With bills going up again — where are you all cutting costs?

[CrispsandChips]

I feel like I’m really struggling at the moment and I don’t quite know where to turn. I’d genuinely love to hear how people are managing to save money right now because everything just keeps going up and it’s starting to feel unmanageable.
My household bills alone are going up by around 22% this April… and I just keep thinking, if only my wages were increasing like that too. It feels so unfair and honestly a bit scary.
What are people actually doing day to day to cope?
Where are you shopping at the moment? What does a typical weekly shop look like for you? Are you going to multiple shops to try and make it work. If so, where are you going?
I’m trying everything I can think of just to claw back a little bit, I’ve swapped out all the lightbulbs, I’m cooking / washing clothes outside of peak hours, but it still doesn’t feel like enough. My water bill alone is going up by 18%… and I’m sat here half-joking thinking, what next, do we just stop showering?
If anyone has any tips at all, even small ones, I’d really appreciate you sharing them. I feel quite desperate just trying to keep on top of everything right now.

Pay council tax over 12 months rather than 10 - same annual amount but easier to budget.
Too good to go can be great for groceries and baked goods.
Online groceries means less likely to overspend.
Hardly use the tumble dryer.

We don’t eat out anymore apart from special occasions, no takeaways as they seem disappointing for the cost now.
i shop between Aldi & Morrisons, occasionally top up at Co op but only if desperate.
i batch cook and use up all leftovers - very rarely throw food away as I can make random dishes up from what we have in the fridge (my DM was a single Mum so learnt how to make the most of what we have with minimal waste from a very early age).
we don’t have gas here, all electric but it’s a very well insulated house so don’t often need the heater even in the depths of winter.

I was just where you are for the past six months and honestly it really got me done. What I did was got a higher paying job and honestly it was the only thing that sorted the constant worry. Things still arnnt easy but this was the turning point.

I was finding I just couldn't manage. I have four children and I'm a single parent and I work full time.

Things I still do and did when things were really tight recently.

1. Shop in farm foods. Everything is much cheaper and it's great for lunch box stuff, dairy and cleaning bits as well as frozen food. Milk is three pound for 2 X 2l. I'd also buy full fat and then water it down by 50 per cent. It was shit but it worked.
2. Did he same watering down by 50 per cent with washing detergent funny enough this didn't make any difference to the wash. The cheapest washing stuff is Poundland or farm foods.
3. Started baking big cakes from cheap ingredients for after school rather than the kids eating everything else. This worked out too.
4. Cut out all subscription like Amazon prime, music etc.
5. Reduced phone contract cost.
6. My car needed replacing as the last one died. I replaced with an 1l engine and the tax is 20 per year. I need a car to do the job. This change made a massive difference
7. To try clothes use a heated airer or a washing line outside
8. Put the heating on for one hour in the morning and evening and only if cold.
9. Used any vouchers given to me by family at Xmas on food

10. Once a month I'd buy five toothpaste a pack of four soap and 2 bottles of cheap shampoo my reason is that the basics are fine, being clean is what matters. Poundland farm foods or Tesco are the cheapest. 11. Reduced cleaning products to bleach, washing up liquid, and concentrate disinfectant. I refil spray bottle with either bleach and water for the bathroom and kitchen and disinfectant and water for the other jobs. I wash the floors with bleach. My home is really clean. 12. Stopped buying fresh meat. I buy frozen chicken now. Again farm foods have some good deals. 13. No takeaway or meals out. 14. Days out became dog walks and park trips. 15. Buy my clothes in charity shops which I love anyway so no change. 16. I made use of free period products at work. 17. I'd also drink a lot of hot drinks at work. I would just take fruit or cereal for lunch or skip it all together 18. Couple of nights a week's was on toast night, beans on toast, egg on toast etc. With all the above I still couldn't save a pennyso it was new job or continue being broke forever. Shit times actually and I feel for anyone struggling like this as it affected me hugely

You live in a society, you benefit from the contribution past present and future of every member of that society. Today's children will be the workers paying taxes in ten or fifteen years time, and those taxes will fund the services other people use.

