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?

bloody
The thing that kicked me into touch was going through lasts years bank statements. I worked out exactly how much I'd spent (in boots for example) and seemingly had nothing to show for it. Over £1300 in one year. On toothpaste/shampoo/make up etc.

I use topcashback for everything I buy online. So far this year I've had about £40 back. And have started selling everything I don't need/use on eBay/Facebook selling sites.
We're trying to save as much as possible for a new house. So it's also helping me declutter.

Switch utilities, haggle insurances (get rid of those you might not need. I found that I had travel insurance wth my bank account but also had it through work. So I ditched the bank one saved me £9 a month).

I'm also doing the usual- meal planning, batch cookin and freezing leftovers where I can. Not using tumble drier unless necessary.

We ditched sky and got now tv instead. And we have Amazon prime.

I'm using the library again instead of buying books. (And took my old bookcase into work and some books. Others have done the same and we now have a book swap going).

I'm using up old before I buy new (toiletries make up etc).

Didi I used to use mysupermarket all the time and that facility was really good. Not sure why I stopped.

Emem Boots is lethal for me. I try and avoid it for similar reasons. Toothpaste and the like are cheaper in Poundland. --

I'm making these bread rolls (http://mortgagefreeinthree.com/2014/10/nathans-nyc-chewy-pretzel-rolls) to stop giving me an excuse to nip out and spend money on crap I don't need or can really afford.

I've have cancelled two old subscriptions which will save £28 a month. Don't know how that slipped past. So, with virgin being cancelled too, we are already £73 better off a month (and that's before I launch into utilities, car and contents insurance). This is very satisfying indeed.

Enough food in freezer & cupboards for this week and menu plan drawn up. Leftovers will be for packed lunches.

After lunch when I shift my arse I'll take pics of stuff to sell on eBay. Before we moved a few years ago we had a massive declutter and sold tons of stuff. Not quite sure how we have accumulated so much more since then.

This is addictive isn't it? The trick is not to spend the money we save.

Emem great idea about book swapping at work. I'm crap with libraries - never take books back on time and accrue huge fines.

Fluffy. Excellent link. Reminds me, I must check out my club card points

I menu plan, but also I have little challenges, like 72h NSD (don't spend any money for 3 days). Or limit your supermarket trips to two a month.
Once a month I cook something new from a book, makes it a bit more exciting but much cheaper than eating out.
We have pizza night every saturday, I make the dough in the bread machine and the topping is whatever there's in the fridge. We watch a DVD and chill.
I bake a cake every Saturday afternoon. Be it a brownie/flapjack/lemon drizzle. Part of it we eat with friends on Sunday affernoons for coffee, the rest we take to work/school throughout the week. Cheaper and nicer than sweets isle in the supermarket.

Changing banks doesn't have to be traumatic. If you have an account empty, transfer two direct debits (paypal and a magazine subscription, for example). Then call First Direct and say you're switching. FD does all the work, closes that account for you and transfers the two direct debits. Job done. No stress.
I personally love First Direct and would never close an account with them. For this swapping thing I use Natwest, Coop, etc and I use direct debits that are easy to reinstate.

As well as cakes/muffins/pizza bases all of which can be frozen and eaten as and when I also make all my own jams, pickles marmalade etc. I shop in greengrocers and buy up anything cheap so we currently have pink grapefruit marmalade, blackberry and elderberry jam (fruit all free last summer) rhubarb and ginger pickle and a mixed veg mainly aubergine/tomato pickle. I grow salad leaves all summer (easy in pots if you don't have a garden) and that's saves me £1 a day from May to September (I used to buy bagged salad almost daily). It does get addictive and we eat much better and are healthier and have more money/dont have to earn as much money.

OP - frozen bananas?? I thought they were on the 'food you do not freeze' list! How do you freeze them? Whole? Peeled? Mashed?

marmalade ive never frozen bananas. They go all weird. And turn into a strange super mush.

But if we have loads I'll make a banana loaf. And freeze it.

I love frozen banana, peel cut in half shove a lowly stick in wrap in foil and eat frozen

Marmalade I freeze loads, usually when they're about to go off. They do go squishy but perfect for banana and choc loaf of muffins.

Loaf OR muffins I meant.

Another good way to spend less. Walk to the shops and take only a small rucksack. Just done it (by necessity rather than choice tbh). Bloody knackered

Frozen bananas - chuck 'em in the freezer, skin on. They defrost fairly quickly. Easy

One of my dc will eat frozen bananas but not fresh ones. You can eat them a few minutes after taking them out of the freezer. Also good for making smoothies.
You mentioned popping out to buy milk and spending much more. My solution was to get a milkman. If you look at milk and more you can see if this is an option. Slightly more expensive per pint but worth it to avoid the impulse shopping. You can also freeze milk.

We've just walked to the shop. It's a 30 minute walk away. Bought milk and have strolled back. So an hour or so in fresh air. And no petrol. Money saved

Chem that's a good idea! We have a milkman around here too. I will investigate. Thank you

Duff advice upthread re TV licence. If you watch anything live on any channel on any device you need a licence.

Watch for bank switching incentives and switch then. I've got 250 this year from switching. Can only to it once though.

Loyalty is for suckers. Change about for utilities, broadband , insurance and banks.