It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

euronorris

McColls is very expensive, so it's not really surprising. It's not uncommon for them to be twice the price of even sainsburys (who, incidentally, our local McColls is situated next door to). 

Sad for those losing jobs though  

YorksLass

YoungBlueEyes said:

I never find those programmes very helpful tbh. They seem to find the people who are already the biggest wasters so it makes for a good conclusion when they ‘make big savings’ 😏

This thread is far better for tips! 

I'm with you on this one.  Some of them must have more money than sense!

In a slightly different vein I watched Nick Knowles' Big House Clear Out last night.  It doesn't really amaze me just how much stuff people have as I think we're probably all guilty to some extent of "hoarding" stuff, be it books, toys, gadgets etc.  What it does do though is motivate me to keep going with my own decluttering and reinforce the ethos of not buying so much in the first place.  

EssexHebridean

I disagree to a degree on the “Secret Spenders” type programmes - of course they look for the extremes, that’s what makes it entertaining TV, but it can trickle into the consciousness of those lower down the spendy scale I think. So while watching Tarquinius from Tonbridge hurling a four figure sum each month at clothes, Darren from Dungeness thinks “wow - fancy spending THAT much on clothes!” but then realises that he spent well over £250 the month before on three branded t-shirts, a pair of flip flops “for the summer” and some new socks - and then he realises that his income is only a fraction of Tarquin’s so actually, his situation isn’t so different. Same with “Eat Well For Less” - of course we’re not all spending the £250 a week that the Walkers from Whitstable are handing over in their one “big shop” and 17 top-ups, but there are plenty of folk who might be spending far less, but recognise some of the savings they could make themselves, even if it’s just trying the downshift challenge or being inspired to cook a recipe from scratch that they’d never have been brave enough to try before, but that nice Gregg Wallace has made it look so easy they think it might be OK for them, too. No offence to anyone here, but Susan in Solihull doing a audit of her fridge and larder before deciding not to go to Tesco for the second week on the trot isn’t going to make a programme anyone wants to watch, even us lot on here! The average (wo)man in the street will look at Susan and think she’s so far from being relatable to their lives they’ll just switch off.

SadieO

YoungBlueEyes said:

I never find those programmes very helpful tbh. They seem to find the people who are already the biggest wasters so it makes for a good conclusion when they ‘make big savings’ 😏

This thread is far better for tips! 

I agree! I watch all of those kinds of programmes in the hope I will learn a new tip but I never do! They always seem to be one of three things: 

• things that seem obvious (to me) and I have been doing forever, eg cutting open your moisturiser tube to get the last bits out, finding cheap train tickets etc
• things that I am not convinced actually save money (baking your own treats - have you seen the price of butter and you need three different kinds of sugar! - when you can buy a whole pack of biscuits in Aldi for less than £1! Or one I saw a woman recommended to make home-made candles as Christmas presents and I'm sure all the wax, jars, wicks, scented oils etc would have racked up a pretty penny (never mind the time, effort and sometimes electricity it takes to make them, which is never acknowledged)
• or cutting back on things I already think are extravagent and would not be paying for anyway - takeaways multiple times a week, designer clothes, new tech just for an upgrade when existing stuff works fine etc. 

But I doubt us money-saving experts are their target audience! I saw one once where a family went on holiday (strongly hinted as being Centre Parks) twice a year at a cost of £2,000 a time. The experts suggested that if they cut that to once a year they would save £2,000. I'm not sure which made me want to throw something at the telly more - the "experts" who were being paid to give such ridiculously basic advice (these programmes should hire some of the folks from on here!) or the family who seemed genuinely amazed at the idea that not spending £2,000 on a holiday would (wait for it) save them £2,000 that could be saved or spent on something else 

Wednesday2000

The channel 4 show was called Secret Spenders, I'm half way through it. It is quite entertaining. The young couple seemed shocked at how much they spent on food in a month, lol. 

We have spent far too much since we moved here on food. I don't think the going to the supermarkets in person is really working for me as I am buying food on impulse. I am doing an online shop from Tesco for tomorrow and want to stock up on tins of tomatoes, baked beans etc...

I checked my bank account online as usual this morning and I did get my £150 back from the council. I think it is people up to band D that are receiving it if you pay by direct debit.:)

ladyholly

Thank you for the name of the show. I enjoy these programmes as I find them entertaining at how much people spend on "stuff" and then complain they have no money.

YorksLass

Wednesday2000 said:

We have spent far too much since we moved here on food. I don't think the going to the supermarkets in person is really working for me as I am buying food on impulse. I am doing an online shop from Tesco for tomorrow and want to stock up on tins of tomatoes, baked beans etc...

We're all different and it's whatever works best for you.  I tend to do a mix of online grocery shopping and shopping in person.  The first because it's delivered to the door (we don't have a car and locally have a poor choice of shops despite being in a large city - certainly none of the small independents like butchers etc) and the second because I like to have a look around - the store sometimes has things I can't get online and I can see what ys there might be.  And what I can carry at any one time automatically limits my spending!  I'm not a donkey.  