I'm not sure what world the handful that say Iran crisis not hit or bills been down...our council tax, rent,water all go up April and just in 3 weeks had to find another £100 for fuel to get to work that we wouldn't usually have spent and I don't see that going down soon. Yep will have to rework bills next week as like others our wages didn't go up. We've cut down our tv subscriptions, and not updated no ads and we've just literally finished with our contract phones at £45 each per month to gifgaf £5 pm for hubby's £10 for mine

@suki1964do
you have the receipe for the pork story fry….i just picked up a pack of reduced pork mince yesterday and was wondering what to do with it as I don’t usually get it.

Will be drying clothes etc outside when the weather allows. Otherwise using airers.
Food, buying more from the value ranges, except for a small selection of certain items. Also buy more frozen and tinned item than I used to, including things like fruit and veg. Eat less meat. Make soup with leftovers, feels like a free meal.

hardly go out for meals, don’t use the car as much. Only buy on Vinted, I need to sell on Vinted too, but haven’t started this yet.
Only make considered choices for days out - plan ahead , consider the time and journey cost etc, and whether you really want to go. We used to have alot of weekends away, but have cut right back.
I prefer doing supermarket shops online - that way i can amend my basket to maximise efficiency over the few days before it arrives.
Good luck !

Why are they going up 22% OP? Thats an awful lot?

I’m not expecting mine to - in fact OVO sent me an email yesterday to say my energy prices were going down which was nice. Council tax has risen a bit but nothing too alarming (it’s already well over £3k though). But everything else seems pretty stable.

Have you listed out your budget to show ALL your spending? We did that and it's brilliant because after listing everything - annual bills, how much to spend on Christmas, etc - you can see your budget for the month that takes account of everything.

I try to see where actions can save in more than one way: batch cooking means I buy bigger packs of food which are cheaper per 100g but also save power because the reheating 2nd or 3rd time is usually a quick zap in the m/w or on the hob. Reducing laundry saves power and water but also avoids wearing out my clothes.

If you don't have a freezer, you can still batch cook to save money:
Bolognaise mix will last 4 days in the fridge so if Mon = bolognaise; Wed = chilli - add kidney beans, chilli, paprika and rice; Fri = jacket potato.
Chicken pie mix (I use the chicken and bacon casserole on Taming Twins): Mon = potatoes and veg; Wed = mash topping, under the grill, with baked beans; Fri = jacket potato.
Saves the boredom of 1 meal 3 nights in a row.

Reducing washing by hanging things out on the line/ by a wide open window or door after a wear to freshen them up. Some clothes are spot-washed in the sink with small amount of non-bio (eg if otherwise clean but got a spot of food on). We have cut an average of 1-2 loads per week.

Petrol: some people can't reduce their mileage but there might still be savings in the way you drive. Smoother driving, making sure there isn't excess weight in the car (crap in the boot). If you are always stuck in traffic, are there any journeys that can have the timing tweaked? Sometimes 15 minutes can make the difference between constant stop/start or coasting at 30.

I bought a Sainsburys midweek delivery slot for £40 for 12 months. Delivery Tues-Thurs. That's 77p for delivery each week which is definitely cheaper than the petrol/wear and tear on my car. It's also then easier to base my meal plan around what's on offer rather than doing a meal plan, getting to the store and overspending because something I didn't plan to buy is discounted.

I downsized 2 years ago from a huge 5 bed town house to a tiny stone built movers cottage. My bills have more than halved which is great for me but my dd moved into my old house and it’s painful watching her pay £5-600 a month in basic utilities in the winter. Mine are £170 for gas/elec/water.

We have been eating less meat. My DH loves egg , chips and beans with b and b, eggs in general so definitely having more of those in his evening meals. Omelette is a great way to use left over bits and bobs. I do a big passion of soup once a week And that’s lunch/freezer food. My local food waste place gave me 2 trays of tomato soup after helping out so that’s a Bonos and now Tom soup and a toaster is a weekly fixture.

but for me this last month I’ve made a conscious decision to go to Farmfoods atleast once a week. I’ve saved a fortune.

Just yesterday I got 10 blocks of grahams unsalted butter for £10, 2 big blocks of moo mature cheddar for 99p each, 6 bags of breaded chicken goujons for 49p each ( perfect for katsu curry) , 2 loaves for £1, 3 big flap jack bars for the teen for college for £1, 2 milk for £2 and 6 frozen fruit and veg for £10 so got half fruit for yogurt for breakfast and 3 casserole veg bags for savoury meals. Absolutely brilliant value and you get different stuff every time you go in.

