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?

My penchant for Fentiman, and belvoir drinks.

'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'

Same here. We are both decent earners, no kids, manageable mortgage. We don't live an extravagant lifestyle, but also don't need to cut back on anything. I feel extremely fortunate and I'm very grateful

Same as others in prioritising the things that are most human. We have a lovely hardworking cleaner and childcare who would be the last thing to go.

I'm trying to think laterally and my Christmas presents are classes for the food I love but which will have to be an occasional treat now. They already were tbh as we have three very young children, but I want to be able to give us the feel of a treat. So sushi making it is!

We do have disposable income but like everyone our fixed outgoings have gone up by several hundred a month so we have no choice but to cut back.

I’m still eating out a couple of times a month, but only at good places that I know will be worth it. No more grabbing a pizza or similar when out with the kids on a Saturday. We either take a roll or go out for the afternoon only.

I have stopped going to the shops. Haven’t been into town or to a shopping centre for about 3 months. If I don’t see what’s available I won’t be tempted to buy.

Mini breaks. We will have a holiday next summer but U.K. weekends away, of which we used to do 2-3 a year, are unaffordable. Everywhere is charging more at a time when we have less to spend, so it just won’t be happening.

We are in a fortunate position and the only thing we've had to change is to put some major building work on hold- we're lucky we had the opportunity to do it anyway, and we still could but it seems ridiculous to do so now, and risky to have that over our heads. It will wait.

I'm being more mindful of where I put my money- even less than normal spent at chain restaurants and coffee shops, more to indie cafes and farmshops. All christmas presents excluding a couple of kids items are from small businesses, particularly local ones but also etsy based shops. Meat from the local butcher, veg from local grocer, etc too.

We have a decent amount of disposable income so haven’t had to cut back as such yet but more changing what we do and being mindful of how much things cost. So eating out at cheaper places sometimes and not spending so much for every takeaway.

I'm not giving up anything . I think it's important that those that can keep spending to help small businesses and the self employed eg my dog walker , gardener .

We have paid our mortgage off so in a fortunate position.

We have spent more than usual as we decided to bring forward doing up the house downstairs.

At times like this if you do have money it’s a good time to buy but it’s a bad time to sell.

We havent had to give anything up just yet, but I am making more conscious choices, so brand switching in the supermarket, only buying clothes when really needed, lowered xmas gift buying budget, heating set to 18 degrees but will blast it if im cold.

I will still prioritise going out/eating out as for me life would feel a bit miserable otherwise.

Im definitely not spending so much on clothes and things for the house which I used to buy quite a lot of. I also usually buy a few new Xmas decorations each year but I don’t plan to this year. I guess just not buying superfluous stuff I don’t really need.

will definitely still be getting my roots done every six weeks!

Same here. Being a bit more frugal with the shopping, but putting stuff in the food bank as often as I can and keeping up the charity donations as well.

We’ve dropped one of our cleaner hours and I’m dying my own hair. I’ve reviewed all of our utility outgoings and cut back the tv services. I’m being more careful about using the log burner rather than flicking on the heating and using the oil (we have plenty of wood). Only eating out on special occasions and my clothes are coming from Vinted now rather than from new.

Although someone on another thread has just tempted me into a glittery tights purchase..

Stopped overpaying my mortgage
Rarely buy lunch/coffee out unless I am meeting somebody
Rarely have a takeaway - they don't seem worth the money
Unlikely to spend any money on the house/garden in the foreseeable future
Buying very few clothes
Heating has only been on once so far
Have always shopped at Aldi but being more careful about what I buy

Keeping: DC activities, holidays, other 'experiences' like going to the theatre. I am conscious that with a teenager, our time living together is limited, and I want to make the most of it!

have given up nearly everything extra for adults - no meals out, no date nights, no takeaways, no gym trips.
have stretched both adult and children’s hair cuts - so 2/3 week extra for everyone. I have also found someone much cheaper, so 1/3 off the cost there.

I still have an ancient mobile, so not changing that. Oldest child would like a mobile, but answer is no.

However, all children still have their activities which we have prioritised. There are not many days out, no holiday this year, but brownies, cubs, swimming, sports etc still continue.

We’ve been limiting heating a lot more than usual and only buying clothes when there’s a need rather than a want. Keeping a careful eye on the food shop too, meal planning based on current pantry / fridge / freezer contents more than usual.

we are keeping the cleaners for now and I’ll keep getting my hair done (only go every 10-12 weeks) but brows and nails are now special occasion only, rather than regular maintenance.

we have one holiday booked but are holding off any more until we see how 2023 develops. We are also holding off on our ‘big’ possible purchases (Solar panels, sorting the driveway, electric car) just in case we need to throw that money at the mortgage to keep payments low.

appreciate we are extremely lucky to have choices but nevertheless are treading carefully with current spending.

We are comfortably off, with no mortgage and we have not made any major changes except for being extra careful about our energy use.

We have been trying to spend more of our food budget with independent businesses but it’s not easy when you both work FT and butchers / bakers etc close at 3-30 on weekdays and only open for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning…

This, for as long as we can!

We're in the middle of a major renovation - funded by an inheritance. It has to be completed before we can move back into our house, so we can't really put it on hold. Having said that, we're getting very reasonable quotes and lead times from tradesmen, so I don't feel we're paying over the odds.

We very rarely go out to eat (I resent spending the money 'cos I'm a keen cook and enjoy making good meals from scratch), never have deliveries/takeaways, I don't go to the hairdresser, our last holiday was in 1999, and we run one car (and 2 electric bikes). Not planning on changing any of that.

I've resisted putting any heating on in the house where we're staying - but we had an oil delivery today (€600 for 500 litres), so I may start soon - no point in wasting it! My weekly shopping has gone up by between €20 and €30 over the past year, so I try to economise where possible on that.

I'm in Ireland, so the situation is slightly different from that in the UK but still comparable, I think.

Not eating/drinks out, no window cleaner, no car cleaner, no new clothes except stuff the kids actually need.

We also are not going out to ‘do’ things any more either-no cinema, theatre, visits to castles/days out. DD used to love going to the cat cafe locally but that’s out as well.

We haven’t had the heating on yet and are really cutting back on food, but the food/energy bills are frightening nevertheless.

We used to go out for a date night which involved drinks and a meal out each week as well as a weekly take way, we've cut this by half and alternate now.
Switched everything to store brands.
I'm going to stop mindlessly buying lunch or coffee out for the sake of it.
All of our clothes are inexpensive anyway but will cut down on buying new and look for second hand bundles for the DC.
I'll only get my hair cut every 6 months instead of every 3.

Cars will only be valeted twice a year instead of every quarter, we'll alternate between using the local hand-wash which is much cheaper.
Will use the wood burners instead of clicking the central heating on.

We've recently finished renovating the house so have no near future costs there.

Still keeping:
Holidays
Cleaner

Nothing in the main has changed.

I am trying to fritter less money so less eating out / takeaways.

But I can't afford to put the heating on yet. Feeling cold today.

I have changed to a cheaper beautician and go monthly for a pedicure and nack rub.

Haircuts I fo my own fringe and go every few months only.

I still buy Elemis skincare but less of it.

I have moved to much cheaper cleansers from Nivea and Superdrug and they are amazing.

I use the car less to save petrol.

Library books instead of buying books.

Back rub not nack rub lol.

Similar to you OP. Just saving where I can without sacrificing fun or sanity tooo much!

Eating up freezer food instead of extra grocery shops is my current challenge!!