Big savings in a short space of time

MDJO_2

Hi everyone
I have been a member of this site for a number of years but never really posted and got involved (but always hunted for money saving tips )
Anyway my partner is being made redundant at the end of the month, along with tens of thousands of others in the region so we have had to make some drastic cuts in order to be able to survive on one wage, should we need to.
Whilst this is obviously challenging for us, its been quite a wake up call to how much money we have wasted over the years. So in the space of a month, I'm really pleased to have managed to reduced our outgoings by half as follows
Mortage stays the same
As does council tax, TV licence and water etc
Am on the lowest utilities following a switch a few months ago
Have cancelled telephone and broadband (I'm lucky that work also provide a broadband line so we cheekily just use that) = £18/month
Dog Insurance - changed from M&S at £22 per month to JS at £11 per month plus £50 cash back = £11 /month
Home Insurance (was due for renewal) - changed from AA at £18 per month to JS at £11 per month plus £71 cashback = £7/month
I have two horses so have moved them from stables paying £450 per month to £207 per month (they are now living in a field and are much happier for it too) = £243 / month. I am also considering putting one of them out on loan so that will save a further £107/month
Have moved horses to barefoot saving c£30 / month on horse shoes (also much happier). Stopped all luxuries with horses like lessons etc saving c£60 / month
Will switch horse insurance saving £40/month in April
Have sold my horsebox saving £236/month on loan, meaning I have paid off my loan and credit cards which were costing £200 / month
and I also now, for the first time ever have some money in a savings account. This will also save c£600 per year on MOT/Tax/Insurance etc
Now i don't spend all my time mucking out horses I am doing more baking at home saving about £100/month on takeaways / ready meals. Don't eat lunch out of home anymore saving about £30 / month
I'm lucky enough to have a flexible mobile job which means I can call in at Supermarkets etc when I'm out and about, so saving on special trips and the resultant petrol etc. Not sure what this saving is, but I feel I'm using less fuel than previously.
Only run the heating for 1hr in morning and 2hr at night, plus only 1hr for hot water again not sure what this will do until next bill, but its at least 30% less than we were using last year.
Have ebayed a load of old useless horse and home stuff resulting in £400 in my paypal account for emergencies - have about another £100's worth of stuff to do

It will be extremely tight going forward but in some ways its been a positive experience. Previously we had been spending double what was necessary and I cannot believe how much money I have been spending on the horses!!!
I can't think I'll ever go back to wasting all that money, even when my partner finds a new job. Then I'll become a real saving expert

Edited to add - has anyone got any ideas how to get my partner on board with all of this?. I feel a tiny bit cheesed off that I'm selling all my stuff / undertaking all the switching etc and he's continuing to spend at the same rate. He's known he's being made redundant for last 5 weeks but continues to buy Starbucks / lunch time sandwiches etc at a rate of about £5 a day plus his travel to work / parking at £8 per day. I've politely asked him to save as much as he can between now and his redunancy but he seems oblivious. We've done the numbers so he's aware of the situation but seems quite happy for someone else to do all the work/pick up the pieces. I can see this being a bone of contention between us!!

Seanymph

sharers help foot the bill and you don't have to loan your horse out totally........... loaning can be a minefield - AND cost more money in transport/vet bills/finding the damned thing after they've moved it.

A sharer just pays the bills.

We have put one out on loan, and found a sharer for the other. I know which arrangement gives me least stress.

Mark248

Perhaps you can try to convince him of the benefits of saving money on the long run which might makes him think twice about wasting money on lunches and Starbucks.