What have you given up or changed?

[Pollydollydoodle]

DH and I earn decent money but I still think we are feeling the pinch. 3 teenagers at home, cost of sending to uni on the horizon, just thinking of ways to reign things in a bit.
Just interested in what you've all done to tighten your belts other than the usual (cheaper food brands, less treats, cut back on takeaway, reduced the sky package etc). Px

Got rid of Sky completely
Downsized one of our cars
Stopped drinking fizzy drinks (I used to buy crates of Pepsi Max from Costco. 1 would last me a week!)
Buying & selling on Vinted

Colouring my hair at home.
Eating out less and doing more fakeaways at home
Buying clothes in charity shops

Have given notice on the gym.

I've not had my nails done since December, normally go once a month. Will just get them done before my holiday in July.
Also growing out my highlights so only been to the hairdressers once so far this year and it was a heck of a lot cheaper.

Everything which is pretty depressing.

I am a single parent though.

Bought solar panels. It cost around 4k so not cheap, but my electric bills (doesn’t inc heating) over the winter have been £60 a month and likely to be lower over the summer.

Im planning on buying a smart radiator to change surplus electric into heat ready for next autumn!

Got rid of the TV license. (legally, I am not watching it or live TV)
Got rid of Netflix.
Lowered the phone package I have
Stopped buying clothes
No day outs
No takeaways
Cheaper food for me (dd has an eating condition and can only eat certain foods and brands so she gets nice stuff)

It is all a bit shit really!

Canceled Sky completely
Not going to chiropractor (I’m going to regret that long term but I can’t afford it)
No birthday or Christmas gifts for me and DH - we get a lot from family so aren’t that bothered
Lidl own brand for almost everything now. It’s been fine actually and saved loads.
Next year when DD finishes nursery we are going down to one car (can’t now as we have to be in 2 places at once but school is practically next door to house) so we will manage then.

Neither of us have had new phones for years and years, our contracts are £7 per month.

I colour my own hair.

We don’t really eat out or have regular takeaways.

We don’t really have much social life, we don’t go to the cinema or pubs etc.

We good shop based on meal plans once a week and shop in Aldi.

We don’t go on mini breaks, or nights away.

We don’t regularly buy new clothes or shoes. I can’t remember the last time I bought new make up.

When it’s written down we have changed quite a lot recently, especially the last 12 months just to try and survive.

We’re lucky that we can heat our home, do a food shop, and run two cars. We also have a dog who is our world (childless) who does cost a small fortune with his food and insurance. I don’t know how people with children survive.

Cancelled Sky/Netflix.
Stopped taking the car to the car wash.
No takeaways or meals out.
renegotiated cheap deals with mobile phones rather than upgrading.

Selling everything we don't use on vinted.

Only buying what we actually need. And then using discount codes, cashback sites wherever possible.

I've gone back to glasses rather than contact lenses.

Stopped charity monthly donation.

Cutting out prepackaged snacks. And snacking alot less.

Using up all the toiletries/cleaning stuff before buying more.

Using cloths instead of cleaning wipes. Buying concentrate antibac and diluting it.

Cancelled Spotify, using free version and the radio.

Cancelled Netflix. Will probably do a month over the summer holidays. (We do have prime, disney + and crunchy roll so no shortage on entertainment!!)

Cut back on the bus/train and try and walk wherever possible.

Doing lots of free days out, parks, museums, walks, swimming. And booking train fare in advance to make use of cheaper fares.

Colour hair at home and eldest cuts my my hair as discovered she was good at it shes 17.

Meal plan and write more
Cook from scratch more
Shop around several different supermarkets per month and hunt reductions all this takes extra time.

Clothes jumble sales and charity shops.
Furniture free or cheap market place..

Cut back eating out / takeaway around 1 per month on each is about right some months .

Makeup wilkos cheapest place and cruelty free.
Value shower gel big tesco and sainsbury usually Bottom shelf 30p bottle.
Medicines and other bathroom items from aldis or lidls.
Non branded cleaning products abd cheap bog rolls
Using wetwipes a lot less

Hardly any days out and year 2 of no holiday.
Only run 1 car.
Energy still high.

How so cheap thought was like 15k?

Thankfully I've not had to change much, but I have cut down the dogs daycare to two days a week, and am dragging my lazy ass out to walk them myself now.

@Echo40 - that's what I thought as well! We were getting a few quotes earlier in the year, and the cheapest quote was £12,000 (north west)

less likely to put the heating on.

Barely eat out at all
Still buy clothes but haven't bought new make up in ages and trying to be more frugal with skin products
Short breaks have stopped or are very rare due to the price of hotels
Doing a smaller kids party this year

We have got rid of TV/ Internet/phone package and have Internet and streaming services.

We only have broadband now, no TV packages at all (so just TV through an aerial or on demand)

We cycle through streaming services now rather than having more than one at a time.

Used to go out for dinner once a month, don't do that now.

I cut and colour my own hair now and it looks fairly shit but I can't afford a salon

Buy almost everything second hand where possible.

Haven't had the heating on since February. Thankfully the weather looks to be picking up!

Some days I don't eat lunch, I just get a coffee (Pret subscription, my one luxury I refuse to give up!)

Same as most people: very rarely eat out now, have friends round to ours instead of going to the pub or out for dinner, less takeaways, colour my hair at home and haven’t had it cut for over a year, DH and DS go to the Turkish barber instead of a fancy salon, days out are walks instead of actual fun things, no new clothes except for DS who is growing like a weed, I desperately need new running trainers but it’s tough luck, cutting back on birthday presents for DS this year. It’s shit and it’s worrying that it’s the small businesses like pubs, restaurants and hairdressers that are suffering the most.

Nothing. Chronic illness so living the moment. Sat on the beach in Ibiza eating my breakfast. Last minute cheap deal. Enjoy each day like it’s your last!

iwouldratherbepaddleboarding

Are the restaurants being affected all that much though?
I've not seen evidence of that.

I eat out most days, different areas of the North West, and different eateries. I almost always see places busy or packed out.
Only thing I have noticed is less families with children dining at 5 or 6pm.

It depends on what you go for I think - that was the price fitted.
That price was for 8 panels connected to the grid with all of the official stuff. I didn't go for a battery (pretty much doubles the price) or an electric car charger (aprox 1k). My roof is pretty standard so didn't need scaffolding/expensive custom fittings or anything.
I do think prices have gone down a lot in the last 4-5 years so maybe worth getting a new quote if you're interested.

@littleblackcat27 - we are north-west too. Do you mind sharing the company name? I'm interested in solar panels and a battery to cut down on bills and possibly if we ever buy another car go electric.

Has solar panels really made a difference for you?

I buy MUCH less clothes. No spontaneous purchase, because I liked that dress etc. I also tend to browse vinted first. Also we only drive where it's necessary and won't be getting 2nd car.