The latte factor - pah! What if you've run out of small expenses to make?

[nkf]

Been trying to think of ways to save money. So called latte factor. The idea being that you cut out small expenses such as a daily Starbucks and it all adds up. What if you don't buy Starbucks? Or buy lunch at work? Or get your hair cut? Or anything. When you've cut everything to the bone and sitll you don't have enough. Maybe I could sell a finger. Just letting of steam really.

Xenia! Once on here you suggested writing books to earn more money and lots of people were very scathing.

Well, I did it! I'm on my third. So, thank you.

That's the trouble. It's hard to cut back when you don't spend a lot in the first place. But I think finding a cheaper way to shop for food can save quite a bit of money. Like buying in when things are on a genuine offer. And going on holiday is a huge expense if you go on a package type with a family. Maybe the way round it is to have a good holiday every second or third year and a budget one like camping other years.

Xenia, if things get much worse, the cat will not only be skinned but slow cooked for good measure

Job? At 6 months pregnant? Bwahahahahaha. And why would i go out to work looking after other people's children while farming my own out to be cared for in turn?

Cut your cloth according to your means is far more relevant here.

Not sure I really want to live in a country where people have to sleep in a tent and get a friend to look after their children to make ends meet. Maybe overpaid people should pay more tax?

Good point, CrackFox, I'm pretty sure hundreds of people claim asylum every year to get away from doing exactly that

I'd second Freecycle and freegle, and (the netmums free stuff board) for Christmas presents. DS got a free metal frame loft bed for his birthday, and they threw in a bag of rugby tops! Thanks Freecycle.
Do you have skills you could use to make or save money, such as card making, sewing/mending, proofreading, gardening, dog walking? I make most of my family's Christmas presents, and grow most of our fruit and veg (plus some surplus to be generous with friends, who then return the favour) in a pretty small garden.
Remember you should declare all income to HMRC, but a few pounds saved or made each week can make all the difference.
Could you cut out some meat meals, or switch to cheaper cuts? I get bacon trimmings for 99p/lb from my local butcher, they can make 3 or 4 family meals taste meaty.
I don't know what else to suggest, hope those are helpful.

Sleep in a tent are you serious ?

Tents are expensive

Acumen,well done. It is certainly something most mumsnetters can do as they are at home and have access to a computer.

Purple I was hired at 5 months pregnant with a child of 1 and 3. Pregnancy is not a bar to getting jobs particularly if you make it clear you will take 2 weeks off only in which to have the baby and then go back full time. This is the way 40 year careers are built even if you start small in a low paid job because people who are any good can move up the ladder even in cleaning jobs.

Xenia are you Katie Hopkins?

I had to look her up. It seems she is on television. I don't watch television. May be that's one reason I have done quite well - 30 years not watching television.

Why on earth would i want to do that when my career is in childcare?

Who's Katie Hopkins?
I watch freeview, am I watching the wrong channels?

I don't know either, tbh, but then i don't pay much attention to the telly box unless dp gets disproportionately excited about someone kicking a ball in an apparently clever way

How about cancelling internet provider and go to library to log on? Might help?
Can you hire yourself out as baby-sitter/after school pick up?

Apparently she was on the apprentice (thanks wikipedia) but walked out and sold her story to the papers. Still don't get the relevance.

purple , I also work in childcare, there are ways to maximise income there too, I've known childcarers offer haircuts, cake baking, "new baby gift packs", and babysitting to supplement the notoriously low wages.
Daycare is a great way to network as you are in contact with a large number of parents (and parents who can afford daycare at that).

I crochet (search my username!) but it takes 10 hours to make a blanket someone will pay £15 for. And the materials cost at least that.

Tbh, one 20k income is perfectly adequate for our lifestyle. A run of redundancies (5 in 8 months) plus an agency going bust taking a month's wages with them have left us pretty short for a while.

We would rather have a parent at home than a lot of money. Personal choice and all that

Could you make smaller, higher value objects?
Blankets are ten a penny, could you do baby hats, christening bootees, coasters, tea cosies etc.
Often smaller, fiddlier items fetch higher prices than larger simpler ones.

Yes, if i get over my allergy to twee I'll finish PidjChick's wardrobe plus a couple of other projects then hit up the antenatal classes and baby groups for clients. Once dp's new job sort out payroll we'll be fine - as i said, my finances are only temporarily straitened. I'm happy with my choice to not have luxuries in return for a relaxed lifestyle generally!

You don't have to own the twee, unfortunately the folk with spare cash are more willing to pay top dollar for that kind of twee crap er, quality bespoke merchandise.

I agree with the poster who says you need to maximise income, not just cut costs.

I realise you are pregnant but if you could really get the hang of ebay, for example, you could offer to sell stuff for others in your circle of friends/clients who don't have the time or know-how, taking a small fee or a percentage of the sales price as commission for your part.

You could also sell a few of your own big things bought in better times, and replace them with a Freecycle equivalent. Things like 1930s dressing tables and G-Plan dining tables and cabinets are very sought after. Email pictures to a midcentury dealer like The Old Cinema and see if they'd be interested. They buy a good amount.

When you are on maternity leave after the baby, you could go to car boot sales with the baby, and pick up ephemera to re-sell on Ebay or even directly to specialist dealers. There is a massive collectibles market for all kinds of things - old cameras, tin signs, old Ladybird books, Enid Blyton, Chalet School, comics and so on. If you put together a small ready-made collection yourself, there is a premium value.

People who are working are spending more time at work than ever before so could you offer services such as ironing (which you can do sitting down by putting the board on its lowest ratchet)? Advertise in an office - if the workers have a formal dress code they'll get through at least five shirts a week, so that's a tenner per person.

Can you make cushions? Put a note through doors offering to make bespoke cushions if the customer supplies the fabric - no start up costs for you. You can also buy remnants of designer fabrics at the Curtain Factory Outlet, make them into cushions, and then sell them on Ebay or Etsy as Designer's Guild, Romo, Jane Churchill,Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston and so on.

Assembly is another idea - lots of people buy things they do not want to assemble at home as they cannot be bothered. You could offer to go into their houses to put things together.

some great ideas here

nkf the way I save the most money is by buying everything I need on eBay. Many of my clothes are Monsoon, Mango etc. but I rarely pay more than a tenner including postage. The trick is to search a category (e.g. women's clothing, skirt, Monsoon and sort by lowest price and p&p) then watch it and only bid in the last five minutes.

I now look at eBay for everything first. I needed some Dutch oil for my kitchen worksurfaces and it was a third cheaper on eBay than B&Q.

LIDL is really good, stick with it. Fruit and veg is great, sun dried tomatoes, salami and chorizo are all really good quality. What a middle class shopping list!

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