Spill the beans... on your New Year's MoneySaving resolutions

Former_MSE_Penelope · 3 January 2012 at 12:30PM

Spill the beans... on your New Year's MoneySaving resolutions[IMGRIGHT]http://images.moneysavingexpert.com/images/spillthebeans2.gif[/IMGRIGHT]

We'd like to hear about your 2012 MoneySaving resolutions. Whether it's spending less on takeaways or paying off your credit card bill, please share.

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Prudence · 4 January 2012 at 8:03AM

I am focussing on electricity and transport costs this year. My intention is to walk to the shops, what I can't carry home I don't buy. If I buy less, I need to store less, so off go the spare fridge and freezer. I hope to become better acquainted with my microwave, and eat more salads, thereby cutting down cooking costs. By the end of 2012 I should be healther, wealthier and wiser

Catwoman103 · 4 January 2012 at 10:08AM

I intend to clear my credit cards, only buy what I need. Perhaps do a big shop using the car one week and just buy fresh bits in the local shop whcih I can walk to in between. Have already moved by Telephone and broadband to Sky which will save me £14 per month for 6 months and £7 per month after that. Also, eat the food I have in my two bulging freezers before buying more. Plant more veggies in the garden and water them regularly so they don't die!

natlie · 4 January 2012 at 10:57AM

This year I plan to pay £9800 off my debt by xmas. Get a new job. Spend less - especially xmas and b'days. Get more freebies and enter more comps.

minerva_windsong · 4 January 2012 at 11:26AM

Give up magazines - I've now subscribed to the one I prefer and will still get Stylist (the free women's mag they give out at train stations) because that doesn't cost anything, but that's it now. The money I save will go into my 'rainy day' fund
Give up Graze boxes - they're not really doing anything for me and cost quite a lot of money so I've cancelled them, and will put the money into my ISA.
Save my pay rise - due to the new regulations about pay for temporary workers I'm due to get a pay rise, so will again be putting that into savings as I can afford to live off what I was earning before the pay rise. I'm not entirely certain how much it will work out to yet though.
Stop buying toiletries - I have far too many of them and need to use them up before I buy any more!
Match my winnings on surveys, ie if I win £10 on a survey then I put £10 into my savings.

Hopefully that will get me to a savings total of between £10K and £15K by the end of the year, which would be plenty for the plans my OH and I have for the coming years...

kcole · 4 January 2012 at 2:28PM

One of my News Resolutiions is not to buy ANY clothes this year unless it is something I have made. I know I have more than enough and must made due!

PipneyJane · 4 January 2012 at 2:58PM

I posted this list originally on the Old Style forum thread, but here's my New Year's Resolutions:

To really work at having a decent veggie garden this year. I'd like to be able to feed us from it for days/weeks at a time.
To use things up. I have a stockpile of "stuff": make-up, fabric, cross stitch stuff, wool, even cooking ingredients. As someone I know once said, "There's no point in saving things just in case the Queen drops in. Use it and enjoy it".
To only buy yarn from a) charity shops or b) if it is less than £3/ball. Oh, and the yarn budget for 2012 will be £60 for the year. I am a knitter and have a huge stash. I've tried going "cold sheep" and not buying yarn and all that happens is that I'll be good for months and then go mad.
4. To finish paying off the credit card debt, currently standing at £6,000. This will be harder than I originally thought because DH's job was terminated just before Christmas, so we're back down to one income.
5. To be tidy. I have the messy gene - I can put a pen on an empty table and it'll look like a bomb hit it in 2 minutes flat. I can't do neat but I can do tidy.
To be more organised. No more forgetting things or procrastinating and putting off things that need to be done.
To buy less than 12 items of clothing in 2012 (underwear, socks and stockings exempted). Ideally, I'd like to buy them from charity shops - I've had really good luck recently and scored 3 brand new suits for less than £10 each. (I have far too many clothes anyway, so need to wear some stuff until it wears out.)
To lose another stone in weight. In 2012, I lost a stone. I still have one to go. I want to lose the spare tyre that has settled on my midriff.
The nebulous fitness goal: to strengthen my body by working out/lifting weights three times a week. I already own the equipment, several fitness DVDs and several weightlifting books.
The not-so-nebulous fitness goal: to be able to run 5k/3 miles without stopping, and to achieve this before my birthday in August.
To knit another 6 pairs of socks and 6 jumpers/cardigans in 2012. And to make them from stash yarns.

mfmaybe · 4 January 2012 at 3:26PM

In general terms, this is the year I am going to stop behaving like a teenager with their first pay check, and actually plan how much money I have to spend, and what I need to spend it on. I earn a very good wage, as does my OH, and we have a nice life, but are very disorganised. So more specifically I am going to

- pay off my overdraft. It was sheer laziness that ran it up, nothing I can’t take care of
- still use my BA Miles credit card for all normal spending, still pay it off each month; but the difference is I will set the money aside each time I use it (eg, filling the car up, I will transfer the money out of my current account to my separate bills account). This avoids the scary shock when the bill comes in each month
- Sealed pot challenge to pay for Christmas.
- I have set a savings target to pay for our wedding and honeymoon at the end of the year
- Only allow myself to buy a coffee if I brought my own lunch in to work.
- Try to car share once a week – my fuel costs are scary.
- Check my bank account every day.
:A

cleggie · 4 January 2012 at 3:29PM

My main aim in 2012 is to only use my car when i need to. I am awful for just popping to the supermarket (which is less than a 10 min walk away) in the car to get a loaf of bread/some milk. As well as using less money in petrol, it will also help me shift some of the weight i put on over Christmas!

Football_Widow_2 · 4 January 2012 at 3:38PM

Here are the New Year Resolutions that I would like to try and acheive.

1. To walk the dog every day - exercise for both of us!
2. To walk rather than using the car - we spent £1500 on petrol in the last 14 months - we'll try and walk home from school each day weather permitting. Also DH will fill up in the city when he goes to football as it is cheaper per litre.
3. To continue saving energy - this would involve analysing our usage a bit more (no more dinners waiting in the oven for hubby after football!) I should also look at how I use the TD so will review usage.
4. Keep a spending diary and only buy what we really need. We already use a weekly shopping list and use a card that gives us money back.
5. Just recently started making things in felt, so possible may do some craft fairs to sell them at to try and make some money for Christmas.
6. Saving 10p and 20p - and continue saving throughout the year for Birthdays and Christmas.

Simple ideas which I hope will help us cut the costs.

FW x

patricia_elizabeth · 4 January 2012 at 5:30PM

I always make up a flask if I know I'm going to be out for a long time,a coffee in a cafe is about £2 so just one trip out a week will save £100 a year I even manage to fit one into my bag

Spill the beans... on your New Year's MoneySaving resolutions

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