Newbies SOA

findingmyownway

Evening all,

Prudent

The food and other things you have included with it seems really high. I spend £90 ish per month on one adult, one teenager and two picky cats. I shop in the evenings when the supermarkets are reducing stuff and get it for very little. A lot of the toliteries we save on by following the tips on using boots points posted on ehe grabbit board.

freda

Can you split up the different categories.

For example, 'mortgages and bills' - how much is:
mortgage
Council tax
Water
Gas
Elec
Landline
...etc

And for the food, how much is food, how much is pet food?

£400 to feed two is ever such a lot, even if it does include toiletries, cleaning stuff etc. What toiletries do you use? Are you one of these people who have loads and loads of half opened bottles lying around, then buy some more? If so, don't buy any more till they're all used up! Ask for toiletries for xmas presents. What do you use for cleaning? Do you go for the brand name smelly stuff, when vinegar, stardrops, bleach and bicarb would do the job just as well? Look on the moneysaving old style forum for LOADS of ideas on cutting your food bills. You could save £200 per month here.

You're missing costs for:

Going out/ents
Birthdays/xmas - you need to be saving a bit each month for this
Car insurance - you need to be saving a bit each month for this
Car maintenance - you need to be saving a bit each month for this
Clothes/haircuts - you need to be saving a bit each month for this
Emergency saving fund - you need to be saving a bit each month for this
Any subscriptions for mags etc?
Any pension contributions?

Have you kept a spending diary to check that the amounts that you think you are spending are right?