HELP! Have cut back all I can but am still over-spending!

1235751

Comments

  • "Soft drinks in pubs are where the pub makes their money. The good news is that you can make your own ginger beer - google it for a recipe. If you buy one large flask, you'll find hot drinks when you are out a lot cheaper - whether it's soup, hot chocolate with marshmallows (excellent suggestion!), coffee or whatever."

    Great ideas - thank you!

    I don't really have this sense of entitlement though. We don't have cable TV. We don't go out as a couple. Restaurants are for special birthdays. No weekends away. No theme parks. No expensive take-aways or ready meals.

    We buy a supermarket curry every Sunday. It costs around £7.

    We buy drinks out at the weekend and our time together as a couple consists of a DVD and a nice bottle of wine or 2.

    That's it. I didn't think that was overindulging. I really didn't.
    "Funny how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse, it does." - Marvin (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy)

    DON'T PANIC
  • dolly84
    dolly84 Posts: 5,851
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    Forumite
    Hello and well done for coming on here and asking for help.

    My first piece of advice is to go and see your Dad, if you don't you may regret that decision.

    I made big changes to our spending habits (family of four and a dog) in December and it just takes a bit of time to adjust and settle into a new way of thinking. I don't spend anywhere near what you do but don't think we are doing without so you can do it too.

    I also suggest you separate your present, stationery etc budget from your grocery budget, you may buy them in the same place but keep the amounts separate. You really need a notebook or some spreadsheets to do this.

    Could you do the pub thing with family every other week (also why are you paying for all the drinks or am I misunderstanding this) then maybe take turns in suggesting something inexpensive to do on the other weeks?

    My husband is out on the road too and had a habit of popping into the shop for £3 worth of nowt. He always took a packed lunch and still does, he takes a massive flask of coffee, homemade scones and muffins and a book to read at lunchtime (library books) usually ones I recommend and he is happy with that, he still buys the odd paper and chocolate bar but not everyday.

    Alcohol - you have had a bit of grief over this and I would never say you can't afford to drink because you can. Our alcohol budget for drinking at home is £5 each per week, that is one bottle of wine and beer for DH, we stock up on beer when on offer but he still drinks it at the same rate as normal. We only drink at weekends and the dry days are recommended for health. Drinking out is soooo expensive and just cannot for most people be a weekly occurence.

    One thing I did with my grocery budget was too take the last 4 receipts and highlight all the things that we didn't really need then added that up for the month, it was an eyeopener. Our budget for 4 is £350/month which included alcohol, toiletries and cleaning products.

    Give yourself some time and you will change your mindset if you are determined.
    Debt Free and now a saver, conscious consumer, low waste lifestyler


    Fashion on the Ration 28/66
  • craigywv
    craigywv Posts: 2,342 Forumite
    hi, i too amontheanti histamenes all year round,....bloody awful!!! anyway i on MIZOLLEN 10mg from doctors and on the few times i have ran out say a friday so cant get them till monday i have used the poundland ones they worked for me somaybe you too xxx i understand where your coming from i too was in the same frame of mind my oh works hard all week so he entitled to a bevvy at the weekends, that was ok until he was made redundant at christmas and he noticed not me just how much a box of beer was taking out of our weekly money people are not calling you a drunkard dont take it that way wat they are saying is its the bar/dining out etcthat might be the first step in you clawing back some of your money, granted my hubby doesnt drink the whole box of beer maybe 6 tins out of it a week (too old now,cant handle it hes 40 LOL!!!) but maybe your hubby needs to be brought into this problem more and take some fault in this and get his eyes opened ,you never know if you sit down and show him the listlike you showed us he could come up with some ideas to help, i did i told oh and he finally grew up a bit, we all like little extras but until the time comes thatyou are a bit more sure footed cut back hard as it is. all you will get on here is reality from posters we not going to cover up things are rosy etc when they are not, so sit down with pen and paper and oh and give it a go i bet u shave a couple of hundred of in your first sitting. i wish you all the luck in the world and dont be disheartened your not onyour own with a bit of juggling and pressing your money will go further xxx
    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z #7 member N.I splinter-group co-ordinater :p I dont suffer from insanity....I enjoy every minute of it!!.:)
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    I don't buy wine to get drunk. We enjoy wine. We love comparing and tasting. We get full bodied reds from Bordeaux or Riojas and they aren't cheap. Cheap Argentinian wines or new world wines are gross.
    But we have expensive tastes so that has to stop. I can't imagine buying cheap plonk - what would be the point? To drink for drinkings sake? Nah can't do that. I would rather just stop.

