If you are financially comfortable, have you started cutting back on non-essentials?

[LabraDabraDoo]

I realise that we are very fortunate to have the financial headroom to choose to cut back and at the moment we spend quite a bit on non-essentials. We did a budget last night to look at likely price increases (especially fuel) and it looks like, while our jobs are secure ( although our investments are in the doldrums) we will be cutting back on quite a few non-essentials. Anyone else also making this choice yet?

Our list includes:
Back to buying decent quality supermarket meat and reining in trips to the farm shop.
I’m not buying clothes this Spring, I have enough to clothe a hundred middle aged women. We aren’t heating unused rooms in the house. Horse riding lessons are being suspended ( kids didn’t seem too bothered so that’s an easy £200 saved). We’ve cancelled our plan to refloor downstairs (wooden floors, so that’s a big saving). I planned to raise the children to a cottage in Norfolk for a couple of weeks in summer and we’ve arranged a house swap with a friend instead. We are not going out to eat for the foreseeable, and outings will be free swimming at the gym, dog walks etc. All other home improvement plans and big spends ( I considered renewing my car) are on hold. There are some things I hope we don’t have to cut, like cancelling holidays, music lessons and our lovely cleaner. We are still saving money into pensions and investments.

Anyone else making cutbacks? Do you think it’s going to start having an impact on people who provide non-essential services or are they still enjoying a post-Covid boom?

We are well a truly fucked…

So far I’ve stopped/swapped

A fortnightly takeaway
Kids swimming lessons and another activity
Got rid of Amazon prime
Turned off the heating (we have oil and don’t have 1k for 500l ever )
Stopped buying coffee (have a coffee machine with pods I’ve cancelled the re occurring order)
Checked and cancelled old direct debits
No new clothes all 2nd hand or from eBay
Started selling old coats etc

I’ve started to meal plan and I’ve gone for really cheap meals and cut down on meat.

It’s going to be a miserable few decades from now on, I’m debating on getting a 2nd job at weekends doing care work as I’ve worked out from the end of April we will be £200 down each month. But I already work full time (on a reasonable sum ish) but the NI hike and 3% on council tax plus electric cost increase is just bad

I’ve looked at ways to cut down on using the car diesel is £191.9 at the local petrol filling station…I went to somewhere on the way to work and paid £159.9 and put £30 it’s not even 1/2 a tank! Can’t afford to get rid of the car as I live rurally which doesn’t help but can’t afford to move 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

It’s just all screwed up I’m apply for jobs but always come 2nd

Yes we are being more careful, with electricity, what we spend generally etc. We are shall still have treats, but not as often. This financial squeeze will effect everyone and every aspect of life, unless you are a billionaire, of course.

With dcs long grown up we are comfortable enough, but we’ve started putting the heating on a few hours later, and switching it off earlier. TBH with an extra layer I barely notice the difference.

We don’t often eat out and only have takeaways once in a blue moon. so no difference there.

I won’t be buying any new clothes or shoes for the foreseeable - I have enough.

We eat a lot less meat than we used to and hardly any food ever gets wasted here - frugal habits from super-skint years - but I will still go to M&S or Waitrose for the odd piece of UK raised higher welfare pork or gammon - virtually all the other supermarket ditto is factory farmed (cheaper) Danish, Dutch or German, which I’ve refused to buy for ages.

We will still probably be going to a friend’s place in Majorca in April but cheap flights mean it won’t be a major outlay.

@Wormwoodgal

Yes, we're fortunate enough to be in this position, but I'm getting rid of Amazon Prime (keeping basic Netflix), turning off the heating in three rooms we don't use regularly and turning down boiler and thermostat, grouping shopping trips to use the car less, no new clothes, eBaying good clothes and lots of household items (we're moving later this year so need to declutter). A number of these things I should have been doing anyway!

I'm amazed that people heated rooms they don't use even before the energy price increases! We have never done this, apart from the bathrooms I have no heating on upstairs unless the wimpy grandchildren are visiting, that's what duvets are for. I usually drive into a bigger town once a week to shop but unless I need things I can't get locally I've cut that back to every other week. It's interesting that the current situation is forcing people to reassess their lifestyles and finding lots of things they can do without yet survive.

I'm looking at having to sell my modest house to a flat unfortunately. Nothing left yo cut back on here

Should also add me and DH only eat one meal a day and that’s just the way it will have to be from now on - which will eventually make my health conditions a lot worse 😒

We're being a bit more mindful on spends too, it's nothing major but things like actually thinking about what were spending at the supermarket, buying some seeds for the garden, and turning down the heating a bit. We're not particularly big spenders normally but my husband has handed in his notice and we've got another baby on the way both of which we'd planned for without the massive increases in bills! It is worrying even if you're not already on the breadline.

With so many people going veggie, I feel for the meat farmers.

I have nothing to cut back on, so am not making any cutbacks.

