If you have spare money, what do you plan to give up/ keep going as life gets more expensive?

[SnoopLabbyLab]

Firstly, I am very aware that many people have no choice in where their money goes at the moment. But if you do have a bit extra, where are you choosing to spend it, and what do you think you might give up?

For us, eating out has gone. We are focusing on enjoying good food at home, often with friends. Next meal our will be New Years Day. Board game/ film evenings have been good, cheap fun and will feature heavily over Christmas. I’m not buying any clothes for the foreseeable, as I already have enough to dress an army (provided they are willing to fight in jersey dresses and Converse). I’m trying to buy fewer books, as I’ve plenty to read at home, and am using the local book exchange. We’ve chosen to keep the kids hobbies and lessons going, but it’s a ‘no’ to starting anything new if it’s expensive. We will probably cut back on holidays, or go closer to home next year. We are still buying meat from our farm shop, even if the supermarket is cheaper. And plan on keeping our cleaner and dog walker as they are lovely people and keep us sane. Big purchases for the house, like a new wooden floor and sofas are very much on hold. Christmas trips are mostly local pantos and light trails, which I suspect the kids will enjoy as much as anything.

Anyone else thinking about this?

We rarely eat out now. Rarely buy clothes but will keep with help and support for grandchildren including paying tuition fees and help with holiday. We will go with them on their holiday and will also still have one ourselves.
Home maintenance ...new kitchen ...had been downsized. Thinking of just changing cupboard doors/worktops ext or may on hold indefinitely

I’m not changing anything.

I’m hoping that those in an equally fortunate position will do the same so that cafes, restaurants, shops etc can survive.

Never eat out and maybe a coffee out once or twice a year at most. No concerts/theatre trips or expensive days out at zoos etc. No expensive hobbies. No present /card buying for anyone - no exceptions after this Christmas.
plus side - keeping my boat afloat as it’s my sanctuary, and we both indulge in £1 kindle books.

We rarely eat out and rarely have takeaways. We only have YK holidays, self catering. That probably won’t happen next year.

Used to enjoy buying a small bunch of flowers, but have given that up. Few new clothes and those that have been bought have been sale items.

We want the stairs and landing decorated, but that’s on hold. DH and I have done other rooms, but the stairs are too tricky. No house purchases, no cinema trips, no theatre. Everything this year has been NT or RHS and free after buying the subscription.

Heating has been turned off in all but two rooms, restricted to an hour morning and evening. We only use the oven when there are several things going in. We’ll keep the Sky package as long as we can, because we go out so rarely. We shop in Aldi and very occasionally, Sainsbury’s, if it’s something we can’t get in Aldi. Christmas gifts will be much reduced, but that’s fine. We don’t need anything.

I already was seeing my friends less, it will drop further I imagine. Basically anything to do with me: hair cuts, clothes, socialising will be scaled back so my children live their usual lives.

We used to eat 3 times a week...now its once.
No holidays abroad since before Covid, but we do have nights away in UK.
I've stopped nails every 2 weeks, heating isn't on yet and have reduced monthly food bill by £150.
I still go to the gym, hair every 6 weeks.

So far we've not had to change anything but I guess eating out would be first to go.

I have dialled back on eating out and don't order takeaways. Heating not on yet and will ration it when it gets colder. I now only buy clothes secondhand, from charity shops or Vinted. And I am selling clothes on Vinted that I no longer wear. I've also stopped using Ocado and buy my food from Tesco and Lidl. Make up and toiletries have been downgraded too. I have kept my gym membership and still have my hair coloured every 6 weeks.

Same here. We’ve started thinking a bit more about how much we heat our home after reading about people struggling to afford gas, but that’s more down to it reminding us to be a bit more environmentally responsible.

Other than that we’re not being forced to make any hard decisions.

We too are happy to continue to support local shops, bars restaurants and services while we can.

I’m not buying new clothes unless actually needed. I have cut down on takeaways and eating out. So no sitting in a cafe but yes to sausage rolls from the bakers.
Heating is being turned down, a bit of down branding with food at the supermarket. I’m just cutting back.
I run a business that supplies hobbyists and they are all cutting back. It’s not total doom and gloom because the business has a couple of off shoots and they’re doing well.

This.

Keeping my cleaner.

Have forgone hairdresser appointments; new clothes for me; eating more pasta and less meat. Dropped the temperature of the house from 19 to 17.5. Turned off the hot water as we have an electric shower. The hot water was on for an hour daily. Now we turn it on less than once a week.

We are using my little car almost exclusively. I want to sell our bigger one.

Keeping our annual holiday but am more consciously seeking out good deals.

I am lucky that we can cut back on things, yet keep the things that matter to us (cleaner and holiday).

