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Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Have you made financial cutbacks?

30 replies

lightand · 02/02/2022 15:49

Due to inflation?
And if so, what things have you needed, or chosen, to cut back on?

OP posts:
Madickenxx · 02/02/2022 15:55

Not necessarily due to inflation but because I'm worried about my utility bills! I know they've gone up massively but I don't know by how much as I won't get the bill until March.....as a result I'm being extra careful with money, especially cutting back on eating out, takeaways and Amazon.

I should contact our mobile phone, broadband and TV providers to try and get better deals but haven't yet got round to it.

lightand · 02/02/2022 15:58

Yes. I have a list of companies I need to see if we can get better deals on.

OP posts:
nordica · 02/02/2022 16:03

Trying to be careful with gas and electricity as my bills have already gone up and will of course increase even more.

I'm also trying to think about my purchases more carefully in general - not necessarily because of inflation as such but because I realised I was doing a lot of online shopping just because it was easy and not because I needed those things. Also trying to pay off all my debts (apart from mortgage) this year.

pumpkinpie01 · 02/02/2022 16:06

Yes - my son left home a fortnight ago so there is just the 3 of us now . So I'm thinking my energy usage should drop anyway but have decided to stop using the tumble drier and dish washer now. I'm going to stop popping into shops at lunch time too as half the time I can't remember what I didn't a tenner on by the next day anyway ! My dd's are all in order so nothing to try and save on there .

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 02/02/2022 16:10

I wanted to buy some bog standard farmed salmon fillets the other day, but couldn't afford them so bought fish fingers on special offer instead.

We go to Lidl for most things, then Sainsburys for the stuff we can't get at Lidl. We don't eat much meat now.

The water temperature is turned down to 38 degrees for washing up and showers.

Ds2 is due a phone upgrade, but is happy to stay with his current handset and just get a sim only contract. Same for me when the time comes.

We don't really buy stuff. There's nothing more we can cut back on really. I like the cats to have good quality cat food as it helps maintain their health. They'll be eating better than us soon 😀

CakeMonster001 · 02/02/2022 16:15

Got rid of sky, bt sports. Cut my contract phone down to sim only (wasn't worth upgrading iPhones are all the same nowadays!)
Stopped shopping at morrisons as they seem ridiculously expensive and terrible customer service. Swapped to Asda and saved £40 on my shopping each week (yes for the same items 😳).
Only put my heating on at 16 now instead of 18, and don't bother with my tumble dryer it's just an expensive ornament Grin

Afonavon · 02/02/2022 16:17

No heating on in the mornings, and cut back an hour of evening heating. Using hoodies, blankets and warm socks to keep warm.

Stopped using recipe boxes and am meal planning.

Using a shopping list and sticking to it.

Avoiding Ikea, AKA the moneypit of unnecessary tat.

No more coffee from Costa etc

Covid is curbing my shopping as a hobby

Only buying clothes that will get a lot of use, no more new outfit for a one off night out event.

lightand · 02/02/2022 16:24

Some interesting things to think about already. Thank you.

OP posts:
MrsPear · 02/02/2022 16:26

I’ve said this before but I’ve given up with gas and electric - our latest bill was near £70 more than the same quarter the year before despite us using less.
The best thing is for me to find a little job (h disagrees at this as our family balance is good with status quo) and think is it a want or a need? Plus be grateful that we can even think that!

Dogmum40 · 02/02/2022 16:35

We’ve gone to sim only

I do one tumble drier wash a week for the heavy stuff such as towels and jumpers etc and use the radiators/airer (or line if it’s nice) for everything else!

We now use a bar of soap instead of cleansers and body wash, (this is a money saving decision but also an environmental saving too)

I use water and a polishing cloth for windows and all surfaces instead of buying tons of cleaning chemicals for various things! I still use bleach in the loos, floors, bath and sinks though! But every other surface is water and the polishing cloth

We hardly use the cars anymore and are actually considering going down to one (this will be done in the next 6 months if we do it and not immediately)

Got rid of the land line and sky packages we don’t need, still have Netflix and Disney+ though so we need to think about whether we are keeping them both

Cook from scratch now rather than going out weekly or sometimes two or three times a week and I actually don’t miss it

Been selling everything we don’t use on vinted

We do jigsaws (we work in IT so it gets us off devices 😆) so we have created a friends and family jigsaw swap so we don’t buy them anymore! There’s hundreds of the things amongst us all we won’t ever need to buy them again….. (same with books too actually)

Grow some of our own fruit and veg so that does save us quite a bit thinking about it!

