Living On A Shoestring

moneysavermum_2

Has anybody got any tips to keep me off bargain hunting and therefore overspending and to live on what i need and not buying and overstocking on other things.

What do people do instead of spend to cheer themselves up especially in winter?

Would love to learn other peoples attitude to money and spending.:beer:

Olliebeak

Do you have a particular 'goal' in mind? Great holiday, saving for a wedding, Christmas presents for children, generally reducing your overall spending, reducing outstanding debts?

If it's a holiday - try sticking a picture of your ideal destination on the front of the fridge and carry a picture of the place in your purse - in fact try wrapping your £££ notes up in the picture. That way, you'll have to actually look at the picture to get at your money.

When going food shopping, only take cash with you so that you can't resort to flashing the plastic to pay for any extras at the till.

Just carry reminders of your final goal with you and use the fridge door to keep a running total of a debt if you're trying to reduce it. Can also try using fridge magnets to attach current bills to the fridge door as a constant reminder of why you're wanting to spend/throw out less.

Good Luck - hopefully it should almost become 'second nature' . (Though I'm sure we all have little slip-ups on occasions - I'm terrible if I take the dgk's out with me - an absolute sucker !)

esio_trot

I suppose it depends where you tend to overspend.

If it's when you do the food shopping, meal plans will be your saviour! It's one thing I always make sure I do now, even if I've lapsed everywhere else! (still just getting used to not spending more than I have and tackling my debt instead) I use the online shopping facility of whatever supermarket I'm going to, work out the price, and if I'm really short on money, this is where I can make cuts/switching to basics etc and work out the exact price of what I want to buy. I then withdraw only the money I've planned that I'll need from the cash machine. I usually give myself a few pounds extra, just in case there's something whoopsied or on offer that I'll benefit from the following week. I also set a monthly budget and try to shave a little off it each month - don't try to do too much at a time, you'll never do it! The Grocery Challenge thread is great for inspiration.

As for overspending elsewhere, each month, I budget for everything I need to pay out (taking into account the monthly food/cleaning/toiletries/repayments I want to make to the credit card etc) and that is my fun money. I usually try to withdraw this in cash at intervals (trying to figure out if it's worth doing it in a one-er or weekly!) I usually find that by doing this, I don't feel iike I'm going without treats every month.

hope that kind of answered your post - turned into a bit of a ramble:o

irishgirl62

I do crafts... have a look at the chrsitmas crafting thread here on mse

Jane2112

Hi,
Some good advice already. I have a seperate purse for the food shopping which only has cash in it, once the cash has gone - we dont eat!! I try to meal plan but dont stick to it religiously.
My big downfall is charity shops. I tend to 'nip in' to make sure I am not missing a bargain! But now I tell myself if it is not absolutely immaculate, has a decent label and will go with a number of outfits I dont get it.
During the winter I knit, read ( I do treat myself to the odd new book from Amazon) and do a few crafts.

Mrs_Thrify

Hi NJE, get into the habit before you open your purse to have time out to think do I realy need that! Can I make use of something I have at home. Do I realy need to buy a mag when that book I have not read has been lying around for ages.
Home cook instead of fast food.
Keep reading MSE for plenty of idea's and a chat to other people.

What to do in winter - home cooking, you could make a Christmas cake.
Do a craft, tapestry, jigsaw, read a book, go for a walk, rewatch old vidio's,tidy up. Painting with the kids.

Butterfly_Brain

Do you make a list before going shopping? I find it really useful to keep me from buying things that I don't need.
I like many on this board do a lot of crafts, knitting and cooking in the winter.
Instead of buying a new book go to the library instead, chances are that you will be able to get it there - if you really like it then you can decide to buy when you have the spare cash to do so.
Start a penny jar and put all your loose change in it at the end of the day it is surprising how much you can save this way and you won't be so keen to spend lots of loose change - but you would if you had notes.
This year I have saved over £400 which is really useful for an unexpected bill or just paying bills or as I have done for The TV licence and Car Tax.

irishgirl62

Jane2112 wrote: »

Hi,
Some good advice already. I have a seperate purse for the food shopping which only has cash in it, once the cash has gone - we dont eat!! I try to meal plan but dont stick to it religiously.
My big downfall is charity shops. I tend to 'nip in' to make sure I am not missing a bargain! But now I tell myself if it is not absolutely immaculate, has a decent label and will go with a number of outfits I dont get it.
During the winter I knit, read ( I do treat myself to the odd new book from Amazon) and do a few crafts.

have a look at the craft threads here on mse it is guaranteed to get your crafty side juices flowing and making gifts instead of spending money

[Deleted User]

Yes, I agree with a lot that's been said already. I try not to go near any shops ,in fact if I turn right outside my house, and go for a short walk, I reach the local library (free books) and the park, not a shop in sight.
I live three minutes away from a shopping precinct, and if I turn left, then I end up spending cash on stuff I don't need.
Go onto the grocery challenge and see what tips you can pick up from folk like myself, who has lopped £20 a week off my food bill over the past couple of months by sticking to a set amount every week. there is lots of support there and we always welcome 'newbies'
I also do crafting and knit and make cakes for my tribe of grandkids .
There are two charity shops in my local shopping centre, plus a second-hand bookshop,very tempting, as I am a total 'book nut'.I daren't go into it or I know for sure that I would probably buy something .
I once years ago worked for a guy who had made a lot of money out of his various buisness's He always insisted that all of his employees made a 'to-do' list last thing at night for the morning.So when you started in the morning you had a list of jobs to work through no matter what else you did.
I still have a list by the kettle that I add to daily .Some days I don't get everything done ,but most days I do.No matter how daft it seems it does work, and does take your mind of off just 'wandering around to the shops'

Tomorrow I have on my list of 'to-do's'

make a chocolate cake (should have done today but DD and tribe of said grandkids arrived unexpectedly)

some ironing,

chop up five onions to freeze before they start to grow

Bag up some junk to go to the tip on Monday

Peel and mash some potato's to freeze when cold

Hopefully that will be done by lunchtime when my eldest DD will come for coffee.In the afternoon I shall put my feet up and finish off one of my charity blankets that I am knitting, and at around 3.30-4.p.m. I shall take myself off to see my grandkids and help the younger ones with their homework before having dinner there at around 6.00
Back home by 9.00 in time to watch Doc Martin then probably off to bed to have a read.I try to make sure I have things to do to take my mind of needlessly shopping. Not very exciting I know, but it does cut back on wasting money.

An09

The best thing to do is just occupy yourself with things that aren't involving spending money. Maybe a part of it is you are bored and find excitement in bargain hunting. Myself my budget is really tight now so I am trying to get rid of stuff that I no longer need. This also is a way for me to get extra money in. Maybe you could do the same like have a garage sale, sell at a flea market or even on ebay or something like that.

moneysavermum_2

Thankyou to all of you who have posted and taken your time to follow this thread. It is great to get inspiration in so many ways. I am now going to stop going on grabit now thread and buy bargains using my card details that are already off by heart in my head. I am going to takle my debts, make lists the night before for jobs to be done and do more crafty and baking things. which is the best forum to be involved with if these are the sorts of things i need to be doing.