What have you stopped doing to save money or just about survive?

[heartbroken22]

Buy own brand? Eat less?

Heating/hot water on minimally. I’m forever changing the clock.
I collect rainwater and clean waste water to use as a flush.

Last winter we stopped using the gas heating and used electric plug in heaters instead which are considerably cheaper to run, unfortunately backfired on us because we weren't heating the house properly which caused damp and mould, any savings we did make ended up being spent on mould removal products and a dehumidifier. This winter we will be using the heating to avoid the same issue

We use a wood burner in front room and heated throws to keep warm in daytime and avoid putting heating on.

What have you stopped doing OP? Inspire us!

We layer up before putting the heating on. We shop in Aldi predominately rather than Asda or Tesco. I wait for sales to buy Christmas and birthday presents.

We’re lucky that we only have to save money rather than make drastic changes to survive. We also have very generous and well-off parents who would never leave us to struggle.

Before last year I'd have the heating turned on towards the end of September. Last year and this year I've left it until later in the year. I've just turned the heating on today as I'm so cold. Also I turn it off earlier in the Spring. Also I'm dying my own hair instead of going to the salon. I've cut out Costa coffees when out and bought a travel cup. DH has been on a course learning how to groom our 2 dogs instead of sending them to the groomers. He's had the initial outlay of the cost of the course and buying the grooming kit and table but in about 9 months it will all pay for itself and after that we'll be gaining £50 X 2 dogs so £100 every 8-9 weeks.

@DustyLee123 I assume you're on a water meter?

Yes

@Mumoftwotoddlers aww that's a shame. I'm thinking of investing in some more electric heaters but turning on the radiators on atleast once every morning. Let's see if I can do it. But...I'm going to have to keep the radiators on this winter as baby is only 3 months and her nose gets blocked a lot in this cold...particularly at night...

@Andylippy1 how much were your heated throws?

I've been utilising olio for food, especially things I can freeze. Haven't bought bread in ages, including my gluten free bread!

I meal plan and don't waste any food. Cut right down on snacks, thankfully dds eat less now they are both at secondary and constantly busy!

I've cut back buying non essentials like clothes etc. Just replacing what's needed. Cut back on the christmas gifts for this year too.

Spending less money on travel, walk as much as possible and if I need to get a bus saver, I make the most of it!

Selling things that are no longer needed/being used to fund days out/clothes/gifts. So those things aren't being funded out of our usual budget.

Not particularly recent changes but have been money saving for a while:

Make packed lunch every day for me and dc (if not in school), and bring a water bottle for everyone. Never go to cafes.

No hairdressers - I cut own hair every few years. DC have slow growing hair so have never needed to cut it

No nail treatments or facials etc

No gym (actually I just don't have time anyway)

No Netflix (I never have time to watch it)

No cleaners (don't want strangers in my house anyway)

No entertaining at home (don't want people in my house)

@SisterMichaelsHabit not much...

Tried to do brand down in supermarket products even though we did that before the cost of living crisis hit

Avoid takeaways if we can. I buy stuff from Aldi and Asda as fakeaways which works out cheaper.

Things like dishwashing liquid and other 'liquids' I buy branded as they last longer so work out cheaper over time.

Batch cook alot of meals and eat from freezer...

Main thing we've been doing without trying is finishing everything before we go shopping...think we've been buying less anyway hence why it finishes before next shop...

Buying less toys for kids..only going to leave it for ocasions...I've tried but sometimes I can't...I've realised they don't really care...

I don't declutter my kids clothes or our clothes as quickly as I did before and try to make them wear different clothes all round so they don't get worn out quickly...

I try not to shop in advance for clothes...

I realised I've been overeating and feeding fam too much so now it's less snacks...and having proper meals...

Cheapo oodies are fantastic

We are currently sitting under blankets with hot water bottles rather than putting the heating on, hardly going out apart from exercising and work, eating well but cheaply using yellow stickers, aldi etc.

I have developed very frugal habits after divorce and find it hard to release the purse strings.

@SootspriteSearcher I loved olio about a year ago. Now with 3 kids it's hard getting stuff at night and the people that did it don't do it. Main thing is the Tesco donations aren't that big anymore so I don't even see bread where I live!!! A lot of it goes to charity which is a good thing. What sort of stuff do you cook? Is is similar stuff every week?

I stopped buying meat & salmon have saved me a fair bit & being really careful with the heating & putting jumpers on. Less days out/meals out & cheap teas twice per week (jackets with beans/cheese or soup & sandwich)

Hosting at ours rather than going out, leftovers as lunch rather than the bin. Slow cooker rather than the oven. I have a 9 month old baby so Ella's kitchen pouches are a no no, she only eats food we have prepared which is better for her anyway. Buying less clothes. Stretching meat out for more meals than before. Buying on Vinted. Found a fab Riesling in Aldi for £4 or so

Not getting highlights/expensive haircuts (pay £10 max)
No more new clothes
Fewer holidays abroad
Selling clothes on Vinted
Fewer takeout coffees
Most drastically...moved out of rental in the SE to a rental about half the price

Similar to many -

Cancelled some subscriptions
Less takeaways
Use all leftovers
More cheaper recipes
Less junk food
Use car less and bikes more
Use library rather than buy books
Go to free places more

Just quit drinking alcohol. It was becoming a problem

It is very hit and miss. I'm lucky there's someone literally 2 mins walk round the corner so I leave the kids and run round to collect. Some weeks I get loads and others not so much. One week I got 2 ready meals, ham, finest sausages, 2 packs of gf rolls, gf bread, pastries, tiger baguettes ×2, salad, potatoes, various vegetables & fruit. Then the following week was just rolls, salad bag and some mushrooms!

We always get rolls off olio, so I make mini pizzas for lunches/quick meal for the girls.

Any/all vegetables i get are chopped up and thrown in the slow cooker with lentils for either curry (add tofu), pasta sauce (sometimes add quorn mince or I buy veggie meatballs from aldi 1 bag does 2.5 meals for 3 of us), soup (I make the mini pizzas or part baked baguettes.

Chilli is another favourite, we then do tacos or enchiladas another night with some of the leftover chilli.

I cook mostly vegetarian so use alot of beans, pulses, vegetables and lentils.

We have one leftovers day a week to use up all the extras from meals! Usually a Friday when I'm knackered and want quick meals!!

I do also go to a community food hub, I pay £5 and get 2 bags full of shopping (this weeks would have cost £35+ if I had bought in the supermarket).

Use heated throws and hot water bottles but like pp need to put the heating on now and then to combat damp as it was making me wheezy.

I cut dh's hair with trimmers and home dye my own

Changed to interest only on mortgage - anyone who has a mortgage can do it on the mortgage charter

@MovingAround90 how long after you listed on Vinted did you get a sale? What sort of stuff do you list? No one buys my items 😂 any tips?