What things would you refuse to cut back on despite rising costs etc?

[rubberhead]

Mine would be getting my hair done, treating myself to some unnecessary bits from primark, meeting friends for a coffee once a week.

Things that I've reluctantly given up are meals out with DH, take aways EVERY weekend ( maybe once a mth instead) buying unnecessary luxury food

What's things would you refuse to give up until you absolutely had to?

Supermarket deliveries. If I time it right I can get Sainsbury’s or Morrisons here for £2.50 a shop and I do a bulk order which is so much faster and easier (and probably cheaper) than trailing round the supermarket with my kids. Even £5 a shop is fine by me (begrudgingly).

A bit more luxuriously - driving. Any excuse to use the car. I do lots of environmentally sound things but I’d cut back in many other places before I give up near-daily driving. (We live in central London, for context, so it’s far from a necessity.)

Well- i have just decided (on the other thread) decided to give up alcohol as it costs us conservatively £240 a month. As a striking (and genuine!) coinicidence our cleaner costs the same. But I will never give her up (and live in dread of her deciding that she will dump us). I have said for 18 years that she is the only reason I am not divorced. DH is a filthy hoarding blind to mess monster. Booze goes before the cleaner does.

I have already cut most things close to the bone I think. We have shopped at Aldi for years. I buy all my clothes at Tesco and used to have an 'annual haircut' in the summer. DH has been cutting my hair with the dog clippers since the start of covid and does a good job and I have not been back to a hairdresser since!

Time and sleep. I'd live on nettles and earthworms before I'd go out moonlighting like I used to when I was younger and had lots of mouths to feed. I also can't imagine sacrificing the cost of travelling to visit my parents and my adult children.

Toilet roll

My gym membership. In my mind, I would live there and save money on water and electricity. I use it at least twice a week.

Feeding DS obviously and his Army Cadets activities although they’re remarkably cheap and there’s no fees for normal parade nights.
Anything for our dog, he didn’t ask to be born into a cost of living crisis and he shouldn’t be affected by the human concept of money.
That’s it really, as long as DS and the dog are OK we’ll just have to manage on what’s left.

Oh wait, actually my sertraline prescription or I wouldn’t have got through the last year.

Pet insurance

Extra curricular activities for DC.

My electrolysis. I’ll live on lentils just so the PCOS lady beard doesn’t come back.

Yes, I work from home and go to the gym every night - even if I only get time to do a 30 min gym sesh or swim. I always shower there though.

Luckily I haven't had to cut back on anything yet, and after 3 years of being absolutely skint, and now being financially ok, I'm massively reluctant to.

Last things would be my hobby, the gym (absolutely essential to keep me mobile as I'm disabled) my car as I wouldn't be able to help out with my grandchildren.
I would have to let my cleaner and gardener go, M&S food and breakfast out every morning before work.

Cleaner, she’s amazing, really good at her job and she’s super kind to DD.

It’s interesting because as someone who has been very broke numerous times in life I never actively “gave up” anything.
Obviously there were many times I couldn’t afford rent, food, booze or petrol that month. So I’d do without until I could afford them, usually doing a bit of cash in hand baby sitting, applying for a credit card or borrowing on one I had. It’s very stressful not having money but if you can’t afford anything then money means less.

That’s also going through the early 90’s recession when interest rates were sky high and property prices meant negative equity and the 2008 crash.

I have an ex who did exactly the same @LondonWolf! Thanks for responding, it's nice to be able to find common ground when there's been disagreement or crossed wires

Children’s swimming and music lessons.

I was cranky and I apologise for derailing your thread!
And in the true spirit of this thread, I hope not to have to give up cake!

Hygienist appointments
Chocolate with actual cacao in it
Great coffee beans for home
Vine tomatoes

I'm hoping not to have to stop buying higher welfare meat. I have switched to cheaper cuts and am padding it out with pulses etc at times. I could live without meat but DH doesn't think it's a proper meal without it. I currently buy my meat direct from the farms and don't want to switch to meat from supermarkets instead.

I'm also hoping not to have to give up gym membership as swimming several times a week really helps my mental health.

The kids extra curricular activities. I can and do skip meals to make sure I have enough money for them.

Same as so many of you - Kids activities and lurpak! But I may start buying cheaper spread for the kids and hiding the lurpak at the back of the fridge!

Also not going to give up replacing my running shoes ever 4-5 months or go back to cheap leggings however ridiculous that sounds!

We've already cut back on a few things - weekly takeaways, regular nail and hair appointments, a subscription box for DC, naked wines membership, field and flower box - but the one thing we wouldn't give up is our cleaner

Decent bread - I buy a multiseed one from a local chain of bakeries (Bird's if there's anyone from Notts here) and my ironing lady

I agree with you on the meat. I have started buying alot less, but buying from our local butcher.

I'm not very good at giving things up to be honest, definitely a spender rather than a saver although I've never been a borrower either.

I've haven't cut out anything yet but I definitely have plenty of scope to reduce spending. My fixed expenses are actually very low compared to income, its the fun stuff that takes up most of my budget.

I'd be reluctant to cut meals out and socialising but could probably reduce them. I'd be very slow to get rid of our health insurance also, although it costs a fortune and we've never needed it in all the years we've had it - feels like something we'd need as soon as its gone. Would struggle to give up holidays but we could be a lot less extravagant with them if we had to. Couldn't give up meat.