Need a serious Kick

ooobedoo

DH normally works away from home but won't be for a while(still working just not away) and does not having any appreciaton on how I want to have a MSE lifestyle. We are currently renting and need to save up a deposit and would like it to be quite a good one but he doesn't appear to be concerned and if anything is rebelling against it.

Please help me with all elements of money saving, from turning stuff off to shopping well.

I plan to show him this thread when there are a few replies.

Many thanks in advance


ooob xx

whatatwit

Ooobedoo, call in the Old Style board, there are loads of challenges and threads on keeping gas & electric usage down.
Be prepared to lust after a Breadmaker, a Slowcooker and a Remoska.
Visit the Daily thread and have a read, we are a welcoming bunch (honest)

ailuro2

Nah, don't bother showing him the post! He needs more than that to get him interested.

When your OH wastes £20 put £20 in your bankie, then when you save a bit on your electricity bill put that away in your bankie too. After a while when you have a big enough wad of cash surprise him by taking him to a nice hotel for the night and have a really plush time. Don't worry about it being a waste of money, it's a sprat to catch a mackerel.;)

When he asks where the money for the treat came from, tell him it's from MSE living, and that you can live a lot better by simply notthrowing your money away needlessly, and that a little time spent watching the pennies results in a lot of spare pounds.:D

Actions speak a lot louder than words when it comes to folk who let their money dribble away! Enjoy that night away!:beer:

belfastgirl23

Could you use the green argument or the 'we need to lose weight' argument to adopt a more MSE lifestyle? Sometimes you're better approaching things quietly.

The other thing is you don't need permission to find better electric/gas/insurance prices etc....

moo2moo

I find it easier not to tell my OH. He's of the caveman mentality. Me man, me provider. Any hint that he can't have exactly what he wants, when he wants it, he sees as an implication that there isn't enough money and he feels like a failure.

Sending him to work with a packed lunch and a flask because I like to do little things for him keeps him happy (and i do like to do little things for him), especially when I add a homemade treat which makes him feel special and works out £3 cheaper than his work canteen.

If I take him shopping he'll throw whatever he fancies in the trolley whereas if I do the shopping without him he'll eat whatever appears without complaint. If I happen to upgrade to a premium product (usually because its cheaper than the standard range) he thinks I'm spoiling him.

Coffee goes into display pots on the counter so he hasn't a clue what brand hes drinking (usually Tescos Clasic range) whereas if he does the shopping he will only buy Nescafe (he doesn't like anything else!).

We have days out where I pack a picnic and a flask of coffee before he gets out of bed. It avoids drinks for 4 at Starbucks at £8 a time and a trip to McDonalds. He also has a multipack of drinks in his car which stops him buying expensive drinks at service stations.

I tend to find my OH is a little lazy where money is concerned. If he wants something he'll buy it, he can't be bothered shopping around, whereas if he says I'd like x,y or z I can usually find it for less than he was prepared to pay in the first place. Hes finally got used to saying can you pick me up x, y or z when you go shopping which means I can find it or order it for a sensible price.

He has an Asda credit card for the 2p per litre fuel discount, since this is the nearest petrol station, its where he would fill up anyway. Last Novembers statement arrived with £35 of Asda vouchers as a result of this.

He stays away a lot on business and has finally accepted that if someone offers him a loyalty card free of charge he says yes, brings it home and leaves me to do something with it. Its meant an automatic room upgrade with one chain of hotels and a lot of M&S vouchers with another which paid for the DDs school uniform.

Some of the challenges on the Old Style Board are a bit of fun for me, it gives me something to do when hes away for a bit and the DDs think some of the experimentation which goes on is loads of fun. We attempted Artisan Bread .Neither of the DDs quite expected yeast to grow as fast as it did or escape from the box, it was like a thing possessed, but we did make edible bread surprisingly cheaply and easily.

pinkshoes

moo2moo wrote: »

If I take him shopping he'll throw whatever he fancies in the trolley whereas if I do the shopping without him he'll eat whatever appears without complaint. If I happen to upgrade to a premium product (usually because its cheaper than the standard range) he thinks I'm spoiling him.

My OH does this too! Our weekly shop will cost £70 instead of £50 when he comes along, AND we get less alcohol as he thinks it's bad for me!

He just puts fresh herbs in the trolley, which he'll use 1/3 of then the rest get thrown away as they go all mushy. He'll also buy really expensive posh meat and fruit, which often gets thrown away too.

I don't mind spending money on nice things and treats, but I detest spending it on things that get thrown away!