Where do you scrimp and where could you save?

helliesin

WHAt a great thread!

Where I save/cut back
Food shopping- I have a strict budget and usually stick within it, mainly by using a whole lot of vouchers, buying from the 'bargain' shelves and freezing, buying certain 'value' items etc! I have also dusted off the slow cooker and intend to use as much as possible!

Presents- I stock up in the sales for my presents cupboard for when the kids get invited to parties!

Where I know I can (and want to) cut back
Utilities- turning off lights, not leaving tvs etc on standby. I also plan to take the kids DSs/iPods to work to charge up, and charge my phone in car on way to and from work!

Petrol- stop making unnecessary journeys, try to combine journeys if possible, and only buy petrol in Tesco.

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible
Heating- I hate being cold indoors, it makes me depressed... I also don't like wearing jumpers indoors!

Taking the kids out- I know I should cut back on this but I really don't want to! I do try and do it a bit cheaply though- eg, use clubcard points for cinema vouchers, try to go to restaurants with vouchers offers etc.

gibson123

Great thread

Where I save/cut back

Food, I don't menu plan but everything gets used up and I can make a meal out of nothing. Clothes, I re-use clothes and do alterations, I also upcycle. Mobile phone - I don't have one!

Where I know I can /want to cut back

Utility bills, I have not yet switched, although I will soon, same with TV/Broadband

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible

Holidays abroad, I spend a least a month every year in the sun, I booked flights as soon as they are available. Nights out / In with friends, I am single and would be lonely, sad and demented if I didn't go out regularly.

begley

Where I save/cut back

Food. We meal plan every week and try to only buy what we need. We average around £65 (there's 3 of us), and that includes the cat food! I aim for around £20 per person for all meals, drinks and snacks. We could probably get it even cheaper, but Kiddo has acid reflux so needs a fairly specific diet, and I like us all to eat well.

Treats - I'm always on the hunt for cheap Travelodge deals, vouchers for entry to places, free places to go to. We've had some great trips. Just booked a London 'treat', £19 Travelodge and Madame Tussauds - we've only got to buy one ticket (Clubcard points and a BOGOF voucher)!

Where I know I can /want to cut back

Utility bills - need to go on USwitch or similar and find the best deals, same with car insurance.

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible

There are certain things that we won't buy cheaply, we always have fairy washing up liquid and nice shower gel for example. The days out and trips we have aren't a necessity, but we always have a good time, so we don't really care! However, our biggest indulgence is our Sky TV package. We have the whole lot, movies, sports, everything. We don't really go out, and nothing makes us happier than an afternoon in front of the footy or a film!

Spendless

Where I save/cut back

Presents- I shop all year round and stash it, starting in the sales after Christmas. Very few presents I give have I paid full price for. I buy 90% of meat from butcher's stalls in our local market.

Where I know I can/want to cut back
I am not organised enough when it comes to hubby's packed lunches. This needs to change.

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible
I have a car, even though I have no permanent work and the temping work I do is accessible by public transport and hubby has a company car which is the 'family' car. Me having a car too is handy rather than essential.

Bluegreen143

Where I save/cut back

Clothes (just rarely buy them!)
Books (love reading but use the library constantly and ask for books as gifts)
Food (meal plan and minimise waste, plus cook everything from scratch, happy with value ranges for MOST things)
Takeaways/meals out (almost never eat out unless it's a big occasion and never eat takeaways)
Transport (we don't have a car so saving on fuel, insurance, road tax, repairs/servicing, interest on a loan)
Haircuts (have very long, wavy hair cut in a simple style so doesn't grow out, only get 1-2 haircuts a year and get them done cheaply by students)
Also don't pay for beauty treatments like fake tan or waxes, don't dye my hair anymore (will start again when I begin to grey though lol), make do with cheapy make up.

Where I know I can/want to cut back

Heating and electricity bills (we spend a fortune as always have the heating on, even end up with it on in summer to dry the washing!)
Alcohol
'Gadgets' (I have an iPhone, iPad and laptop, my OH has his own computer and iPhone, we have an enormous telly and expensive fast internet - do we REALLY need quite so much?)
Sky TV (OH won't let me get rid of this and I REALLY begrudge paying for it)

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible

Socialising (go out a lot with friends so spend on drinks in bars, theatre tickets, taxis home etc, but it's very important to me)
Exercise (have a gym membership and go climbing weekly which costs more, but it's also important to me to keep fit)
Free range meat (if I couldn't afford this I'd go back to being a vegetarian - however I do economise by only eating meat around twice a week)
Travel (I save on other things to ensure I can go away at least once a year, don't like package holidays and often go to pricier destinations, but we really enjoy this).

busiscoming2

Where I save/cut back

Food shopping. I try to buy only what we need and avoid the offers on things we don't really need. Shopping around for all the Insurances etc.



Where I know I can (and want to) cut back

The Virgin Media package we pay for. I did haggle it down a while ago and need to do it again or find a possible cheaper alternative.
Not using as much petrol (should walk more).

