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hi now we hav dd and we are about to go down to one wage, we really need to start economising, we have never been careful with money, but we need to start.
do you have any tips to help at all wise MNetters?
any particuar shops or anything you recomend for either food, household stuff
Honest truth - don't start thinking in terms of shopping in order to save money - think in terms of how much you can avoid going shopping.
Ask for clothes and toys for children's birthdays; put the word around that you are ALWAYS in the market for things to be handed down (do this everywhere, even with people you don't know that well! sounds embarrassing but many people really love to get rid of stuff to someone they know will enjoy it). Enjoy jumble sales, charity shops and ebay but limit, limit limit how much you spend there - £10 at a charity shop is still £10.
Plan ahead by saying to family this summer that you are no longer buying presents for over 21s (or whatever). I know for some families this would be a bigger deal than for ours so obviously that's just advice.
I've said this before, sorry... If you don't have them, it perhaps is worth getting decent waterproof clothing, good tupperware and drinks flasks for everyone. This means you can eat outside at any time. Always take your own snacks and drinks with you wherever you go - then you are not dependent on a coffee shop for a 'snack' that leaves you with no change from £15.
Plan your meals, write a shopping list. that's absolutely essential.
Get a decent map of the local area and plan interesting free places to go. A local woodland will do a lot more for their cognitive development than soft play. And with those waterproof clothes you can go at any time fo year.
yes i think your right, i should be strting out thinking about shopping i should be thinking about how to avoid shopping.
ive never bben to a boot sale or an nct sale before so ill keep an eye out for those and start to have a look in the cheaper places when i need stuff. i have quite a few thing s dd doesnt need anymore that i can flog too
great point about planning free days out
need to cut down on the amount i spend on presents i have 6 nieces and newphews and normally spend about 30 on each at bdays and xmas so thats £180 a year on those alone i might chop this down to £10 each does that sound reasonable ?
dd is 11 months
a big part of my problem is i never think before spending, i book holidays and buy sfutt without thinking so i need to make some kind of consious effort not to do that
I used to find I spent without thinking (books, magazines and food rather than clothes, as they felt less like 'real' shopping). I found the only way to get over it was to go completely cold turkey for a couple of weeks. i literally bought the weekly food shop and then kept a credit card buried in my bag for emergencies (not in my wallet, as it was too easy to access!). After 2 weeks I allowed myself access to my wallet again, and I was so much more aware of when i was spending. it worked like magic.
Only ever buy things you absolutely need, rather than want, don't impulse buy anything, look around for the cheapest offer, mend or fix things rather than throwing them out and buying new things..
£10 or presents is fine, you can also buy presents ahead of time so you're not rushed at the last minute, I get DS's birthday presents of ebay, you can get really good bargains on there if you look.
There's also nothing wrong with making presents or offering presents that are home-made vouchers for things. DS made a voucher for his friend as a present that was to come over for an arts-n-crafts afternoon and make clay models. His friend absolutely loved it!
Make birthday cards too, you can save yourself a small fortune, cards are expensive and it soon builds up!
wow thats an excellent idea "There's also nothing wrong with making presents or offering presents that are home-made vouchers for things. DS made a voucher for his friend as a present that was to come over for an arts-n-crafts afternoon and make clay models. His friend absolutely loved it!" super impressived by your inventiveness!
perhaps my ecomony drive can even be fun!
yes i need to go cold turkey, even in the last few months ive spent an outrageous amount, so cold turkey or electric shock treatment would help me !
You can get wipes on ebay or get a tupperwear box and bulk buy some flannels make a mixture of cammomile tea ,olive oil and a bit of baby bath and use one side to wipe other to dry IYSWIM.
Potatoes and tomatoes are easy ,herbs are good too there should be tips on the gardening thread here.
Get a picnic rug and go for picnics rather than pub lunches (whilst the weather is good)
Shop around for utilities - make sure you're getting the best deals on gas, electric, phone etc
My dd is similar age to yours and has loads of toys but barely touches them... A few plastic bowls and wooden spoons are far more entertaining. Balloons provide hours of fun as well. Join the library for books (also good to go and spend an hour or so on a rainy day in the children's section)
I used to spend loads on toiletries and beauty products (Clarins etc.) - some supermarket stuff is great. Stock up on 2 for 1's on shampoo, toothpaste, deodorants, loo rolls etc)
If you're not up to making your own cards, then buy a pack of generic cards (but don't put them somewhere "safe" and forget where they are and buy new ones - not that I did that of course ). Same with rolls of giftwrap. Books are great pressies for children and Red House is great reasonable on line website
Photos of dd are always popular as adult pressies (for gp's etc.) - frames are cheap from Matalan, Primark etc. and I use snapfish for prints.
