I would like to save money on household bills

rentawitch

frugalqueen wrote: »

Funny diets are for rich people. Deal with one thing at a time. Deal with your debt first and set yourself free to eat fancy food later. Funny isn't it........they don't have food intolerances where people are starving - just in wealthy countries. You have tonnes of money and could get by on £10 for food and £3 for the cats. We do! and we feed one cat and two dogs on £3 a week and ourselves on £2 a day so our total food budget is £27 a week, we spend £10 a month on laundry and cleaning products. We easily get by on a £65 a week budget and that includes clothes, glasses, hair cuts. We keep putting money aside for what we need. Google my name, check back through previous things I've written and see it can be done.

This is NOT a funny diet. Your comment sounds quite rude. I hope it wasn't meant that way.
This is a really healthy way of eating and although I buy good meat, I am not wasting money on take-aways and alcohol and chocolate and other rubbish like I was.

Point taken about Waitrose but it is the nearest. There is a Tesco a bit further away but it is a pretty grim and poorly stocked one tbh.

Thank you for the comment about soda crystals.
I am concerned about powder clogging up the machine. Can you put it IN with the washing instead of through the dispenser?

I will cut down on the boys fresh meat although I did hear too much dry food is bad for their kidneys?

They are monster hunters and supplement their diet themselves!

rentawitch

I just realised... I don't really have whites!
Black everything is my colour of choice!

dancingfairy

I think meal planning helps -so you can reduce leftovers and not just end up popping out for bits and pieces etc.
Also cooking extra and freezing some so all you have to do is to get it out of the freezer.
It's also always good to stock up on dried/tinned/frozen / non-perishable things when they are on offer - particularly if you have a favourite branded item you just can't give up.
Why not try the MoneySavingOldStyle board - they are pretty good with reducing cleaning and food bills there.
Oh - and not forgetting the old spending diary so you can see how much you are spending so you can see how you are getting on.
df

rentawitch

I have started the spending diary.
I also have a trip I would like to take next year. I need to save up for that.:)
K

basmic

rentawitch wrote: »

Thank you for the comment about soda crystals.
I am concerned about powder clogging up the machine. Can you put it IN with the washing instead of through the dispenser?

It's better to put it in the drawer, otherwise you might find specs of soap powder on the door of the glass.

rentawitch wrote: »

I just realised... I don't really have whites!
Black everything is my colour of choice!

Fair enough, use liquid direct in the drum. But once every month or so, do an empty boil wash (usually cottons 90/95c) with soap powder and soda crystals to get rid of the gunk that liquid tends to build up.

Fang_3

frugalqueen wrote: »

Funny isn't it........they don't have food intolerances where people are starving - just in wealthy countries.

Oh they do. They just suffer and die.

rentawitch

Good tips and thank you Fang I hear ya!

Lula-Hula

Hi rentawitch,

I am a regular Waitrose shopper myself - along with the co op it's my nearest - If you acess their website you can become a food taster which means you regulalry receive vouchers to try products for free as long as you provide some feedback.

I totally agree with you as regards eating quality food products; your body is what carries you on this earth & it's the most valuable thing you 'own' so treat it nicely .

I'm also a product taster for Clipper Teas which again means I get free samples - plenty of herbal ones there.

I tend to bulk-buy cleaning & household items - recently Waitrose had lots of offers on Ecover cleaning products so I now have about 3 months supply of washing up liquid, squirty stuff & multi purpose liquid - I fully recommend the multipurpose liquid - it does everything & there are no nasty chemicals.

I have allocated a budget of £200 a month for groceries, household & cleaning products for myself, 10 yr old & a catbut I am lucky enough to have garden to grow sme fruit & veg & also share an allotment. I fyou have a balcony or even wide window sills you could grow some salad stuff very easily.

I'm off to investigate this palermo diet as I've gained a lot of weight in the last year - & bulking up on cheap carbs to fill the hunger hasnt helped.

As regards kitty food try petsmart online, you can shop with them through a cashback site ( Quidco I think) & they often have deals on petfood - mine eats Hill Science stuff .

Good luck & it really isnt necessary to compromise on everything, just pick what is important to you & then seriously compromise/cut back on the stuff that is less important

Will pop back if I think of any other ideas.

Trinny

Hi there

i just wanted to say - come over to Old Style - the members are brilliant at cutting household bills - be it for food or laundry or cleaning products.

If there is a way to get what you need cheaper - some of the stalwarts there will have the answer.

We are a friendly bunch- there are challenges just for grocery bills,

I think it could really help you

Best Wishes

Trin

rentawitch

Thank you Lula Hula and Trinny.
Lula did you mean the Paleo diet? short for Paleolithic or caveman - I prefer Way of eating as it is not a diet but a permanent change.
Check out 'Sugar - the Bitter Truth' on Youtube. This shows the bodies bio chemistry in an understanding way and explains why a lot of diets don't work. You are giving your body stuff it turns to fat.

My regime is a high fat, low carb diet and I have lost two stone since January - another 3 to go. But I can eat things I like - primarily meat and fish and not be hungry.

I looked at the old style Trinny = am going to pick up soda crystals at the least.
And I probably have enough cleaning materials for a year!