Preparing for Christmas 2011

BloomingTasty

Stupotstu's earlier message spurred me into action. Having harped on that you stand up and say I can't afford to do that this year, I've just phoned a friend of mine and put my case!

Not to do with presents at Xmas, but evening out. Theres a group of us that always go out for a big all inclusive night out but quite frankly I can't afford it this year. So I've taken the bull by the horns and phone one of them to say as much. Her reply 'No worries, I'm sure you're not the only one whos finances are tight. How about we have an evening at mine where we all contribute a course or some alcohol.' She then went on to offer her hubbies services as taxi for the night.
Now thats what I call a true friend.

ManPants

Well, the deed is done!

She took it quite well but did concede that she understood. I went on to thank her that she understood my new found - relative - poverty!

So, I am buying birthday presents for the kids and no christmas and no adult presents! And Breathe!!!

Thank you all so much for your input. And you are right I did just have to take the bull by the horns and just say.

Also, Snowbelle thank you for your input. Isn't all these expectations from people so ridiculous!!

Congrats Eljaycock on your success today!!

Stupotstu X

jakesbakescakes

oh yay super news stupotstu - well done for grabbing that bulls horns!!!!!!
you will sleep better now i am sure.

And well done Eljaycock too - you'll all have a fab night in (and probably better food too!!!!) lol x x x

SnowBelle_2

ELJAYCOCK wrote: »

Stupotstu's earlier message spurred me into action. Having harped on that you stand up and say I can't afford to do that this year, I've just phoned a friend of mine and put my case!

Not to do with presents at Xmas, but evening out. Theres a group of us that always go out for a big all inclusive night out but quite frankly I can't afford it this year. So I've taken the bull by the horns and phone one of them to say as much. Her reply 'No worries, I'm sure you're not the only one whos finances are tight. How about we have an evening at mine where we all contribute a course or some alcohol.' She then went on to offer her hubbies services as taxi for the night.
Now thats what I call a true friend.

This is exactly what a group of us do,we are in our early 40's got fed up of overpriced pubs and 'meatmarket' nightclubs.
We all take some food,and whatever we like to drink.
meet up at one of our houses & play cheesy music and chat.
(plus we can eat garlic without worrying about breathing it all over fellow pubgoers!!)
We have done Murder mystery evenings,stars in their eyes and a hawaiian night and it was 100 times better than standing in a pub all night.

mum2one

Eljaycock and stupotstu, well done, and glad everything worked out ok, xx

ManPants

Thank you all for your input! Sadly, this is stage 1 in an awful lot of cutting back as other half became redundant from his £50k per year job after almost 20 years with the same company.

We have led a fortunate and abundant life together over the last 7 years but now he has lost his job and I've had to take a pay cut from mine so £100k per year combined is now £40k between us! Whilst we were earning popstars wages as well as having constant new clothes, nights out in Michelin star restaurants and flash luxury holidays we were also were sensible and virtually cleared our mortgage (modest victorian terrace nothing massive). All the time we didn't take it for granted and actually used to say to each other "how fortunate & lucky" we were to be able to do the stuff we did.

I guess I'm putting this as I'm looking for some input on what I can do to cut back so we don't end up living beyond our means. We've got to start being sensible and sensible straight away!

I've already gone through my emails and unsubscribed to the millions of companies that constantly send advertisments for their products as I used to be a dreadful & constant internet shopper so my credit card doesn't get out of hand - I'm used to clearing it every month and I know I won't be able to do that. Other half and I have agreed that we won't do presents for each other anymore and use spare cash for saving up for holidays as quality time together is more important than stuff!

On monday we did a weekly shop including to local butchers and greengrocers so that our daily supermarket trips and corresponding frittering of money there is stopped. I'm now saving up bath water in jam jars (that bit is a joke!!!)

Anyone have any other ideas on how to cut back excessive spending??

Oh yeah - wine club gone. No more deliveries from Fortnums!!

Gym remains though - £50 a month but I do go & I do love it!

This is probably the wrong thread to put this on but you've all been wonderfully helpful & encouraging over my other matter!!! Lastly, so I don't appear to be a complete a**e I do know how fortunate we were and both our areas of employment are not for the faint hearted so it wasn't just handed to us on a plate. Nonetheless I still regard my plate (or cup) as half full!!

Stupotstu. X

mum2one

Stupostu, sorry to hear about OH and his job, but it sounds like plan A has started,
sounds like you've done well with cutting back.
the first things that come to mind

gas, elec - are you with the best value suppliers

Elec - get in the habit of turning off tv etc not standyby, charge phones and computers, try and charge them in the room your in, so you can see when there charged.

