What are your top tips for spending less?

[Chocolateporridge]

What would be your top tips for new parents or parents of small children for spending less in general? I'm a SAHM and we have a very limited budget so would be interested to hear what other parents do.
Thanks

Work with cash - take a certain amount out at the start of the week and when it is gone it is gone.

Write down what you spend - you will think twice if you have to write it down and if you do spend it will help you see where your money goes.

Meal plan and shop accordingly. Start your meal plan with what is in the cupboards already.

Write a list of everything that HAS to be spent first and an honest list of what you have left to work with.

Do free things with your dcs - walks, parks, free museums/art galleries etc.

Pack lunches/snacks/flasks.

Will keep thinking.

Leave your purse at home when you go to the park/walk/friends etc then you can't just pop in the shop as you pass!

Ha ha! Major x post TSC - pleased to see we agree.

Come & join us on the Frugal Feb thread, loads of ideas & support!

Reduce how much washing powder you use with each wash - I have found I need about half of the amount I was using.

We eat loads of fruit and veg so I buy what I can of these in Aldi when I am passing.

Avoid going near the shops if you can.

How old are your dcs? Give them pocket money and then when they ask for things tell them they can get it with their pocket money

Check that you have the best phone, elec, gas, etc deal you can get.

Sell your clutter treasure on ebay.

Invite friends for coffee rather than going to coffee shops - hopefully they will bring biscuits/cakes and invite you back to them next time.

Walk everywhere you can.

Turn the heating down a degree or two.

Buy everything online, put it all in the basket then switch the computer off. You'll find out if you REALLY need it in a couple of days.

It's easy to do free stuff, just sometimes a little disheartening.

My most important tip is to live one step below where you are. Downgrade everything, if you can afford £2, spend £1. Sometimes things won't last as long or look or taste as good, but you can replace the item and you've spent what you would have done, if it lasts - bonus. When you feel like splurging you spend on the dearer thing you can afford, it's not really splurging but it's a mindset thing.

Plan your weekends and outings a couple of months ahead, at least roughly, so that you can work out your budget.

At the beginning of the month I write down what we are doing each week and the associated costs. Any birthday presents or wedding presents we need to buy, how much fuel I anticipate needing and any items we need to buy (shoes for DCs, new bras for me, shirts for DH, new frying pan - whatever). Then any surplus is divided by the number of weeks and I know how much I've got to play with.

We have annual memberships for our nearest zoo and also English Heritage, so we can always have very low cost days out with those and take a picnic.

Thanks for all the tips, they're great, and the frugal thread is fantastic.
What great tips... I'm impressed!

Tesco vouchers are helpful for times when the dcs are off school as you can exchange them for tickets for places of interest or the cinema or restaurants etc. Spree books help sometimes with this too. I am told Groupon does too but I have never tried it.

Give Pampers and Huggies a miss and go for store brand nappies like Asda or Tesco. They do the job but don't look as nice.

Get a lunchbox (or plastic bag) and take out drink/snacks with you either home made or bought with your weekly shop. You'll save a lot.

I agree with using cash, not card. When the money is there you can see what you have and are less likely to waste it.

Charity shop scouring for clothes and toys is great. I've lost count of the clothes I've bought that look almost new or have tags on and toys that are perfectly passable.

Get yourself an old VCR if you don't have one. Disney/children's videos go for 10p-50p a piece and are much cheaper than DVD's.

Go to the supermarket late and there are lots of reduced bargains you can eat within a day or so or freeze for future use.

Get a cheap hand blender and puree food at home. Much cheaper than ready made baby food.

CBeebies is a great babysitter while you do housework.

Keep shiny chocolate wrappers, egg boxes etc to store in a craft box.

I think the first step to take is to work out what you are spending and on what. MSE has some good budget planners, or you could use excel or compile your own pen and paper one. Write down everything and get it accurate- find a years worth of actual bills to base it on. I have done a monthly spreadsheet but you could do a week/year one if it works for you. I also like using excel as I can play around with the figures a bit. Also consider things like pocket money, haircuts, presents etc.

Then look at it and see what you can either cut out, cut back or change. If insurances/utilities are up for renewal then use places like MSE/moneysupermarket to compare.

I agree with also keeping a diary- last month we did this to see if the figures we projected for food/alcohol, spending on kids etc were accurate- it was quite telling! But it also helped us to realise we could afford a few treats in amongst everything.

Agree with all the other tips too- just try out what you can, but writing it down can make you reliase how well you're doing when it feels a bit tough.

This year I am trying to use all my topcashback proceeds to exchange for Amazon vouchers and use these to buy birthday presents for relatives.

Also, if you are out in the summer, pop into a supermarket etc for a box of icecreams rather than buy from a van

We take out cash and separate it into marked envelopes - petrol/food/veg bag/cash and that helps me know where I am going wrong .

I buy pretty much everything for the kids from charity shops with the exception of shoes and uniform (unless I get lucky but it is often very worn when secondhand). So I have waiting in my cupboard the next size waterproof coat for both kids, I buy not when they need it but when I find a really good cheap secondhand one.

I regift mercilessly! We get given plenty of lovely duplicate gifts for our kids and I regift these when invited to parties. I also buy anything I see in a charity shop which is in as new condition and put in my permanent gift box.

For adults I now pretty much always make food as gifts and have learnt to wrap it prettily. This way I keep gifts down to about £3 a time but people can see I have made an effort.

We request National Trust membership for xmas which means we have free days out. We go to council museums and galleries. I say no to expensive things like soft play and explain why to the kids.

