I'm spending today reducing my outgoings.

[bloodypassword]

Right. Inspired by various threads on here I'm going to sit down and cut my monthly outgoings. DH is fully on-board.

First is our Virgin deal. We don't use the TiVo properly and it cost £80 a month with broadband. We can cut that, get Now TV and use Netflix. Should save £50 a month at least.

I'm can cancel my NT membership. £100 a year. We haven't used it in years. Kids find it boring.

Doing a full freezer and cupboard trawl later. I've got more tinned tomatoes than I know what to do with.

We meal plan anyway but we can get tighter. We use Asda but I reckon abut more Aldi will save money (as long as I keep away from their bloody gardening deals). I'm going to make some 30 minute bread rolls for packed lunches (thanks to www.mortgagefreeinthree.com).

I will be going through cupboards and selling stuff on eBay. Dd often gets lovely stuff from rellies for Christmas but she's outgrown lots so will sell it.

Our mortgage provider is helping us with a new mortgage deal which will save us £30 a month too.

No meals out this month. Packed lunches as standard. We don't buy coffees out anyway.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Ooh Fluffy I do like the look of that!

Another vote here for charity shops. Love spotting a bargain. Can't bring myself to buy new anymore.
Also Kondo the house and sell off anything of value. I've made about £500 so far and still got more rooms to go.

Probably, I switched to first direct and I was always using my overdraft - got £125 for it too!

Use the cashback sites for EVERYTHING. Anything you sign up for - run it through Quidco and topcashback. I get about £400 per year from going through them - utilities, all my insurances and holiday spending make up the bulk of it. Run your utilities through Uswitch then check the cashback sites.

MSE has a "save £'000s" money makeover guide which sets out what you should be looking at.

Fluffy that is brilliant!

check that you are not paying direct debits for things you don't need, like gym memberships or white goods insurance

and cashback credit cards or supermarket credit cards also

I need to check out this Kondo thing. I can't think I've got anything of particular value though I guess it all adds up.

DH and I are at the dent we can make in our mortgage with a fairly minimal overpayment.

Mortgage and bills:

Have a look at your mortgage, any chance you can overpay/change provider/get a better deal.

Bills: have a very close look at what tou're paying for, negotiate and cut down every single one of them.

Insurance: never ever just renew. Shop around. My car insurance renewal came at £380 and just by googling I found one for £190.

I have one account for all the bills. Including yearly bills, like insurance, mot, professional fees etc. From my salary account, I have a standing order towards to bills account. Always overpay slightly, round the amount.

Savings. They need to come out the very day you get paid. Have 3 pots: one for long, one for medium and one for short term savings. For long term, even if it is £25 a month for 10 years, it will add up.
Medium term, aim to save 3-6 salaries. Give yourself a time frame. Say you want £15,000, in 5 years, that's £3000 a year, that's, say, £250 a month.
Short term is your 13th salary. Every month save 10-12% of your salary. Do it through the credit union if it is easier. And in May 2017 you'd have had saved another month's salary. That's for holidays, clothes etc.

Anything extra has to come from extra money. Stuff you sell, switching banks etc.

8wire that is very useful. I'm self employed so I'm good at saving money for tax and fees. If I can extend that to saving too that would be great. I've never thought about three different savings pots! Thank you for explaining that.

Sorry 8FencingWire, not 8wire!

GoingGrey will check direct debits but I had a good cull a while back and stopped anything non-essential. But always worth double checking.

Good point about car insurance. I never compare!

I'm getting into this. I think it's the thought of having more money (to possibly pay towards my mortgage) and retiring before I'm 88 exaggerating that's cheered me up.

LBO I've heard good things about First Direct. I'll check out offers. Tbh that scares me a bit, changing banks. I don't know why - think it's the guilt I have about not being good with my money ( though I'm miles better than I was years ago). Daft isn't it?

You never compare!

Do you at least add another driver with no points or accidents to lower the premium?.

Look up the checkoutsmart, clicksnap, shopitize & shopmium apps, plus topcashbacks snap and save. Free food & booze or money off if you upload the receipts.

Our Virginia media bill had crept up to 65 a month. With some hardcore negotiation it is now 45 per month for the same package. Had to renew contents insurance, negotiated 40 off. If you are pleased with the customer service levels then try haggling first.

I do the comparison websites, there is always someone cheaper. You ring you tell them that you like using their services but you have found a cheaper quote so unless they can match that you will sadly have to leave, what a shame. You then ask what part of the country the call centre is in or some such gubbins to make a connection. Tbh people in call centre receive so much abuse and also what a fucking awful job if you are just a bit nice they are nice back.

One bloke gave me his direct extension if I ever had a problem so I wouldn't have to go through the press 1 press 2 menu that is hugely frustrating if you want to speak to a human.

I'm good at negotiating and actually had to do lots of it in some jobs and voluntary work I did. More front than Brighton as some would say.

Fluffy

Neither DH nor I have points or history of accidents. I had my licence taken off me for a year for medical reasons three years ago. I've got it back now. Would that impact on premiums?

Brilliant advice Pier! I shall give that a go. I can be quite nice if I put my mind to it!!

If you add a driver your premium goes down?!

also don't pay for tv, you don't need too, trust me i've converted and its well worth it!! get a freeview recording box or youview recording box or even better if you have a satellite dish with 2 cables get a freesat recording box, this has saved me a fortune since i cut my sky package back in october and i was only paying 20 quid a month but it all mounts up!!

shop in the clearance section of the supermarket, you'll be surprised how much meat or fish you can get for very little money, i never buy full price meat or fish now

ShoppingBasket hopefully I'm just being dim. I'll check now.

Shopping

If their clean then yes. We can't do it anymore as fil has sight problems.

Has anyone used www.approvedfood.co.uk/page?name=best-before-dates#pageslideL? Really interested to hear thoughts and reviews.

OP your link mortgagefreeinthree is fascinating. Just watching her Ted Talk now.
Thoroughly recommend it.

I haven't used them but others on the credit crunch threads have with no complaints.

Do look up shopping apps I mentioned above, they are fabby.

Mysupermarket.co.UK lets you compare prices across different supermarkets - when I have to buy expensive stuff in bulk (cat food, cereal, etc) I always check to see who's got the best deal.

secure.tesco.com/clubcard/coupons/#coupon-types

Print as many as you need.