Can't Stop Spending

Zanderman

FingersofFish wrote: »

Takeaways and Convenience food -
Our work and family life means that we often find ourselves rushing around -- Or we don't go shopping so there is nothing in the cupboards to make a home-made meal --- so what do we do -> call up the local takeaway, or nip to McDonalds.
When i am at work I try to take a packed lunch - but on days I forget (usually due to running out of ingredients in the cupboards/fridge) i end up at the sandwich shop.

madvicker wrote: »

If you know you're not going to spend the time cooking something, then buy a load of frozen meals next time you go to the shop. It will be super easy to prepare but cost you about £2 per person rather than £5-£10 per person per meal.

Buying takeaways and lunches out is a sure way of wasting money - and saying you have no time to prepare food is just an excuse. As madvicker says just buy a load of frozen ready meals - and, if necessary buy a freezer to put them in. Or even better make your own ready meals in bulk and freeze them yourself.

As for packed lunches - I don't know what your preferences are but it's very easy to make up sandwiches or rolls without running out of ingredients. You just need to have a supply of bread or rolls - which, if you really can't manage to keep a supply of fresh freeze some (slices/rolls in small quantities) and take them out of the freezer the night before. Or do something similar with whatever your favoured packed lunch is.

None of this is rocket science. It's dead easy. You just have to want to do it.

DCFC79

FingersofFish wrote: »

Drinks - Cans of coke, cans of energy drink etc. whilst out and about --- I've had a 1-2 a day energy drink habit for as long as I can remember and I honestly think (no matter what the research says) that it must have some form of addictive properties - because I feel ill without it. Since meeting me my Wife has also developed similar habits.

Takeaways and Convenience food -
Our work and family life means that we often find ourselves rushing around -- Or we don't go shopping so there is nothing in the cupboards to make a home-made meal --- so what do we do -> call up the local takeaway, or nip to McDonalds.
When i am at work I try to take a packed lunch - but on days I forget (usually due to running out of ingredients in the cupboards/fridge) i end up at the sandwich shop.

Regarding the drinks, you really should wean yourself off them, of course when you stop taking them you feel ill but thats what they do, its your body reacting to the loss of sugar.


Maybe you should watch sugar free farm, was on ITV.


Regarding the takeaways, how often do you get a takeaway ?
You can cook meals on your days off and then freeze them, much healthier than a takeaway, pasta is really quick to do even if you don't freeze the sauce before hand.


Post up an soa, people can offer advice.

Westie983

Hi, and welcome to the forum,

Have you thought about using a budgeting app?

There are few around that could help, I understand you know where your money is being spent and what you need to rein in, but as others have said when you use a budgeting app it does bring home to you the total cost of things.

I suggest YNAB, where you can set up and see your categories, and something like the cost you spend on energy drinks or takeaways will soon add up and maybe the lightbulb moment to push you into making a proper attempt at changing your ways.

I found this helped for me when it told me that I was spending nearly £200 a month on food* out, the individual meal of £6 is okay but when you see that you spend this three times a week and it soon all adds up.

* I decided to only go an eat at this restaurant on a Sunday for a roast..

It may help you see how much you are not only spending on the items you could reduce but also on the important things like petrol.

Give it a go.

Westie983

swingaloo

I could have written your post OP, I used to be exactly the same.

I always had Coke in the house and would easily drink 6-8 cans a day. If I was out in the car I would take some with me and if I was out anywhere and decided I was thirsty and wanted a can I would go to the nearest shop. If they had no Coke then I would leave and go elsewhere rather than get a can of anything else. I had been like that for many years.

Im convinced that as you say it is a real addiction. If I was on a night out I would never have a glass of wine or any other drink and I never found myself getting bored of drinking Coke. I hated the diet stuff as well. I bought cans from the drinks machine at work at £1 each! Madness!!!!!

I finally made myself write down exactly how much I spent on the stuff and realised I was spending between £100 and £150 a month on it.
I bought some cans of orange for in the fridge and deliberately didn't take any money to work with me and although I had massive cravings at first I soon lost the NEED for Coke. I started having a drink of milk when watching tv as there was no fizz and sugar rush. Now I can take it or leave it, I may have a can once in a while but I don't have a fridge full or even keep it in the house.

As for the overspending, I made myself write down every penny I spent and had it in sections- necessary spending, luxuries and what I called rubbish spending which included things I didn't really need such as a magazine or a set of mugs which had been reduced or any impulse buys.

Its amazing when you keep a chart of your spending and can see just how much those impulses cost you over a month. I also have a thing about charity shops and cant risk having a look especially in my favourite one. I was buying clothes I didn't need just because they were so cheap but I found myself having a clear out every couple of months and taking things back unworn.

Then I retired which meant I could pop in there every day to see what was on offer. Every day a book, ornament, picture etc would find its way into my bag as it was 'Too good to leave on the shelf'.

Of course each time I popped to the town to have a look at the charity shop I would also nip into the supermarket and come out with a bag of things which I had convinced myself we needed.


I finally decided that instead of going out Monday to Saturday that I would go every other day and so cut down on my spending and now its just Tuesday and Saturday (although I do sit there sometimes wondering what Im missing!).

I never needed to spend money in the supermarket every day, it was simply because I was in there that I ended up buying. Its much cheaper to stay home.


I think everyone has their own way of wasting money and what works for one may not work for another but I really do think writing down where every penny goes opens your eyes.

There are so many different ways of wasting money, for instance, now I go to the local Card Factory just after Christmas and buy all my cards for the following Christmas in the sale but at the same time I also buy all the birthday cards I am going to need through the year. I perhaps pay £1 to £150 for each birthday card I will need. If you buy a card at the last minute or while doing the supermarket shop its very easy to think 'Oh that's nice' and pick up a 2.99 card. Do that several times a year and that's quite a difference

I think your idea of rewarding the childrens good behaviour is great but I think buying a gift for good behaviour is too much and will make the childrens expectations unrealistic.

What about simple rewards like being the one to choose which film to watch, getting a packet of sweets or getting to bake a cake with mum.

One of your biggest problems seems to be the takeaway thing because you are not doing a proper shop each week. Theres no excuse really to not have things in for a meal, even beans on toast is cheap and cheerful.
I used to when I made a casserole/chilli/chicken dinner etc it was easy to make too much and then freeze portions in the little plastic takeaway style trays so that when I was really busy it was easy to take those out of the freezer rather than go to the chippy/takeaway.


The thing is, you know there is a problem and it will continue to get worse unless you take control. Its hard to break habits but perhaps if you decide together to set a target to see what you can save in a couple of months then treat the family to a special day out you will see the benefit of being careful and begin to see how much you are wasting.

You both need to be in the same frame of mind though and work at it together. Good luck.