To spend money every day?

[Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny]

NC’d for this as I’m prepared to get hounded.

I spend money every day. It’s driving me mad. I’m keep a book with all my purchases in as I’ve been trying to figure out why we’re struggling. I don’t buy anything nice for myself, no house bits, no make up, no clothes (last was a charity shop jumper for £4). Everything seems to be essential. Bread and milk one day, nappies the next. Cleaning things we’ve run out like washing up liquid. It just seems to be constant. I have little DC, so maybe that’s why?

is it just me? Am I going wrong somewhere or is this how everyone lives?

[Chickenpeppers]

Why are you buying things separately every day? Just do one monthly large shop or even weekly. Appears bonkers that you're spending money every single day. I often go 2/3 weeks without spending a penny. Just for clarity I have two children under 5 so having kids isn't an excuse

[AperolWhore]

I was like this until I went to online food shopping, I meal plan and do a full shop for the week. We don’t do any top up shops now and it’s much cheaper doing an online shop than going to the supermarket.

I also buy nappies and wipes in bulk so I never run out.

[Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny]

@Chickenpeppers

Why are you buying things separately every day? Just do one monthly large shop or even weekly. Appears bonkers that you're spending money every single day. I often go 2/3 weeks without spending a penny. Just for clarity I have two children under 5 so having kids isn't an excuse

Because I’m a single parent and have no one to look after my kids. Dragging them round the e supermarket is a nightmare for an hour trying to buy it all, so I always forget loads of stuff I guess. Plus I buy things from different places to keep the prices down. And they go through milk, nappies and bread very quickly.

[Hugasauras]

Eh we spend money most days too. Picking up something on Amazon, getting myself a coffee when out with the pram, something we've forgotten to get in the big shop, something I've seen that will be good for a Xmas or birthday gift, booking something for the kids. It is what it is.

[SpookyPanda]

Ah you operate a just-in-time system. Try writing down what you are running low on and then next time you go to the shop stock up a bit.

[Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny]

@AperolWhore

I was like this until I went to online food shopping, I meal plan and do a full shop for the week. We don’t do any top up shops now and it’s much cheaper doing an online shop than going to the supermarket.

I also buy nappies and wipes in bulk so I never run out.

online shopping might be the game changer for me.

[Hugasauras]

Online shopping is useful as you can buy nappies etc in bulk and not have to worry a lot carrying them. I just bought four packs for DD2. Subscribe and save with Amazon is useful for some other bits too. I get our vitamins and baby wipes that way!

[Hugasauras]

(Although even with online shopping I forget stuff every week )

[luxxlisbon]

What’s the difference between spending £10 a day or £70 a week though?

The problem isn’t really that you are spending money every day, which is obvious since you are choosing to do small shops. But if you are regularly buying things like nappies from the corner shop you will be spending a lot more per item.

Is there a reason you don’t just sit down and do an online shop if you want more control over your spending?

[donttellmehesalive]

I've saved a lot of money by doing a weekly online shop because I don't pick up extras when I pop in for essentials.

[BrightYellowDaffodil]

I don’t see why this is a problem?

I often shop several times a week because I split my shopping between different stores depending on who is cheaper.

On top of that there’s a coffee here, drinks in the pub there, an Amazon order when I need it. Unless your bank is charging you per transaction (which I don’t think any do!) then what does it matter if you spend your money in one go or dribs and drabs?

[Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny]

@luxxlisbon

What’s the difference between spending £10 a day or £70 a week though?

The problem isn’t really that you are spending money every day, which is obvious since you are choosing to do small shops. But if you are regularly buying things like nappies from the corner shop you will be spending a lot more per item.

Is there a reason you don’t just sit down and do an online shop if you want more control over your spending?

Just hadn’t thought of it. Don’t buy them from the corner shop, buy things from Lidl and Tesco. Lidl is best for nappies etc.

