What are you adjusting to save yourself money?

[flyingdream]

I'm hoping we don't eat go out to eat as much as we do or order food in. It's just a really bad habit. But we can never stick with it it. Paying 8.50 for a pizza (12 inch from local takeaway) is a large amount and I'm ashamed it's taken recent price increases to make us think.

Also hoping we don't turn on the radiators as much as we do.

I'm gonna have less takeaway. Deliveroo is so damn easy. I will also properly review what streaming services I truly need. Really think if I need new clothing. Thankfully no tumble dryer and no need to pay for heating.

Also, while its not exactly saving but I'll try to use things that I have. Go to gym more often. I have some foot cream and face cream that's just sitting there. So will use them up and not get a new one.

@MadgeRussell

I don't know how everyone manages to avoid using the tumble drier at this time of year. None of our bathrooms have windows and I'm concerned if I dried all of the stuff in the house it would just make it really damp (we don't have a lot of heating on, and have turned it down still further).

I bought a dehumidifier - expensive outlay but I think it's saved a lot over time and the house generally seems a bit warmer.

PS Love your name assuming your a fellow CS fan :)

I have also turned into my dad switching off all the lights and shutting all the doors to keep the rooms warm. For ages I have been meaning to cancel my landline, BT do an internet only package so I'm going to go with that. I might also cancel my TV license as none of us watch live TV. I'm spending £60 a week on my children's school meals as the prices have also increased so we might go back to packed lunches very soon!

We're not turning the heating on. Luckily our flat is pretty cozy and well insulated, but we're toughing it out and adding extra layers.

Also cutting way back on eating out/coffees out, one holiday this year etc.

But then, I also feel crappy because I feel like I'm stiffing the small local coffee shop/Thai restaurant/nail bar by not supporting them any more. I remember the '08 recession with the race to the bottom and the vicious cycle of cutting back - businesses go under - unemployed - cutting back - businesses go under. It was awful.

Literally posted a thread there about cutting out the hairdressers. Our local salon has hiked up the prices to cover her overheads but I won't be able to cover my household bills if I keep paying 60 quid for a cut & colour. So that's one of my biggest ones cutting out the hair salon, unnecessary luxury.
I used also buy my shampoo & conditioner at the hairdressers then changed to pantene, tried lidl basic colour range & can't tell the difference!

@MadgeRussell

I don't know how everyone manages to avoid using the tumble drier at this time of year. None of our bathrooms have windows and I'm concerned if I dried all of the stuff in the house it would just make it really damp (we don't have a lot of heating on, and have turned it down still further).

I manage to avoid using one because I've never owned one! I live in Scotland (so rainy) and dry outside whenever I get the chance. I realise that's a luxury many people don't have. I've bought a cover (often a fruitless effort due to the winds!). I get the wash majority dry outside and finish it off inside.

Vinted for buying & selling clothes

Don’t have a cleaner / gym membership/ Netflix

Cycle or walk where possible

Don’t have beating on when just me WFH in the day

Understandable, but sad that so many people are saying no to takeaways & coffees as lots of local businesses will suffer - we’ve just had one of my favourite coffee places close, it was independent & run by a lovely young(ish) couple

I’m a clothes addict and love a brand, not just me but kids stuff too. Saving loads though by finding stuff on eBay and in local charity shops. Obsessed with turning things off at the plug, planning meals to avoid running out of stuff and walking/cycling more

MadgeRussell i live on the SW coast of Scotland and don't have a tumble drier, i have never had one even when i had small babies, terry nappies and no central heating, you just have to be organised and watch the weather.

Cancelling my TV licence soon.
No more central heating unless pipes at risk of bursting.
No more snacks from the vending machine at work.
No more going to ASDA, Lidl is further to walk (6 mile round trip but hey) but will have to go there from now on.
Tumble dryer on as little as possible.
Amazon Prime will be got rid of soon as well.

Hardly ever use my tumble drier and DH has always been evangelical about turning off lights if not needed ! But for the tv packages, we have sky which our two adult children use on their smart tv’s and we use our sons Amazon prime to watch films on our tv and our daughters Netflix account. Just need to share login details. It saves us all money.

Having a no-spend-on-clothes year (apart from if falls to bits, special occasion etc)

Using all make-up, toiletries etc before buying new

Don’t mind using the tumble drier, but mainly use it for towels, sheets, and also for finishing clothes off.

Unfortunately, difficult to get dh to get on board with these little changes.

Nothing yet, we don’t get takeaways, can’t cut back on bills really not this time of year in any case. Summer is cheaper than winter.
We always cut Sky in winter as we don’t watch tv much at all over the summer.
I’m now vegan and DH is eating a lot of vegan food, but will buy smaller portions of meat and fish. I suppose I’ll do batch cooking of vegan curries, and chilli. Eating salads, rather than stodgy foods.
Ive cut right back and chocolate as vegan choc is expensive and I want to lose weight. Aiming to be ripped by summer - that’s a joke!

Working from home has meant I’ve spent a lot less on clothes. Saved a hell of a lot on salon appointments due to covid, I bought my own nail lamp and gel kit and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I hate going to the salon in any case so that’s win-win.
I’m not fussed about phones, so happy to carry on paying £6 a month (reached the end of a 3 year contract).
Spend a lot if I go out for the night, but that’s very rare these days. Will walk and not get taxis during summer months so another saving there.

Adjusted the heating timer so on for a shorter period.

