How can I reduce my bills?

wiseshark

Gromitt wrote: »

I wouldn't say that, if I shopped everywhere I could easily save a few quid a week at least, but it would easily cost me more than that to visit all the different supermarkets! You need to be practical.


Not necessarily, although I take your point. It really depends on the individual and how they're prepared to shop. They could go to a certain supermarket one week and visit another the following. The OP did mention that she mostly uses the buses. Here in London, there is a daily cap on the Oyster card or even using a weekly/monthly pass, people can take advantage.

John1993_2

SunshineButterfly wrote: »

I have 2 children aged 3 and 5. I am in a contract with my mobile, so will end up paying for it either way.. therefore I may aswell use it? I have phoned them though and tried to get them to reduce it. The best they could do was £36 a month.. but thats still less than I was paying.

Your question is obviously about how to reduce your bills right now, but you do need to also look at what you seem to keep doing in general, which is signing up to deals that give you something shiny today, which you then are committed to paying for over months or years.

Your mobile, for example, why on earth did you sign up for such an expensive contract? The same with your television, what were you thinking?

While others will hopefully help you with some ideas for the short term, your fundamental problem is your tendency to buy expensive and extravogant items that are out of line with your income.

My advice is to look at this, and don't do it again. Over time, this will lead to a major drop in outgoings.

Spendless

Is the £104 a week travel option definitely the cheapest. I'm guessing it's just for you as you wouldn't pay for under 5 year olds? My own area does a monthly combined train/bus ticket for the town you live in and a slightly higher price for combined train/bus/tram within the county. Travelling across 2 counties though is far more expensive if that's what you do.

They'll be threads about where to buy cheaper shoes etc for going back to nursery and there's also loads on the old style board about eating more cheaply. Often people list their contents of cupbaoards and fridge and freezer so they can be helped with meal planning to reduce costs.

SunshineButterfly

John1993 wrote: »

Your question is obviously about how to reduce your bills right now, but you do need to also look at what you seem to keep doing in general, which is signing up to deals that give you something shiny today, which you then are committed to paying for over months or years.

Your mobile, for example, why on earth did you sign up for such an expensive contract? The same with your television, what were you thinking?

While others will hopefully help you with some ideas for the short term, your fundamental problem is your tendency to buy expensive and extravogant items that are out of line with your income.

My advice is to look at this, and don't do it again. Over time, this will lead to a major drop in outgoings.

The whole reason I am sending the TV back and working hard to get myself out of these contracts is to right then silly mistakes I have made. It is pointless being harsh with me about it now, it is already done. But I have learnt from it and will never use perfect homes again. Once my mobile phone is out of contract I will be going on payg and staying on that.

SunshineButterfly

Spendless wrote: »

Is the £104 a week travel option definitely the cheapest. I'm guessing it's just for you as you wouldn't pay for under 5 year olds? My own area does a monthly combined train/bus ticket for the town you live in and a slightly higher price for combined train/bus/tram within the county. Travelling across 2 counties though is far more expensive if that's what you do.

They'll be threads about where to buy cheaper shoes etc for going back to nursery and there's also loads on the old style board about eating more cheaply. Often people list their contents of cupbaoards and fridge and freezer so they can be helped with meal planning to reduce costs.

£104 is the cheapest I can find. It is for a 28 day county card which allows me on ANY bus or train to ANYWHERE. Though there will be some months in the year when I will not need them as I will not be attending university or school.. like the holidays and the summer / xmas and so on.

I could get a weekly bus pass for any bus which costs £70 a month... and then I could pay for individual return train fares which would cost around £10 a week... which is £40 a month... which would work out the same cost more or less. So I am better getting the country card as I can then use it at the weekends to take the kids on day trips out or be able to travel further for shopping and so on.

Lucyadams184

The food bill can definitely go down. I feed 3 adults and two children on about £75 a week. Aldi and Lidl are great. If you have time on your hands use fruit and veg shops as they are always cheaper or go fruit picking in the summer. It's a shame you are on a contract with your mobile phone as that could be loads cheaper. Good Luck although with what you get you are doing well.

DragonQ

Lucyadams184 wrote: »

The food bill can definitely go down. I feed 3 adults and two children on about £75 a week. Aldi and Lidl are great. If you have time on your hands use fruit and veg shops as they are always cheaper or go fruit picking in the summer. It's a shame you are on a contract with your mobile phone as that could be loads cheaper. Good Luck although with what you get you are doing well.

Yeah my university has a fruit and veg market set up once a week and it's cheaper than the local Tesco (the only large supermarket in the town) whilst being fresher too.

John1993_2

SunshineButterfly wrote: »

The whole reason I am sending the TV back and working hard to get myself out of these contracts is to right then silly mistakes I have made. It is pointless being harsh with me about it now, it is already done. But I have learnt from it and will never use perfect homes again. Once my mobile phone is out of contract I will be going on payg and staying on that.

I'm not being harsh with you, I'm politely giving you what I hope is good advice, designed to stop you getting into more trouble in the future.

You say that it's "already done", I'm pointing out that it's best not to do it again. You've clearly not done it only once.

Anyway, for more practical advice, sell your iPhone. You can use any unlocked phone you want on your contract, so get a £10 handset, stick your SIM in that, and use the money from the iPhone towards your debts.

Spendless

SunshineButterfly wrote: »

£104 is the cheapest I can find. It is for a 28 day county card which allows me on ANY bus or train to ANYWHERE. Though there will be some months in the year when I will not need them as I will not be attending university or school.. like the holidays and the summer / xmas and so on.

I could get a weekly bus pass for any bus which costs £70 a month... and then I could pay for individual return train fares which would cost around £10 a week... which is £40 a month... which would work out the same cost more or less. So I am better getting the country card as I can then use it at the weekends to take the kids on day trips out or be able to travel further for shopping and so on.

ok, thanks for the reply. Then your travel costs must stay, and your childcare costs the huge majority are paid for. You are dealing with the 'perfect homes' costs and you might be able to shave a bit off your utilities but your biggest expenditure that you can save on then is the household stuff and that's where you need to reduce. What sort of things do you need other than grocery shopping before term starts? Someone might be able to point you to a cheaper solution. Do you not get any help with housing costs? I know usually it's not but didn't know if rules were same for those with children but I don't know enough about student finance.

ViolaLass

I believe there are also extra grants if you have dependents, do you receive these? If not, perhaps you need to seek advice from your university about whether you're claiming everything to which you're entitled.