Anyone aiming for a more frugal 2018?

[PumpkinPie2016]

I am!

We seem to waste so much money on nothing really! Things like lunches out/topping up at the local shop which leads to buying things we don't really need.

The bathroom needs doing desperately so that is the first thing to aim to save for but to do it we really need to cut down on spending.

So, from January, I am aiming to be much more frugal.

There is only me, DH and our DS who is 4.

Myself and DS need packed lunches for preschool/work. DH is self employed and so can have lunch at home most days. He has a habit of frequenting the local chippy though!

I think my first aim is to cut down the good spending as that is the biggest bill!

Anyone else aiming to be frugal next year and what are you saving for?

I'd love to join!

I've really overspent during December, totally me as dh isn't a shopper at all, we both were paid over a week early, which was great at the time but now we are very low on funds with ages until the next payday.

I'm really bad at wasting money, previously I was a single parent and completely broke, think no money for food at all and the electric meter would run out of credit so I'd be sitting in the dark with no heat or light etc - those days are well behind me now and I think I make up for them by buying everything I see, I just can't seem to control it - it's terrible and I feel so guilty.

So from today I've decided to be strict with myself, I need to take back control, grow up and sort myself out once and for all.

I'm starting with a budget for the food shop, we've two freezers full to bursting which I'm going to run down before doing a full shop again.

I’d love to get my grocery bill down. I spend about £100 a week and it’s only 2 of us. I tend to buy brands/organic. The supermarket is my social life !

bimbo I'm the same! I don't want to compromise on the organic and high quality part, so I seem to find myself scrimping and saving and still coming in at £100.
I keep meaning to look into bulk deliveries from Suma for tins etc. I should get onto it!

Me! Have got two holidays booked for next year but need to make sure I actually have money to spend whilst there (self catering for both so a fair bit!)

Also have a smallish credit card to pay off which to be fair dp said he will crack on with some over time to get rid of.

We've realised we spend a lot on food. We've got a freezer literally packed full but i find myself thinking oh let's jist go to the chip shop tonight because I can't be arsed cooking. So my aim is to use it all but in things we actually want to eat!

Also aiming to increase my income by starting a (tiny!) Business on the side but no idea whether I'll earn a single penny out of it yet. Will start doing the yougov surveys again too (I currently get emailed a lot and ignore them all )

Oh and I got vouchers for xmas and spent them on clothes and a new handbag (inc holiday stuff) so my aim is not to buy another single item of clothing this year (except 1 pair of black jeans because they seem to last two mins as I wear them to work!) Oh and clothes for ds but i will be sticking to eBay as everything gets knackered at nursery!

Me I need to pay my credit card off as quickly as possible. I have just had a 600 cheque for PPI from an old egg card, literally filled in form online (genuinely had no idea if I had it) and paid 10 to prove I’d changed my name and now have 600. Well worth doing.

Yes, me. DH and I have been separated since May but still living together in the family home. Now Christmas etc is out the way he is going to move out to a rented flat. So I will take on the mortgage and the household bills myself. The house will be going up for sale which hopefully won’t take long but in the meantime it’s going to be a tight and frugal few months.

Have massively decluttered found spares of things I was going to have to buy! I have been really organised today for when i return to work this week, these credit crunch threads are great motivators!

Getting finances in order is my 2018 goal. Our bathrooms really need doing too so that will be my main saving aim but I want to start thinking a bit longer term and get the mortgage on it's way to being paid off early (still have £200K to go!).

We fritter money on food, take aways and eating out.

I’ve not heard of Suma scrubby I will need to check it out

Need to cut back here as well as boiler and car need servicing, as well as cat needing a vets appointment and blood test, hopefully we can do all three in next 2-3 months, but downstairs toilet isn't working and roof leaking, last time cost us £1000 in a different part.

We're fairly good with food spending, but plan to review this. Also, only to use car for essential journeys and larger shops (ie when I can't carry it back). Ideally meals out and days out need to go, but in reality the odd treat will do us good, so need to think of cheaper options.

We incurred debt when we relocated to Swansea so we are looking to re-coup on that and Christmas, pay off overdraft and then start snowballing the credit card. Its great to have a plan and be on board, good luck to everyone else getting on top of their situation, we all have different issues but similar aims!