What's your deal-breaking, can't do without expense?

[Bossybritches22]

Following on the brilliant "No Spend January" thread in this section I've been feeling very nosy idily thinking.

What is your one/two things that you COULD economise on but would really make life so much more miserable. Things are SO tight for us all at the moment but we have to have one little treat/bit of help that picks us up,even if it seems extravagant.

Mine are; PG tips, I love my cuppa and I know there are other bags that allegedly taste as good but have never found one.

Nice wine; have restricted myself to 3 for £10/£12 once a month, when it's on offer, sticking to that and often it lasts longer but it's my luxury.

What's yours?

[Scootergrrrl]

Yorkshire tea and not-cheap meat.

[TapselteerieO]

I don't drink a lot of tea or coffee, I could live without my organic clipper teabags (£2 for 80 on offer in the co-op) but I would give up alcohol first, same with coffee(has to be co-op organic fair-trade).

I think heating is almost a luxury for me, sahm, we just paid over £670 for 1000 l, after living here for 7 months, rented house, no thermostat. I would be absolutely miserable if my home was cold(we don't heat all the rooms), but I feel guilty about the expense and that the house already costs us more in rent & council tax than our last house (an extra £250 which could go towards saving to buy our own place). We can afford it though, we have no debt.

[Bossybritches22]

Taps I think I'd say heating isn't a luxury but a neccesity! Nothing more miserable than being cold.

Might be worth investing in a thermostat though in the future. I believe they're quiet cheap.

[Tortington]

cleaner once a week

[Bossybritches22]

QUITE....grrrr dyslexic fingers.

[norriscoleforpm]

My hair! Ihave it cut about once every three months and it cost £70. May not sound a lot but it's something I simply couldn't not have!

[Methe]

Decent food.

Hot water. I've read on here of people turning off their hot water to save money. I could not do that. We could at a push cope without the heating but not water is a neccesity.

[TapselteerieO]

If we owned it I would buy a thermostat, but this is our 6th house in 7 years as we are very unlucky with houses (one move was because of dh getting a new job, the rest have been because the owners have decided to sell after 6 months, or move back in).

[paulapantsdown]

nespresso coffee pods
there is no more sex, drugs or rock n roll - good coffee is all I have left

[UglyBethy]

Primark

[Fluffycloudland77]

Liz Earle skin care.

[naturalbaby]

decent food. i'd eat less meat to keep the food bill down but then spend the meat money of posh biscuits!

excercise - not expensive cause i use the local leisure centre or go for a run.

I'm trying to cut back on fuel by walking or not going out but we're all going mad so i treated myself to a drive to the city yesterday. it felt so wrong, but i found some cheap stuff we need for our cheap holiday next month!

[Bramshott]

Hair highlights!

[lubeybooby]

Decent tea and coffee - not bothered about alcohol so rarely drink anyway

[Bossybritches22]

taps unlucky with the house moves how maddening-bet it keeps the clutter down though?

Would it be worth asking the landlord if you could be allowed to put one in (or better still get him to?) tell him it would be a good selling point for future tenants as a plus!

[higgle]

Hairdresser for me too - averages out at about £55 per month over a year, cut every 6 weeks and highlights as needed. Whilst I like having new clothes I could live in what I've got for 2 or 3 years and look OK, but without the hairdressers I'd look total crap.

[BigusBumus]

Wine

[HolofernesesHead]

Chocolate! And books...I'm doing the no-spend January but have ordered a book from Amazon. Normally I'd spend much more on books, so just to get one for £7 is a huge discipline! I've decided to buy one book a month and I've already decided on February's book!

[nursenic]

At least four books a week, full priced or not. And Waitrose Banoffee Ice cream.

[Xmasbaby11]

coffee out, frequently, and usually a cake as well. Love to go on my own to do writing/reading or with friends for a lovely chat.

[Bunbaker]

My 6 weekly hairdresser visits. I am shallow and vain and don't want to go completely grey yet and can't make a good enough job of dying it myself. Besides, it always needs cutting after 6 weeks anyway.

[HolofernesesHead]

Wow Nursenic, do you read 4 books a week? Am impressed!

[pixiestix]

Decent eggs. I could never buy the 2 dozen for a quid, factory-farmed monstrosities.

[Bunbaker]

Me neither. I buy local free range medium eggs at 85p for 6 or large at 95p for 6.

[nursenic]

I read at least two but manage to always have a back log. It's a bit of an addiction-if a book is recommended or I see it via 'real' or online browsing or I know a favourite author (s) have just published then I have to have it straight away. My house walls are 'insulated' with books, they are piled around the bed, in the bathroom, kitchen, shed, car. I have two books in my everyday bag and take ridiculous amounts of reading on holiday. It's compulsive.

I even walk down the road, reading. Have perfected my technique by quickly scanning the way ahead then reading a few paragraphs, then another scan....Probably will result in a broken ankle sooner or later.