Great 'ways To Cut Back' Hunt

PAWI69

This site is really good to compare prices before you buy from the usual shops, a lot cheaper!.......

http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/

Rumbels

Sad enough it is to admit, but my partner and I kept a spend diary for one month for everything we bought at the supermarket. The reason we did this was because we wanted to get our monthly budget in check before the birth of our daughter now that we were going to have to survive on the one salary.

The results of the supermarket spend diary were enlightening.

Couldn't believe I used to waste 12 quid on Iams cat food, when Whiskers is 4 quid; buying supermarket home brand cleaning / washing products will save you an absolute fortune too as the difference in price can often be 2 or 3 quid a time. We also used to waste a lot of money on fresh flowers, magazines and fruit which was out of season and cost a packet e.g. 5 quid for a tub of blueberries for example.

I urge you all to try it - you will be amazed at what you've been wasting your money on!:T

I liked some of the ideas in the other threads too, especially slashing your direct debits and paying with cash for stuff. I was on the moneyfacts.co.uk site last week and they had an interesting top ten tips for getting out of debt, which also talked about how to save money and make money which is worth looking at.

money_bags_2

1 give yourself a weekley cash budget and stick to it
2 kill the credit card, dont use it instant credit = instant debt

PAWI69

Try recycling a different way......

There's a website called Freecycle (most area's have them) it's designed for people who want to get rid of stuff but instead of filling up our landfill sites, you can give your unwanted items away "for free" to people who will come & take your things, you can also "ask" for things you need "for free", everything from pins to cars are being GIVEN AWAY.

The Wirral Freecycle® group is open to all who want to "recycle" that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! Nonprofit groups are also welcome to participate too!

One main rule: everything posted must be free. This group is part of The Freecycle Network, a nonprofit organization and a movement of people interested in keeping good stuff out of landfills. Check out uk.freecycle.org for other cities and info on the movement! E-mail Group Owner for questions or improvement ideas!

Sorry this post is so long! Hope it helps someone

Lazy_Line_Painter_Jane

Don't know if this will help, but if you work for the NHS you can register with the NHS Discounts site. This will give you money-off offers and vouchers for all sorts of things

Domthemon

money_bags wrote: »

1 give yourself a weekley cash budget and stick to it
2 kill the credit card, dont use it instant credit = instant debt

Depends re the credit card. I pay mine off EVERY, yes, EVERY month. I put everything I can on it and earn 1 Tesco point for every two pounds spent. I put around 1k on it each month so 500 points a month.....a fiver to spend at Tesco or 20 quid on Deals. In a year that is 240 quid in Deals and all it means is paying off the one bill (CC) each month instead of tying myself in knots with cash. I can go online and check my balance at any time. With the Deals I bought a subs to a magazine, (a mag I used to buy anyway) with 11 quid in deals, a mag which usually costs over 3 quid a month.... so I saved 26 quid for a start. I have also bought Eurotunnel day return (for my booze cruise) for 15 quid in vouchers, saving nearly 45 quid.

I appreciate a lot of people can't manage themselves tobudget with a CC but if you can there is free money to be had.

Dom

EagerLearner

I agree - I pay with my credit card 'stooze' card (free at 0% for 9 months) and save the money spent from my current account into IceSave. That way in 9 months time, I will withdraw all that cash which has been earning me interest and pay it all off, usin gthe credit card for my gain rather than them using me. Of course, the min monthly payments come from that 'stooze' savings pot too.

For other stuff now that my stooze limit is almost reached, I use Egg Money card - gives me 1% cashback and tells me exactly where I spent the money. They pay out in March every year and last month I got £45 free cashback for the year 2006/2007.

I take around £10-£20 a week out in cash for small stuff, but I also note where it was spent, and alot of that goes into my £2 piggy, or silver piggy.

Spreadsheet in my sig may help folks out who are trying to 'figure out' where all that cash goes... the Frills section is designed to really open your eyes at the end of the month! Plus is has a debt buster and also a Grocery Challenge section.

SarahNeedle1872

Don't buy anything new for a baby except a cot matress! Freecycle, charity shops (and supermarkets for clothes), and don't say no to anything ur offered. Only buy what u are gonna use for a reasonable amount of time... I even use pillow cases as a sheet in the moses basket, coz DS is only gonna be in it for a few more weeks.

rubix_76

SarahNeedle1872 wrote: »

Don't buy anything new for a baby except a cot matress! Freecycle, charity shops (and supermarkets for clothes), and don't say no to anything ur offered. Only buy what u are gonna use for a reasonable amount of time... I even use pillow cases as a sheet in the moses basket, coz DS is only gonna be in it for a few more weeks.

I would only add one thing to that list, a car seat. I would never buy one second hand, and I don't even thnk I would buy one from someone I knew as you have no idea what it has been put through.

It's no good getting your small baby and strapping it in nicely only to find that part of the seat is damaged/broken and they go flying in it (but they are safely strapped to the seat).

I have seen so many car seats in second hand baby shops which I personally think is immoral. I know they can cost ya £50 ++ (we bought a travel system), but safety is paramount.

Ok, soap-box is available for anyone else now I have finished :rotfl:

SarahNeedle1872

Good point! I didn't think of a car seat coz we also got a travel system (£60 from a mate). I would def NEVER buy a second hand car seat... Luckily my Dad gave us £100 in Mothercare vouchers so we're gonna use that when the baby gets too big for his seat