How can I trim my budget?

[Yesanotherella]

No, not that budget! My outgoings! My largest spend is currently my food shop. We are a family of 4, 2 young DC (5 and 9), mostly vegetarian, but some severe food allergies so there are a few brands I won't compromise on (on the advise of the allergy clinic). I'm really feeling the squeeze of cost of living these days and watching every cent that leaves my account. Any suggestions for cutting down further?

Here's what I do already:

• As much food from discounters (Aldi, Asda) as possible, buy at multiple stores for whomever has the best offers that week, and always own brand (except as noted above for allergy reasons, but this is just 1-2 items), I also buy yellow stickers or day-old bread when available
• Spices I buy in bulk for a low price (for example at an ethnic market)
• We eat mostly vegetarian, fish just 1-2x per month and I roast a chicken 1-2x per year
• I do meal planning for the week to make best use of ingredients and cut down on food waste. Any recipes with "frivolous" ingredients will be modified (so no fresh herbs, for example)
• DH and I always bring lunch to work
• No coffees out
• We no longer eat out, except for birthdays or anniversaries
• We always take a picnic lunch on days out (DC can have a treat, an ice lolly or similar)
• All clothes (except socks and pants) are second-hand; if I ever buy anything new it's only deeply discounted
• Almost all furniture is second-hand
• I sell things on vinted/ebay/gumtree
• DH and I have sim-only phones
• We subscribe to Amazon Prime and Disney, no other streaming services (not even a TV license)
• I don't do any beauty/skin/hair treatments (nor does DH), DC do go to the hairdresser once every 4 months or so. (They've both got difficult hair to trim so I pay for them to not look like flowerpots!); DH also goes once every 4-5 months. I trim my own ends. DH has psoriasis so he requires a special shampoo but for myself and DC I buy whatever is on sale at Boots/superdrug/etc
• I don't have any hobbies besides reading books, which I get from the library
• I don't actually enjoy shopping so not much in the way of frivolous purchases
• I don't wear makeup except on special occasions
• I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. DH has 1 beer on Friday and Saturday nights.
• We haven't turned the heat on yet, it's 17 in our home right now, we are all in warm jumpers and have warm blankets on the sofa and on the beds
• We don't run a car, all transport is via the tube/bus/walking or by bicycle

What am I missing? A few years ago, I made less than I do now but I felt I could save a bit each month. The past few months I've hardly had anything left over and I'm constantly stressed by it. Any suggestions?

Which country are you in? You mention watching every cent, then mention TV licence and the tube (which sounds UK but might not be)
It doesn't look like you have any areas to cut back on, you are already working really hard in all areas. Have you tried Too Good to Go and local community shops? Have you checked if you are eligible for any help via universal credit? I feel for you as I remember those years. Do you have community or church to turn to?

We are in London and do not have a community or church to turn to. We have enough food thankfully, I'm just worried about what happens when the cost of living rises even more. I am a nurse and am trying to work more but we don't have childcare so it's hard to pick up extra shifts. It's also been ages since I've been on the wards so I think I'd feel very out of place.

I also take advantage of current account switch offers. We do get child benefit but don't qualify for any other benefits. I reckon we are the definition of the squeezed middle.

Op don’t hate me for saying this but sometimes you can’t trim any more without losing your sanity. We once went to a money charity and they said we were gone to the extreme and we were driving ourselves insane trying to pull money from where it wasn’t. Because you had less a few months ago you think you should have more now but everything has gone up.

If you can’t cut back any more then your options are restricted to increasing income.

Could you get bank shifts a couple of times a month? What does your partner do?

My partner is also in the NHS, we're both Band 6. We both try to pick up bank shifts but it is hard with the DC and childcare.

No advice for you OP as you seem to be doing everything right.
I feel for you and it is a shit situation.

You’ve listed all the things you don’t do, but where IS your money going? Is it high private rent living in London? Do you need to live there? Presumably you can be a nurse anywhere.

Can you give more information about your outgoings and your hours? It looks like you barely spend any money at all! I know things are tough right now but two top band 6 full time salaries in inner London equal 110K- you can’t be on anything close to that if you are struggling this much.