We considered it but decided not to as we don’t have to as yet. We have another year on a fixed gas/electric tariff so that won’t change for next April unless Shell go under. Mortgage is fixed for a number of years but think next year we may try and start overpaying more to be in a better position to renew. We allocated half of my payrise last October to cover NI rise for both of us, and an extra 15% on our normal food shopping budget. We’ve been saving it up otherwise and the rest I’m using to take a couple of weeks of unpaid leave this summer to help manage childcare. We are fortunate that we have a decent level of savings so would probably drop those a bit before we stop paying for kids lessons. I’m always surprised how high some people’s energy costs are. Even on the new tariffs in April our standard usage for a 5 bedroom house comes out at about £240 a month. I don’t generally have the heating on all day even in winter though. If it’s on for 2 hours in the morning and heats house up to 19 then it doesn’t drop below about 16 before it comes back on again at 4 and that’s comfortable to sit and work with a jumper on. I don’t like it being too hot though as know my parents have their house constantly at 24-30, which I find stifling

I’ve taken on every hour of overtime going at the moment (it’s not always available). So I’m setting that money aside for if/when it’s needed.

I can’t gauge yet how much I will need to cut down on energy as I’m on payg meters (here when I moved in and never changed) and the price hasn’t gone up on those yet. So still using the heating etc as normal. No point freezing while it’s still affordable! Once they are set to a higher tariff, I’ll assess then.

I don’t run a car (live in London and wfh) so I don’t have to worry about those increases. I have noticed food getting a lot more expensive though so I have started planning meals better. I’ve cut down on takeaways, coffees out etc. Meals out now are becoming special occasions only.

I will manage. It’s more that I begrudge paying so much of my wages on basic living costs, which I do realise is still a fortunate position to be in. I have family members who are really going to struggle and I worry more for them. I got used to not going out much etc during covid, so it’s not a drastic change to just continue in that manner.

No, we're not really feeling it... yet. We're still spending a lot less than pre-pandemic now one child doesn't need so much doing for them and I'm only commuting maximum once a week. The kind of tariff we have means that our bills are not rising significantly (for now). Has to drive to work 2-3 times a week, but actually has access to subsidised fuel at his work, which is handy. We do need to start putting a bit more into bills account each month though, as the money's definitely running out faster.

Op, I'm a sahm & we are comfortable middle class but we're absolutely cutting back on the non essentials so we can keep a few luxuries.
For example
I'm cutting out the hairdressers, I was paying 60 quid every 6-8 weeks for a cut & colour😩 going to colour my own & grow it longer, I'll get my sister who's good with hair to trim.
Will also cut the dc's hair no need for them to go to the hairdressers.
Use library for all dc's books
Cutting right back on leccie & has use.
Walking where possible & not bringing the car.
Using coupons where we can.
Paying off the credit card is the big short term goal then we'll look to see that we have for a holiday.

What's wth all the 'tine deaf' stuff?

OP is posting from where she is now. If I posted I would sound like I am boasting abiout my frugality - it has hapneed to me before.

We all have our own baselines of normal expedniture and swimming, horse riding, winter holidays etc are allpart and parcel of that!

Don't be so bloody eager to slate a woman for asking a reasonable question and tryg to get to grips with something she has been lucky not to have had to to before now.

Why not just offer up a suggestion?

@SamphiretheStickerist please do boast about your frugality! Good post.

I think people will struggle to have sympathy when you talk about cutting back horse riding lessons and meat from the food shop to buy form the supermarket when some people can't even food to buy food from the supermarket and relying on food banks.

We are all feeling the pinch. We are an awkward middle. Not really struggling but not well off either. We don't get help with anything but money is a struggle at the minute - and we have no luxuries. It's just the costs of bills, car. running a house and feeding 2 kids!

We appreciate how blessed we are as over 60 and with grown up children.

There will be higher expenditure due to utilities, council tax, ni, etc. Notwithstanding fuel, food and Higher inflation generally.

We can absorb all of this but I would add that we aren't extravagant regarding day to day: heating set to about 17 and Controlled via HIVE, I rarely buy a coffee out always taking one into the car, flask and packed lunch to work, no prime, no subscriptions, no excessive clothes, makeup, nails, etc, would rather have steak or smoked salmon than a takeaway.

If it came to it there are luxuries we could drop.

We are fortunate to be comfortable and able to absorb the price rises without having to change anything, just save less. No point lying about that in some vain attempt not to be "tone deaf". However, I am already super tight on heating and we have one 08 plate car between us and if one of us lost our job things would be turned upside down for us completely.