Don;t buy magazines or newspapers - go online and read them if you want
what supermarket do you shop in? i shop from ocado, i find i spend more when i go to tescos.
perhaps i shpould try morrisons or somewhere else? i prefer doing it on line though. much easier
i was planing on buying loads of new summer clothes but when dd goes for her nap, im going to go through my warbrobe and see what i have got, its easy to forget stuff
get a prepay credit card (IDT PRIMe OR VIRGIN) that way you load it with what you want to spend you don't pay interest (there is a small fee about 80p) and betetr still you don't have to put your real credit card details online.
get a prepay credit card (IDT PRIMe OR VIRGIN) that way you load it with what you want to spend you don't pay interest (there is a small fee about 80p) and betetr still you don't have to put your real credit card details online.
Also, have some savings for sale times - know how many family birthdays you have to buy for and buy presents in the sales well in advance ready for them. I don't always manage it (after all, best sales are straight after Christmas) but I also try and pick up BOGOFFs and 3 for 2s on things that would make good party presents (once your dd is over 3, you'd be amazed at how many parties she gets invited to!)
Don't make your budget too tight if you can - allow for a good percentage more than you think you need and drop other stuff that you definitely don't need so you can do this - that way when you consistently come in under your budget each month it's a mental boost, you're not setting yourself up for failure and you can dump the "spare" into a savings account - you'll be amazed at how quickly odd bits of money dumped in here and there add up.
If you have a credit card, try sealing it up in an envelope up somewhere inaccessible (in the loft, back of a wardrobe) so not tempted to overspend on things you don't need but still have it around in case of an emergency (like an appliance suddenly die). The hardest habit I found for economising was not using credit on a regular basis (and tbh, I'm still learning this - find it very hard).
Online shopping for food works best for me, because if you have a strict budget for food you can get to the end, realise you're over then go back through and work out what you can switch to own brands, what is a luxury you can take out of the "basket" etc.
Buy what you need, not what you want. Children don't need many clothes really, especially in the summer when you can wash and dry them quickly and get them back on again.
Go to online sites like The Book People and buy books as presents. You can buy the bundles eg 4 books for a few quid then break the packs and give them individually as presents.
Pasta is cheap(ish) and you can make a zillion different meals with pasta. Buy veg from a market, it's cheaper than the supermarket. Eat less meat. Buy value products for basics eg kitchen roll, orange juice, tinned chopped tomatoes etc as they are no different to the more expensive brands. Save your money for quality meat, fresh goods and the odd treat.
Stop buying coffee, papers, magazines, etc when you're out. Take a flask with you and read papers and mags in the library. Libraries also offer loads of activities for children (even little ones) and they are free.
Write down everypenny you spend for 1-2 weeks, then you can see where wasted money is going.
Get some cheap flannels from Asda or similar and use them sometimes instead of wipes. We used to get through loads but I have cleans flannel in the kitchen and use that for post food clean ups. Same with nappy changes (use one or two wipes and then the flannel). Muslins can be used as well (I had hundreds of the things )
Local greengrocer and butcher is good instead of supermarket. Lidl is good for store cupboard stuff (herbs, spices, olive oil, balsamic etc). Your main shop should then only be pretty small - I find Asda cheapest - but not sure they deliver ?
For baby wipes I bought a pack of j-cloths, cut them in two, and just use them with plain water. Wash them with the nappies/muslins. Soak in a bucket with a few drops of tea tree oil until you have enough for a wash. When I'm out and about I confess I use packet wipes for convenience. But a pack of bought wipes lasts ages because most nappy changes happen at home. Using washable nappies is a money saver of course but obviously long-term only (and gets cheaper with subsequent babies). I'm following this thread with interest and I need to cut down too.
There's no reason not to feel positive about it I love the challenge of seeing how much of my money I canactually kepp each week. View it as a good thing.
