Help with further cut backs

Katie-Kat-Kins

Hi there! Most of the things I was going to suggest have already been mentioned but here are a few ideaas:

1. Join the library, lots of free things to do here, it isn't just about borrowing novels. Ours have music and films too, you pay for DVDs but much cheaper than anywhere else. You can also borrow books such as cook books and haynes manuals to help your with your moneysaving quest.
2. I see you don't have a Lidl, Aldi or Netto close by but it would be worth stopping in if you are driving that way for something else and stocking up on some of the things they are cheap for. I don't have an Aldi but can pop in when I visit my parents. Also if you know anyone with a costco or makro card these places can be good for bulk buying things like loo rolls and tinned goods.
3. Are you sure your dog is only eating what he needs? The majority of dogs are over fed, you could be doing him and your wallet a favour by slightly reducing the amount you give him and making a bag last a few days longer. Try weighing the food and only weighing out the amount recommended for a dog his size. (The same goes for your and OH but obviously don't eat the dog food!).
4. If you really need a takeaway asda do takeaway chinese or indian that is much cheaper. Buy the meal deal and freeze half the rice as there is always too much! Better still check out the frozen aisles for ready made meals and have some of these in the freezer for takeaway nights. Some of them are excellent. Sainsbury's ones are particularly good but not as cheap as asda!
5. Stock up on deoderant/shampoo etc when it is on offer and do check out wilkos, home bargains, savers, poundshop etc. Don't overuse these either most people use twice as much shampoo as they need. Make sure you get every last bit out too, my mum remebers putting the toothpaste through the mangle, you can get the same effect by trapping the tube in the door. Cut open tubes of face cream and make up and up end shampoo.
6. Don't buy treats and snacks at the supermarket and stop eating them, good for your wallet and waist! Do make sure you have healthy lunches ready for work to avoid spending on sandwiches etc though! If i don't buy biscuits I never want them enough to make me go to the shop especially.
7. Look out for whoopsies in the supermarket, if you can freeze them buy them up and incorporate them into next weeks meal plan.
8. Using your local market for veg will be cheaper and greengrocers and butchers can work out better than the supermarkets too. If you are rural look out for farms selling produce direct, round us we can often get free range eggs dead cheap, and sometimes other stuff too.
9. Buying fresh herbs is expensive, try growing your own, I'm not green fingered at all but manage basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, mint and sage. You can also freeze some herbs, I can't manage to grow coriander, but it freezes easily.
10. Check you are getting the best deals on all your utility bills and then cut your usage for further savings, reading your meters weekly will give you something to aim for!
11. Work out the fuel efficiency of your car and moniter it regularly, keep trying to get better mpg week on week.

Hope that helps a bit!

jackieglasgow

I think Kat had some great advice there, and joining the library is top of my list for you to do, you can get movies games etc., and might have to pay a small fee depending on your local council's policy, but there's a great selection in mine so it might be worth a try?

One thing not mentioned is cutting back on soap powder etc. I buy one of the big Bold 2-in-1 50 wash boxes about every six months, and by using about half the reccomended dose, my washing is absolutely fine (soft water area) and smells wonderful. I don't so the washing crystals thing, as I feel I don't need to - yet, but if I did, I'm sure I could probably get it down to 1 box a year or 9 months at least.

Also, I dye my own very very thick hair, and get a dry cut at the hairdressers when it needs it to save some dosh, and at the moment am using the Mr T Value Shampoo and conditioner, it was a big downshift for me, and I was very warym and snobbish about it if I'm honest, but it's great, has a nice smell of Tea Tree and was about 50p for 1 litre of each, someone at work asked me the other day if I'd changed my haircolour as it's so much shinier!!

I also use the foam soap dispensers and fill them up with the Bubble Bath from the same range diluted 50/50 with water, I think it was about 30p!

Definitely change your gas and elec suppliers and get your boiler serviced if it hasn't been done for over 12 months!

Good luck, it's not easy, but once you find the things that work for you, it becomes quite addictive finding more ideas!

PS eat more soup!

ginnyknit

jackieglasgow is right - eat more soup, but not at 85p a tin!! for Heinz, make your own its like a meal in a bowl. My DH carries a container of soup when ever he goes to watch his old cricket team and zaps it in the micro. Basically tho you do need to read thru here a bit when you can and work thru the ideas and most importantly open your mind and taste buds. the rewards come very quickly. We actually had cash leftover this month which is amazing! And enjoy every triumph

mancbird

A couple of people have suggested Tesco Value loo rolls, which are pretty good but if you have a Home and Bargain Store near you, their loo rolls are great. I bought an 18 roll pack from there for £2.99 and they have lasted ages, much longer than the Tesco Value ones and they are much softer too!

debtfreenewbie

We love the Farmfoods 9 rolls for 2.00 one,it smells nice too,recently bought Lidl one but wasnt that cheap but its better and cheaperthan tesco.

Im very impressed with this forum and will have to read more to get some ideas as we have a very tough 3 wks coming.

Katie-Kat-Kins

jackieglasgow wrote: »

PS eat more soup!

Best way to eat more soup is to batch cook and freeze portion sized quantities, but also check out the prices of various ready made varieties, and try some of the cheaper ones for convenience.

A box of own brand slim a soup is dead cheap but a good option for days when you have forgotten/not got anything for pack up at work as it only needs boiling water. The dried packet soups and cheaper tins (own brands are often 3 for £1) can be good to keep in stock at home and just as nice as premium brands.

I use half the amount of washpowder too and haven't noticed the difference. Have also ditched fabric conditioner completely

attentionseeker1

paulwf wrote: »

Dog food - again you might already do this but if not order it online, I find viovet.co.uk a third cheaper than my local shop for cat food.

After reading this post I tried this myself- for me PetPlanet was the cheapest as they had my kitten's brand of food on special offer so I just paid less than £30 for enough food to take him up to Christmas! In supermarket the food sells for £4.50/kg but on the web it works out at £3something a kg- a big saving overall. Couldn't buy loads and loads as at some point he will have to switch to adult food, but if you have the space you could make an enormous saving buying in bulk.

Trinny

musogirl295 wrote: »

I suppose our real luxury item food wise is that I buy a Free Range chicken (about £7). I do get a roast, 2 main meals and 3 lunches out of this. I'm not willing to compromise my principles in order to get a cheaper chicken and I have found you get more meat from a free range bird anyway.

Hi

I just wanted to say - we buy freerange chicken and eggs - and still keep the prices down. we shop in Waitrose - at reduced to clear time - and have a pretty ethical stance on life - not compromised by MS or OS.

1. Do you grow your own - this can save quids and be done in patio containers.

2. Do you have a freezer / storecupboard inventory - so you never buy what you dont need - this really helped us

3. What about free food - tis the season for blackberries, and soon hazel nuts, elderberries etc.

4. Cooking from scratch - i am a newbie and learnt most of what i know from OS. HM food tastes better, you know exactly what you are eating and its quids cheaper.

We find that by watching the pennies in some ways - we can afford the treats.

good luck

Trin