Where do you scrimp and where could you save?

shegirl

Where I save

Food- part of it only recently though!

Myself and ds are big meat eaters and spend quite a lot on food BUT I''ve just started bulk buying meat from an online butcher which is not only cheaper but means I won't be going to the shops so often and pick up lot of random things in addition

We also make all snacks,ice cream etc ourselves now.

I point blank refuse to change the things we eat to save money though and as everything is home made there is no downbranding,or whatever it's called!

I save on some fruit and veg by growing myself- will be doing more this year

Save money on things for the garden- plants bought with clubcard voucher deals combined with T&M deals.Other garden items I like to upcycle.

I save on things for the house by searching for deals and the best prices so I can have what I want rather than just going for a generally cheaper option.

Clothes for ds.They need to be well made and fit his slight figure!
I rarely drink,grab lunch on the go etc.Have the best energy deals,use cash back sites etc.



Things I can (and want to) cut back on:

Smoking! Only smoke five a day now but want to stop.


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

Another one for skincare here!When it comes to cleansing and toning nothing but Clarins will do! Moisturiser is from Lush.Seems to work as apparently I look much younger than 30:D

Hair care - changed a few times but just bought Aveda Be Curly.My hair is a pain so I'm fussy with it and a lot of products are no good for it. The ' premium' products do last longer though so it's not so bad

Other cosmetics - me and ds are Lush fanatics and use nothing else in the bath and on the skin (apart from my cleanser and toner!).Not the cheapest way to bathe but soooo worth it I don't like their shower gels though (but ds likes the shower jelly

Teeniepops

Interesting reads folk. Nice to see I'm not alone with my areas for improvements and it's good to pick up ideas :-)

sweetilemon

Already save - No landline or internet. Shop around on grocery shopping. Eat at work for free so don't have to buy lunch.

Would like to cut - Spending on diet coke, snacks & alcohol. Lottery & magazines (not often). Takeaway on weekends - have cut back at night, just buy a treat when shopping instead but breakfast & lunch on a shopping day is usually bought out ( mcdonalds/m&s etc).

Don't want to cut - Bobbi brown foundation, molton brown shower gel & candles. Tumble drier all year round. Sky + (lowest package). Car to work - could walk.

LibbyR26

sweetilemon wrote: »

Already save - No landline or internet.

Hi Sweetilemon, how do you get on without the internet? Am due to renew my contract and I really grudge paying for line rental which I only really need for the internet. My local library which is less than 5 mins walk away offers free wi-fi access which could be an option, but I'm unsure.

Cheers

katie1812

Where I save/cut back
Food shopping- although we don't have a strict budget, I only buy the things that are on offer, biscuits for example! Might not actually need them when trying to be good but can't beat a good biccy! Also things like turning tap off when brushing teeth, lights off when don't need them on, heating on timer and turn it off completely if a jumper would suffice. Use vouchers when I can too.

Where I know I can (and want to) cut back
Having to go back to tesco in the week for extra bits. End up buying more than I need drives me mad everytime and have probably only ever gone a few weeks where I haven't been midweek.

Where I know I spend but don't want to cut back if possible
Meals out for me and husband. After our wedding it was a mostly weekly thing, very novelty! Then has gone to every other week just because its normally £30-50 when we go (bottle of wine/few beers etc) unfortunately it all adds up, but is nice to do something different. However we were going to go out at weekend but agreed not to as we would,appreciate it more at the end of this week after our first week back at work each. Sensible

sarymclary

Where I save/cut back

We've turned into the electricity police! We turn off all lights/sockets not in use, and confiscate any console/electrical item the children leave plugged in. We also have an electricity monitor that we keep an eye on, and try to limit our usage that way too, by knowing what saps power. We switched to a hob kettle after the old electric one died, and it's worked out cheaper to use that, even on an electric hob (discovered by accident when the old one died, and we used a camping kettle temporarily).

Only use the car when the journey is essential.

OH has a p/t job where food is provided. I plan mainly veggie, low cost meals on the days he isn't home (he insists on meat with his meals) for me and 2/3 children.

I try to cook as many meals as possible either from scratch, or as cheaply as possible (sons will happily have a bowl of ravioli or tortelloni, or boiled eggs for dinner). I tend to put less meat in meals now, and put more on the children/OH's plates, as I'm happy to go without and have more veg.

Children have pack-ups at school, I buy anything on a half-price/multi buy saving deal for contents, and freeze things like frubes so I can make use of deals. Other items are cooked at home like cakes/biscuits, boiled egg, salad, quiche, etc. I take a pack-up to work when I can, some venues I work in aren't keen on this, so have to play it by ear, and only use my takings money to pay for food if I have to.

I encourage our eldest son to stay at his girlfriend's house as much as possible!

We do not eat out, we have a takeaway maybe 2/3 times a year.

I buy toiletries from Home Bargains or Savers, that way we can have reasonable quality for less than a £1 an item.

I sell the children's clothes they've grown out of, and anything else I can lay my hands on to ebay, and put it towards birthday gifts. I always shop around for the cheapest deals possible for their birthday/Christmas presents. I went Christmas shopping last week for my extended family for this year, and bought their birthday presents too (spent £84 in M&S for £249 worth of goods), which has taken care of 3 sisters, a neice and son's g/f for this year I save £25, putting it into a savings a/c to fund Christmas/birthdays.

I save my Sainsbury's Nectar points to pay for Christmas food shop.

OH and I go without birthday & Christmas gifts to save £.

I buy my Christmas cards every few years in the January sales, stocking up paying pennies, saving pounds.


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

We negotiated our Sky package down, and only have a basic package, but this could go by the by if necessary. It is an all inclusive package though where we have internet/phone/TV. I have to maintain a website, and OH uses the internet for his p/t work, so I'm not sure how we'd work around this with the amount of usage we have, otherwise I'd forego a landline, and use a dongle.

We're planning to sell both our cars (8yrs old and 14yrs old) this year and replace it with one, more economical one, that's big enough for a small family on some longer journeys, but small enough to be economical. Also needs to be big enough for me to use for my work equipment when necessary (we also run a van).

Food shopping. I know we can cut down more, but I really struggle to do this, and like others find myself doing the mid-week top-up, only to spend another £50 we cannot afford. My aim this year is to try to do online shopping, buy only what we need, and plan meals. Hopefully that'll do the trick!

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

Heating. It feels like we go without so much, that being cold in the house feels like a step too far. Frankly, I'd rather be hungry than cold. We put off turning it on, trying to get to November before it finally goes on, we keep the thermostat at about 18*C.

I had stopped getting my hair cut/coloured. Grew it longer, which wasn't so bad, but my hair began to go very grey, and I felt it wasn't a good image to convey to my customers looking as if I didn't care about myself, and it did get me down knowing it looked so bad (several family members commented). I now go about 3 times a year, and it's my main luxury in life, but I don't smoke or drink, and my work £ pays for it.

Pee

Re Internet at home find that I save money some of the time by having it - can look up supermarket deals etc - but also spend more when I think I want that i.e. a new CD or something cheap off ebay and just click...