I've just spent this morning changing all of DS's trousers from last year that he's outgrown into long shorts ready for the summer. Some are more like short shorts though because they were worn through at the knee, but I'm quite proud of my mornings' work!
I have 5 dc and dp I usually spend about £110.00 a week at asda online ,but thats for everything lunches ,toiltrees ,dogfood .Etc etc.
It does seem a lot what you are spending but I think you tend to get into bad habits just try and do a menu planner for one week you will be amazed at what you save, and I find it a lot less stressful knowing what I am going to be cooking rather than pot luck .
Alos google freestuff uk and you can sign up for loads of samples and stuff I have had just this month some nivea visage ,a full size air freshner and fabric conditioner and some original source shower gel.
Haircuts use a mobile hairdresser or look for a model night and get a free or very cheap haircut.
For us, a big part of the weekly shop was coke, wine, beer, cider etc.
I went round the supermarkets near us, and bought a can each of all the own brand beers and colas, and had a tasting. We found one we liked, and now I bulk buy that (saves masses).
Freecycle is a worldwide org you just need to google freecycle and your area .You offer things for free you don't want anymore and you can ask for stuff or ask people for the stuff they offer .
I got my dryer balls from the 99p store if you can't find any that cheap cat me and I will send you some ,I have looked online but they are all around 8.00
What about having a couple of storecupboard days? You'd be amazed what meals you can conjure up out of the contents of your storecupboard. Makes sure that you use up all those little things that can hang around, and also puts off going to the shop for a few more days.
I limit my cash every week - I take it out at the start and it's got to last me. Can be a bit nerve-wracking!
Aldi does some great stuff especially baked goods, fruit and veg, dried pasta. So much cheaper than Tesco.
Freeze your credit card in a tub of water. Freeze some pound coins for emergencies!
If you're making anything with minced beef or lamb you can make it go further by adding red lentils and extra water. I always do this now and have effectively doubled the quantity of the meal so I freeze one portion.
Clear out your freezer - you may be amazed how many (hotch-potch) meals you can conjure up. I did this recently and managed to feed us for 5 nights!
If you're on a really tight budget, stop using credit / debit cards completely, and withdraw the amount you have to spend in cash weekly.
When it's gone, it's gone and you'll just have to manage. If there's any left over, stick it in a jar and use it for treats or put it in a savings account.
Now is the perfect time to get a veg garden growing. If you don't have a garden, it's amazing what can be grown in a few pots. Ask around any garden proud friends or neightbours, you are bound to find one with a few extra seedlings they can give you (I've just scored 5 tomato plants from a neighbour yesterday) If nothing else, it's educational and fun for the little ones.
Without wanting to sound patronising, learning how to really cook well can be a major money saver. Try and work out a few recipies for leftovers and emergency 'I have nothing in the cupboard' meals. Fritters (good for leftovers, especially curry) scones (flour, butter, milk) and soup (anything in the bottom of the fridge) are some of my staples.
£100 a week for groceries for 2 adults and a baby is a fair bit, I reckon you could economise if you need to. There are 5 of us (DH with an enormous appetite, me and 3 DC) and we spend about £80 a week on average including nappies, toiletries etc. I do a main shop at Tesco and get it delivered (I spend less that way, no impulse buys) and also get bits at Lidl and Iceland (eg frozen veg).
Buy the huge bags of rice and pasta, they work out better value. Buy less booze.
You could probably halve what you spend on groceries if you have time to cook and a decent sized freezer, but it'd be easier to cut back gradually I think. Maybe try setting yourself targets eg. to bring it down to 75 for a few weeks and see how you find it. Do you throw much food out?
i dont throw much out, thats one thing im fairly good at, not much gets wasted i even make stock with the bones etc. which i thought id only do for dds 1st year, but im going to keep doing that
right dds gone for her nap, im off to sort though my wardrobe, teh ill be back, perhaps i can tell you what ive got knocking aboiut in the cupboards for some. storecupboard days
I'm trying to economise on food as I was spending about the same as you with a very similar family to feed.
I now only buy toiletries and cleaning products when they are on 3 for 2 or BOGOF.
I now never buy fresh fruit and veg on BOGOF as I found that we would buy too much of one item and it would get wasted so this wasn't a money saver at all.