I guess that’s the issue though isn’t it, you say ‘control your spending’ but if it’s all essentials, I’m not impulse buying crap at all, then it doesn’t really matter at which point I spend the money?

[Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny]

@BrightYellowDaffodil

I don’t see why this is a problem?

I often shop several times a week because I split my shopping between different stores depending on who is cheaper.

On top of that there’s a coffee here, drinks in the pub there, an Amazon order when I need it. Unless your bank is charging you per transaction (which I don’t think any do!) then what does it matter if you spend your money in one go or dribs and drabs?

Yes I guess you’re right. The problem isn’t how often I spend, it’s that our outgoings are a lot in comparison to our incomings and that is just the current situation!

[Dixiechickonhols]

Shopping around and little and often only works if very disciplined just to buy that. If not a once a week online will save even if items are a bit dearer.

[luxxlisbon]

@Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny

Just hadn’t thought of it. Don’t buy them from the corner shop, buy things from Lidl and Tesco. Lidl is best for nappies etc.

I guess that’s the issue though isn’t it, you say ‘control your spending’ but if it’s all essentials, I’m not impulse buying crap at all, then it doesn’t really matter at which point I spend the money?

It’s very easy to just say it’s all essentials though but there is a huge range of what you can spend on households items and food.
Until you actually know what you’re spending in total you can’t say it’s all essential spending and couldn’t be reduced.

[VioletCharlotte]

I think how much you spend and what you spend it on is what matters. So long as you're not wasting money and you're sticking to your budget, it doesn't really matter if you buy a few bits every day or do a big shop once a week. I spend money most days but I don't feel like I waste it

[DoubleBuggyDriver]

I have two kids under 18 months and I’m the same tbh. I do online shopping monthly and it still seems as if things always run out. I take the kids out for a daily walk or I’ll take my daughter to her toddler group and I ALWAYS return home with something that’s been bought. It’s never anything extravagant so I get exactly what you mean. I have no clue how to stop it

[Wakeywake]

If you need it, you need it, it doesn't matter when you spend the money. I've got monthly Amazon subscriptions for most household items plus stuff like coffee, snacks for the kids, cat food. It works out at least 15% cheaper than the supermarket.

[Meowsaidthecat]

Where are you buying the tops up? Supermarket or local shop? I find local shop is way more expensive.

[Luredbyapomegranate]

@Chickenpeppers

Why are you buying things separately every day? Just do one monthly large shop or even weekly. Appears bonkers that you're spending money every single day. I often go 2/3 weeks without spending a penny. Just for clarity I have two children under 5 so having kids isn't an excuse

It’s a lot more unusual to not spend money for 2 weeks than spend money every day. Congrats tho.

Online shopping as everyone says OP. Put the app on your phone so you can note stuff down as you need it, and maybe have a list of the things you always need to have in to jog your thoughts.

Online shopping is 💫 saves time and money because you buy less random shit.

[Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny]

@luxxlisbon

It’s very easy to just say it’s all essentials though but there is a huge range of what you can spend on households items and food.
Until you actually know what you’re spending in total you can’t say it’s all essential spending and couldn’t be reduced.

It I do, as I say I am keeping a written record of everything I buy and it’s all essentials. I’ve been highlighting anything that isn’t and in a few weeks of stuff there’s only one or two bits that have been non-essential!

[Luredbyapomegranate]

Weekly online shop that is, not just monthly

[absoluteshower]

I agree with weekly rather than monthly online shop. Saves you dragging kids round the supermarket and it allows you to have a lot more control over your spend. You can book your order as a kind of placeholder, say about 5 days before you want it to arrive (you have until the night before) but refine it over the week until you know exactly what you need and how much you want to spend.

It made an absolutely massive difference to our spend when we started doing this.

[Bobbybobbins]

Definitely try online shopping. We find for stuff like household products, nappies etc you can buy in bulk when there are special offers on. It also stops me popping something in the trolley because I fancy it!

[notmyrealmoniker]

Write a list for goodness sake and do a weekly shop.