    I didn't think 2 bottles a week and a few beers at home was too bad but I guess coupled with the drinks in the pub it's expensive.

    Well, there's a nice compromise right there.

    Cut out the mid-week drinking, beers and pub after the walk and treat yourselves to one nice bottle of wine to go home to after the walk. Even if you spend say £10 on this one nice bottle you've saved yourselves another £25-£30 per week.

    I have to agree, if you can't have nice wine, have none. I always used to buy wine and beer or nice cider, every week, but as the bills started to go up I cut it out. We now only have a bottle every now and then, we've still got half a bottlle of gin and two bottles of champagne in the fridge left from christmas, one you get used to not having it you really don't miss it.
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • rachbc wrote: »
    You coudl easily half you grocceries budget. I feed 3 adults and a child on £250-300 and we eat very well, inc the occassional bottle of wine or beer!

    I know, I have to watch what I spend at the supermarket. I will do all shopping online from now on as it gives me a better idea of what I am spending. I think I rely on them too much for other household items and I have fallen into the trap of impulse purchases, like buying FirstNews (a newspaper for kids), those practice Maths and English books, presents, etc.

    If I'm not physically there then I can't do that. From now on, my budget is set. How about £90pw? No more?
    "Funny how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse, it does." - Marvin (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy)

    DON'T PANIC
  • flea72
    flea72 Posts: 5,392
    First Post Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    Forumite
    There are hayfever meds you can't buy over the counter, my DD has one because unfortunatley the OTC ones just don't work.

    Just look at the active ingredient on your prescribed one and find a cheaper alternative

    I was prescribed fexofenadrine for my rhinitis, but find loratadine based tablets work just as well, now I've got it under control

    However for the past few years I have gone old school remedies and eat local honey and use a nasal light probe thing. Symptoms are greatly reduced and mean I only have to use meds occasionally
  • RAS
    RAS Posts: 32,539
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    Hi

    Re the walks and pub sessions.

    Do it once a fortnight for a while. If you do want the other walks take a flask of soup and rolls instead on the other weeks.

    In the summer cut back the pub sessions to once a month and pcinic the rest of the time. You can always include a bottle of beer for OH.

    Still gives you some luxury but bits back your spends a fair bit,
    The person who has not made a mistake, has made nothing
  • We don't drink mid-week!

    Oh God this is making me sound like someone who need a drink all the time!

    No mid-week drinking. We pop into the pub probably most Sundays after our walk. That will now stop.
    Fridays we might have a couple of beers in the evening at home. No more than 2.
    Sat we have wine with our tea, then when kids are in bed we usually open another to have whilst watching DVD.
    Sunday evening I stick to nice non-alcoholic drinks.
    That's it.

    I seriously don't drink as much as you think! Neither of us smokes, neither of us has an expensive hobby, we don't eat out, we go to the cinema once every 3 months, etc. What we spend on drink is what some people spend on cable TV.

    But yes, I will cut down on all of this too.

    Spreadsheets are a good idea. Again, online shopping will help me with this.
    "Funny how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse, it does." - Marvin (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy)

    DON'T PANIC
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    flea72 wrote: »
    Just look at the active ingredient on your prescribed one and find a cheaper alternative

    I was prescribed fexofenadrine for my rhinitis, but find loratadine based tablets work just as well, now I've got it under control

    However for the past few years I have gone old school remedies and eat local honey and use a nasal light probe thing. Symptoms are greatly reduced and mean I only have to use meds occasionally

    Fexofenadrine (Telfast) is different to loratadine, loratadine doesn't work on my DD, although it it a little better than citirazine which is a complete waste of time.
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • flea72 wrote: »
    Just look at the active ingredient on your prescribed one and find a cheaper alternative

    I was prescribed fexofenadrine for my rhinitis, but find loratadine based tablets work just as well, now I've got it under control

    However for the past few years I have gone old school remedies and eat local honey and use a nasal light probe thing. Symptoms are greatly reduced and mean I only have to use meds occasionally

    My husband has psoriasis. He gets Dovonex and treatment for his scalp. You cannot buy that over the counter any cheaper. It costs around £40 a tube privately.

    I have had severe hayfever for years. I have tried everything, including spending £15 on pollen drops. I have tried every herbal remedy going and it's turned out to be more expensive than just getting meds. In the spring/summer I take a tablet every day, nasal spray twice a day and eye drops 3 times a day. £7 for all those - I wouldn't get them much cheaper anywhere else.

    I am not going to take any chances with either my health or my husbands.
    "Funny how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse, it does." - Marvin (Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy)

    DON'T PANIC
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards