Preparing for a more frugal future?

budgetboo

I can't yet add links to my posts so you'll have to google but a few ideas re the grocery shop.

1. Work out now cheaper versions of your fave meals & get meal planning down pat so you've got your "go to" recipes down pat before it's the end of the world your pizza dough hasn't turned out right and the family aren't shocked by the sudden eking out of mince with oats or lentils. It's much more fun doing this when its not yet because you have to.
Kimberly Saunders book "Meals on a budget" gives you 8 weeks meal plans inc shopping lists which a lot of newbies I know to frugal living have found a godsend as it even includes weekly shopping lists. Sainsburys also does a weekly 5 main dinner meal plan + shopping list for £20.

2. Get used to eating seasonally again this keeps costs down. I've found over time it helps the tedium of being constantly skint as your diet naturally varies over the year and it prevents me getting in a rut with my cooking.(It's horribly easy to get in a rut with meals when you are skint.)

3. In line with your "try it while it's fun and not yet cos you have to" try and see if you can happily use cheaper toiletries and cleaning products as it's amazing how much these can take out of the budget.

4. If you have pets - see if you can start switching them to cheaper brands over time. Cats especially can be most offended if faced with a sudden switch.

5. Check you are on the lowest utility rates and have stuff for next winter ready to help keep bills down whlie the sales are on. The pound shops still have hot water bottles etc. Next winter is expected to be another bad one. Include footwear in your planning.

6. If you have kids google for a few dastardly internet documentries on the evils of named brands & get them to watch them. Get used to buying a size up out of season. e.g I always get my lads winter coat in August as it's so much cheaper than buying it in October. Find out when the school second hand uniform sale is, and plan for it as for some reason they never hold them in September when it'd be most helpful, especially when kids are starting secondary.

Check out what cheap leisure actvities you can do. My fave is a winter picnic with a flask of hot mulled wine or cider and a food flask of hot dogs with the buns carried separate. My friends that have come with me to things like firework displays etc this winter have been well impressed with this trick. (take hot chocolate for the kids!) An afternoon in the park can suddenly seem quite romantic at the grimmest time of year with a hot picnic. Likewise join the library. Collect 2 for 1 vouchers for meals out etc. I try nowadays to make my hobbies cost effective.

You NEED to have fun even on a budget, but fun can be had cheaply. if you don't factor in fun then any budget will eventually be blown or you'll wind up depressed despite all your good intentions.

Nickitree30

Read up on the many household uses of vinegar (fabric softener, window cleaner, mildew remover......), there's a thread on the forum dedicated to it. You can buy 5L bottles for a couple of pounds from places like Costco or online from a company called Summer Naturals (slightly more expensive though). I didn't bother with a Costco membership just found someone willing to take me as a guest.

lovebargainshatewaste

Hi there,

May I suggest that instead of paying in extra on your bills such as gas/electric that you put this money into a savings account? You can get 30/60/90 day notice accounts in various banks/building societies, which means your money earn you interest, but you have to give the bank notice if you want to withdraw the money. This makes it easier to not spend the money or get tempted. Good luck!

JulieGeorgiana

When I was made redundant in August 2010 we had to live on my OH wages only. Although after 6 weeks I got a 6 month contract (which is nearly at an end) we have spend the whole time living on my OH wages only.

My wages pay for 75% of the petrol to and from work, and the childcare... the rest is saved in an ISA.

My reasons behind this is that I will still need petrol when I finish work, but our circumstances won't change.

With regards to making gifts, I did that and I find that many are not well recieved... so using the 'grabbit boards' I have gotten all of this years Christmas gifts (£425 worth of gifts costing £90 for 27 people which is less then £3.50 a head), I then top these gifts with HM Cakes and Chocolates and other baked goodies as these were well recieved.

HM Gifts used to cost me £5 a head to make and although my OH family loved them, my family have voiced their opinions loud... and they are NOT happy and want 'real' gifts. Which really hurts my feelings.

So if I were you put your effort into getting good gifts at low prices. If the 'worth' is £10 a head when you used to spend more, people will understand.

To save money we also bought a 'culture all pass' so we can go out to many of the loacl places for free... I've had it 6 months and we have used it for double the orginal cost, and once it warms up we can use it again...!

Also bulk buying... I saved a fortune buying Rabbit food online for 6 months worth at a time. I buy loo roll, shampoo, toothpaste etc etc when they are on offer and have a huge stock (remember behind the sofa makes very good storage) so far this year my savings on bulk buying add up to £130 (don't ask how I know) :cool:

Also I did a SOA of the DFW boards and tried to cut back on as many of my bills as I could. I got rid of some sky packages, and got a 25% discount. I've cut back on mobile phone bills too.

Also using old handwash bottles for your washing up liquid makes it last long (3 x 1ltr bottles of fairy cost me £3 and will last me a year now). I use half the amount of excel gel in the washing machine.

I use microfibre clothes for cleaning. I use stardrops where I can.

Learning hwo to bulk out your cooking helps. I have a Pressure Cooker and cook my own beans (kidney, chick peas) and freeze them in portions for my cooking.

Batch Cooking helps too.

I also prepare 'packs' of veg for use in stews and soups (diced veg and freeze, ready to use when required).

I also go to Lidl once a month, Farmfoods every 2 weeks for bread and milk. I split shop between Mr T and Mr S. And I keep an eye on Netto for offers as they are a 3 minute walk from me!

Last... When not working I walk everywhere (even the 4 mile round trip to school) as it saves me money and makes me healthier.

Looks like i've written a novel... Hope it Helps xxx

huxley

Hi good luck to you, you are certainly going about it the right way with all the planning. There has been really good advice given, just a couple of other things find out if you have a credit union locally you can save with, I have found ours brilliant and ours has a christmas savings club so I know I will have the money when I need it and not dip into it beforehand. Also find out if you have a local LETS group, ours has the added bonus of monthly trading sesssions (think of a carboot sale where you dont have to use any real money ) and of course make the most of your local freecycle group.

Pooky

How about using the supermarkets saving stamps scheme to ensure you've got funds on hand for the foods you can't stock pile?

esmf73

Think ahead - Christmas - start getting bits and pieces in for making gifts now.

tori.k

Another one for finding your local Credit Union, if things do get sticky and you need help the interest is miniscule compared to a credit card or bank loan.
My DH gave up his job to work for himself, it was tough at the start but been well worth it,as you can't put a price on happiness. good luck

FatVonD

rachbc wrote: »

Thanks - thats a good idea - if we practice for a month or 2 any savinfs we put aside now will help later. I think dh is secretly hoping for redundancy but its not likely

Not strictly money saving but my advice would be for your DH to keep his plans quiet at work. I'd been planning a major change for months and for different reasons (being surrounded by negative people that I didn't want to share my dreams with) I didn't tell anyone at work. I was planning to ask to go part time in January but before I could ask I was given notice of redundancy. I'm pretty sure if they'd known my plans they'd have saved the money and waited for me to leave!

Good luck with your venture, your OH's mental health is worth more than money

Justamum

cha97michelle wrote: »

Now i have savings pots set up for every little thing i can think of. TV license. Car insurance, service and MOT. Vet bills and cattery stays. House insurance.

That's what I do too - except not for exactly the same things you. It really does help and cuts down on the worry doesn't it?