Central Heating, turn the thermostat down by 1degree, eg the heating cuts in at 20C, set it to cut in at 18C, we've managed to cut down to cut it at 15.5C,
Radiators - check if they have the control values, leave on lowest setting, turn off those that you don't need.

Shopping - downgrade a brand, eg finest to brand name, then down to own brand, then value - some are hit and miss

Consider changing some of shopping, maybe instead of all Tesco, split into Tesco + lidl/netto etc

Look around for internet shopping if you find you get distracted, as most do an introductry £10 off etc, Sainsburys, ocado (waitrose), Tesco.
The friend I mentioned earlier does her shopping online with Sainsburys, goes through quidco and get 50p or £1 by going through the links

Look at cashback sites for everything, car ins, house ins etc etc (see quidco in signature)

Look at christmas threads inspiration, eg hampers,
family ngt in - board game or dvd voucher, pop corn, can, mini bottle wine for adults, - for under £10 you'd be able to buy a family present.

Cull the list as much as you can, you've tackled the 1st person, gets easier from there.

As for credit cards, can you do any to 0% balance transfers, - also do a snowball (there be a sticky on debt free threads), you put in the amount owed, the min %, the apr, and you can choose whether you want to clear in balance order (takes longer) or apr, and how you can pay if over the minimum, works it all out

Mobile phones - contracts up, look at sim only deal, or pay and go.

Interenet - R u on the best package, I pay £7.20 per month AOL, unlimited internet, downloads etc, and all national and local calls, I still have line rental with BT

Loyatly points - save as much as possible, (boots 4p in £1),

Consider doing surveys, reviews etc.
(best thread for that - thrifty gifty christmas thread + santas challenge thread (where we orgainse throughout the yr, not all xmas, bdays, offers etc, even down to cleaning the house).

May be worth doing a SOA, (statement of affairs,) and go through it with a fine tooth comb seeing where the money is going, 99% of us, find that it says we have more disposable income than we do, then apart from help!! thats where the lovely spending diary comes in, everything gets listed, whether its 50p on a packet of chewing gum, or £3 for a magazine...

I def agree re holidays, I know somw die hard debt free wanabbes will say, no, no, no, but to me holidays keep me sane!! and something to focus on, so when I have £2 in my purse for a week, I know that the hol is a carrot dangling...

xx

Ps - Jan sales
This may seem daft as we haven't even got this xmas over, but use Jan sales to your advantage, whether its just wrapping paper, tags, cards etc, through to a few presents.
I save my Boots points and any vouchers and try to hold out for 75% sale, and look at bday list and say need 8 men, 12 ladies, then I just grab what I need and it all helps.

Before xmas take advantage of 3 4 2 offers,
If you buy something in a sale say presale £30, sale £5, then dont think of it as a £5 present, think of it as a £30 present, if you'd have gone in the day before it may well have been £30

Birthday wrapping paper, - Places like Wilkinsons, home Bargains, - buy the rolls, I always get 2 or 3 same design, so cut as needed, tags are pricy, my top tight wad tip, if the wrapping paper has a design on eg cupcake, or teddybear fishing, cut round a design and use that as a gift tag.

xx

jakesbakescakes

mum2one - you are fantastic!!!!!! what a list!!!!

Jd1983

Superb tips mum2one!!

ManPants

Mum2one - thank you so much for those tips!

They are fab. I think i have either started or changed most of those items either previously or following on from your email so thank you so much. Other half is going to clear my £1660 credit card bill and I'll pay him back interest free rather than swapping cards about.

Must quickly tell you about my Tesco Mobile bargain as well. Last year I was still with Vodafone but cancelled my line at the end of my contract. They phoned up offering the world - as they do - to keep me and it all just got on my nerves. Anyway, I had a blissful month without a mobile (had quit smoking as well so imagine this I went out in the morning and all i had to remember was my house keys and wallet!!) but work started to get tetchy as they couldn't contact me directly.

Upshot was I got a £6 sim from Tesco with 100 mins cross network and unlimited texts for a month until i decided upon a new phone contract etc. Well over a year later I am still with my £6 a month phone and have rarely had a bill higher than £6.50! Those of you wishing to cut back on needless mobile expense could do worse than going with Tesco. Also never had reception probs!!

Hope that you all have a lovely day. Put loads of stuff on ebay last night and I'm ashamed at the amount of money I have simply wasted buying up stuff. Designer shirts still in wrappers etc. Idiot!!!

Stupotstu X