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what luxuries have you cut

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  • JillS_2
    JillS_2 Posts: 262 Forumite
    TV -- that saves me whatever the licence fee is now. Plus also saves me having to buy a HD model.

    Don't miss it - read far more now - or at least I did until I got my computer fixed.
  • Biggest saving, oh and I now share a car, (live miles from bus route so need one)

    also ....

    *I have cut down on sales shopping for stuff I DONT NEED, BUT SEEMS A BARGAIN!!
    *I have stopped buying magazines and books, go to local library instead
    *Stopped buying toiletries and makeup, just because I liked the look of them, or fancied trying something new
    *persuaded oh to take up fishing, works out cheaper that his previous expensive hobbies
    *spending less on grankids (or trying to)

    katie



  • like most ive cut back on lots of things including food shopping, clothes etc.

    but luxuries? well, i used to buy clinique wash bar and moisturisers ... i now use boots simple facial wash and a neutrogena moisturiser, and to be honest i cant tell the difference.
    saved me about £200 over the last couple of years!
    wading through the treacle of life!

    debt 2016 = £21,000. debt 2021 = £0!!!!
  • In days gone by I was free-and-easy with my array of attractive plastic cards in my purse, I bought cosmetics and beauty treatments from the likes of clarins, clinique, lancome etc - sometimes the packaging seemed more attractive than the promises it held. My life seemed incomplete without every weekly magazine and it was beyond comprehension to buy a product that implied "value" in some way. However, it was those attitudes that got me in financial strife, and despite re-mortgaging twice and paying off credit cards I did not learn! The penny eventually made a large cymbolesque sound as it dropped alongside the repossession papers. I had lost the financial plot and lost my house!

    These days I buy my moisturiser from Aldi, and the only magazine I buy are those that have vouchers in them that make them a bargain. I no longer have a mortgage (I rent) and I think I will pretty much be unmortgageable now but life is easier in lots of ways.

    I no longer covet the magazines alluringly placed on supermarket shelves, nor the fancy displays of luscious make-up in department stores. I tut to myself when I see young mothers throw bags of the lazy ready grated cheese into their trolleys - the same bags of ready grated cheese I used to buy and sometimes then throw out without a thought. What floats my boat these days is a voucher/store offer combination (see the discount codes & vouchers/printable coupons thread), finding an absolute bargain on the "grabbit thread" and last but not least - spending time with my kids.

    Age does bring wrinkles but it also brings some wisdom and that can't be bad.
    Love, through the trees, past the sky, beyond the northern lights; and I won't let go. May your soul and spirt fly sweetheart x

    My alphabet-girls are with me every step of the way x
  • meritaten
    meritaten Posts: 24,158 Forumite
    I hate to say this - but I am so lucky in that I havent had to cut back - but, I am a fervent Aldi fan and totally believe this is why I can still afford my books (my idea of luxury is to go out and buy (or order from Amazon) a stack of books)!
    but I never have been wasteful or extravagant! I know what its like to struggle and try to make sure there is always at least a fortnights food in the house and the store cupboard is well stocked. my mum takes it a bit far though - at last count she had a dozen boxes of washing powder in her cupboard! and she had gone without her treat of cream cakes that week to buy another box! I was cross with her over that! (I did go and buy her cream cakes for her though).
  • Oh OK then, lets be really honest here. I have cut down on wine, not cut it out altogether. A much loved relative buys us a dozen bottles every Christmas and we stretch that out as far as possible. Then its an odd bottle from the supermarket when I feel like I really need it!!

    There was a time where I didnt think twice about bunging a couple of bottles of wine in the trolley every time I did the shopping, hence why I am now up to my ears in debt!!!

    I do love a nice cold glass of wine on an evening and its probably one of the few luxuries I really miss.
  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179
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    :o i'm one of those young mums who buys pre-grated cheese :( only cause it's acually cheaper per weight than our normal cheese :p, i only buy the pregrated one if my normal ones not on offer mind
    DEC GC £463.67/£450
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  • I was struggling with a low income long before the credit crunch and recession, so I am now better of than before. But once financially challenged, I think you are always financially savvy and I would say I have given up any impulse buys whatsoever.

    I shop weekly, Lidl, Aldi, Asda - whoever is giving the best deal at the time. I eat out once at week at the cost of £13.20 for a terrific lunch with a glass of wine, and the rest of the week stay in. I never buy magazines now, they seem so transient and ridiculous somehow and I look at the news online and on terrestrial. Books are bought second-hand at charity shops, but hardly have any time to read anyway. The only clothes I ever buy new are underwear and shoes but only when I have to.

    I try really hard not to waste food and we sometimes have very odd combinations at mealtimes!
    Solar Suntellite 250 x16 4kW Afore 3600TL dual 2KW E 2KW W no shade, DN15 March 14
    Mortgage and Debt Free. Unfortunately Pension Free too!
  • I hardly ever buy magazines anymore
    Switched to cheap bath stuff/shampoo
    Cook mostly from scratch and meal plan
    Try not to use my car for unnessary journeys
    Try and go to Cinema only when free tickets available
    Going to be stricter about making pack ups for work
    I don't buy clothes - have far too many in my wardrobe already!!
    Buy my dog a huge bag of Wagg worker dried food - lasts months
    Seriously thinking about getting rid of Sky (when I have saved up enough for one off purchase of freesat box)
    Keeping the heating off more and more and entering my meter reading online so I can see what im spending
    Have more nights in rather than going to pub
    Don't buy books anymore - get them free from library or borrow from friends (you very rairly read them more than once anyway)
    Washing less often (wearing clothes more than once and waiting until I have enough to fill the machine
    MFW 2011 challenge - Aim: Overpay £414.26 a month/£5,000 a year. Overpayment Total to date: £414.26:jMortgage start 28/9/07 £46,217.00 :TMortgage balance as of 25/05/11 £24,490.58 :T
    Interest saved as of 25/05/11: £2,849.84 Projected term reduction as of 25/05/11: 9 years 11 months
  • JenniO
    JenniO Posts: 547 Forumite
    I don't buy magazines anymore - they are costly and found them so superficial anyway. With so many of us saying this it's amazing more mags haven't gone bust!

    Only buy a book if I HAVE to, or say for a gift. Otherwise it's the library.

    Don't do indian or chinese takeaways anymore coz of the price - once in a blue moon OH and I will get a parmo and chips (Kezlou will know what I'm talking about! :o) and that's £5.50 and does OH and me for tea and one of us the following day for lunch.

    Don't 'watch tv' - so don't have a TV license or SKY/freesat, etc. Just watch catup up tv online and haven't missed it a bit! Only use my tv now for DVD's or for the games console.

    there are so many things I do now that I definitely didn't 5 years ago yet I wouldn't say my quality of life has diminished. It's just different. And in fact, I find life much more interesting! I've gotten into crochet, doing puzzles again, I now listen to radio 4 (love it!), and just spend more 'quality' time with my OH and DD.
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