Needs vs wants

Lalaladybird

Other than food, clothing, a roof over your heads what things do you consider to be essential....the internet, a car, phone line?

I know these things can all be classed as non-essentials but nowadays it would be hard to live without a phone, although I happily would .

I was just wondering what things you all cut out of your lives to reduce your spending/reduce the debt?

I sold my car and switched to a pay as you go mobile phone and stopped buying books/magazines/newspapers, but I can't bring myself to cancel my contact lens direct debit (£35 a month :eek:for daily disposable toric lenses) even though I know that is a luxury and I should juts go around in my glasses. My OH has a gym membership and plays footy twice a week at £5 a go, so there is £80 a month worth of luxuries that we could do without.

What are your needs vs wants?

Blackruby

What you should do is get the glasses while you still on the contacts, most optictians give them to you for half price if you are on their contact lense scheme. Then cancel.

I can't live without my £20 phone contract, I live far away from all my family and I need to be able to contact them.

Most other stuff, apart from tobacco, I can live without and quite often do. I don't pay for the internet so I kinda take it for granted, but in return I pay the tv license.

Naarwich

I'm also a keen footballer and would definitely consider the £5 per week a definite need! Not just for the fitness aspect but also for the social side of things and it's also a great way of getting rid of any pent up aggression! ;-)

My weakness is takeaways...always pledge not to get any however generally get two a month due to an extreme lack of willpower!

cuddlymarm

Hi

When we moved we had a month without the internet and landline. I have a pay as you go mobile and didn't realise how dependent you are till I had to do without and couldn't contact my kids easily. We could manage but I wouldn't want to.
I could also manage without central heating but again wouldn't want to BRRRRRRr

Cuddles:rotfl:

January20

Lalaladybird wrote: »

Other than food, clothing, a roof over your heads what things do you consider to be essential....the internet, a car, phone line?

I know these things can all be classed as non-essentials but nowadays it would be hard to live without a phone, although I happily would .

I was just wondering what things you all cut out of your lives to reduce your spending/reduce the debt?

I sold my car and switched to a pay as you go mobile phone and stopped buying books/magazines/newspapers, but I can't bring myself to cancel my contact lens direct debit (£35 a month :eek:for daily disposable toric lenses) even though I know that is a luxury and I should juts go around in my glasses. My OH has a gym membership and plays footy twice a week at £5 a go, so there is £80 a month worth of luxuries that we could do without.

What are your needs vs wants?

I've cut out magazines and newspapers. Magazines have so many adverts anyway!

I don't go out very much -don't like pubs too much anyway- will go for a meal or the cinema once in a blue moon but tend to entertain at home. I don't drink much, don't smoke.

I don't use make-up (never have really) and buy few clothes.

I wear contact lenses and pay a similar price to what you pay but I DO consider them a necessity because if I had to wear my glasses all day long I'd feel less confident and more miserable so the overall impact on my life would be too great. I know it sounds dramatic but it's true, and I've given up a lot already!

shop-to-drop

I am happy to do without most things but my dishwasher is essential. I'd go without the TV first.

SkittyOnWailord

I think it's important to not cut out everything that's fun in life because otherwise you end up in a depressed state where you have nothing to look forward too. I've been in that situation where I basically worked and came home and then had nothing to do because I had cut everything that was fun out of my life to save money. It took several months and something bordering on a severe depression before I realised that you have to have SOME fun in your life, even if it's only 5 quid a week for football.

Sure, you should cut out excesses, but at a certain point you have to maintain a quality of life too.

Kandipandi

I gave up smoking, stopped buying magazines and books (go to library instead), buy all my clothes from supermarkets/charity shops.

Cancelled Sky TV, have a PAYG Mobile - costs £5 a month, turned the thermostat down and reduced the amount of time the heating/water is on.

Stopped buying DVD's and borrow the odd one from the library, cut all of my dishwasher tablets in half, batch cook and freeze meals...... the list goes on.

CashRequired

Lalaladybird wrote: »

My OH has a gym membership and plays footy twice a week at £5 a go, so there is £80 a month worth of luxuries that we could do without.

What are your needs vs wants?

TBH i see working out and being healthy as a need. Sure, you can go to a cheaper gym or even go running down the street, but imo its not a luxery its necessary. Your health is your wealth you know

My "needs" are mobile, gym, rent, food, savings, pension plan.

My "wants" tend to be, nights out, days out, bits and pieces for my project car, expensive holidays

crazyaboutsaving

Hi Ladybird,
What a great question I often wonder what other people see as needs vs. wants. I agree with the contact lenses, I NEED them because I feel more confident and comfortable with them. I have managed to reduce mine to 18 a month (biweekly lenses) through a local eye doctor (they give me loads of freebies every time I go too so well worth it, and my regular checkups are free )
I agree with the footie, my OH goes each week and I think it's very important, as is my weekly yoga class. We have cut back in so many other areas (heating, groceries, etc.), and I think it's healthy and necessary to spend on these other things. We put a little aside each month to go out for dinner/movies too and I'm so happy we do as it's quality time together, and that's a NEED for any relationship!

Toni_Broke

I agree that having a little luxury to look forward to is essential on the road to being debt free other wise you would just go nuts!
I personally have my hair cut and coloured as my treat once every 8-12wks or so. Its quite expensive and some would say not necessary but to me it is.

Tonixx