I will probably walk to work more frequently (I work shifts and can start as early as 0300 so it's not quite so straightforward a decision as if I worked 9-5). We are planning on focusing our discretionary spending on small businesses local to us and valuable to us, because we don't want them to close for selfish reasons but also because these are people we know and like, baking bread or making coffee or hosting an evening hobby club and we don't want them to lose their businesses. So rather than sling a supermarket loaf in the trolley, I'll buy an extra one at the bakery and slice and freeze it. If we fancy walking into town for a coffee one Sunday we'll deliberately wait until the independent place is open.

We may put off some planned work on the house. We have other bits still to finish off and I would like to replenish the savings a little more than we might otherwise have done before we look at that work.

I will probably do more overtime than I might otherwise have done, which will help with the savings but also give us the funds to keep spending on local businesses, the butcher etc.

I think it bears repeating, though so many have already been much more eloquent than this, that when the more comfortable reduce their discretionary spending this trickles all the way through the economy, including to the people who are already on the breadline with their small businesses, or working for a small business. Or even a massive business which cuts hours or closes branches. It's short sighted and naive not to recognise that.

We restructured our finances a few years ago when we retired. So although we're comfortable, particularly taking into account our savings, we went down to one car which is paid for. I would say we're pretty frugal about other things too - mainly vegetarian now, I grew out my hair during lock-down and love my silver hair, so that saves quite a bit on colour. We moved house just before lock-down to be near our daughter to help out with childcare - we now just heat the sitting room and use electric blankets on our beds which is fine.

Things we do spend on are still having a drink at home four days a week - it's our treat and we can still afford it at the moment. Since I changed my hair colour I have been buying the odd small clothing item since I no longer wear beige, brown, orange and go for greys, whites, pinks, blacks etc. We spend quite a bit on petrol as we care for our grandson two days a week and pick him up and drop him off. That saves two days of nursery fees. Our daughter and son-in-law have good jobs, but struggle at times, so at the beginning of the year I paid off their car loans for them, which my daughter said has helped them immeasurably. They now wfh a lot of the time so those commuting costs have gone down for them. I also always buy his shoes which are an incredible rip off price but necessary to have properly fitted ones. It's my thing that I like to do, my mum did it for my daughter.

I had a period in my 40's when I unexpectedly divorced and with a toddler, my future was so uncertain. My mum bought our groceries for us and my dad helped me with my bills. I've never forgotten how that felt, with virtually no income until I managed to get a job. So I really feel for anyone who is struggling.

I think the government, who I abhor, could be doing far more to help people. I'm glad my kids get the £150 council tax help, but that's not enough in my opinion (we don't qualify nor would I expect us to - E band) but the £200 'loan' in October is an absolute piss-take - it will have to be paid back and you can't opt out, it's compulsory. I do hope they will look again at all the help they could give, but I don't expect it will be much anyway, - after all this is the Tories we are talking about.

To simply answer your question: no, we have made no changes. I guess the only change I did make is that I used to occasionally/randomly buy generic products, I am now less likely to do that because I read an article by Jack Munroe (I think) about how poorer people are being priced out of the food they used to buy by richer-but-squeezed people. But we don't really think about it much - fortunate situation to be in, I realise!

Kadge In fairness I don't think that the op is asking for symapthy. In the very first line of her op she acknowledge that she is "very fortunate".

I am comfortable but already quite frugal anyway but I am cutting back- going to Aldi or Lidl instead of getting a delivery (I hate food shopping)
turning heating off more, doing proper meal planning and eating through the freezer- more organisation really.

I wear a uniform for work anyway so clothes are not necessary- but when I do need them I am going to go the charity shop/ Vinted route

yes we are cutting back. less non essential journeys in the car e.g. to playgroups, more mindful about what I'm buying when food shopping, not using the tumble drier, thermostat now set to 16.5.

I think anyone with any sense and enough financial leeway will be cutting back on non essentials. I will admit to a flicker of envy at OPS post but she doesn't appear to be indulging in the humble bragging that is so prevalent on MN . I think its a good example to set to DCs as well that sometimes circumstances dictate the need for belt tightening. However there are far too many people who have already got their belts on the extra notch and are beginning to despair. For some they really have to choose between warmth and food. I'm not in that situation,but I will be making donations , when I can afford them , to charities dealing with food and fuel poverty. Because most of us are only a few pay days away from needing them ourselves and I'm so thankful I don't , yet.

Think it’s a really valid thread. Surely sharing ideas and tips on how we can all be a little more thoughtful in our spending is a good thing?

Especially if it helps someone to avoid financial issues and actually ending up on the ‘breadline’. In my view it’s better to plan ahead and avoid that for everyone’s sake isn’t it?

We've cut back on clothing, for sure. I would normally do a big Next shop (£500) for both girls, coming in to the summer and I've only added a few shorts and T-shirts for my eldest this time. Dresses from last year will still fit.

We are trying to be a bit more conscious with our tumble dryer usage too as that was on almost every night for a small washing load.

I am also thinking of cutting out my PT as with summer coming, I can do more exercise outside and feel a bit safer.