Lets share tips for cutting back

[Madmog]

Do try Aldi and Lidl, even if you don't want to buy everything from there you can save. If you prefer to shop at Tescos/Sainsburys, do try their value/basics ranges. If you have certain products you always use, stock up on them if they're on offer.

Only have heating on when you really need. Check if it's worth changing energy supplier.

As mentioned in another discussions, do put bubble bath in soap dispensers - I've started doing this and my family haven't noticed!

Always take a drink and snack with you in case anyone is hungry, to avoid expensive buys.

I buy my Ds a lot of red stuff, so it hands down to DD easily!

Check hotukdeals every day, 5 minutes on there can save you lots on things you've been thinking of getting anyway.

Think about things. Don't do something because that's how your mum did it. Things change & move on. Research things.

Wash clothes/bedding on a cold cycle, it's a tip I got off here & my revelation of the summer. Everything's still clean & whites are still white.

I need to really cut back so very interested in this thread!

Split your shopping to get the best buys it might mean you have to walk a bit further (but hey it's exercise and might mean not spending on a gym)!

Make sure everyone has warm clothing for the winter and then you'll save on heating.

Dried pulses work out cheaper and make great soups which can often cover a few days meals

Buy childrens clothes on the big side, they last for so much longer, John Lewis own brand are a bit more pricey than average but the sizes are so generous you can often get around 2 years and sometimes more out of them.

Aldi and Poundland are brilliant and make money stretch that bit further.

Growing your own veg is great too!

Meal planning

Have just started doing this and I'm sure it is saving me a fortune. Check what you have in the fridge/freezer/cupboards first and plan your meals around that. BBC Good Food website is a brilliant resource.

I forgot to mention, only buy clothes if you really need them. Chances are it'll be mainly clothing items for children you need to get as they've grown out of it, much of your own items ill probably be fine for a good while yet.

Visit the supermarket in the evening for reduced fresh food. I do this a couple of times a month (ours is at 7pm) & always get meat, fish, bread, fruit & veg & chilled items for 20-25% of the original price.

When your DC have finished with their clothes or toys, find another use for them. Ours either get passed down (3 boys) or if clothes are not wearable they get cut up for rags/cloths or sold if they are wearable. Toys get sold on.

Farm Foods is great for cheap essentials such as bread, milk etc

Join up to every loyalty scheme going! Nectar is my personal favourite as you can earn points through doing surveys & watching ads as well as through shopping. I am currently saving up for Merlin passes for next year, to make the summer holidays super-cheap

Add red lentils to everything

I was watching This Morning the other day when an item came on about saving time. Turned my nose up at it as I thought they couldn't teach me anything but was surprised at the ideas and think they could be money saving too .....

Roast 2 chickens at the same time only uses oven once.

Each bedroom has a wash basket. Change sheets and put them and contents of that rooms basket in the wash together at 30deg. All washing then goes back to same room (still haven't dared put whites in but I am determined to beat my fear).

Just realised I can't remember any of the others

I've just recently switch to Aldi from Tesco, and am saving loads.

Cook vegetarian a few times a week - much cheaper. I've managed to do a veggie pasta, veggie curry, veggie stew and egg-based dish each week lately, so only meat/fish three times a week. Definitely saved money there.

Look at Aldi and Superdrug for skincare. Really impressed with their cheapo face creams etc!

Washing powder instead of liquidtabs. The economy stuff works just as well and don't bother with softener.

Use washing powder dosage for soft water areas and use a couple scoops of soda crystals to soften the water, sometimes you can halve the detergent dosage.

I started shopping at Lidl having to make cutbacks I saved 40.00 a week using LIDL the food I think is much better too. Also try Aldi too they have great bargains. Look out for their week and weekend deals too :) hth

I only cook what's needed for us 3, weighing rice, potatoes or pasta. I end up making too much and they won't want the same 2 days running.
don't buy branded washing powder/liquid, nobody's complained by me using muvo- 3.99 x 100 washes. Lasts 2 months.

*Muvo is in home bargains.

I've recently started a 'eat for free week' which I read about.

I meal plan for three weeks in advance, then shop weekly. Over those 3 weeks I pick seven meals where I cook double. Something that's easily freezable - a spag bol, a pork casserole, a stew, a lasagne...things I would generally cook in a huge pot or tray and doubling up is easy.

Then on week 4 of the month we have seven meals, all cooked and frozen just needing heating up. I barely notice the extra cost of those seven meals in the weekly foodshop but save about £50 on week 4 when I don't need to shop for main meals. Then we stick that £50 in a savings account.

I also hugely look forward to that last week of the month when I don't cook AT ALL. It's lovely

That's genius.

Check any insurance policies, direct debits etc - can any be ditched or reduced? I shopped around for life and critical illness cover, buildings and contents insurance, changed fuel suppliers and cancelled mortgage payment protection in the last few months. That has saved us hundreds annually, only wish I had done it years ago!

porcupine that is a great idea!

If you add two good tablespoons of soda crystals to each wash you only need to use two thirds of your usual amount of washing powder/rinse.

Buy washing tabs that come in twos. Only use one per wash & it still gets the clothes as clean & they last longer.

YY to batch cooking, while you have the oven on. Double everything. Do a huge batch of basic meat sauce that can become a bolognese, chilli or lasagne later. I use one pound of mine & pad it out with veggies.
Fry off onion,peppers, carrots, courgettes anything that's on the reduced shelf add potatoes or lentils to half blended as a soup & add a load of tomatoes or passata to the other half to add to the meat.

I used to love ordering a Dominos pizza for about £20 a time... but my wallet hated it :(

I now keep a pizza I bought from Tesco for £1.50 in my freezer so when I feel like a pizza take-away I eat that instead

*two pizzas making it £3.

Over the last couple of months I've set myself a food budget of £50 a week. If I'm getting near my limit for that week, I look to change some of my purchases, ie swap a cake for Tescos value biscuits and think whether I actually really need certain purchases that week. I still shop in Tescos, but walk to Lidl twice a week now and buy anything I know is cheaper there, some fruit & veg, milk, cans tomatoes, cheese, yogurts and ham and look at their offers every week. All these are as good as Tescos. I am going to try their fabric conditioner, deodorant and face cream when I need some, as well as anything else. Maybe one day I'll totally swap over. Also, if I'm not carrying much home from town, I go into Poundland or somewhere like Savers and see what toiletries or cleaning products I can buy cheaper there rather than Tescos.

I'm terrible and do cook too much sometimes, but I either have it myself the next day or sometimes my husband will take it to work. About once a month I admit we have an odd combination so things get used up rather than wasted - tonight we have veggie burgers, sausages and broccoli (would rather have peas, but want to use the broccoli up).

Lidl softner is fine I use it, no complaints. Deoderant fell off powdery on me back to dove.
I'm on the £70 WK challenge for this house.

Stick to a shopping list and have slightly smaller portions.
Avoid fizzy drinks and juices- unhealthy and cost a fortune have an orange for breakfast instead.
Walk instead of the gym.
I make a box of wash powder last forever- unless clothes are actually dirty I only put a small amount in.
I think most eating out is a rip off- If I can cook it myself I do or do M&S dine in for tenner type. Never buy puddings out for a treat go to the bakery and let everyone choose a cake.
Same for takeaways especially pizzas as already mentioned up thread.
Do a spending diary to see what you waste money on
Do a budget.
Set up a savings account at the beginning of the month.
Shop around for big items.
Always get several quotes for any jobs you need doing.
Books from library. Magazines and news on line.
B and M/Home bargains type shops cheap for beer, biscuits, toiletries, all sorts.

Love the eat for free idea!!