Thank god we paid the mortgage off

ladybird1106

Mr 🐞back was sore after been to the chiropractor yesterday. He should go monthly but has left it too long since last time. However he has said his new jobs are not as physically taxing as the last one (which was incredibly strenuous). Less pay has equalled less pain. A good trade. The plan is still for him to eventually go part time as he feels he will struggle to do full time until he retires. So we are looking at how to achieve this whilst trying to maintain our current situation around the youngest and the ongoing support they need. Although the plan is for them to hopefully move out in the next couple of years.
Things we are doing to keep costs down

1. need vs want
2. Can we get it free, can we borrow it, can we get from a charity shop or 2nd hand site, can we get cashback, and if all else fails shop around if we can’t get from the above.
   
3. grow as much food as we can, regularly check olio, keep an eye out y/s, cook from scratch, bulk buy if possible
   
4. Need to look into pensions and how much we need to save for Mr🐞, so he can reduce his hours in 6 years.
   
5. Reduce the amount we go away. We really like holidays. Even though we only holiday in the UK. This year we are attempting to go back to camping. The youngest has opted out for obvious reasons, but to be honest they prefer to be at home anyway. We have a short trip in the tent planned to somewhere I went as a kid to see how we get on.
   
6. We are decluttering and selling stuff, which goes into the funpot. This pays for cake and coffee etc on holidays with the kids.
   
7. I’m using cash for shopping and at the end of the week all the loose change goes into the relaxation pot. This is just for Mr 🐞and me for when we have our respite from caring.
   

Apparently brunch is almost ready, so have a good day everyone

Love🐞

Watty1

The need v want was something that has made the biggest difference for me. I know I earn well but the do I need vs is a want has made such a difference to my outgoings and has meant I have savings.

That and charity shopping or second hand shopping. A guest over the Christmas period was astonished that so much of my house came out of the local charity shop or off market place.

Am so impressed with how much you pick up on Olio - have tried to encourage a friend to use it as she lives in a very busy area and is really struggling. Maybe it is a the mindset on this boards that I love, I was so surprised she would not entertain it nor will she shop second hand really whereas to us on the boards it is a functional thing to do.

Greying_Pilgrim

We're in the same boat 🐞looking to see how leanly we can lead a rich life, to enable employment choices further down the line. Looking forward to keeping up with your progress and seeing you achieve your family goals 😁👍

Greying X

greent

SeSecond hand shopping, whether marketplace, charity shops or vinted is environmentally friendly, as well as purse friendly 😁 Every pair of trousers in my current work wardrobe bar 2 has come from vinted (around a dozen pairs) (and 1 of the other pairs was given to me for free) The most I've paid was £5 for a new with tags pair originally from m&s. I only have so many pairs because I'm enjoying clothes at the mo and because they're cheap - if I had to pay £25-30 per pair I'd have maybe 4 or 5! I don't need that may pairs but I've justified my want of having that many because they're cheap and I can sell them on again when they're too big (hopefully!) Loads of us where I work buy lots from vjnted - theres almost a pride in doing so. It also means you're less likely to be wearing the same as someone else 😄

beanielou

I love Vinted.

ladybird1106

Thanks watty1, I too live in a house that is furnished through charity shops, stuff others don’t want or I bought quality furniture over 30 years ago when I first set up home.
I think it’s definitely a mindset thing where olio is concerned. Most people I speak to about it can’t get their heads round that it’s not being donated to worthy causes. I do explain why but they still struggle with it. Today I got a huge bag of bread and pastries that the collector couldn’t get rid of and their bin was already full. My bestie was visiting today, so took half of what I’d got plus a spare swede and broccoli that I’d got the other day. They also had half of the large pumpkin that I was using today.

Love 🐞

ladybird1106

Thank GP, I’d read your diary the other day and it resonated with me as this is something that Mr🐞 and I are looking at. It’s hard as there isn’t surplus money or large numbers that I’ve seen talked about on other areas of the forum. However, we started our long journey at the beginning of the year and are making in roads. Although he won’t be able to retire early he will hopefully be able to reduce his hours. As to when that will be , will be determined to what life throws at us over the years. Good luck

Love 🐞

ladybird1106

Greent and beanielou, I too love Vinted. I’m finding clothes that actually reflect my personality without having to troll round lots of shops and won’t break the bank.
love 🐞

ladybird1106

Relaxing day as the youngest has gone to stop with my mum for 2 nights. Olio requests picked up, sm shop done (£73ish), filled the car with petrol-£35 ( I discovered I can preset how much I want to put in my car at the pump. I’m also looking what I’m doing each week and roughly estimating how much petrol I’ll need, which means I’m not paying to cart around excess petrol in my tank, if you get what I mean) and then bestie came for several hours. Collected V purchases (steel toe capped boots £7.29 and harem trousers £5.09 that includes postage) the boots are for the allotment as I can’t wear wellies as they flop about my feet and give no real support. I’ve been wearing very expensive walking boots which are getting trashed. Proper harem trousers are great as they are super baggy (menopause).

Tea was homegrown pumpkin, sage and shop bought chestnut risotto 😋, I also made pumpkin and pepper soup for lunches this week. I had a little bit of sweet chilli sauce leftover from a previous meal so chucked that in too to use it up.

Time to read

Love 🐞

Watty1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81887589#Comment_81887589

This is exactly why I love dressing from the local charity shop. I can wear things and see if they reflect me and if they do not after a while I can re-donate them and all for the price of a donation to the hospice of probably less that £5

A big win is that i have some fabulous pieces that are slightly mad, do reflect me and are much loved and were also under £5.

If I had bought new I would have spent so much more with probably less success.