I try to get my online delivery every 8 days rather than every week, this helps we to use my storecupboard/freezer stuff up. I always use a free delivery code.
I have an ASDA delivery coming today and I have spent £65. I will probably need to buy some more milk and I know that I forget to buy houmos and ham but this has still cut my total weekly spend from £100 to £70. I'm really pleased with this as this is including buying 3 bottles of wine this week (3 for £10, would have been over £19), two fridge packs of coke zero (to take into work as I'm a cola addict at work but cans there are 50p compared with 30p each if I buy on a multisave at ASDA. I also take lunch into work everyday and dp does this sometimes too. If you are not working and your dp is I would definitely get him to take a packed lunch.
yep, packed lunches are vital - and actually it's a lot less painful if you make a packed lunch that you really like. The easiest is to make a bit more for dinner and chuck the rest into a tupperware thing in the fridge for the following day - grab in the morning with a slice of bread and a couple of pieces of fruit and wahey! Most stews, curries, sauces etc are actually much better the day after, so your lunch is fantastic!
Aim for 3 meals per joint of meat - roast, sandwiches, pasta thing, for example.
MAKE STOCK. Any bones? chuck in large pan with some bits of carrot peel, fill pan with water, simmer for 2 hours, chuck in tupperware, freeze.
Consider getting an economical cookery book. My best one is my grandmother's 1950s Good Housekeeping - considerably cheaper than chips. Anything by Marguerite Patten is usually quite a good approach too.
Hi, So many good tips here--a good approach too is to try to plan ahead for the things that inevitably go wrong. We put a bit by each month for 'house, wear and tear', 'car, wear and tear', christmas and birthdays and any bills that come irregularly we try to even out over the year by putting sums by. All this eases the pain when you need two new tyres the week before Christmas or all your appliance decide to commit mass suicide in the space of a fortnight (ok, so I am a bit bitter about them going kaput). i agree that moneysavingexpert is a great website. When we started our big cutback I was worried about the big buys that come along every now and again like eye glasses, but finding out about things like glassesdirect from fellow savers has been a massive help. Good luck with the economising. It becomes a painless habit after a while, Hope this helps, Sibh
If you owe money, pay it off as fast as you can, because it will cost you more in interest than you'll get in interest from a savings account.....have enough saved for emergencies, and anything that you must have, but any other 'spare cash' pay off your debts
meal plan and get own brands
Freeze your cetdit cards in a big block of ice. That way you can use them if you have to, but you can't use them for impulse shopping
if you order on-line google the stores name (tesco etc) and discount code, I always get approx £5 off each order. Buy store breakfast cereals and other storecupboard items.
Instead of branded cleaning fluids, just get some diluted washing up liquid into a spray bottle for cleaning work surfaces.
if you order on-line google the stores name (tesco etc) and discount code, I always get approx £5 off each order. Buy store breakfast cereals and other storecupboard items.
Instead of branded cleaning fluids, just get some diluted washing up liquid into a spray bottle for cleaning work surfaces.
if you order on-line google the stores name (tesco etc) and discount code, I always get approx £5 off each order. Buy store breakfast cereals and other storecupboard items.
Instead of branded cleaning fluids, just get some diluted washing up liquid into a spray bottle for cleaning work surfaces.
if you order on-line google the stores name (tesco etc) and discount code, I always get approx £5 off each order. Buy store breakfast cereals and other storecupboard items.
Instead of branded cleaning fluids, just get some diluted washing up liquid into a spray bottle for cleaning work surfaces.
If you like food - and I'm guessing you do from the fish pie description - sign up for a veg box. Our family is the same shape as yours - dd is 18 months - and £12.75 gets us our entire week's vegetables and organic too. We perhaps get a bit more salad or something, but that does us - and DH works from home, so I do proper lunches - soup, salads and so on.
ththis is a great thread full of fantasic ideas, ive never thought of going to a farm shop for eggs,
i wouldnt mind doing the whole growing vg and having a fwchickens thing, ive got quite a large garden, although im not sure ill could kill the chickens and do you ned permission to keep chickens etc?
well i spent yesteerday pm sorting though my wardrobe and i found a few things id forgotten about, its much more organised too
i think ill try to sort the kitchen cupboards today.
thank you so much for every single tip, they are all inovative, inventive and fecking fantasic !!!
also the freecycle thing people ar giving away allsorts such as xbox 360, i suppos it would be slightly cheeky to take these things then sell them on ebay?
but then again bttr than filling up the landfill sites. so prhaps ill be going my bit of the planet [and my pocket lol]
My tips are to go to moneysavingexpert.com make sure you have the best deals from all your suppliers, banks, mortgage etc.
