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Original poster

What are you adjusting to save yourself money?

379 replies

flyingdream · 02/03/2022 14:57

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.

OP posts:
joydivisionovengloves71 · 02/03/2022 20:46

I've never got around to batch cooking as I'm at home all day. Made this yesterday and it was a gorgeous. We're not veggie but didn't miss the meat. Will get 4 dinners out of that for the two of us

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vegetable-curry-crowd

Beekindbeehumble · 02/03/2022 20:48

Today I used a hot water bottle, thick jumper and didn’t put the heating on.
Walked the children a mile to their activity and got a lift home with a relative going that way for another reason.
Lights off.
No tumble drier.
Not booking a holiday.
No takeaways in 2022, no coffees out.
Using the library more.
Cancelled Prime.
Only clothes shopping for children.

Going to try to grow more herbs. Not upgrading my phone, replaced the battery instead.
Managed to get two extra days work in March, which will help.

VerandaSanta · 02/03/2022 20:52

Those saying cancel TV License, you need a license to watch ANY TV even streaming don't you? It's not just for BBC. How can you cancel that? It's a total fucking con!

Interested in this thread?

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General money
MrsSkylerWhite · 02/03/2022 20:56

Oh and not using tumble dryer (for past several months, so much so that I’ve forgotten that we have one!)

Willowwarble · 02/03/2022 20:58

I have started to go to bed at 2000 to save on electricity (tucked up with my hot water bottle now) I collect wood for the woodburner when walking the dog and leave in a pile to collect with the car when I am out. I have stopped using the oven, use air fryer and microwave. Wash everything on a cold cycle apart from bedding, towels and pants and use just an egg cup of powder.

StillWeRise · 02/03/2022 21:00

@loopylindi
@dollymuchymuchness
what size remoskas do you have? they look very small- what sort of things do you cook in them? do they take up loads of space/are they out all the time?

alsonotmyname · 02/03/2022 21:02

Cheaper evening meals (omelette/ beans on toast) a few times a week, using the airer more, turned the thermostat down and I've been keeping the curtains shut at the back of the house during the day to keep the drafts out - I'm going to buy some thermal curtains for the doors when I can

Gonnagetgoing · 02/03/2022 21:03

My bills are already as low as they can be.

I’ve decided to still go out but spend less generally.

Thinking of having a foreign student in spare room but will have to cook for them, potentially less hassle than a lodger though.

DearlyBeloathed · 02/03/2022 21:05

@VerandaSanta

Those saying cancel TV License, you need a license to watch ANY TV even streaming don't you? It's not just for BBC. How can you cancel that? It's a total fucking con!
You only need it for BBC programmes or anything live.
Gonnagetgoing · 02/03/2022 21:05

Oh I’m going to try and grow some stuff got blueberry plant and tomato plant.

Driving far less than I used to do too.

Gonnagetgoing · 02/03/2022 21:07

I’ll also be shopping much more at Aldi and Lidl. Nearest supermarket is Sainsbury’s but the Lidl or Aldi isn’t that much further away.

cansu · 02/03/2022 21:07

I am just being more mindful of heating use. I am buying much less in terms of clothes etc. I am also curbing food shop, I think twice now before I buy anything.

VerandaSanta · 02/03/2022 21:08

@DearlyBeloathed surely everyone watches something live at one point or another? Not being funny if it's coming across like that, just curious.

DearlyBeloathed · 02/03/2022 21:11

[quote VerandaSanta]@DearlyBeloathed surely everyone watches something live at one point or another? Not being funny if it's coming across like that, just curious. [/quote]
We don't. I much prefer the content on Netflix, Youtube, Amazon, etc.

VerandaSanta · 02/03/2022 21:13

Thank you. Do you watch the news live or any sports?

pumpkinpie01 · 02/03/2022 21:13

We have stopped using the dishwasher and tumble dryer completely but we have gone from a household of 4 to 3 in the last month so that was quite easy to do. I have an airer in the spare room so use that to dry clothes. I have bought a lovely fluffy duvet set so am no having the heating on in the week in the mornings as I don't feel as cold when I wake up.

DearlyBeloathed · 02/03/2022 21:14

@VerandaSanta

Thank you. Do you watch the news live or any sports?
Nope! Just read the news online.

We're not a sport household.

