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?

Rather than thinking money you can save, why not think what money you could earn?

Babysitting
Catsitting
Ironing
Selling cakes
Those surveys on your phone

I'm thinking out lout here, might not be practical but you get the idea.

If you're fit and able, plenty of jobs put there... if you're not, think of every skill you have, every iota of education, every item you have in your house that could make money.
What are you good at? Can you be a carer? Does the local cornershop require help? Is there a shopping mall locally with shops that would be happy with you behind the till sitting down if you're not able...

Can you afford to get a DBS police check and then offer babysitting locally? It's a little bit of extra cash, houses with children and parents that can afford to go out are usually warm. You can earn £1,000 tax free a year doing this.

I'd rather starve than get rid of my DCat!!

Vape 88 liquid is a quid a bottle and can be found in poundland, B&M and heron stores. Possibly other stores too. I'm just going by where I live. I prefer it to the more expensive brands. 5 bottles for me cost a fiver whereas 3 bottles of a different brand for my OH cost him £20. In an already crap situation I couldn't suddenly give up vaping. I don't wear makeup but could you get mascara and eyeliner from poundland? I don't know if they sell it in there but if they do it'll be about the cheapest place for it. My DCat can only eat grain free food so I can't get him the cheap stuff. Well maybe on the odd occasion but it's hit and miss as to whether or not he keeps it down or pukes it back up. I must've tried loads of biscuits and he turned his nose up at every single pack, bar go cat crunchy and tender. His new grain free ones did cost me £4 but in the long run I've saved money cos I can cut his wet food down to 1 sachet a day as apposed to 2-3 sachets a day. I get the webbox grain free sachets. They're under £4 and 100g per pack. Most brands now only have 85g in them. I just need to remember never to bin the go cat crunchy and tender packet otherwise I can't trick him with different biscuits and he'll turn his nose up at them. The cat litter I use is more expensive at £8:99 but it's 30l and clumps up great so I can pick out the clumps rather than changing it each time. I've had the cheapo stuff and found I was having to change it almost all the time.

i buy 5 bottles of vape for 9.95, online - free delivery
i spose you could use the 99 p bottle

I do not understand the concept of going hungry or eating a nutritionally poor diet and eeking out a bare bones existence whilst buying expensive food for a cat. I see it on threads like this all the time. Or a thread where the OP is drowning in debt, can’t buy shoes for their DC but refuses point blank to reduce the £xxx they spend monthly on dogs and vet insurance. This nation’s obsession with pets is truly mind boggling.

OP, your health is poor. You have very few treats and people are telling you to dispense with the ones you have (music, a couple of drinks every now and the ) which would be miserable. Would you consider rehoming your cat until you are in a better financial position? Use the spare money to take a home based course and qualify for something that pays more. I’m not saying this flippantly. As an example, I work in Tech and there are home based IT roles you can do that are well paid and require modestly priced certification you can complete in a couple of years.

You're being ripped off. Even Morrisons only charge £1.15 a bottle.

I would stop the vaping and Spotify to start with.

Totally agree - I speak to clients having issues with finding housing and facing homelessness because they can’t find anywhere that will accommodate an animal and often have to say (gently I hope) that they should not make themselves homeless over a pet: be it dog, cat or rabbit.

but i like the flavour @GoodChat
i dont like fruit flavour,

Check your benefits entitlement with poor health you may get PIP. or ESA.

I noticed olio app mentioned but also 'too good to go' is a good one.

Get the elderly mum to pay for e.g. petrol out of attendance allowance