Dogmum40 · 02/02/2022 16:36

Should add we both no longer go anywhere near Amazon or any online stores! We only buy what we need and what we want we get each other for Xmas and birthdays

GeorgiaGirl52 · 02/02/2022 16:39

Cancelled pet insurance. Just doing annual vet visits and boosters.
Changed pet grooming from monthly to quarterly. Am shampooing at home in between.
Reduced TV contract to basic cable.
Monthly rather than weekly grocery shop.
No ready meals. Cooking from scratch recipes.
Once a month takeaway instead of once a week.
No new clothing items.
Lower thermostat to save on heat bills.

ponkydonkey · 02/02/2022 16:43

Quite a few cutbacks
No takeaways
Dinner parties
Cut back on heating and electric
More fires 🔥
Doesn't look like we'll have a holiday this year
No new clothes for me
And let's see...
my gas elec bill just came in at £350 for 2 months!!?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 02/02/2022 16:44

Haven't needed to yet, but I'll see what happens if my energy bill increases. My ex husband is getting a pay rise in April so he will be increasing child maintenance payments, hopefully this will cover any higher bills.

First thing I'd cut back on if I had to is eating out, which we do once a month, and having my nails done which I do once a month. I did call Sky in January and got my bill reduced by £20 a month and I'm going to cancel my annual travel insurance of £12 a month as I haven't travelled much during Covid anyway! Waste of money.

Pegasussnail · 02/02/2022 16:44

I shop at lidl and try and make meals from the special offers.
Own brand everything.
I haven't bought many clothes - will do later in the spring.

Abra1d1 · 02/02/2022 16:45

No new clothes.
Hair appointments pushed back
No new make-up
No little impulse supermarket spends
No little presents for the children (both grown up)
Use tumble dryer as little as possible

I know I’m lucky that we can afford utilities and food, though. It could be worse.

CuteOrangeElephant · 02/02/2022 16:46

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation be careful turning down the water temperature because of legionella

pumpkinpie01 · 02/02/2022 16:52

@ponkydonkey £350! Who are you with ? Can I ask how much you have the heating on pls ?

megaz · 02/02/2022 16:53

@Afonavon

No heating on in the mornings, and cut back an hour of evening heating. Using hoodies, blankets and warm socks to keep warm.

Stopped using recipe boxes and am meal planning.

Using a shopping list and sticking to it.

Avoiding Ikea, AKA the moneypit of unnecessary tat.

No more coffee from Costa etc

Covid is curbing my shopping as a hobby

Only buying clothes that will get a lot of use, no more new outfit for a one off night out event.

If you're with 02 you can use 02 priority and get one free large hot drink a week at cafe Nero and get stamps on the cafe Nero loyalty app😃 you can then get another free hot drink after you've got like 9 stamps. I love it, so you can still treat yourself without spending anything. Me and my friend do this for a weekly catch up and I love it!
dontgiveahoot · 02/02/2022 16:55

Using tumble drier less.
Fewer takeaways and meals out.
Use heated throw instead of putting heating on.
Being more organised with meal planning. Make sure I always take a packed lunch to work.
No impulse buying makeup.
Ditto yarn!

ponkydonkey · 02/02/2022 16:58

@pumpkinpie01
Eon

Heating on 6-9am

4-11pm

On a lot in the cold snap 18c

Cold draughty house 😱

I've since blocked the chimneys, double insulated the loft and turned it down in the daytime to come on only at 15c

There may have been quite a-lot of estimated meter readings
They read the mater yesterday so I'm hoping for a reduction

pumpkinpie01 · 02/02/2022 17:23

That's a lot £175 a month , hopefully your changes will bring it down for you . Our meter was faulty in oct/nov and it ran at double the speed god knows why hoping the new company don't use that as our proper usage .

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 02/02/2022 17:24

We’ve has sim only deals for ages.

We’ve renegotiated Sky, so it’s £20 a month cheaper.
I’ve cancelled the monthly subscription for exercise classes.
We’ve turned of the heating upstairs, except for one room and that’s turned down. Heating is on for a shorter time.
We shop in Aldi
We have a condenser tumble dryer, but I only use it for towels and sheets sometimes.
Rarely have takeaways and even more rarely, a meal out.
DH has sold his beloved watch and has a cheaper one
We’ve sold a car, so we now share one.

TiddleTaddleTat · 02/02/2022 17:33

Yes. Sold 2nd car and share it (despite both needing it for work).
Shopping at Lidl.
Cut right back on non essential costs.
Opted for lower cost fittings - flooring, kitchen etc as we are mid renovation and everything has ballooned in price.

And increased income by taking on extra work. Would have rather had the time but money just doesn’t go very far these days.

FanGirlX · 02/02/2022 17:34

Turned the thermostat down but can't live in the cold as DD is only 3. That said, I bought her a fleecy hoodie and slippers which she likes wearing. No longer use the dryer. Make sure I have a full load of washing.

Mostly mine is going from discretionary spending. Longer time between beauty apps - hair, brows, pedicure. Packed lunch and flask of coffee for work. Carefully considering buying new clothes for me - have bought one hoodie in 3 months and need some T-shirt's but that's it. Will have to make do with what I have. Going on free days out to socialise, rather than spending money on meals. Already shop at Aldi and prefer fish to meat but switched to cheaper options. Rediscovered sardines in tomato sauce recently (delicious, cheap and healthy).

I feel sorry for small businesses in non essential retail and services, as that's where a lot of people will reduce spend.