On the subject of home baking I agree it isn't necessarily cheaper than buying ready made, but I like baking, prefer my own bakes and I know what's gone into it.    Btw, I don't have 3 different types of sugar - just granulated (can be whizzed up for caster) and sometimes demerara for certain types of cakes.

I know one thing for sure, all this budgeting and keeping an eye on the pennies is almost a full time job!  Good job I'm retired.     It's ironic how our lives change over the years - being younger and working may mean having more cash but being time poor, being older and retired can mean a reversal in fortunes.  I guess we all have to adapt to our circumstances at any given moment.

QueenJess

YorksLass said:

Wednesday2000 said:

We have spent far too much since we moved here on food. I don't think the going to the supermarkets in person is really working for me as I am buying food on impulse. I am doing an online shop from Tesco for tomorrow and want to stock up on tins of tomatoes, baked beans etc...

I know one thing for sure, all this budgeting and keeping an eye on the pennies is almost a full time job!  Good job I'm retired.     It's ironic how our lives change over the years - being younger and working may mean having more cash but being time poor, being older and retired can mean a reversal in fortunes.  I guess we all have to adapt to our circumstances at any given moment.

This is a good point that is rarely brought up. There are lots of things you can do to reduce costs, but if you did all of them, you would barely have time to do anything else. It just isn’t practical or realistic for most people.

London_1

Very true ladies, I too am retired gave up the rat race in 1995 and never missed it. I  prefer my own home baking to shop bought stuff and I bake cakes and biscuits and my grandchildren have grown up with Nannys 'goodies'

It takes me around half an hour to make and cook a box of about 24 melting moments cookies that are a lot nicer than shop bought biscuits.  I have cinnamon, ginger, and mixed spices that have not cost a great deal yet along with coconut make some tasty treats for the family and me

 I too whizz granulated sugar in the blender for caster sugar half the price of the stuff in the shops and I use Stork margerine for baking, and only use butter for shortbread or as a treat now and again, but not very often

A half a pound of shortcrust pastry and a jar of jam or lemon curd makes a decent box of jam tarts and costs very little. But again I do have the available time to make them.

Both my DDs work full time, as do their husbands and do stressful jobs ,so to come home to a box of my jam tarts or bicuits or a fruit cake means they don't have to worry about slaving over the cooker , and when I have a baking day my over is full on all shelves not even the heat is wasted  

The last pack of shop bought biscuits I bought were from Aldi's and were supposed to be oaty ones, and they were horrible I'm afraid they were whizzed up in the blender with some sugar and made a base for a cheese cake, I only ate one and really didn't like it but not being happy turned the remainder into something edible.

But I can understand busy Mums with children just not having the time, my neighbour is a single Mum and I often pop a box of treats over for the two little girls and when her apple tree bears fruit I get a bag or two of apples in return although she doesn't have to as I like to see the little girls in the garden and they are cute little lasses.

Its also if you like me actually enjoy baking, not everyone does , but I've been doing it for so long its just something I like, along with reading and knitting.

JackieO xx

PS I still make Twinks biscuits as well  

jennystarpepper

Rosa_Damascena said:

jennystarpepper said:

Have really enjoyed caching up with everyone and the many great posts.

Couple of things I have found / thought about / saved on.

I say No to request's... Yes I am really mean  , but I try to find an alternative to avoid disappointment and teach / learn from things.  Might be repeating myself!  Ok I don't say no always, children / hollow legs usually want the extra treats.

Ice cream / treats  -  Ice cream van at the park , sea side or similar, cost of a 99 with all the extras or a M@gnum against us walking the the nearest freezer shop and buying a box of 6 ice creams, so 2 children get 6 ( maybe not all that day) to share against 1 each and we do a bit of math for free.  If no freezer shop then a Maccy D cornet and a chips to share from the drive through, still cheaper.  

Drinks - bottle of supermarket pop or squash against a Fr00t Shoot or cans when out.  Please note I did not let mine have fizzy until past a certain age, (when they have friends and it becomes unavoidable),  then it is still cheap alternatives as above.

Seaside - might have a picnic but fish and chips is also good, so sometimes we have bought a couple of bags of ships to share between 4, chips shoved in sandwiches... most important it's a treat and children don't feel as if they are missing out.  Apparently I'm the best person to share a bag of chips with as I get the S&V right and don't eat many  .

Number one rule is, don't eat your veg you don't get treats.  

Much of these rules are no different to what I experienced as a child in the 70s / 80s.

I am going to stick to basics and YS goods now. Life has been difficult of late time-wise but when I do go out for a walk it does wonders for my wellbeing. I can't claim to walk for hours though, a 60 min trot gets me over my 10k and that's enough.

I'm a child of the same era, I sometimes think parents do not do children any favours by trying to 'give them everything I never had'.

I scored 2 YS turkey joints today half price so very happy with this.

Hope those walks continue to be of benefit to you.