To ask how you all make small money saving changes?

[user3974465]

Especially with regards to food shops. Would like to cut back a bit before Xmas.
So far, have bought things like big batches of eggs, filled freezer with pasties for lunches, started buying frozen veg.

We're in a bit of a pinch so I've also looked into making money at home (but this is harder!)

If you normally buy brands try own brands ie Heinz beans vs Supermarket own brand. If you normally buy own brand try the value ranges. You will discover some bargains and some you think are disgusting but worth a try with everything! I also shop in Aldi as often as I can...not always possible as when very busy we only have time to do click and collect.

If you are in a pinch, lose tatmas. No adult presents, small for kids,

Add lentils to soups and stews to make them more filling.

Use butter beans, haricot beans, and chickpeas in economy meals with sausages, left over gammon etc.

Don't throw food away.

Serve bread for ' mopping up sauce' this is a euphemism for making the meal stretch more.

Find out when your nearest supermarket puts out its reduced food, and shop then.

use cheaper cuts of meat and less of it. Frozen fish rather than fresh fish. Buy shop brands. Make more of your own food ie bake cakes instead of buying them. Give up snacks! Plan meals so you only buy what you need. Its not glamorous but does save money!

Second the meal planning idea.
We made some changes due to the amount of wasted food coming from our home.
We now plan weekly meals and lunches for all four of us. Snacks are also predetermined.

It is quite shocking how much money we saved just by wishing to reduce our waste. We shop a lot smarter now.

About twice a week we have cheaper meal (pasta pesto etc) and I use the fruit and veg on the super six at aldi

Pasties for lunch doesn't sound like it'd save money. A decent pasty is a least £3, depending how big your family is you can definitely make cheaper lunch not to mention healthier. Even a bog standard loaf of bread and packet of tomatoes and ham would be a lot cheaper than pasties!

Aldi is your friend. As is vegetarianism and teetotalism.

DH and I try and cook most nights and make larger portions between and put the leftovers in pots for lunches or in the freezer for home made ready meals.
Lasagnes, chill con carne, pasta bakes etc are good for this

Drink water instead of fruit juice, coke etc. Maybe not for every drink, just cut back.

@BoomBoomBoomBoooom sorry I meant I'd made them- I did spinach and feta veggie ones so not totally bad!

Thanks for all the tips! We live in the sticks a bit, so the nearest Aldi is 50 mins away- but I'll definitely make the drive this week to see if it's worth it.

Similar situation here.

Reduce food purchases to what you need for planned meals. Choose inexpensive options. But try not to make it too grim. Find some free food (loads of fruit around at the moment), cook and bake yourself

Meat - choose cheaper things so try whole chicken, Pork and turkey at the moment. I often buy a joint and it does Sunday and Monday (not quite the proverbial Mumsnet Chicken and 15 meals) and sometimes if I am lucky another meal (maybe a lunch for me and hubby who work from home with potatoes, stock and a couple of carrots and half an onion). Switch to own brands where you don't notice the difference so we have switched squash to Sains own concentrate. Technically we could do without but you do have to have some comforts!! Do look out for offers, so my meal planning is vague till I have seen whats on offer and what is yellow stickered if I am in Sains although far more these days am in Aldi. Our Aldi veg isn't as good as it could be - doesn't last as long so I tend to shop Aldi then Sains for whats left over. Buy larger and bulk e.g. rice check out the speciality food section and buy bulk rice - Aldi is good for rice and pasta - pack of spagetti 20p yesterday!!

Defo skip alcohol if you can or limit to once a week.

We are struggling with the veggie thing - I need recipes to be honest - am looking for a good chick pea dahl if anyone has one...

Also twice a week have a fridge dinner - using up odds and ends, pasta with toms and bit of bacon or cooked sausage. Odd dishes of dinners saved from earlier - bolognaise, ham and eggs with wedges or just plain simple meals like scrambled eggs on toast or beans of baked pots beans and cheese

rb it's not a chickpea recipe but this is great
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/curries/egg-and-lentil-curry-with-coconut-and-pickled-lime
I thought it sounded awful but it's actually delicious

oh the other bargain I have found is in Sainsburies you can get 15 free range eggs of mixed sizes - for the most part they are at least a medium/lge and sometimes whoppers - you can of course check the boxes before purchase as well. £2.05.

