out in.

10) Live frugally - Buy from charity shops, if the kids want new games to play with why not check out the local charity shop for any toys, games, books and dvds. I needed a small suitcase that would class as hand luggage on flights, I got one from a charity shop for £3. Fix your clothes, rather than throwing them out see if there’s any way you can mend them, even by changing jeans into shorts. If you are purchasing items online, pop it in your basket and don’t check out, if in a couple of days you still want it then buy the item if not delete the basket. Check Facebook or gumtree or freecycle for the item that you need first, maybe there’s a cheaper or better still free one online. Use the discount codes. And follow the previous 9 steps.

I hope this helps!

Georgina x