Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

System

I am in a similar position to you with regards to retirement, saving up after paying off debt and see where I am when I am 60.

Have subscribed and will follow your progress .

beanielou

Small savings are good.
They all add up.

mummytogirls

Well done on kicking the diet coke and saving £6 a week. I was going to suggest having a treat on a weekend but if you're an all or nothing girl this isn't going to work!!!

xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

beanielou wrote: »

I so like your positivity.

Thanks Beanie .

We've had some tough times over the past six years but we try not to let it get us down, we try to roll with the punches and keep going.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Cumbria_lass wrote: »

I am in a similar position to you with regards to retirement, saving up after paying off debt and see where I am when I am 60.

Have subscribed and will follow your progress .

Hi Cumbria, we can take take this journey together .

HairyHandofDartmoor

mummytogirls wrote: »

Well done on kicking the diet coke and saving £6 a week. I was going to suggest having a treat on a weekend but if you're an all or nothing girl this isn't going to work!!!

xx

I'm very all or nothing mummytogirls. My coke habit is a relatively new one so I should be able to kick it in theory. I feel like I'd rather have the money at the moment.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I've just found some old lists which I compiled a few years ago of little and big ways to save money.

It all helps to show how far I've come and that a money saving attitude evolves over the years.

1 Cancel Virgin tv in the kitchen (it's cancelled completely now)
2 Cancel my phone contract (done two years ago).
3 Only spend £100 a week on food (My goal is £80 now!)
4 Don't buy a real Christmas tree, instead buy cheap artificial tree to reuse (doing this for 4 years now).
5 Only buy Christmas gifts for our parents and children (done for past 3 years).
6 Post all cards second class (do).
7 Buy kids clothes from Tesco & Primark instead of Next and Debenhams (kids grown up now).
8 Combine trips to save petrol (do).
9 Change house insurance so pay less ( done).
10 Buy presents from charity shops (do sometimes).
11 Don't eat out or get takeaways (hardly ever eat out)
12 Stop going to places that charge entry (done).
13 Find a cheaper hairdresser (I pay £5 at the hairdressing college now)
14 Tumble less (done).
15 Downgrade Virgin tv channels (cancelled years ago).
16 Persuade DH to go SIM only on phone (done about 18 months ago).
17 Buy a cheaper wall calendar (spend £3 now instead of £8).

We've been doing all these money saving things for years now and it's saved us a lot of dosh .

HairyHandofDartmoor

This is an old list I've found of ideas to reduce my food bill, can't believe I used to spend £120 a week :eek:.

1 Stop buying Actimel for me (DH needs it for ibs, I don't).
2 Buy vegetable oil instead of olive oil.
3 Buy value margarine.
4 Buy value ketchup.
5 Buy frozen vegetables.
6 Buy apples, satsumas, bananas instead of grapes and berries.
7 Stop buying coke.
8 Stop buying juice or squash (drink milk or water).
9 Buy frozen chicken instead of fresh.
10 Eat porridge instead of muesli.
11 Stop buying houmous
12 Drink tap water instead of buying mineral water.
13 Buy value cling film.
14 Stop buying vitamins.
15 Buy value tea bags.
16 Buy frozen burgers instead of fresh.

All of these things I've been doing for years and they have helped to reduce our food bill .

parsniphead

I love finding old lists. A real look into the mind.

redofromstart

I read mine and think <insert rude word> never did that so I am impressed with yours.