Hoping the weather will start getting dryer so I can stop using the tumble dryer twice a day!

Thinking of planting some salad vegetables this year.

Less takeaways and more cooking.

Haven't had takeaways for a long time.

We've bought an air frier,a one cup kettle, a new clothes airer etc.

Our oven hasn't been turned on since Sunday when the air fryer turned up as we use the slow cooker some days and air frier others.

Back to solid meal planning again and cutting out all the little extras that add up quickly.
We've also stopped taking the tween and teen when we go because our bills always higher due to what they Chuck in the trolley.

Meat free a few times a week

Cut out the mid week top ups at sainsburys.

I managed to dry two loads of washing last Sunday and then just finished it off in the timber for twenty mins. Normally it would be on for a few hours on them days.

Turned the thermostat down to 16 and boost it to 18 for an hour in the evening and an hour in the morning early to take the chill off.

Swapped out my moisturiser for a brand down and that's just saved me £15 this week.

Only buy Costa out once a week now and yes it's literally the only treat I have a week so it's staying.

We went through all our finances and the food fuel dog food electric and gas has gone up but we've paid off a couple of old debts now which has gone towards the higher bills although by no means covered the extra

Timing the kids in the shower now and reminding them to turn lights off after them etc and to bingo towels on the radiators to dry and not in the wash.

Getting more wear out of clothes before it goes in the wash

Once it stops raining here I can walk the 2 miles to work a couple of days a week that I don't have to do drop offs etc so that will save a little bit of fuel.

Stretching the food shop to every 10 days to save on fuel.

We have electric blanket throws, to keep warm in the evening rather than have the heating on.

We're eating less meat.

We're not buying clothes, we're making sure we wear what we have.

We're not washing clothes quite so often. Underwear yes but making other things last longer between washes.

We're shopping more at Aldi.

Plenty of batch cooking but making smaller portions and filling up more on cheaper stuff like pasta, rice and potatoes.

Eating bread the might have been thrown away, in toasted sandwiches or as toast.

Having a cheap couple of meals a week in the evening, like beans on toast or egg on toast.

All washing gets hung on an airer to dry and has just a quick go in the tumble drier to air it.

I've got a Remouska = a kind of cooking pot that is so frugal. It cooks a roast dinner (chicken, roasties, veg and yorkshires) in the time it takes my main oven to heat up. It does casseroles, jackets, bakes, and so on. Available from Lakeland and a great investment.

I have got rid of all hired help unless it is something that is physically beyond my capability. I have maxed out travel discounts. We still eat out a lot but I am trying to aim for cheaper places (doesn't work very well )
Holidays are a distant memory which is crazy as I have travelled nonstop my adult life and seen pretty much everything I wanted. That is not so much about affordability. It is more to do with the fact that I would not enjoy myself in a covid world and I would feel racked with guilt when I know that friends are struggling. It would not feel right at all. I know people crave distraction but I read the Holiday threads on here and I just don't get it really. We are in a permanent slump and on the cusp of a fully fledged world war ffs. It feels like those musicians performing on the Titanic as it headed towards the iceberg.

We have a household income above average (as does everyone on MN, lol!) but I saw an advert for dominos delivery drivers the other day and was seriously tempted. Some extra money and free pizza? Yes please.

Shopping at the lower end supermarkets does not seem to work unless you are also combining it with the cheaper brands. I cook a lot more from scratch. My cooking skills have gone off the scale in the last two years thanks to having little choice. It helps that my DCs aren't fussy.
I have said goodbye to costly organic deliveries. Supermarket organic is fine really and I have new methods of cleaning some of the non organic. I am surprised I made that transition.

I am putting the washing machine on a lot less. I will shower after a sweaty hit workout but not necessarily after a restorative yoga session. I used to shower religiously after every workout. Talking of workouts, I won't be returning to the gym to workout. Wild horses wouldn't drag me back and I miss the chit chat less than I expected

I think that people did still go on holiday during both the actual WWs to date tbf.

@loopylindi

I've got a Remouska = a kind of cooking pot that is so frugal. It cooks a roast dinner (chicken, roasties, veg and yorkshires) in the time it takes my main oven to heat up. It does casseroles, jackets, bakes, and so on. Available from Lakeland and a great investment.

I also have a Remoska. Highly recommend this bit of kit. It's cheap to run and things like jacket potatoes and a whole chicken cook better than in the oven.

@Cailleach

Cancelling my TV licence soon. No more central heating unless pipes at risk of bursting. No more snacks from the vending machine at work. No more going to ASDA, Lidl is further to walk (6 mile round trip but hey) but will have to go there from now on. Tumble dryer on as little as possible. Amazon Prime will be got rid of soon as well.

Yes, the TV licence. I sometimes wonder whether I watch BBC TV just to justify it in my own mind. It is dreadfully bad value. That said, once in a blue moon, I stumble across a brilliant thing that is quintessential BBC. It's under review but unlikely to go!

We have a clothes swap every so often.Easy to do and popular especially children’s stuff,toys books etc.No money changes hands.Food share on the date food £1 a family. Many towns and villages have these now.Ask on SM when you need something or have something to give away.It is amazing what you can find.Stop buying unless it is really needed .Thermos flask with hot chocolate plus picnic food even in winter saves a fortune with 6 grandchildren in tow.NT members you can pay monthly highly recommend,great days out.

Shopped around for car insurance, was due go auto renew but shopped around got the same cover for £400 less! Plus a £20 dominos voucher for buying through compare site!