We are trying to prioritise continuing to eat out and go to the pub, we only tend to go to local places, rarely chains, so it's not something I want to give up.

I've stopped my Elemis skin care habit instead and DP has reduced how much he is playing golf (doesn't have a membership so pays whenever he goes).

Not eating out or going to the pub. I don’t really miss these anyway, as we got used to them not being available during lockdown.

I'm cutting down my trips to the hairdresser. Right now I am every six weeks at almost £100 so I will start with going longer between appointments and using root touch up then if our Mortgage goes up as much as expected next year I will cut it out all together and dye my hair at home.

I have stopped buying as many clothes as usual for the DC which is probably angood thing anyway.

I have cut down trips to Costa and stopped doing days out with the DC that cost money, although we have lots of Christmas things on over the next month that were booked and paid for during the summer.

Less takeaways and meals out (also for health and weight reasons)
Shop at Aldi
Stopped dying my hair and I love that I won't ever have to colour again
Reduced the thermostat from 20 to 18 in the house

Keeping
Gym memberships
Botox
Massages
All kids activities

Really interesting replies. It looks like restaurants and maybe hairdressers will struggle as people cut back. Home decoration and improvements too. Unless it’s falling down or dangerous, that’s s pretty easy way to save a fair chunk of money . Seems like people prioritise activities for kids and maybe cleaners, where there’s a personal relationship.

I love eating out but I’d much rather a meal somewhere special now and again, and exploring new food on holiday than making a routine of pubs, chain restaurants and takeaways. But I get that many others really enjoy a Friday night takeaway and let’s hope they keep businesses afloat.

We haven’t used our heating yet. (To be fair, that hasn’t felt like much of a hardship as it’s really mild where we are).

Given up our cleaner (felt bad about that but just couldn’t justify the cost and she assured me she still had a waiting list which made me feel better).

Shopping much more carefully so looking for special offers and cutting right back on treat foods.

Fewer meals out and takeaways.

Clothes- I can’t change much here as already buy very few clothes and they’re almost all second hand.

Hair- as it is, I only get my hair done 2 or 3 times a year so I will continue to do that but have found a cheaper salon.

We had plans to trade in our electric car for a newer one but have shelved that for now.

We also had plans to take our teenagers skiing for the first time, and do some renovations on the house. None of that will be happening for the foreseeable future.

Price rises are obviously a big factor, but additionally, my husband is earning about 50% of what he was pre-Covid (he is self employed) so we are really starting to feel the pinch now.

Nonetheless, we are very lucky in the grand scheme of things.

Not changing here fortunately, my thoughts are I'm helping those in hospitality and local retail. I'm very grateful to be able to write this.

We are about to move house and have a pre-minibudget 5 year mortgage offer, but are very aware of the ongoing uncertainty so are scaling plans for the new house back and will be thinking very carefully about what needs to be done in the first year or so and what can wait.

We are also moving somewhere quite a bit larger than our current place, so really need to get used to the new council tax/ higher utilities (thanks Ovo for not letting us take our current fix with us).

We have budgeted a takeout/ eating out budget for moving week though and I still plan to use that!

We had planned a big holiday for next year, but I think that is very much on hold now.

So all fairly big ticket items that we are reviewing. I'll be keeping an eye on the day to day spending as well.

Yes, similar to you. A lot less meals out, in fact can’t remember the last time and we used to go fairly regularly. Kids clothes from Primark. No new clothes for me unless actually worn out. Really need a new sofa as second hand one is starting to fall apart, but will be ignoring that. Probably scaling down on trips, maybe just one uk break. Still very lucky as not worrying about the fundamentals at the moment.

I am very fortunate in that I don’t have to cut back on anything however I have decided that unless I’m meeting a friend for a coffee and it’s a social activity I’m going to only buy takeaway drinks from Greggs and McDonald’s as I feel ripped off paying around £4 for a drink.

I used to get a candle from Homesense every month. Used to be £6-£7 and now they are around £10 so I will be cutting these down.
fairy liquid and lurpak I have given up for Aldi alternatives.
Also given up haircuts for the winter, only the children will get them. I will cut my husbands (lockdown gave me practice)
Clothes for myself are a distant memory!

Continuing kids' activities and encouraging them to do more if not too pricey, to make up for the covid years.
Cut back on myself, just buying some fancy shower gels and things like that now and then. Meals out have become take aways, and take aways have become air fryer chicken or meatballs and chips.
One holiday next year already planned but besides that, being careful with family spending to maximise individual activities (so kids can do a school trip, we won't go away at half term, etc)

Hope there's a typo in here @AuntieMarys and you're not really down to one meal a week!