XenoBitch · 02/03/2022 21:17

Not eating for 3 days a week. I would rather that than cancel stuff like internet etc. I don't work, so need the distraction.

tkwal · 02/03/2022 21:17

[quote flyingdream]@tkwal How do you manage to dry large amounts of washing? I think I'm slowly picking up tips and tricks. Like bake some cakes when the chickens on in the oven at the same time.

I need to portion out my bulk prepped meals otherwise if I have a curry in one container, it doesn't always get finished up between DH and I. Do you cook the lasagna's and cottage pie before freezing?

If you bulk out with oats and lentils what ratio do you use? I've never tried oats but will do (to bulk out). What sort of recipes do they work good in?

I'm another one who could do with turning on the heat less.

Lastly what shampoo, moisturisers do you use? Are we talking Aldi own brand?[/quote]
Drying washing: I have a large capacity washing machine (9kg) but don't fill it up completely. I give each load an extra spin cycle and I have a large airer , it's like a whirly clothes line but not as tall , I bought it with a lake land gift voucher I got for Christmas. If its not raining I put it on our covered porch but can bring it in if needed, plus the front of our house gets sun in the morning so the living room is usually warm.
Portioning before freezing food is a great idea as it means you won't get out too much .
If I'm using 400g mince I would usually add about 30g of oats and some extra stock/water
I use lentils in curries, for 2 dinners worth of curry I would add 100g of red lentils to two chicken breasts or 4 thighs.
I also use them to make a veggie curry, usually just whatever veg and tomatoes I have in the fridge/freezer. Frozen peas, green beans, cauliflower a chopped potato and a small tin of tomatoes work well
If you cook the cottage pies and lasagne before freezing, let them cool before portioning and they will cut neatly to fit whichever dish you are freezing them in. Yesterday I got 6 portions of cottage pie from 400g mince with the added oats and they are really hearty portions.
I use Astral moisturiser, you can get a huge tub for about £5 and you can also use it on your hands once you've finished everything for the day. I use Alberto balsam shampoo and conditioner. Home bargains had an offer on for (I think)2 for £2 so I bought 3 shampoo and 1 conditioner.
Let me know if you come up with other tips, I'm always on the lookout for ideas 💡

SpikeySmooth · 02/03/2022 21:17

Heating off.
Dehumidifier on for only 2 hours per day. (We need one, no way around it. Before it was on all day)
Washing machine on every other day (not every day). Eco cycle only.
Short showers.
Eat more very fresh but cold food like salads

DearlyBeloathed · 02/03/2022 21:19

We've turned the heating off and now only put it on when we have guests, which is usually only a handful of times a month.

ellephant · 02/03/2022 22:23

I have started turning appliances off at the switch rather than having them on standby.
No idea why I didn't do it sooner but I recently changed all my lightbulbs to LED which is cheaper.
No more takeaways, ever.
Heating set to 19 and only goes on in the morning for an hour if needed. Blankets on the sofa and a thicker duvet and throw for the bed.
I always did shop at aldi but I'm buying less meat/cheaper cuts.
I'm not exactly sure how much difference these little changes will make overall and I'm very aware that now the prices have all gone up, they won't come back down. Not sure how I'll manage to be honest.

TiddleTaddleTat · 02/03/2022 22:30

Had already cut everything to the bone but managed to increase income by taking on some extra shifts. That is helping more than scraping a few pence off the food shop with coupons etc, although I still do that too!

Bloodybridget · 02/03/2022 22:43

We never get takeaway meals, don't have a tumble dryer, use the car rarely (lucky to get free travel around London because of age). But we have the heating on when we want, and spend quite a bit on food despite changing from Sainsbury's delivery weekly, to Aldi shop three weeks out of four. Also have coffee out several times a week, so we could definitely save there. I reckon the next energy bill will jolt us into more money saving habits.

TabithaHazel · 02/03/2022 23:21

So far:
We've given up our weekly takeaway habit we got in lockdown
Cutdown on meat
Only use tumble dryer for socks and underwear
No takeaway coffees
Cancelled our Ocado smart pass and now mostly shop in Lidl
Organic veg box fortnightly instead of weekly
Make use of all the freebies we get with our life insurance like Amazon Prime
I've sorted out a pile of stuff to sell on Vinted
Set thermostat lower
Minimised use of car

Things we could cut down on but won't for now:
Cleaner
Organic meat box
Kids clubs
Milk delivery
Naked Wine subscription
Lottery syndicate

Our cleaner would be the last 'luxury' to go as she is invaluable to me from a (my) mental health point of view..