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My savings

lmcamoes
lmcamoes Posts: 124 Forumite
edited 1 April 2015 at 2:58PM in How much have you saved?
Hi,

I am trying to save money. In order to achieve that I am reducing my costs.

These are my monthly costs:
Pocket Money 15
School meals 30
Dance school 48
House rent 635
Electricity/gas 59
Council tax 118
Water 47.20
Phone and internet 16.40
tv licensing 12.12
vodafone (2 mobiles) 18
AA 8.81
Car Insurance 40
Car Tax 15
MOT, Servicing 25
Loan (10k) 210
Credit card (4k 0% interest) 200
Grossery, bus, etc 700

Any suggestions where I can save a bit more?

Thank you

Comments

  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,616 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    Hello welcome and bless you for posting. I am sure someone that knows what they are doing will give you good advice in a bit.


    My advice? Well, I would look at the grocery bill - I am not sure how big your family is but I bet you can get the costs down by going to a cheaper supermarket, dropping a brand and maybe just shopping once a week with a list.


    Good luck!:j
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • lmcamoes
    lmcamoes Posts: 124 Forumite
    We are a family of 3.
    Daughter of 13 years old, Mum and dad.

    We are already looking into grocery costs, £700 was last month, includes petrol, supermarket, takeways, bus pass, etc.
  • lmcamoes
    lmcamoes Posts: 124 Forumite
    edited 1 April 2015 at 3:10PM
    Updating costs list, petrol removed from grocery amount
    Pocket Money 15
    School meals 30
    Dance school 48
    House rent 635
    Electricity/gas 59
    Council tax 118
    Water 47.20
    Phone and internet 16.40
    tv licensing 12.12
    vodafone (2 mobiles) 18
    AA 8.81
    Car Insurance 40
    Car Tax 15
    MOT, Servicing 25
    Loan (10k) 210
    Credit card (4k 0% interest) 200
    Petrol 125
    Grocery 575

    I manage to reduce this month:
    - Sky TV and Broadband - phoned to cancel Sky TV and they offered broadband for free for 12 months. From £56 went down to £16.40
    - AA was £13 due to renewal but after a phone call went down to £8.81
    - bus pass was £52 a month now I cycle to work
    - House rent was £695, moved house and rent went down to £635
    - pack lunch to work - save around £3 a day
    - canceled NetFlix - £7
    - cancled BT Sport - £13

    All these savinss work around £228 a month
    That is £2736 per year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,616 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    Really well done. Have you thought of shopping in a cheaper supermarket? You can buy lots of food at v reasonable prices. Also drop a brand if possible. Frugal Queen (one of my heroes) cooks everything from scratch and that saves a lot of money. I shop at As** and it is v cheap. I do buy some processed foods though. There is an ald% and a lid& by me but difficult to get too so I don't bother.
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
  • 19lottie82
    19lottie82 Posts: 6,029 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Groceries for 2 adults and a child = £575 a month? Ouch!
    I have 2 adults and 2 teens in my house and I think I would struggle to spend half of that.
  • Don't worry still better than me :)

    Savings in Eastern Eu country (Bulgaria)

    Pocket Money 15
    Meals 30
    GYM 40
    House rent 400
    Electricity/gas 290
    Water 39
    Phone and internet 14
    tv licensing 12
    vodafone (1 mobile) 12
    AA 8.81
    Car Insurance 40
    Car Tax 49
    MOT, Servicing 25
    Loan (10k) 210
    Credit card (4k 0% interest) 000
    Grossery, bus, etc 40
  • lmcamoes
    lmcamoes Posts: 124 Forumite
    edited 17 April 2015 at 11:48AM
    Thank you all for your support and feedback

    My costs updated :-(
    Updating costs list, petrol removed from grocery amount

    Pocket Money 15
    School meals 35
    Dance school 48
    House rent 635
    Electricity/gas 59
    Council tax 118
    Water 47.20
    Phone and internet 16.40
    tv licensing 12.12
    vodafone (2 mobiles) 18
    AA 8.81
    Car Insurance 40
    Car Tax 15
    MOT, Servicing 25
    Loan (10k) 210
    Credit card (4k 0% interest) 200
    Petrol 100
    Grocery (and everything else) 700

    TOTAL - 2302.53

    Need to go down to 2000 per month!

    The amount for Grocery is not only for groceries... I haven't managed to split hat item with everything else, like cloths, wife and daughter makeup :-), etc.

    By the end of the month I will be able to split those expenses in more detail.
  • savingwannabe
    savingwannabe Posts: 16,616 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    Well done on sorting out what you have though. You sound v determined. Good on you. I wish you v well in your efforts we are all in the same boat. :j
    Aiming for a minimal spend 2022
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