A 13-strong family in Britain has shared their top tips for budgeting well as they feel the stress of the cost of living crisis is having on their household.
Joanne and Tommy O'Rourke, who look after their 11 children aged between two to 19, live in a house with just four bedrooms, the Manchester Evening News reports. The hard-working couple are still trying to stretch their £2,000 monthly income as far as it can go.
However, the cost of living crisis isn't easing up any time soon, as energy bills and weekly food shops double in the last 12 months. The family now spends a whopping £760 a month on shopping.
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This weekly list includes 15 loaves, 42 pints of milk, and a kilo of pasta each week. Energy bills have soared for the O'Rourke's to £800 per quarter, which leaves the family fearing the worst for the winter.
Joanne, 39, said: “We’re putting what we can away.” Forklift driver Tommy, 41, added: “Families need more support.”
Joanne and Tommy have 11 kids in total: Mitchell, 19, Lauren, 17, Joe, 15, son Ryley, 13, Tommy, 12, Regan, 12, Ashlee-Dean, 10, Freddie, eight, Danny, six, Neave, four, and two-year-old Brodie. In order to keep some money in their budget, lights and the television are only allowed on in the evenings.
Joanne, who works as a therapist, has cut her daily loads of washing from four a day, to three. Their meal plan is strict, and days out now include things like camping in the garden.
Now the couple share their "parenting on a budget" tips on social media, bagging 50,000 followers for their troubles. Tips include replacing a £7 per child swimming trip to buying a paddling pool for the garden.
Joanne kept her younger kids busy one afternoon by buying biscuits and icing sugar to decorate, all for £2. Tommy's 12th birthday celebrations involved him recreating his favourite restaurant, Harvester, at home for just £50 - instead of the £150 the night out would have caused.
For son Ashlee-Dean's 12th birthday, the parents bought pizza bases for 66p so Ashlee-Dean and his pals could build their own dinners - saving the cost of a pizza take-out.
The couple pick up cut-price gifts all-year round to avoid a big hit at Christmas. Festive food will be paid for by loose change saved up over the year.
Joanne added: "I know we are in a more fortunate position than some so we want to do what we can to help other families keep ticking over.
“We get a lot of people messaging asking for advice, meals we can share. People message us to say thank you. It’s nice to share and help others.”
You can check out Joanne and Tommy's budgeting tips on their social media accounts here.
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