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.

Cancelled my Deliveroo subscription; my Spotify & gym membership. £80 a month saved

Turned off underfloor heating in bathroom.
Buying frozen goods monthly from Iceland to get best deals

Tumble drying a lot less. Washing at 30 degrees for most items and washing less.

Buying more second hand clothing from eBay.

Not upgrading my phone this year.

Take away maybe once a month now or not at all depending on money left.

No holiday this year.

I have stopped using the tumble dryer except for towels and sheets. There is only me and 1 child so I can do that easily. I've stopped using the dishwasher. Heating on for half an hour in morning, hour in evening. Water saving shower head. Meal planning and batch cooking. I'm thinking of cancelling my Virgin package as we I don't watch any channels really aside de ITV and C4. I have Netflix and could get a cheap broadband deal. I buy stuff in charity shops a lot. I don't honestly know where else I can cut back and as a lone parent with a low income, life feels difficult.

We have a baby due in a couple of months so that will save us money

While there are lots of good ideas on this thread, it's very sad to read.

The UK is the fifth richest country in the world so we should be enjoying - across the board - a more affluent lifestyle than we know can be afforded right now or in the coming months/years.

I've also really reduced my use of the car and use my bike instead. The car is preserved for grocery shopping and visiting my Dad who lives an hour away. Son and I walk or bike everywhere as much as possible.

If I don't use my tumble dryer, and my heating is off, how am I going to get the clothes dry? It's piss wet through outside.

It's like an unwinnable game

Heating at a minimum, no dishwasher, tumble dryer only if absolutely necessary, charge devices at work, work at the office as much as possible to avoid using electric at home, walk to work rather than drive. Have switched to Aldi and am considering changing work hours around and cancelling breakfast and after school club (which is £300 a month!!)

This is ridiculous, between DH and I we earn a good salary, not massive but we should be comfortable, shouldn't have to be choosing between heating and eating. Ten years ago we were skipping meals to feed the kids, I can only imagine how horrendous this pinch would have been for us back then.

Just the same as everyone else really
everything cooked from scratch where its cheaper
reducing washing
cancelled tv licence
got my internet price lowered
cooking cheaper meals
no holiday
no takeaway
using rags instead of kitchen roll to clean the sides and spills etc
If there's leftover sandwich stuff at the end of the week, i now make sandwiches and freeze them for weeks when we run out before shopping (this seems like a horrible idea but you cant even tell they have been frozen)
we have trimmed everything we can and are still sinking, its a fucking miserable existence at the moment.

@BIWI

While there are lots of good ideas on this thread, it's very sad to read.

The UK is the fifth richest country in the world so we should be enjoying - across the board - a more affluent lifestyle than we know can be afforded right now or in the coming months/years.

I totally agree with this. It's utterly disgusting. Nobody should be having to choose between comfort and hunger.

I did a wash load on 40 last week but then I remembered something about dust mites only being killed at 60 degrees plus? I use anti dustmite bedding protection but still... I'm hoping that somebody will come along and confirm that 40 degrees is fine for all laundry

We usually go out for breakfast at the weekend, we said we would cut down on that but we still want to do it a couple of times a month, it’s our treat and something we love doing with dc.

A pp made a good comment about only spending money where it makes a positive difference to her life, that’s really how I view it. I don’t need any new clothes, although I might like some, I can do without, I have plenty of lovely things, as does dh. I don’t need another lipstick or face cream.

We will continue spending money on dc and days out as a family as that is important to us and makes us happy.

We don’t have the heating on as much anymore. We plan our main meals which has saved us abit of ££ each week on the food bill. Dh makes his own coffee and takes it to work most mornings but still gets the occasional one when he’s out and about.
Dh and I don’t drink/smoke or have expensive hobbies, so I can’t think of other areas where we could save money tbh.

Also cancelled tv license! Never watch it anyway!

Another thing : I am impressed by the batch cookers but personally speaking, I could not stomach batch cooked frozen meals even though I am a decent cook. However, I do cook two meals at a time when I am using the large oven once a week. I can stomach meals stored in the fridge overnight in Pyrex as reheating does not interfere with the smell and texture.

