I’m taking control of my life, now.

savingholmes

That's fantastic news about the ombudsman and the money returning to you. It all helps.

EssexHebridean

That's great news about the insurance Paws - well done for pursuing it! Also good work on the offsetting of the watch cost too - I love a good offset! 

Travel insurance - I must admit we do make sure we have it even though we holiday in the UK. In the event of something happening to us while we're there and needing specialist help to get home - it would pay out. If something happens past the point where we could get cancellable accommodation costs refunded, it would pay out...I know many won't now cover covid eventualities, but even without that we've always felt it was worthwhile as it's a low cost for peace of mind. 

boxofpaws

Morning 

Thanks @savingholmes ☺️

@EssexHebridean - I checked travel insurance and happily - you’re right! I hadn’t dared looked because last time we went on hols, the insurance was expensive which I put down to the brain tumour. But it must have been COVID, or the fact we’re not leaving uk because it’s around £30 now. I’m still going to wait a bit, it’s still all refundable and Mr P has an appointment with the consultant tomorrow.

I have been doing the grocery challenge. I’ll put the results here for posterity 

January spends - managed to hit to target by depleting some stocks so I’m pleased but I’m not sure we could do it long term.

Petfood £16 - will stick with this
Toiletries and household (includes lightbulbs, shampoo, dishwasher stuff) - £40 -will stick with this
Alcohol - need to add this - £14 (had loads of leftover Christmas and a garage full of wine)
Takeaways - £38 will stick with this
Food £210 - need to increase this. Will try £292 (because it makes the total a nice round £400 per month) and go from there.

Therefore the budget is £400 but it includes all of the above. There’s people in the thread doing this for £180 for 2 people. I can’t do that and I’m not sure I’d want to. But comments welcome on if the £400 is too much.

Paws x

CRANKY40

I think the grocery thing depends on income and what you want to get out of it too. To some it's a "want" to others it's a need. It's all about what suits you. If £400 suits you then it's all good. 

savingholmes

I suppose on the areas you plan to increase - is there a need or just a want? This is my area of biggest challenge too. It's hard to look at one area out of context from income and overall budget. I also can't remember how many you are feeding. If you want to make savings and reduce that figures it looks like you could. It depends whether you are happy that this proportion of your budget is going on this - rather than shaving some off and putting some towards debt, holidays or whatever

Suffolk_lass

You could ring fence a bulk buy fund or stores budget to buy 4-6 of your brands when they are on offer (if not, you buy just one). There is a bit of juggling to get going but it works for me. For example, I find things like our preferred shower gel appears about every four months for £1 (or £2 for the big one) and I buy 6. I save a bit from each month so this is ready to go. I've also resorted to one or two big river subscriptions with 5-15% discount for tea, coffee and flaked salt (the latter by the kilo  and I may need to defer the next one!)

EssexHebridean

We do keep our food budget under £200 a month for 2, but have no pets and don't include takeaways in that. We also don't buy that much in the way of booze for home either and when we do mostly now it comes from a different budget as it's while we're on holiday for example. It's no great stress for me keeping our spend low - the savings come from buying value items where the quality is as good as the own-brand, and we are very picky about the branded items we choose. (N3scafe coffee as MrEH doesn't enjoy the taste of most other instants, f@iry liquid because cheaper ones don't like our stupidly hard water. 8old washing liquid for the same reason. Actually bought @ndrex loo rolls this time as the price per sheet for the bigger pack of that was comparable with the T's own brand which has got progressively thinner and more useless over time). As SL says above I also have a shrewd idea about our "target prices" for various things - including those branded items - and we don't buy it unless it fits within that - this does require a degree of remembering to keep an eye out ahead of actually needing the thing, though! Also remembering how low prices drop on special offers so you know if "special" really is, or whether you're being had over!

Our situation is very much that yes, we absolutely could spend more, but it would literally be a waste as we're not stinting ourselves based on what we spend at the moment! 

Drawingaline

I caved and we now budget £150 a week for a family of six. And then an additional £45 a month on milk and bread from the milkman. We could get it much lower, but we get discount at one of the more expensive supermarkets (hubby works for them) and we have noticed a difference in quality. Also when I was spending less I was having to drive to three different shops and it took ages. So putting the time and quality of product against the cost also helped. And the fact that we earn much more now than we did when I was eeking out the food budget helps. 

