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.

Bulk buy and cook(yellow stickered) mince and freeze to be 'redesigned' into chilli, spag bol, shep pie etc.
Go bootsaleing and for clothing picking up kids clothes you like if they are too big at the mo or out of season. Really good for school uniform as I find early season they are getting rid of shorts. Also coats. 50p for a Regatta 3in1 coat for 10 yr old. Mine are 7 atm but it's in the loft in a bin liner until needed. Wellies and snow gear as well as fancy dress are normally at my one too. My boys have never had a pair of new wellies. Poor things.
Asda school shoes.
Never buy ice cream van stuff on days out. Head to icelands and buy a box of magnums or whatever. Either eat 2 or give the spares away.
Sell toys of FB (that have probably come form bootsale anyway).
Remember to look for price per kilo on meat, fish, cheese etc. You can more easily work out which would make a cheaper meal that way. Chicken thighs for curry rather than breast. Seems obvious but you can often cook for £1 per head for a main meal. Minced beef is no longer the cheap meal it was. Look for pork shoulder which can be diced and stir fried.
Rice in bulk. I normally pay £1 per kilo.
Keep cheep ingredients in store cupboard and roll out a tried and (cheap) tested recipe every so often. Heuevos Rancheros is a good one.
Meal plan around aldo super six veg and meat offers.
Squash loo roll so the middle is oval. Prevents childerbeast doing the 'andrex puppy' thing.

Basics baby bath as hand wash

Mostly bumping to keep this thread going.
I'm doing a freezer clear out later and writing a list of what's worth keeping to try and shop better. I have budgeted hundred a week for food shopping but suspect it should be about 40 for the dds and I

You can buy huge tubs of dishwasher tablets on ebay - 9kg for about 15 pounds. Enough to easily last a year

Don't be conned into buying 'snack packs'. So, instead of tiny boxes of raisins, buy a big bag of value raisins & portion them up into your own little pots (weaning pots are ideal for this). Also with cheese, buy a big block & cut chunks off, rather than pay extra for the wrapping on individual sticks.

If you have a baby or toddler & want to use disposable nappies, Tesco value nappies are fine for the daytime, although they come up small, so we use a size 5 where normally we'd be using a size 4. They are about £1.40 for 20.

A seasonal tip - shops often sell off seasonal goodies very cheaply once the occasion has passed. I have just bought 2 packs of Mr Kipling/Cadbury's 'Halloween' cakes for 25p per box. The DC won't know or care, they still taste the same!

Grab any bargain toys etc that you see & keep them in a present box - I have presents in stock for boy & girl birthday parties, as well as for the 3 DSes for their Christmas stockings.

use the car less, walk as much as possible. i've found that by going outside more, and being more active I don't seem to need to put heating on as much.

have sold a lot on ebay, and am only buying things i need from now on.

love the freezer.