Do an annual Budget weekly shopping list and do easy food like sardines on toast, how you cook can make a huge difference to your budget. shepherds pie, the odd vegetarian meal.
Shop at Netto or the like you get the same products sometimes for half the price, it's a fools game paying more than you need to.
If you have a garden grow your own veg.
Get kids stuff clothes etc from ebay, sell on anything they grow out of and anything you don't need to claw back as much as you can.
Get veg from side of the rd stalls and farmers markets if you access to rural areas.
oh and finally don't throw anything away use left over meat in soups, I always use bones and carcass to make stocks and then the cat or dog get anything else. If you make a soup freeze what's left over. make 2 shepheds pies at once and freeze the other one.
sorry last one use the old methods, white vinegar I use for cleaning worktops , disinfects, and windows any pongs the pets make, bicarb is good for cleaning two and you can save a fortune with soap nuts and things instead of washing powder. Get the cheapest powder if you do and add an essential oil, it's also good for cleaning floors - infact better than any floor cleaner that I've come accross.
I love Lidl. 50 nappies for a fiver. Yummy food too. Try their Greek stuffed peppers with cheese in the antipasti section. Sausages £1.29 today (95% meat) and their stewing steak is on offer at £1.49 for 400g. Am very impressed, and I'm a fuss-arse about stuff like that
Do you have a dishwasher? If so, use only half a tablet - I do this and have noticed no difference to the cleanliness of everything. Plus I buy the bog standard Finish ones and just make sure the machine is topped up with salt. I keep meaning to try without a tablet at all to see what happens.
Also, if you are eligible to join Costco you can save loads but you do need the space to store the stuff. Plus, you need to know before you go how much stuff costs in the shops to get an accurate comparison. We bulk buy tinned stuff, coffee, washing powder and dishwasher tabs and other similar non-food items. Though I usually end up blowing it all by buying something like 2 pairs of Birkenstocks at the same time. .
thanks for all the tips, ive been sorting the kitchen cupboards inbetween mnetting of course!
we do have a dwasher and we normally use the powder, i ususally use quite a generous amount too, so i can cut down on that, i thought the powder was cheaper the tabs?
Agree with choosyfloosy and overmydeadbody. both good posts. my way of life too really.
i buy nappies in lidl, but nothing else. everything else has ginger in it or is covered in marzipan. Looks interesting tastes
i buy boxes of cards in book station or discount book shops and you can get about ten in a box for 3 or 4 pounds. Cards are a shocking price, and the person who gets the card NEVER thinks what a tat card, they just think, "oh elizabeth thought of me".
I have had to stop shopping as a type of hobby. i did used to amble about the shops. I don't do that now.
I bought Oasis jeans perfect fit in a charity shop recently. I look in the charity shops near me quite regularly. OH yes, I never pay full price for a book. Only get them from charity shops, and even then, NOT Oxfam!!!!! They're too expensive for a charity shop (for me).
I NEVER buy magazines any more, but I do remove them from other people's recycling bins some times..
Parmesan scootergrrrrrrrl!!! I think you'll find Pecorino tastes the same and is cheaper!! Not that I eat it regularly. But I've bought Pecorino once or twice in my life.
I let it be known in as ladylike and as dignified a manner as I can that I am not terribly wealthy. That way I know people won't take it personally if I buy them a small but thoughtful gift.
I fill up a bottle of tap water before I leave the house too.
Sainsbury's used to deliver my food and either delivery was free on a mon-wed, or, if I got it delivered between 4-6 on a friday they were ALWAYS late, and so I got £10 of next weeks shopping!
on 10k less than I used to be before dd was born and with a bigger mortgage!!
Asda great for kids clothes and adult stuff too. If you like them bags of dried beans/chickpeas are better than tins and cost a lot less (just have to rememeber to be organised enough to ccok them).
Charity shops and find a decent dress makers that can "make-over" old clothes, when you're fed up with stuff see if it can be revamped, you can also get stuff from charity shops and do this or if good with a needel do it yourself!