You might be surprised if you check
out the benefits calculator as high earners who don’t qualify for UC can still get help with childcare costs

You seem to live very frugally where is your money going? Rent etc?

Would you move somewhere cheaper?

Id find it so hard living as you do - people on benefits live better than you have described

If you can’t reduce your outgoings any further, and it looks like you are being exceptionally frugal, then you can only increase your income.

What options do you have in that respect?

Also far more drastic but could you move someone cheaper as a PP suggested?

I’m baffled because I look at that list and can’t see where anything could be cut except your subscriptions but honestly I think it’s worth the cost to keep them both.
Where IS your money going?

See if there is a community pantry near you?

I feel for you OP. I’ve been in this situation and it’s quite wearing.
I am wondering if there is anything more major you can change ie move somewhere cheaper so that you pay less each month in accommodation costs? We moved to the Midlands and significantly cut our mortgage payments each month which gave us more flex.
Failing that - is there any option to change jobs eg work in a private hospital, or to get more shifts?
Foodwise have you cut out snacks (crisps, pizzas etc? The cost of these seem to mount up fast. I got a good tip on buying mature cheddar since you need half the amount in sauces etc for the flavour.) Also non-branded cereals.

Crikey, you're doing everything right! The only thing I can think of too cut back on food that you haven't mentioned is not buying any fizzy drinks and buying any processed snacks/biscuits

Any scope to move out of London? Your rent/mortgage must be huge. Two of you at band 6 in London is around £100k. And you're living like this, do you have a full budget you're willing to share? Are you both working full time? Any scope to move up a band? Go into OPs? Look at working privately? Set up as an aesthetician? Offer a weekend course on infant first aid?

How many hours are you and your DH working each week?

How much rent/mortgage do you pay?
Utilities
Phones
Insurance
Debt

What are your housing costs?

Your both band 6 in London, even at the bottom end of the band you’ll be on £90k joint, unless one of you works part time in which case up your hours? Where is your money going?

What are the actual figures? You say food shopping is your biggest expense and on paper it seems you're being extremely frugal but it's hard to say without knowing the actuals of where your money is going. How much are you spending on the food shop a week? How much are your other bills?

How is your food shopping your biggest outlay? Do you have zero/tiny mortgage?

How much is your childcare?

So no childcare, and 2 band 6 salaries isn’t bad, you sound like you live frugally.
whats the issue - is it housing costs? Car finance? Or is this some sort of pre budget propaganda 😆

Can’t really see any scope for cutting back especially.
What is your family income and working hours? You mention bank shifts and band 6.. but what is your combined incoming per month. Seems like you need to bring in more money rather than find areas to save. As you say, you’re not frivolous.

Reading your original post, @Yesanotherella , felt like reading an account written by someone efficient and effective of what I was trying to do in the 1990s.

I'm sorry you are in this plight. When I could not reduce outgoings any further, I switched to trying to think imaginatively about how I could raise family income by using my skills and assets.

Here is a list of things I considered then, when I could find no further ways to economise. I did most of them.

Renting out parking on my drive (no takers); having a lodger: 4 nights/week - Tues, Wed Thurs - worked well; occasional b&b; doing temp office/admin work of various sorts; writing important letters for people who found that too difficult (I could not bring myself to charge for this, or for helping children from the primary school we used who were falling behind at school - tutoring, if you like - though I did for help with GCSE); renting out my garden as an allotment (no takers - everyone in the area had a garden); selling stuff at car boot markets.

You are obviously a very clear, analytical think, good at planning. My solutions - which are probably out-of-date - won't be yours, but you will find your own.

Keep smiling!
*edited for clarity

There's nothing to trim, the only option is to earn more.
What type of HCP are you? Can you join Thornbry or suchlike? Their rates of pay are eye watering.

You have written about food outlay but nothing about your rent, student loans, childcare or any debt if any which are some of the biggest outlays.

if you want to save you have one subscription service at a time and swap frequently. It’s the only trimming thing in your list but it’s what you asked.

Do you know where your money is going?
Do you have a budget which factors in everything (good one on Money Saving Expert)?

On the face of it you are as frugal as you can be. Food shopping is expensive compared to other expenses and if you are eating mostly veggie and shopping at discount shops there is not much more you can do.