What are your OS successes this year?

VJsmum

I know we have an "OS resolution" thread but I wondered what people had achieved this year - OS wise.

Here are some I can think of for me

• I have pretty much stopped using the tumble drier, I think I have only done one full load this year, though there have been a couple of bits gone in to finish off when kids needed them for school
• I cook large portions and freeze leftovers (so much so that I have been trying to defrost the freezer for a year )
• I have spent much less on clothes than I normally would - though still a little more than I would like
• I have learned to buy things when they are on offer and stockpile them - not to excess but enough to be able to see me through to another offer and have made cupboard space for these
• I am learning to declutter
• i now remember to use Quidco, music magpie, ebay to generate funds for holidays

Anyone else?

sonastin

Since getting a breadmaker for christmas last year, I've only bought bread while on holiday.

I've been using a quidco/groupon-style website that is one of our corporate "perks" and I've managed to save £65 worth of points which is paying for the christmas grocery-indulgence plus some of January's groceries because we won't need that much. Plus managed to save another £40 by remembering to buy discount gift cards before going shopping.

I bought the Takeaway Secret in March and have spent significantly less on eating out as a result.

Overall, I've spent less in 2012 than I spent in 2011. Just need to keep up the good work in 2013 and cut the spending even further

bargainbetty

My best results have come in batch-cooking (I have two drawers in the freezer full of ready meals, which save a fortune during the week) and being a bit more sensible about clearing the stockpiles before buying more. I've got to reduce my stores before a possible house-move in the new year, and I've been surprised by the controlled stocks!

I've also got quite good about using things as other things.... cheap watered down conditioner as laundry softener, watered down moisturiser as shaving lotion etc. Waste not, want not!

lostinrates

Honestly, it has been a bad year for OS for us. A huge expenditure on the house, a lot of emergency full price no foresight buys and months where my old style cooking was out of the window most of the time.

marmiterulesok

lostinrates wrote: »

Honestly, it has been a bad year for OS for us. A huge expenditure on the house, a lot of emergency full price no foresight buys and months where my old style cooking was out of the window most of the time.

I hope that next year goes more smoothly for you.

As for me,I'm enjoying budgeting,batch cooking,baking my own bread and cakes and fully intend to carry on with these activities.

katieclampet

My main OS success this year is using loads of money off vouchers and coupons, thanks to the coupons and voucher thread.

I used them, for money off bread, cereal, frozen products, fabric softner ( which I dont use, but pass on to family) and several other things.

I have used the vouchers when there has been special offers on the item and saved quite a good amount.

katie

[Deleted User]

I think probably baking a lot more and batch cooking and never ever throwing anything away that could be used to make a meal with.My freezer is bursting at the seams at the moment and I have saved alomost three weeks housekeeping by using up stores from my cupboards and f/freezer.I normally budget for £100.00 per month and Novembers has stereeetched into December and my food purse (I always keep my food money apart from my other cash)is down to just over a couple of quid which is more than enough to last me until the end of the month as I am going away next week so I am just using up the fresh stuff in the fridge over the weekend.Definitely thinking more before I spend and not going to the shops as much as I used to has saved me a fortune this year

miss_emmajane

Great thread, its nice to know what people have achieved OS wise

+ Paid off 1/2 of my old student overdraft, will be fully paid off in 2013

+ Lots of YS shopping, really got an eye for bargains this year and got a lot of them!

+ A massive thing for me (and my bf) was realising that if we didn't have the money, we shouldn't be spending and we've enjoyed our time doing free things when the budget has been tight rather than overdrafts etc

+ Meal planning and shopping with a budget - moved out with my bf in Jan so we began doing this straight away and on the weeks we haven't for some reason its been no where near as organised, and teas haven't been as nice because they're just shoved together when we both get in.

Broomstick

Keeping the water meter readings right down even though I do loads of extra sports kit washing each week. We have showers only - never use the bath - and it really helps.

Loads of packed lunches and drinks for all of us throughout the year. DS1 (20) has become very adept at dreaming up packed lunch/supper ideas and boxing up left-overs from supper for lunch the next day. I've been good about taking a thermos

Realising that the trend is generally upwards. When I started to get the car winter-ready earlier on this autumn I realised that I'd got most of everything I needed already - it had been bought the previous year! Gradually the improvements are happening, even when it feels as if it's all too hard.

Thanks for the reminder to look at the long term positives VJsmum. :T

Honeythief

I am only starting out on this journey, but I now buy almost no factory-made clothes (I sew my own), I cook almost every meal I eat from scratch including bread, and we have our own veg growing in the garden. My goals for 2013 are to learn how to make my own preserves (and then use them!) and to stop buying pointless crap. We'll see how that goes...

Tiglath

Having a budget and cooking from scratch. It's been an eye-opener! Living from the freezers and pantry while I'm getting my new household system underway. Paying off 2 debts completely. I'm a novice OSer but am very pleased with progress so far.