Newbie

wee_me_4

Hey All!!

I'm new to the website and looking for ideas to cut back - specifically on food bills. I know I spend and waste far too much when it comes to food and want to know what to know what you thrifty savers do with regards to cutting down your food bill. I have started growing my own veg and herbs and I watch out for discounted deals in supermarket.

My husband and I have a very modest income with him earning 42k pa and me 16k pa (3 days per week).

I really want to save up to move to a larger home as we plan to extend our family but dont seem to have the willpower to stop spending. We do not have a lot of debt only mortgage and car loan but feel we waste money friviously (spelling!!!) on things like eating out.

Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A deperate Wee_me xx

Odette

Welcome to the board, im a lurker but im sure the regulars will be along soon. But omigosh 58k is not a moderate income in my world :beer: congrats on becoming OS and green too I hope

SavvyStudent_2

£58k per year is a bit more than a modest income for most of the folk on MSE! None-the-less, perhaps you could start by cutting down on the meals out and cooking a bit from scratch?

wee_me_4

To be truthfull I do cook dinner from scratch as I appreciate a good home cooked meal but when we have family days out i do take the easy option and go out for lunch in stead of taking pic-nic or whatever.

hope I've not put people off by declaring our household income - I have no idea what a modest income is!!!!

I'm trying to be greener but very, very lazy and thoughtless!!!!! We live in sunny Scotland so try to do things like hang out washing on dry days ( which there are very few of).

Please keep the suggestions coming guys cos i really do appreciate it and will keep you up to date with my progress xx

P.S Does anyone know how to stop beasties eating your homegrown lettuce?? Mines has practically dissapeared - boo!

Butterfly_Brain

We survive as a family of 4 with a mortgage on £14½ a year it can be done

wee_me_4

I totally admire you!!! (Please dont think I'm being patronising cos I'm not) I want to be more thrifty but get such a buzz out of shopping. Not for me but for anything e.g 2 yr old son or house hold items.

All i desperately want ideas on how to do this! I am a cometentcook and i turning my hand to gardening. Any ideas on cheap family days out would be greatly appreaciated. We do things like got to park and feed ducks etc.

Kantankrus_Mare

SavvyStudent wrote: »

£58k per year is a bit more than a modest income for most of the folk on MSE! None-the-less, perhaps you could start by cutting down on the meals out and cooking a bit from scratch?

I have to agree...........Just your husbands income is more than mine and OH's put together!! :eek:

Im not saying its wrong for you to cut down spending of course or becoming green. Its very commendable!!.....but sometimes you need a goal.

Are you wishing to become mortgage free? or want to save for the holiday of a life time? become a stay at home mum?

wee_me_4

OK feel totally guilting for posting on the site re income!!

Do realy want move home and ewant to use that as an incentive but still currently suffering with post natal depression seem to take the easy route all the time then feel soo bad for doing so. Supose I'm hoping that someone out there feels dsame as me.

Plkease keep idea coming I'm jotting them down

SunnyGirl

Don't feel guilty about posting your income it's different strokes for different folks I guess. We have much less than that but manage with lots of cost cutting ideas & home cooking etc

Perhaps the first thing you could cut down is your total grocery spend? Add it up over the next month by keeping your receipts for everything you buy as it'll give you an idea of what money is being spent where. Have a look at this months Grocery Challenge which is here. It'll give you some ideas of what everyone is doing. The July challenge will be posted up on the 28th of June. There's also lots of recipes at the beginning of the thread that are very useful.

Try having a look at the Moneysaving in Relationships, Marriage & Families board as well. There is a lot of support for lots of different things on there so you'll be able to talk to people who are in the same boat as you IYSWIM

wee_me_4

Loving it!!!

this is the kind of feed back I'm looking for SunnyGirl!

Seems simple but likely to work

Cheers xx

Odette

Dont feel guilty! It makes everything alot easier and my total isnt far off so dont feel bad :beer:
I agree with whoever said you might need a goal to get started. When I finished uni last year it was all about paying off my OD, I was unemployed from when I left till Nov but I still managed to pay off my 3500 OD by dec 31st just by sheer bloodymindedness and all the helpfull people on this site.

Or why not try something that may just seem like a fun thing to try to you and your family...just to train your mind i guess. Maybe you drink alot of wine or such? Try homebrewing? Love to buy clothes? Get sewing, and so on.
Well done on already growing veg, I live in LDN and dont have a garden (just two pots of herbs ) very jealous