I decided that for my sanity, one food shop delivered from expensive shop a week with a small top up from @sda for the bits the two younger ones need (limited diet due to sensory issues and ASD) is the way for us. I loath cooking so do spend more to get bits to help me in the kitchen, anything to assist there. This is a priority for me now we can spend the money.

boxofpaws

CRANKY40 said:

To some it's a "want" to others it's a need. 

It’s definitely somewhere in the middle for me. Obviously food is a necessity. I could do it cheaper but I don’t WANT to. 

savingholmes said:

I suppose on the areas you plan to increase - is there a need or just a want? This is my area of biggest challenge too. It's hard to look at one area out of context from income and overall budget. I also can't remember how many you are feeding. If you want to make savings and reduce that figures it looks like you could. It depends whether you are happy that this proportion of your budget is going on this - rather than shaving some off and putting some towards debt, holidays or whatever

It’s just the two of us and the two ridiculous cats. Husband has a physically demanding job, he walks for MILES every day. He likes a beer, and I like to join him once a week with some nice wine. 

Suffolk_lass said:

You could ring fence a bulk buy fund or stores budget to buy 4-6 of your brands when they are on offer (if not, you buy just one). There is a bit of juggling to get going but it works for me. For example, I find things like our preferred shower gel appears about every four months for £1 (or £2 for the big one) and I buy 6. I save a bit from each month so this is ready to go. I've also resorted to one or two big river subscriptions with 5-15% discount for tea, coffee and flaked salt (the latter by the kilo  and I may need to defer the next one!)

I will try that, allow myself to splurge when the offers are on. It will sate my desire to squirrel too. 

EssexHebridean said:

we are very picky about the branded items we choose. (N3scafe coffee as MrEH doesn't enjoy the taste of most other instants, f@iry liquid because cheaper ones don't like our stupidly hard water. 8old washing liquid for the same reason. Actually bought @ndrex loo rolls this time as the price per sheet for the bigger pack of that was comparable with the T's own brand which has got progressively thinner and more useless over time). As SL says above I also have a shrewd idea about our "target prices" for various things - 

I am also loyal to n3scaff, I once tried a jar of d0uwe and also kenc0 and it was such a waste of money - horrid. We get out loo rolls from costc0 - the k1rkland ones, they’re just great, they’re never on offer but brilliant value.

We also have terrible trouble with our hard water. I have now resorted to a dash of washing powder for washing up.

Drawingaline said:

I caved and we now budget £150 a week for a family of six. And then an additional £45 a month on milk and bread from the milkman. We could get it much lower, but we get discount at one of the more expensive supermarkets (hubby works for them) and we have noticed a difference in quality. Also when I was spending less I was having to drive to three different shops and it took ages. So putting the time and quality of product against the cost also helped. And the fact that we earn much more now than we did when I was eeking out the food budget helps. 

I decided that for my sanity, one food shop delivered from expensive shop a week with a small top up from @sda for the bits the two younger ones need (limited diet due to sensory issues and ASD) is the way for us. I loath cooking so do spend more to get bits to help me in the kitchen, anything to assist there. This is a priority for me now we can spend the money.

That you manage to feed 6 every day for that is no mean feat! When the (4) stepchildren came from 2 nights before the data of internet groceries, it took a gargantuan amount of time, effort and money! Hats off to you, deliveries all the way! 

I think our weakness might be nice meat and fish. We love duck and salmon, ham joints. And we eat too much of it, we probably eat meat for 3 between 2 of us I’m ashamed to admit. Husband loved meat free Mondays when we did it so I think if I appealed to him on the the whole wellness/planet/animal souls subject, he’d be up for cutting down (if I mentioned budgeting, it would turn him right off) 

girlatplay

I like k3nc0 smooth coffee.  I buy selected brand items but generally stick with the basics ranges or just one up from that.  Mr M's own brand chopped tomatoes are very good, the basics ones are just not quite good enough.  We actually prefer the savers rice to the branded stuff.  I prefer h3inz beans but I buy savers mozzarella and "Parmesan" (not that I buy that often).  I usually buy f@iry liquid but have been buying m3thod recently and it's working for us (not sure how that would work for hard water).  I always buy toiletries/cleaning products from places like s@vers and h0me b@rgs unless they're on offer cheaper in the supermarket.  We don't eat much meat, LMG was vegetarian for a few years, we really just eat chicken now.  Still managed to spend over £200 this month on food alone 🙈

It's what works best for you and what availability you have.  We live in the city and have a huge choice of places to shop, both within walking distance and short drives away.