Buy books from used section of amazon, make cards, take picnics wherever you go and don't go out for coffee/lunch (this used up a huge part of my disposable income). It's not applicable to the op but taking my own lunch into work has saved me at least £25 a week and I've shed my baby weight!
There was an article in yesterdays Guardian where Jay Rayner, the restaurant critic tried a selection of products from Aldi - another of the cheaper supermarkets. Some things were hideous, according to him, but there were some gems as well. Things like chorizo, cheeses, antipasti, anything which originates from the country its actually produced in is worth a try in my book.
But what I really love about Lidl is that it has weekly offers. Of things like riding or diving gear, and other weekly shopping basket essentials
tin of prunes from when i was PG dried fruit-out of date, can i still eat them? would you? perhaps ok in cakes? 3 packs of paxo stuffing for 20 people! [alright for the next time i have 60 round for a roast!lol] must of ben on offr or something self raising flour plain flour caster sugar icing sugar nesquick! how the fuck did that get in there dh im gonna kill you ! pasta rissotto rice paprika 5 spice mixed herbs jerk spice macaroni
Clear out your wardrobe, but put clothes you are bored with (rather than they are knackered or hideous!) aside and away somewhere. For a rest. When you get them back out they seem to have new life in them & can be worn again as if new (well, nearly!)
Toys - as everyone has said, charity shops, hand me downs...toy library. Children need few toys really. Simple empty tubs & boxes can be entertaining.
Charity shops are addictive - I LOVE the bargains I find for me & ds.
Nappies - re-usable of course are prob best. But Lidl do brill normal disposable £4.99 for 44
Food- definitely plan meals & shop with a purpose. Don't buy bits & pieces for different meals throughout the week. Tell yourself you're not going to buy anything else after one big shop. Try to stick to it (except with essentials). Be innovative with ingredients that you have...look on mumsnet or google for recipes. Use lovely things like lentils, rice, pasta, polenta and cous cous...SO cheap!!
Just one thing personally I wouldn't get a veg box if you're on a budget. We had one for years. I stopped it a few months ago as we were eating around the box,the kids wouldn't eat a lot of it and I found we couldn't eat as frugally as we wanted too as I'd shop for some key ingredients to accomodate the veg box stuff iykwim.
We save sooooo much money since we stopped it,the cost of the box alone, my weekly bill has dropped hugely as we can have jackets etc when ever we feel like it not having a particular veg to use up. I also used to find a lot of the veg is what I call luxury items eg rocket,psb etc. Lovely but not really essential when you're on a budget.
As soon as we're a bit more flush I'll start it up again though.
Visit your local tip too. I get all our big outdoor toys from ours as they pull masses of stuff out and put it in a recycling area. I got 3 cozy coupes for a fiver each(have 3 kids under 5, not going mad). We got a lovely old garden bench for a fiver. A friend of mine got a brand new play kitchen and recently another got one of those Silver Cross pushchairs with all the bits!!!!!!!!!! They have loads of really interesting things,you can get nearly everything.
I'm always been working short term contracts so we've always had to work on the basis of one income (even when we've been a little more flush) when budgeting. Things I've found are...
* Economise, but don't turn into a puritan as you'll end up feeling resentful. * Enjoy little treats for what they are and the pleasure they bring. * Cloth nappies * As others have said, plan meals and take a shopping list. I've got a little whiteboard in the kitchen and when the last tin or whatever is started, it goes on the list. * Only buy non-perishable items that you already use regularly as buy one get one free. Get 3 or 4 when they're on special.
And the killer...give up wearing makeup! I'm not a tree-hugging lentil botherer, I enjoy looking nice to go out, my dh likes the way I look without it (bless) so I decided that I don't need it in my life and sod it to what anyone else thinks. 5 years on it's saved me a small fortune!
Oh and I'm not proud when it comes to ds's clothes and accept all donations. What I don't like or need gets passed on to a charity shop or friend. Someone has probably said that one already too .
Someone on here (kewcumber I think) suggested that you keep aside a certain amount every week for treats like coffees, mags etc and that when it's gone, it's gone. I've found that works brilliantly for me. I allow five quid a week on crap and that's that. It makes the odd mag or coffee feel really indulgent.
