where do people get the money?

surfsister

yes we save loads my always planning ahead and using this site and ukhotdeals before we buy anything! eg we use coupons/vouchers for meals out or do mystery shopping or go to a nice branch of weatherspoons or yates (yes they do exist!) also sign up to free drink/meals whenever we see them and also free on birthdays too. Also fill in feedback forms as often then you get mofre free items.

Also use all shop points cards especially Tesco and use the points when they are double up to buy meal deals or days out.

Complete surveys especially pine-cone and use the points for vouchers or paypal.

so there is a lot yolu can do to save money. an example is that we sometimes go to a nice traditional pub near us and a glass of red and a beer is ten quid with a bit of change. a meal would be about thirty quid for fish n chips. if we drink there and then go on to Wetherspoons to eat and sit outside (nice views) a meal is about twelve pounds for two and the same drinks four pounds fifty pence or a bottle of Merlot for six quid!

Also free hot drinks at waitrose with their card so no need for costa and at john lewis once a month free hot drink n any cake withe their free card.

It's just that you need to plan before you go!

surfsister

bigmaz wrote: »

You seem so organised. I wish we could get this organised. We have tried a few times to have a system to watch our money, it maybe works for a few weeks, and then we just end up forgetting about it and fall back into the way of things. I don't know if its just pure laziness or what, but I wish my brain could be programmed and just do this kinda stuff automatically, no one to blame but ourselves, hehe!!

think it may be that we HAVE to budget or starve but you have excess cash so the brain says treat yourself or your kids they're worth it!! A suggestion above of putting savings away is a great idea; another is to take out so much cash a day/week and use only that and no plastic cards. once you see where the cash is going to you may be surprised!

And look at reduced/special offers in tesco/asda etc I always pick up tips on here and if I am passing pop in to look or those 10p or 50p items. If I pass supermarkets at selling off time I always pop in - last night I bought bread for 8p (straight into the freezer), a thyme plant for 5p, a huge celeriac (for chips!) for 9p and chicken breast for 25p.
Last week I did the Morrisons three meat for a tenner and sued the sun five pounds off voucher - so two gammon joints and a whole chicken for a fiver. (all advertised on here).

You can idly thumb through money saving/hotdeals whilst watching tv I always do and I keep an ongoing list of places to go/websites to sign up to.

bigmaz

surfsister wrote: »

yes we save loads my always planning ahead and using this site and ukhotdeals before we buy anything! eg we use coupons/vouchers for meals out or do mystery shopping or go to a nice branch of weatherspoons or yates (yes they do exist!) also sign up to free drink/meals whenever we see them and also free on birthdays too. Also fill in feedback forms as often then you get mofre free items.

Also use all shop points cards especially Tesco and use the points when they are double up to buy meal deals or days out.

Complete surveys especially pine-cone and use the points for vouchers or paypal.

so there is a lot yolu can do to save money. an example is that we sometimes go to a nice traditional pub near us and a glass of red and a beer is ten quid with a bit of change. a meal would be about thirty quid for fish n chips. if we drink there and then go on to Wetherspoons to eat and sit outside (nice views) a meal is about twelve pounds for two and the same drinks four pounds fifty pence or a bottle of Merlot for six quid!

Also free hot drinks at waitrose with their card so no need for costa and at john lewis once a month free hot drink n any cake withe their free card.

It's just that you need to plan before you go!

We actually mostly eat and drink in a Wetherspoons or Yates', as they are cheaper. We just drink a fair bit, lol. Thats terrible eh? Not that we drink till we drop by the way.... We actually had a Groupon deal on Sunday for a nice Indian, 2 meals for £9.50. Maybe at the start of the month when we get paid, we should stock up on these to use through the month.

skogar

Yes, a lot of people on here appear very organised but it's only because it allows them to do what they want more effectivey with their money. So that might be do more activities, put away savings, pay off debts, anything depending on their priorities.

The easiest way to do it is to do the money saving ideas first that will be easiest for you to achieve and you are least likely to miss. So start with one thing whether it's taking you lunch to work, eliminating fancy coffees bought out, spotting yellow sticker bargains, meal planning, reducing no of meals out, whatever and see how it goes. If it doesn't work try something else. I found looking at my spending diary gave me good ideas of where I could easily cut back.

Loads of people cut back somewhere but if you don't know them well you may not realise where and how they cut back. We go on holiday a lot by many peoples standards but tend to stay in budget accomodation, camping, book cheap flights ourselves etc to be able to do this.

I remember being asked by someone I worked with how I could afford to go away so much. I remember the person in question going on a 1 week cruise with her other half and the bar bill for the 2 of them was £600 :eek: (that was 10 years ago!).

Also enjoy going out to concerts etc but we also go to a lot of free attractions, have pay as you go mobiles on which we use about £30 a year between us, don't have a TV, spend very little on clothes. It's right for us but may not be for you so maybe look at where you spend and where it is easiest to cut back. It's also easier to make the cut backs if you have a reason why you are making them which will be better than what you are doing now.

Good luck:)

poorly_scammo

I'd keep all your receipts for a month if it's a typical spending one and work out where it's all going. If you keep nipping to the shop for bits and bobs, don't meal plan, and drink a lot then it all adds up even if it doesn't seem like you're spending much at the time.

Also, you have to consider what people like to do with their money. Some like gadgets for example. They'll happily spend hundreds on them but eat very basic foods to compensate. Others like holidays, others like eating out. If they're balancing income and outgoings then they'll be reining themselves in concerning their spending in other areas.

marmiterulesok

I've not got much to add to the other excellent bits of advice,but the people you see on a night out or in a fancy restaurant might be having a 'once in a blue moon'day/evening out and have been saving up for it for a wee while.Or,as others have said,in debt and buying on credit.

You could also do a SOA (statement of affairs).It's on the debt-free board,and you might get some useful comments.

whiteguineapig

we go away on holiday at least 6 weeks a year, if we can, we get a hotel that gives breakfast, but other than that, all food is from the supermarket.
i often wonder if thats part of why people say that holidays are expensive, if you have a couple of meals out everyday it must be

bigmaz

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I've not got much to add to the other excellent bits of advice,but the people you see on a night out or in a fancy restaurant might be having a 'once in a blue moon'day/evening out and have been saving up for it for a wee while.Or,as others have said,in debt and buying on credit.

You could also do a SOA (statement of affairs).It's on the debt-free board,and you might get some useful comments.

The money is after all our bills, so they are taken care of. Our food budget is seperate and so is our Diesel, Insurance Pension etc. so not sure an SOA is needed? This is literally just spending money. So a spending diary is def in order I think.

Some of the people I know, not well enough to ask them how to afford it, dont earn lots of money and still go out a lot. Must be debt, or they might just be good at saving in other areas.

IrishRose12

bigmaz wrote: »

We actually mostly eat and drink in a Wetherspoons or Yates', as they are cheaper. We just drink a fair bit, lol. Thats terrible eh? Not that we drink till we drop by the way.... We actually had a Groupon deal on Sunday for a nice Indian, 2 meals for £9.50. Maybe at the start of the month when we get paid, we should stock up on these to use through the month.

Or maybe just eat at home???? M&S do lovely meal for 2 offers with a bottle of nice wine for £20 or less.

bigmaz

IrishRose12 wrote: »

Or maybe just eat at home???? M&S do lovely meal for 2 offers with a bottle of nice wine for £20 or less.

Do you mean £10? Yeah, we have done that a few times. Although for £9.50 for 2 Indian meals eating out, its only a little bit more, and you dont have to cook it