When the kids ask for something, I always think 'can I do it cheaper?' - DS1 asked for jelly in his packed lunch and the pots were only 40p. But a pack of jelly is 40p and I can make 6 pots out of that so I make it instead.

I think the biggest thing that has helped is I am now more open about needing to be tight. I don't whinge that often as it is my choice not to work but I have explained to people it only works due to frugality so if friends are going out for meals I often go just for coffee and explain why. I refuse most offers to pay for me (with exception of indulgent elderly relatives!) as don't want to sponge but also refuse to be pressured into spending more than I can afford.

I take my hat off to you TheresASpare because you really seem to have it sussed! I agree about not whinging, and it can actually be fun, I get a real kick out of boringtelling my friends about my money saving tricks!

I have made massive progress but we do still go wonky some weeks. And I have just bought oven chips which have blown my budget...

But compared to the week we overspent by £280, yes, we have improved a lot!

I agree it can also be fun, and I like feeling inc ontrol for the first time in my whole life.

Shop at Aldi.

Always take a packed lunch and a bottle of water with you to work/day out.

Find the free parking spaces near town and park there, you only get 30mins but it makes you really fit walking in and out fast.

Shop at Homebargains/savers/poundland for anything the supermarkets rip you off for eg sweetener tablets, delicate laundry wash etc. I have a good browse so I can spot bargains eg homebargains do lovely sundried tomatoes for a £1, plus artichokes and grilled peppers.

Look on freestuff junction and free-stuff for free samples of stuff eg toothpaste and sanitary products come up a lot.

Amazon do sometimes have the vitamin tablets you need cheaper than the supermarkets.

Sainsburys do basic tea bags which are really good as are sains basic bio powder.

Try all the basic/smartprice ranges to see what you like. You'll be surprised, esp the cleaning products.

Anything you need look on ebay/amazon first.

Find your local farm shops, I only pay 60p for 5lbs of wilja potatoes and £1.80 for a dozen eggs, laid at the farm by the chooks who peck around all day.

On christmas eve, around 16.45 hang around the fresh poultry aisle in your fave supermarket. Then you can get your xmas turkey half price. You wont be the only one there either.

Look up your favorite local pub/rest etc on the internet for money off/free pudding/glass of wine vouchers. Dh loved me the night I got him 4 free pints of Peroni. Bloody should do as well at £3.10 a pint.

Use the card factory shop for cards, nice cards for pennies.

Use tesco daisy dishwasher powder for the dishwasher, one level dessert spoon does a full wash for me. Savers/homebargains do cheap rinseaid that has the same active ingredients as Finish.

Use smartprice vinegar to descale your kettle, pour it in neat, leave for an hour and pour in back into the bottle. Lasts for ages. Cant believe I used to pay £1.50 just to descale a kettle.

Cant think of anything else right now.

Very useful thread, thanks everyone!

I've just thought most councils still do a cloth nappy rebate, the HV just has to sign the form to say your dc wears cloth nappies and you get £30 off my council. You can buy second hand birth to potty kits on eBay for £50.

If you go on your water providers website they are often doing free water saving devices such as tap inserts, shower flow regulators (not for electric showers but the ones that run off the hot water tank) and hippo water savers for the loo.

Some of the electric companies are doing free cavity wall insulation and loft insulation, you dont have to be on benefits to get them either.

I bore people about saving money too, I dont talk about it anymore though I just bore everyone on here instead.

Aldi for most things, their free range British chickens are huge and only 4.99, the same is a tenner in waitrose.

I fell off the wagon and went to sainsburys today instead, I'm now gutted having spent £69 and come home with half the amount I do from aldi. The grapes and yogurts at aldi are so much tastier, the nappies are also fine as are the wipes and fabric wash.
all the german mums from our steiner school shop there as it's so good, I top up at coop/waitrose but aldi veg is very very cheap and lasts longer.

I can feed our family of five with wash stuff and nappies for £70, with lots of meaty meals and tons of fresh veg. Honestly try it, you'll be surprised. They don't do freefrom stuff so I get that at the health food shop as we are all wheat/gluten free. This is our biggest expense but it keeps me thin so I don't care;)

I am waiting to go on a CAP (Christians against poverty) course. I'm not a Christian (as in church goer) but have heard fabulous things about this course which teaches money management and budgeting.

I do many of the things listed above.

Aldis is great.
I shop for bargains for everything else.
I love carboot sales.
I always take packed lunches.
I keep Excel spreadsheets and keep a record of all income and outgoings.
I use half the recommended amounts of washing liquid etc.
We take advantage of free events, museums and parks.
On Sundays we spend nothing at all. We stay at home and play games, watch films and read or go for picnics in the summer.
We cycle everywhere so we have nearly no transport costs.
I do DIY myself or ask a friend for help.
I have a present box and re-gift.
We eat vegetarian food.
I don't drink, smoke or go out much.

Phew. We really like living like this.

However, my kitchen just fell apart and I need to buy a new one. Kitchens are not cheap. I knew I was saving for something.

Turn off some of the radiators (for me 3/7) - have just had a refund of £250 from the energy company. Don't use a tumble dryer. Look for 'final date' foods and freeze them. Read books from the library. Buy clothes in charity shops. Take a packed lunch to work. Give up smoking (this has saved me approx £6,500 in 3 years).

Get a milkman delivery, it costs the same as in the shops but you're not always nipping to the shops for milk and spending £20-30.

I have recently been amazed at how much cheaper frozen veg and meat are than fresh, and don't really notice the difference. Frozen green beans particularly good.

Log onto beforeishop.com and print off coupons for things as necessary. Good coupons are also usually on the Tumbletots website and the Change4life website.