I also save all my boots points and use them to buy make up so I can still buy the odd expensive thing here and there. Same with nectar points - I use them for treats.
meal plan, meal plan and meal plan, I feed a family of six on £50 a week and that includes meat. We have very little waste. We are also in the process of getting a run around car to save petrol and walk as often as possible. I keep an eye on my phone usage and phone other mobiles as little as possible. We have a twenty pound slush fund each week, this buys any extras eg lottery, newspapers, wine and when its gone thats it...no more.hth
1. Go to Aldi once a month to stock up on store cupboard basics.
2. Use www.mysupermarket.com and transfer my trolley to the cheapest online store.
3. Otherwise I shop at Morrisons, I find it cheaper on the things I need to buy than Asda.
4. Meal plan and do shopping list.
5. I don't buy that many clothes for the kids, they are given plenty of things as a gift and second hand, I usually end up buying boring things like undie and pyjamas.
6. Have an Invitation book and plan days out around that and take packed lunches!
7. Buy our clothes in the sale. Tend to only buy clothes from places like Fat Face/White Stuff but only get a few things and wear them. Don't buy loads of cheap stuff as does not laugh and end up not wearing.
Ooh yes I'd love Quad's meal plan too,need some serious inspiration!!!! Anybody else who can feed their family for under£80 a week could you put yours on too-pleeease!!!!!!
foxythesnow, my meal plan largely depends on our shifts and whether we are eating as a family or not. I buy lots of potatoes for jackets and stuff to go on them as a reserve and allow for two 'convenient' options a week which are normally pizza, jackets with carrot and cucumber and a fish fingers, chips and peas. This week we have also had chicken tikka marinade with sald and garlic bread, spaghetti bolognese, pasta bake, sausage toad in the hole with broccoli and parsnip and carrot mash etc. I tend to buy any sauces and jar stuff that i don't make myse;f when its on offer. my for children alwasy ahve brown bread sandwiches with either chicken or cheese for packed lunch with a value ffrais, value biscuit bar and a piece of fruit. I would love to deviate and be more exciting but we can afford this. hth
btw the only frozen food I ever buy are fish fingers and frozen chips, other than that i find typical convenience food to be a false economy. Most shops do offers on chicken breast and i buy these when on offer and then use mince etc, veg lasagne is another cheap option, most shops do cheap lasagne sheets and home made tomato and white sauces are cheap enough. One food product which doesn't seem to have risen to much is dairy, morrisons are fantastic in their cheese offers, none of this is about eating top quality food but I conisder our diet to be fairly balanced.
Sounds daft but I reckon one of the best things if you can is to try and hang out with people on a similar or lower income to you. Its really hard if your friends want to go out to places you can't really afford, or their children have loads of expensive stuff that yours then want. Round here, everyone is on a budget (apart from the 2nd home owners) so everyone is in the same boat.
There are some great tips on this thread. I'll add my own tip about shopping (sorry if it's been mentioned and I've forgotten). If I see something I think I want, I walk away and if I still want it a week later then I might go back. 9 times out of 10 I've forgotten what it even was!
We probably spend about £60 a week for me, DH, a toddler and two cats, including nappies, toiletries and household stuff. I'm constantly trying to reduce this but I'm finding it hard in the current climate.
I'm likely to get a fairly substantial wage cut in September (the price of hopefully getting my job permanently ) so we're preparing all the time. We've got a way to go yet.
Did what the moneysaving expert suggested and moved down a brand when shopping. I only shop online so it's very easy to meal plan - was spending £120 a week, now about £80 as I'm more organised. If you shop midweek at sainsburys delivery only costs £2.50, as someone said earlier if they're ever late (they'll always ring to tell you) they give £10 vouchers as good will.
I avoid ebay but will have bought fab clothes, books and toys for dcs at car boots. Their garden slide, rocker, full toy kitchen, work bench, garage etc all come from car boots and are in fab nick. I usually only buy new clothes in the sales.
Also I buy Xmas presents throughout the year when I come across a bargain.
I don't need an all-singing, all dancing mobile phone. We don't need SkyTV. Phone (unlimited calls) & high speed broadband costs £20 a month. Unless tied in,
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that I am not terribly wealthy. That way I know people won't take it personally if I buy them a small but thoughtful gift.