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible

Holidays: We love our holidays and although we do scout about for the best deals we can find we wouldn't want to give these up. My car: We both have a car, mines little and his is big (it needs to be to tow the caravan). We could really do with one car but I am not giving up my independence.

penguingirl

Ooh good thread. I'm going to do my thoughts, but will be asking OH for his this evening.

Where I save/cut back

• Food shopping- we don't overscrimp on this (as we both love tastey food), but we do meal plan and keep a rough tab on budget
• Wine- we only buy it for treats now (although we do tend to have beer in)
• Sky- we got rid of it last year and switched to Freesat and haven't looked back
• Treats/ holidays- we cut down on this when we were saving for the house, and since we have being doing work on it. We've had a few breaks paid for with Tesco vouchers, and have used a family member's house in Spain so have been very lucky. We do have some treats, but are more likely to cook a nice dinner at home than go out etc.
• Cars- both our cars are nearly 8/9 years old and are fairly cheap to run, insure etc.
• Exercise- I ditched the gym and started to run instead, and haven't looked back- although I should probably add up how much I've spent in the last year on kit and race entries!
• Mobiles- we both have smartphones, but shopped around to get good deals
• Phone/broadband- We're quite good at shopping around and switching after the initial 12 months low price, plus pay line rental for the year upfron which is much cheaper
• Online purchases- we use TCB and try to use discount codes

Where I know we can

• I'm struggling to think of anything! We are due a utility switch in the next few months though

Where I spend but don't want to cut back

• Lunches- we got sick of packed lunches so now just buy things at work- I tend to just buy a soup which is about £1-£2 a day, but OH goes to M&S most lunchtimes
• Heating/ hot water- I think my home should be cosy, and I also enjoy nice hot showers or baths
• Things on the house- we've been renovating and have spent a lot, but I don't think we've spent too much and we've always shopped around
• DIY tools- it feels like we have every tool ever made in our loft! But they've all been used, and buying wasn't more expensive than hiring them in most cases.

Looking at the list it feels like we cut back quite a lot, but I don't really feel like we miss out on anything! I would like to start having holidays/ more treats again, but it's been worth it as we're in our mid/late 20s with some equity in our house.

skateykatey

Where I save

Xmas and birthday pressies; as a family that are spread all over the UK we decided not to bother with pressies as it was getting to the point where I was sending a voucher to get a voucher in return! Just send cards now.

I also always make a packed lunch every day and am careful with the household shopping; we very rarely throw anything out.

V rarely buy new clothes or shoes as already have more than one wardrobe full. If I do, they tend to be from Asda etc.

V rarely drink as can't cope with the hangovers anymore.

Where I know I can (and want to cut back)

Car insurance; am tied into deal until April so just waiting until then.

Petrol costs; we tend to holiday in the UK but travel long distances so what we save in accommodation costs (we camp or stay with relatives or cheap cottages) we probably spend in petrol.

mobile phne contract; I don't use anywhere near my allowance so come August this will be pared right down.

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back

My love is figure skating and this costs a small fortune. I have rink fees of approx 22GBP, coaching at 32GBP a week. That's not including the odd cup of coffee I get at the rink to keep warm, petrol getting to and from the rink, misc clothing items. My skates and blades cost me 235GBP but should last me forever. But...it keeps me sane so scrimp on other areas so that I can afford it.

Also Estee Lauder make up; it's amazing and worth every penny; the cheap stuff just doesn't compare.

We're lucky in that we have a small mortgage that is due to be paid off in approx 4 years (we overpay by 700 a month). We both work full time so figure we're due some luxuries on our rare spare time.

pleasedelete

Skincare is interesting. My granny died at 85 with amazing skin- she used ponds cold cream everyday without fail. My mother is 75 and uses virtually nothing - an odd bit of clinique moisturiser but erratic but also has great skin.

Not sure it is an area that I would spend a fortune on. Genes and ponds seem to do it.

shortdog

Where I save
No alcohol - fed up with the expensive headaches.

Food shopping - our weekly budget is £60 for 3 of the 4 of us, my son gets about £30 all to himself though due to his allergies. Most meals are made from scratch though, so we're all eating the same thing, with minor differences (there isn't a hope in hell I'll be eating gluten free Bob the Builder pasta:rotfl:)

Travel costs - OH takes his scooter to work, which saves us a fortune in petrol. If it's really snowy, he can hitch a lift with a friend in the next village along.

Where I know I can (and want to cut back)

Cigarettes - I really need to stop.

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back

Running a car - I don't work, OH has his scooter, and technically, I could do without the car. However, the thought of taking three buses to hospital appointments every week or so is far too depressing, so the car is my little luxury (:rotfl:if you can call a 9-year-old Kia Rio a luxury anyway!)

The kids clubs. Daughter does swimming, Guides, nature club and son does nature club, Beavers, home ed group. It costs me almost £15 a week, plus the petrol, time, snacks, etc, but I think it's important for them, and they enjoy it. (I was over the moon when my daughter gave up the £10/week ballet lessons though!)