HELP! Have cut back all I can but am still over-spending!

Lavender_Rose

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

Suki, I watched a documentary about how branded items in Poundland were actually more expensive than supermarkets because they reduce the weight of the packets or have 'offers' that are actually not good value for money at all.

We don't have a B&M. It would be more time consuming for me to seek out different shops and do individual shopping. I guess that's why I buy so much from the supermarket because living out in the sticks, going into town can be a real hassle and the nearest cities aren't very near. It just seemed so much easier to get everything we needed from Asda.

Agree with you on Poundland. Need to be very careful and check the price per weight as often it is not as cheap as the major supermarkets.

I tend to stick to Aldi for a weekly shop, and get the odd bits that they don't have in Tesco once a month. I too do not have the time to go to butchers/bakers/Poundland etc. But even just using Asda and the great advice on here you should be able to reduce your food shop by almost a half

ScrimpingandSaving

One thing I will not cut back on is savings for the children. They DO need savings. This country is in a mess, how on earth are they going to manage? We only put away £5 a week each for them. It's not a lot and they will need it when they are older.
I will go without my wine but I will not stop saving for them.

Thanks for the free anti-virus info. Once the renewal comes round I can look into cancelling it and getting a free version.

The contents insurance is not up for debate. I've had huge arguments with my other half about it but one fact remains, if we had been paying for contents insurance over the past 15 years we've been living together, we would have paid out thousands and not made a single claim. It's our decision, our risk. If my pc was stolen then I'd get one from studentcomputers. My passwords, website etc are all safe. They are more under threat from viruses which is why I paid that bit more to keep my business safe.

malamay

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

We don't have a B&M. It would be more time consuming for me to seek out different shops and do individual shopping. I guess that's why I buy so much from the supermarket because living out in the sticks, going into town can be a real hassle and the nearest cities aren't very near. It just seemed so much easier to get everything we needed from Asda.

If you are looking into shopping online, hopefully other supermarkets will deliver to your area. You will be able to 'work the offers' of other shops, and top up with what is cheaper to buy from ASDA. You can use mysupermarket.co.uk to find the best deals.

Have a look around for vouchers - most stores have something to entice first timers into moving their shopping online. I've recently used £12 off a £60 Sainsbury's shop, for example. I think there is a similar code for Tesco which can easily be found on hotukdeals.

The first few online shops are really time consuming, but it is so much easier to meal plan, and watch your spending!

Good luck to you! It can be challenging to cut your shopping budget, but there are many resources on this board to help.

maman

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

A number of your replies make me wonder if you are trolling?

As for contents insurance, do you seriously believe non smokers and careful people never have house fires?

You have a good income and relatively modest fixed outgoings but you are frittering away the excess and then complaining about how awful you're life will be if you have to give up the things you perceive as making your life worthwhile. The reality is that if you get to grips with your everyday unnecessary spending you should have sufficient income that you could afford contents insurance, a pension and a couple of bottles of wine a week.

If you want to make changes you have plenty of opportunities to do so without suffering the hardship that many face. You have to really want to make changes though.

I've been wondering that too.

It seems that OP has been shown all the ways she could make savings but is resolutely sticking to her 'entitlement' to live in a way that's beyond her means.

It might seem unfair but 'do the math' you can't afford to carry on spending like this.

Lavender_Rose

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

We tried that pre-kids and our old neighbours make their own. It tastes like cat-!!!!,
QUOTE]

Mine doesn't:beer:_party_

malamay

I'd also suggest looking at the 'Up Your Income' board. There are suggestions on survey sites, etc which can add up.

Also, are you using a cashback site for any online spends?

ScrimpingandSaving

maman wrote: »

I've been wondering that too.

It seems that OP has been shown all the ways she could make savings but is resolutely sticking to her 'entitlement' to live in a way that's beyond her means.

It might seem unfair but 'do the math' you can't afford to carry on spending like this.

I'm sorry but I didn't come here to stand accused of trolling.

I have taken advice on board - did you not read my replies? I have said that the groceries needs to cut right down. I will do online shopping. I will get a pre-prescription card. We will cut out the Sunday pub treat. I will get a menu planner. I will set a budget.

I have stuck by not cutting back on the children's savings. I think that is all I have said that I won't drop, so how do you justify saying that I am sticking to my "entitlement"?

I can take criticism fairly well. I have listened to what people have said about my spending. What exactly makes you think I am trolling? You think I have spent nearly all day here, making up a non-existent budget just for the hell of it?

I will message you and piglet with my full details.

I get that you don't think highly of me. I get that you think I am living like a lord. It doesn't matter that I already said we are by no means worse off than some others - you have formed your opinion of me.

Thank you all for taking the time to give me advice. I hope I have made it worth your while. Despite what piglet and maman have said, I will repeat that I understand where I need to make savings and I will make every effort to do so.

Thanks for the good luck wishes.

lovelife79

well whether the op is trolling or not, the advice been given here will absolutely help someone who needs it.

OP with regards to your daughters school trips, i completely understand the opportunities they present, and also (having been a shy person at school myself) being "left behind" can seem daunting, but you originally stated that you would really like to go on holiday to see your father in orkney(think thats right).

Can you not sit her down and ask her what she would like, a school trip or a chance to set her grandpa? you may even find that being "forced" to talk to other people may bring her out of her shell a wee bit. (forced by the way i mean in the loose way of not having a comfort blankie of friends around)

oh and go through your cupboards/freezers to see what you already have - both groceries wise and cleaning products/shampoo/soap etc. if you anything like me, i pick things up cos i think i need it only to find i have more than enough already!! silly me. but you could be sitting on a small fortune worth of food/products already.

ScrimpingandSaving

malamay yes I am, since Nov but haven't actually seen any of the cashback that I've earned.

lovelife79

oh scrimpingandsaveing, dont be mad! ive only been using this site for a relatively short period of time, but in that time many people have posted under the guise of wanting help but are actually time wasters.

people give their advice and time freely but if their fingers have been burned a few times then you can understand their hesitance/suspicions.

im not saying you a time waster btw. you want help, you asked for it, you are getting it. take what you need and use it wisely. ignore everything else.

this site helped me save for a deposit that enabled me to buy my first place.
i will forever more give people the benefit of the doubt and put my tuppenceworth in, if it will help,

that whole pay it forward thingy sentiment
you'll get there x