Toiletries is a good place to cut back. Boots own shampoo and conditioner beat many salon brands in blind tests. It's 70p a bottle and even my Charles Worthington using girls are converted.
Boots toothpaste is fine too.
Soap not shower gels.pears is nice and gentle.
Use own brand washing tablets not branded stuff.
Make soup from leftover veg and peelings. Very little you can't throw in a stockpot with either pearl barley or curry powder. Soup is nutritious, filling and cheap.
Baked potatoes also very good for reducing food bills. Serve with beans, tuna, sweet corn, leftover chilli, cauliflower cheese etc.

washing liquid is better value imo, you can reduce the amount you use.
also if you have a dish washer, use the powder, rather than tablets, and reduce the amount you put in.

I find the Aldi shampoos and conditioners and shower gels v good value and the hand soaps.

But I came back to also say review DDs on your account as often there are ones on there that can be cut down significantly or tweaked to make a difference.

My parents never threw any food away. If ever they had leftovers from dinner they made it into soup for the next day's lunch. It could be almost anything - lasagne, curry, shepherds pie (not all mixed in together!) - and my mum would add some appropriate stock and seasoning, maybe bulk it out with a few veggies, serve it with toast, and somehow stretch it into another full meal.
I'm ashamed to say I haven't picked this habit up and my own money food wastage is pretty bad

Do your food shop online and click and collect it. I spend so much less as I don't impulse buy now like I would if I was wandering around the supermarket. I plan meals and only add what we need to the basket.
Also a lot of supermarket apps (Tesco is particularly good for this) have deal categories... they have on offer for £1 lists, I stock up on pasta sauces and frozen items from this list.
Also buy frozen meat and veg as it's a lot cheaper and won't go off so there's no wastage.
And my biggest saving tip is always buy a whole roast chicken rather than chicken breasts... chicken breasts are 4 for £4 but you can get a large whole roast chicken for £3.50! I fed my family of 6 today with one and the picked all the rest of the meat off the carcass and have enough meat left to make a nice chicken curry or stew to feed us again tomorrow

Easy ways to save money....

When out and about always take a drink with you and snacks from home. I'll take a bottle of tap water or squash. Also apples, bananas or packed lunches. Means I'm not tempted to buy a coffee or a sandwich etc

Do a stock take of your cupboards and freezer. Use up what you already have with meal planning.
Cut down on meat. Use veggie substitutes such as qourn or soya mince. Vastly cheaper.
Look in the world foods aisle for spices, lentils etc all cheaper the "normal" aisle. Also check out the "foreign" bit of the freezer section. The frozen garlic cubes are ridiculously cheap. I got a bag of garlic cubes for 75p I believe. Buy cheap pasta the 19p 500g value bags. Makes very little difference taste wise. Saves a lot.
Check out places like Home Bargains for food, can be much cheaper.
Savers is cheaper for toiletries.

Don't buy anything between now and Christmas, apart from essential items ( food, bills etc) you probably already have more clothes than you wear. So don't buy anything new.

Don't heat the whole house. Heat the room you're in. Doesn't matter if bedrooms are chilly, just get your fluffy pyjamas and socks out.

Cook economically. Eg if you have sausages, veg and potatoes with gravy ; firstly just have boiled potatoes, not mash. (Uses less potatoes, and no butter/eggs/milk) Steam veg over the boiling potatoes, use the potato water to make up the gravy. Saves using an extra ring, and a boil of the kettle.

Turn off lights, switch things off at the wall. Draw the curtains in the afternoon before it gets chilly. Share bath water.
Little changes all add up!

Have you got a Co-op near you?

They're the best for reduced to clear stuff IME. Quite normal in ours to see meat and fish at 75% off, instead of just ten pence off like tightarse Tesco.

Did someone recommend tee-totalism?! Are you insane... my glass of wine stops me murdering the family I'd rather eat dust and have my merlot hahaha

If you live in the sticks, even more reason to meal plan. You can do this right down to snacks, and only buy what you need. (With some flexibility as to what's on offer but has to replace something on plan, not added extra)

I'm also trying to cut down, what I'm doing is buying less treat/snacky temptations for dp and I, then we actually have a "treat" it feels like one.
Also portion control, as dp and I don't need as much as we think but the kids have upped their food intake so don't think I'll save much money there