Trying to find ways to cut back

[whowasi]

I'm really struggling at the moment and trying to cut back. If I list what my outgoings are can someone advise where to cut back?

Rent
Gas/electricity
Water
Council tax
Car tax
Car insurance (lowered cost at last renewal, can't change for a while)
Petrol (trying to cut down car use)
Broadband (tied in but also use for catchup TV as no tv licence)
Mobile (tied in for 24 months still)
Spotify (discounted student rate)
Cat food and litter for two cats
Food (been living off cheapest stuff)
Pet health plan (can't cancel until anniversary in July)

I've cancelled pet insurance, tv licence, because I never watch live TV. I can't move anywhere cheaper, well I could move into a one bedroom flat and save at the most £100 a month but can't afford the moving costs and bond. I can't get rid of my car because I need it to take my elderly mum to hospital and doctors appointments. I live alone and my cats are my company but they cost me a lot in did and cat litter got really expensive! I could feed cheaper cat food, but they always go off it and I end up buying different sorts and throwing it away when they won't eat it plus it seems to affect their tummies.

I buy as little food as possible and always own brand as cheap as possible, but could maybe switch to Heron Foods or Aldi instead of getting a delivery every few weeks. I tend to batch cook chilli or stew and freeze it or eat the really cheap ready meals, I have own brand porridge with frozen berries for breakfast and soup for lunch.

I vape, which isn't anywhere near as expensive as smoking, probably £30 a month, but I should probably cut that out. I'm just worried because I've been don't really well losing weight and worry that stopping vaping will make me eat more 😳

I don't drink at home, and if I go out I'll have two drinks max, so maybe £10. I don't go out much though.

I don't buy many beauty products, just Simple day and night cream and only wear mascara and eye liner. Any clothes I need I buy on Vinted, but do need to stop looking on there when not necessary, it's too tempting!

I listen to music all day every day, so loathe to cancel Spotify, plus I don't have a cd player.

I can't do anything about my mobile, it was a mistake, my old phone broke and I couldn't afford one so signed up to a contract over 36 months at £28 per month.

Think that's everything. Sorry this is so long and thanks for reading if you got this far.

Areas I've identified through writing this are try cats on cheaper cat food, cut down vaoing and try to stop, delete Vinted app!

Anything else?

Butchers classic cat food is £4.30 for 6 tins at sainsburys. So 18p per day per cat, plus the cost of dry food for another meal.

Definitely do a check to see if you are better off under UC.

Some of these replies are laughable. Stop wearing make up? How much money do you think OP spends on mascara and eyeliner? They both last months. Get rid of the car and use patient services? Really? Leave an elderly lady waiting around for hours for transport in the hospital alone. Get a cd player fucking hell. Also a renter is not allowed a lodger.

It's pointless posting threads like this OP as you get lots of rich women living well off their husbands telling you to basically cut out anything in life that brings you any sort of joy.

Your mum can get transport from age concern

Do you eat veggie meals , lentils for instance

Do you have any suggestions?

Clothes- have a sell one to buy one policy (vinted/ebay) so you can only buy something of you sell something first.

Charity shops for clothes, at least you try before you buy, and anyway how many clothes does a person need?

Do you pay your poll tax over 12 months

Try surveys - there are a lot of crap sites they don't pay much or screen you out but I use prolific. It's time consuming to setup as there's a lot of questions but it means you only get surveys you qualify for.

If I log in quickly each morning while I drink my coffee and maybe once in evening and I can probably get £30 a month minimum. If you have more time you could potentially get a fair bit more.

*disclaimer - as you only get ones you are matched too obviously it depends on your profile as to how many you get. Going rate per survey if usually £6-£10 per hour. Some are 30 seconds some are 20 minutes.

I would go to a foodbank. I know this doesn't address your situation in the long term but at least you'll be able to eat. Many people are in the same position and having to regularly use them at the moment. If you have health issues you should have no issues getting a referral.

Does your mum have attendance allowance which is supposed to be to help with costs of care. If not you could suggest getting it and use it to fund the car as it seems that you only really need it for her benefit. If not get Age UK to assist with the forms as you are more likely to qualify as they know how to fill it in best.
In my area Age UK have access to volunteer drivers for hospital appointments, Drs, shopping ect. They ask a minimal charge, last time I heard it was £5. Don't know whether your area may have this service if you can't keep the car, the volunteer will even stay with the person in the waiting room (I work in a hospital).
Are you able to claim carer's allowance for looking after your mother? You can have that at the same time as her having attendance allowance.
I do gov.uk surveys, it doesn't get you much but I quite enjoy doing them, (usually whilst watching TV and drinking coffee) 🙂

Sadly OP that is life on benefits atm.