If anyone has cancelled magazine subscriptions and miss them, can I recommend Readly? There's usually two months free and if you cancel before you have to start paying, they usually email you with another few weeks free offer. I've had it for about two years now and I've never had to pay, and it's entirely legitimate - no setting up new email accounts to get another introductory offer or anything.

Pretty much every magazine you could want to read is on there, not just English language ones either. It's about £8 if you do end up paying, which is less than a couple of magazines costs anyway. And all back issues are on there, too.

@MangoLipstick

Also cancelled tv license! Never watch it anyway!

I am hoping for some kind of reform which will bring down it's cost. Nadine Dorries seemed to have something in the pipeline

Weed money he as the equivalent goes into saving fund for when I leave.

@Soffit

I did a wash load on 40 last week but then I remembered something about dust mites only being killed at 60 degrees plus? I use anti dustmite bedding protection but still... I'm hoping that somebody will come along and confirm that 40 degrees is fine for all laundry

I always do all mine on a 30 degree quick wash and I've never had any issues.

Sorted my DD and subscriptions saving £75 a month 😳
Use washing line and finish off in dryer.
Having a water meter fitted. It's just me and partner.
No £ shop 😂 majority of stuff from there is either crap or found cheaper in supermarkets.
No take aways, loads is alcohol left over from Christmas, no clothes, don't need them.
Changing dog food brand to cheaper maybe an issue with a diva dog.
Washing machine on 15 min , our clothes aren't dirty as such. Dirty clothes and undies get a proper wash.
Horror, don't change bedding as often and re use towels.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

If I don't use my tumble dryer, and my heating is off, how am I going to get the clothes dry? It's piss wet through outside.

It's like an unwinnable game

I have to dry mine on radiators (no outside space, no tumble dryer). I have to do my washing to coincide with the few hours a week I put the heating on though. Also I have to put the heating on in the summer to dry washing which feels so wasteful and the house gets ridiculously hot but if I just leave stuff on airers it ends up smelling vile.

@BIWI

While there are lots of good ideas on this thread, it's very sad to read.

The UK is the fifth richest country in the world so we should be enjoying - across the board - a more affluent lifestyle than we know can be afforded right now or in the coming months/years.

Could not agree more.

People are working so hard but can't even afford to put the heating on when it's freezing cold, or stretch to a tenner for a pizza as a treat once a month.

Summer will help an awful lot.

Will be able to stop worrying about heating the house and dithering over the thermostat

Won't want as many baths, cool showers will suffice

Can dry washing outside

We've been through rough times before, life has been so much easier over the last 10-12 years and we've got used to having treats/holidays. Looking at our finances this morning, I think we can just about manage if fuel goes up in October, as well as petrol, food, our water has gone up 10% and I guess other things will follow. However, I'm looking at cutting back in order to give us a few treats.

We don't have a tumble dryer, use hairdryers etc, so looking at reducing lighting, tv only on if we're actually watching it, full washing machine loads, not leaving things on charge overnight. Heating now going off when DH leaves the house (I can easily layer up). DH doesn't need any clothes, I could be with a couple of pairs of summer trousers so limiting clothes spending to just that this year. Looking at cheaper food options, ie a packet of biscuits will give us more portions than a bought cake, more vegetarian cookery, soaps own and basics brands. Very lucky to have a Tesco and Lidl within walking distance, so food shopping done on foot and I'm getting to know what is cheapest where. Stir fry ingredients, fish and chips and pizzas are easy to buy in supermarket and heat up, rather than a takeaway - we can take in turns so not just on me. Days out will be a walk from home/cycle ride (again lucky to be on edge of countryside) and we'll take a sandwich. Might only be small savings everywhere, but hope it'll mean we can say a bottle of wine or a drink out with friends.

We have to use the tumble as another poster said without it laundry smells vile (and yes the washing machine has a boil wash no clothes to clean it). Take always less as well.

Haven't had the heating on this winter.
Showers limited to 5 minutes unless its a hair wash day (once a week).
Using tumble dryer for bedding and towels only.
Moved to using dishwasher every other day.

Cancelled home contents insurance - have only buildings insurance