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Try sitting down and looking at all your finances, we have done this we where paying 62 pound a month for tv,broadband and bt phone, we have got a deal with Virgin for all  services for 30 pound a month. Checked our electric and gas bills today and found out we are 595 pound in credit so claimed that back(even though e.o.n didn't want to give it back to us).We have also dropped the weekly indian takeaway,shop at the end of the day looking for the yellow stickers. It feels quite good to strip back the finances a bit like cleansing the soul.

What ever you do don't sell the van try and keep it going,we now use CLS apart from our main holiday.

Keep your chin up we are all here for you when needed.

herald.

Ps I lost all my overtime,bonuses in Decembe 2008 and still the same at the minute we lost about 350 pounds a month+My wife lost her job but you have cut your cloth to suit

Hi fellow fifer,

Know what your going through, hubby been off sick for a while now & money tight,We felt our only choice was to sell the van BIG mistake.Hope on the horizon tho, as doc say,s hubby should be fit 4 work soon.So things are looking up 4 us now & they will 4 u 2.We will  dig our tent out 4 some time away this year (hubby over the moon) He prefers the tent me although i like the tent i prefer the van.Hoping 4 new van 4 next year.Who do you think will win this one???

Hubby Tent ?????? or

The wee wifie fae fifie Van ??

Sorry to hear your news fife-bloke, we're cutting back too as Husband just retired from Navy and finding it difficult to find work. 2 years ago he would have walked straight into a job but not anymore. He's hoping to go offshore and being unemployed is a big shock to him, Job centre not much use, actually did suggest one job.....an iceskating instuctor!!!

Lots of good advice on here about cutting back, seem to be so many of us in the same boat, shocking really.

Remember to take a flask down with you when you're checking your caravan and just pretend you're away. It's what I'll be doing!

Good luck, hope thing don't take too long to pick up again.

Nicky

Start with the tax credits, then mobile phone go for a sim only option with friends and family so you can all call each other for free, home phone and BB can be got from Vodafone for £21.28 plus VAT a month, that includes line rental free 24/7 land line calls and unlimited BB access,

if you have sky change to the free-view option its free.you can always go back once things improve

if you have a car try to keep the tank full and try to fill up at the cheapest place like asda.

There is a potential saving of £130 a month with the above

Really sorry about your work situation. Hope it all gets better soon - glad you've managed to hang on to your van, getting a break is so good for you if you can manage it, even if it's only once in a while/not far away.

When you're truly struggling to make ends meet it's grim & can wear you down. We have only ever had pay as you go on our mobiles & only use them when we really need to. Never buy `ready meals' & sauces  & the like. I don't skimp on the quality of food but make the most of whatever we buy - eg chicken only bought whole - we skin & portion them ourselves as it's much cheaper, & always make soup with the carcass even if I've already roasted it & eaten the flesh. etc etc.

Lots of ways most of us can cut back & still manage to go camping - in saying that,  you can't get `trim back' if you've already pared to the bone... & that is a dreadful situation to be in. All the best to you, sure it will get better.

we sold our van too because of redundancy

same as post above we were finding less time to go away as kids were older but was still very sad to see it go

later on though i can see us getting a trailer tent to get back to camping

good luck though with hanging on to yours

Many commiserations.  We've been very lucky and not been affected by the downturn at all (yet).  But when I gave up work after having babies, a big mortgage and chunky financial commitments meant we had to watch every penny.  But that was when we bought our first trailer tent, then re-mortgaged a small amount for our first cheap caravan - the only way we could keep on getting away.  But I knew I'd be going back to work one day and wouldn't have to worry long term.  So much worse when there's no end in sight.

I agree you must keep the 'van.  It'll give you hope.  You can still get away for a fiver a night some places and you can take food with you and go on great picnics. Walking/playing football costs nothing - you can have a ball for very little and you'll need something look forward to in the days ahead.  Very best of luck - and I do hope you keep the 'van...

Hi there fellow Fifer, Glad to hear you will manage away now, any thoughts on where you will be going? We are hoping to go away for a few days at Easter but we will wait till after Easter Monday. I think we might go to Tarland as we like it there and the woods are good for walking the dogs. Havent been away since the October holiday weekend and it seems ages so hopefully we will get away soon.

I am sure your work situation will improve in time, we are self employed and quite quiet just now but we know things will get a bit better, enjoying the quietness just now because when we get busy we are REALLY busy.

Enjoy your break away.

Quote: Originally posted by Bramble Brown on 12/3/2010

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Hi there fellow Fifer, Glad to hear you will manage away now, any thoughts on where you will be going? We are hoping to go away for a few days at Easter but we will wait till after Easter Monday. I think we might go to Tarland as we like it there and the woods are good for walking the dogs. Havent been away since the October holiday weekend and it seems ages so hopefully we will get away soon.

I am sure your work situation will improve in time, we are self employed and quite quiet just now but we know things will get a bit better, enjoying the quietness just now because when we get busy we are REALLY busy.

Enjoy your break away.

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