I sometimes help young adults move to council properties and due to the cost of living the local council as well as the HA won't accept people on basic rate UC (it's £260 a month for u.25s). This is because benefits are not covering cost of living. You would most likely be better off on UC rather than legacy.

You will have the cost of living payment this spring and autumn. You could pay off your laptop to keep your monthly costs down. Don't sell it.

Definitely quit vaping. I get that it's a dopamine hit (ex smoker) and when life feels shit you view it as a treat but it's not a treat. Find something else to get serotonin and dopamine from. Your council will have a free stop smoking programme where they can send you nicotine replacement prescriptions - assuming you get free prescriptions.

I don't think you should sell your car either. It's needed and your life would be even smaller without it (no offence but if you're not working and you care for your mum and poor you won't have much of a life).

I think a lodgers money would be taken out your benefits if I'm honest. Please check that - although you might get more from a lodger and a small amount of housing costs plus I'm assuming you're on some form of disability benefit to stay continuously not working and disability benefit like PIP isn't related to household income.

Why don't you set up a community food shop? We have a few in my area. You would need to register it but you could liaise with tesco/lidl/m&s and pick up donations. Then you make a fb page or whatever and give the food away. You would also then never have to buy food for yourself as it would be donated!

Use Quidco for all online purchases
Sell your old things on Vinted

OP has asked how to reduce her outgoings, so even small savings soon mount up.
I'm not sure why you are so violently opposed to CD players/CDs?
I don't drive and don't have pets or wear make up, but anything else I suggested is something I do already, so I know that it works.
No well off husband here , sadly 😂

For cats, I lined the litter tray with newspaper, filled it with ripped-up newspaper pieces and added just enough litter to give them the sensation of grit under their paws that they seem to need. Soil might do just as well. Empty more frequently. You might even get away with using just the newspaper (I think I have on occasion, don't have a cat now).

If you have a freezer full of food, start eating that! Don't go into debt for food when you have something in the freezer you can eat. This is what we have it for.
It's tough - you have my sympathy. You sound like a good daughter too.

How much does your car cost you monthly? Tyres, insurance, MOT, fuel, parking at hospital

what would be the cost of taxi to hospital?

Are you on a water meter?
If you are, look at water saving devices. If not, get a meter. Or look at other tariffs.
Are you getting single adult discount on your council tax?
Does your council allow payment over 12 months.
Are you claiming PIP for your health issues?
Can the cat go outside for toileting?

It sounds like you've done lots to cut your expenditure and doing much more would take away some of the things you really enjoy. Definitely keep Spotify if you use it all the time and enjoy it. I think you should quit vaping and use the money you save from that on a few little treats and/or building up some small savings. It might also be worth considering reinstating the cat insurance using the money you save. I know it's an extra expense but you don't want to get stung by high vets bills if your cats do develop health issues. I've been there and done that with my cats in the past!

Then I'd just focus on building your income. I think you've had some great advice about doing the Yougov surveys. As you've got the car could you advertise for dog walking/pet sitting outside of your area? Is there somewhere close by that is a little more affluent? You mention that your mum's area is more affluent/expensive? Maybe you could advertise there and then combine some dog walking/pet sitting with trips to see your mum?

It's rubbish OP, I totally agree with previous posters that you shouldn't be in this situation. Everything has just increased by so much it is making it so difficult. 🌺🌻🍰

It's hard isn't it, cutting back can only go so far. However changing some habits can help. I buy cheap vape liquid from home bargains, 95p a bottle.
Bartered down my broadband to £15. Save shower water to flush toilet. Use old socks etc and never buy cloths or kitchen roll. Charity bags instead of bin bags. I could go on.... I quite enjoy the challenge of saving money. But it's a slog sometimes.
Also I do the bulk of our food shopping at company Shop and tescos reduced sections. If you've not come across company Shop Google it. There's some in the north east.
Hope some of this helps.

Maybe look at income maximisation instead of cutting back-
is there any overtime you can do?
have you checked you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to?
are you selling on Vinted as well as buying?

The OP has answered these.

I think op has a freezer full of bread. Which is fair enough for breakfast but I’d feel awful if I just ate stuff on toast all the time.

It’s a salient reminder that we should be fucking angry at the state of this country.

megacat was accusing people on here of being rich women living off their husbands 🙄, while not offering any suggestions of their own. What's the point of anger, how does it change anything? The government doesn't care about us.