Need to Cut Costs Drastically

lady_lucan

Asda have got coupon codes for online shopping discounts at the mo, if you're quick - £20 off a £100 shop, 10 off 70 and 5 off 50.

fairylights_2

I've had a thing through the door this morning for Ocado (Waitrose online shopping). £15 off when you spend £75. Code is VOU8637976 until 14 August.

Don't know if this should be posted somewhere else, but it seemed apt for you!

squeaky

The Online & Offline Vouchers board would be the best place

r.mac_2

beachbeth wrote:

Can you not do your shopping by internet and have it delivered? Sainsburys don't charge for delivery on Tue, Wed and Thur and I think the other supermarkets do too. I personally find that I save money doing my shopping online because, after Ive added all my groceries, if I think Ive spent too much, I can just go through and take unnecessary items off to cut the bill down.

How do you manage to get free delivery on these days - my account shows that all delivery slots are £5.

I know tesco are slightly chesper on some days (mid-week I think), but have yet to find free delivery.

Any advice gratefully recieved!

Luis

Loads of Sympathy from me, as I am in a similar boat this month. I calculate that I have enough to pay all the bills (just), but sadly not enough for any fripperies like food, petrol, pet food etc - you know the little luxuries of life.........

Anyway - suggestions to help stretch your budget:

Use Soya Mince (59p for 200g from Sainsbugs) half a bag is about equivalent to 1lb mince, it is so cheap and healthy - for lasganes, chili, shepherds pie, spag bol etc

Have 'picnic teas' for the kids - basically butties, swiss roll and squash type of thing on a blanket in the garden / lounge - dirt cheap but as a kid my mum used to do this and it seemed like such a treat

If the weather stays half decent, then wandering the countryside is pretty cheap - I remember many happy hours spent damming streams etc (remember to un-dam them afterwards!)

Go to Aldi or Lidl to shop

Things like mash with grated cheese served with baked beans, hot dogs using cheapy sausages etc are all stuff kids will lap up that don't cost the earth.

Use a tiny bit of budget to buy scrap books (or make using any left over wallpaper) and job the kids off with making a scrap book of the summer - keep them entertained when all else fails

camping in the garden: jacket spuds and beans cowboy style, ghost stories etc Use blankets / sheets etc if no tent and make it into a 'survival in the wilderness' theme

Get kids to make a time capsule to bury

Sometimes local museums do free days for local residents and activity days for kids

check out local papers for free activities for kids

Have a movie day - borrow some videos from friends or dig out old faves, make popcorn, get v cheap vanilla ice cream and lemonade and make soda floats - try a theme like Star Wars, cowboys, aliens, cartoons, theme the whole day if you can

Take them to the fair but give them a fixed amount each and tell them they have to manage their cash - getting kids involved in knowing how the finances are can lead to them having some great money saving ideas.

Have a day out looking round a nearby town / attraction you don't normally visit - bear in mind ruins, museums, parks, docks, rivers, hills etc

Good luck - it is truly horrible when one of those tight months come along - I do know how you feel, I am so fed up with being skint I could scream.

lady_lucan

r mac - you need to spend £70 or more at sainsburys to get free delivery on slow days. It gets deducted at the end.

Luis

This site has loads of free things going on in your area at the moment

16011996

can someone point me in the direction of the free activities page? i've done a search but i can't find it.

thanks

160.

culpepper

If you usually buy biscuits,have a kids biscuit baking afternoon once a week, instead.
Take a picnic and a bag of bread and go to the park to feed the birds .

squeaky

16011996 wrote:

can someone point me in the direction of the free activities page? i've done a search but i can't find it.

thanks

160.

Do you mean the "Days Out" thread on the Travel forum?

That might give you a start while I see what else I can find...