I then went into b and b m and got 4 packets of reduced sandwich meat and sausage rolls for £4 when I got home I made 12 packed lunches for my DH and froze them in bags and they cost me £6 so very happy with that tbh. Most sandwich meat and cheese freezes brilliantly so he just takes his lunch out the freezer on his way to work. Adds a bit of fresh fruit and a slice of cake and boom. Pennies and saves the £5-12 meal deal/maccies/subway every day.

I hear you OP. I’m in credit with OVO and this last month used less than I have since the summer but yesterday got a message to say my direct debit needs to go up £50 a month!

Porridge for breakfast and homemade Soup for lunch makes a huge difference to food bill. Use lentils and pulses etc a lot more. That and greatly reducing snacking. Not drinking alcohol, and reducing the use of branded items. P

Reduce meat consumption. Skin on chicken thighs as mentioned above are brilliant value.We also collect the fat coming out for soups later.
Buy off-season. i just bought a new winter coat, reduced to £40 from £180.
one car - bike or walk everything else (train to work/school for the oldest)
hair: myself and oldest have long hair, so only one cut per year. husband does his own, youngest goes to the barber every 2 months
Basic personal care products (whatever is on sale)
no branded food

Just the two of us in a tiny two bed. We do work from home but nothing that uses water or gas and electric to that extent

I have already cut everything I can and live frugality.

I don't have a car, don't go on foreign holidays, got the best possible energy, mobile and Internet deals, follow a vegetarian diet (so no expensive meat & fish) , buy from charity shops, colour my own hair, and I cook from scratch.

Frankly I am done with struggling and wonder if I would be better off on benefits at this point.

It is worrying as well for the economy when people have no spare money to spend in shops, restaurant, on leisure activities and so on and also affects the job market.

Could you fit a freezer in your garage (if you have one? )
buy your veg loose - all supermarkets sell loose but it’s easier to grab a bag usually. Left over veg? Make soup, it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Use stale bread to make croutons for the soup.

Stopped buying clothes, if I need something it comes from Vinted

I read a lot so use the library rather than buy books

walk 40 mins to work and back

dont flush the toilet every time it’s used - flushing is the biggest use of water in a house

I still eat out as I love food but get one course and skip starters. Also just drink tap water

Havent been on holiday for years which I do miss but this is the way things are now

Wearing more and more layers during the day to try not to have to buy more oil Not fun working from home in the cold. Legs particularly feel cold so topped with blankets. In the north of the Uk and there was snow this week.

Batch cooking and making it a bit of a challenge not to let any food go to waste. I can’t believe how much basic food costs more these days - I prioritise good food for home cooking (don’t drink or go out much so no savings to be had there).

I have an electric blanket on every sofa and this makes an immense difference to me needing to turn the heating on high.

I've never really understood this electric blanket idea for saving on heating the house.
You see, this is fine if you are sitting on the sofa, but what if you don't sit around much? I get freezing just doing the washing up, and the loo seat is like ice!!

It is very miserable being in a cold house - even if the settee is warm. We can't just sit around all day surely?

You're not a net contributer just because you don't have children. Only people who pay higher rate for many years and use few services, are. A small minority of people.

After a miserable winter last year, I told DH that I don’t want to save money on the heating bill, ie I want to live in a warm house.

Our savings are:

• No more gel nails (£30 every three weeks)
• No more takeaway coffees (£25 a month)
• We now see friends at our place or theirs instead of eating out. Also do family days out at free museums or parks. (at least £100 a month saved, possibly more)
• No more convenience food (pre-prepared meals, pre-cut fruit and veg, etc), expensive snacks and deli food (£30 a month?)
• Less alcohol (£30 a month?), we now rarely drink outside of occasions

@HawthornFairymy water bill came and the credit on my account was more than the bill, they still refused to lower / pause direct debit. So I stopped that and will just pay next half year bill when it comes. I will put the money into my savings so it’s sitting there ready. (I had a previous leak so the dd got pushed right up and they also refused to reassess mid billing period even though fixed)

I understand that turning the heating off on March 1st sounds like a plan - until it's pissing down with rain and 6 degrees C outside! We do wrap up in cardigans/oodies if at home in the day but at 6pm heating is definitely going on..

I've stoped buying anything that's not essential and have found I'm actually saving more money than before, despite the bills going up. It's insane how much gets frittered away on small things like snacks and drinks out, magazines, odd little bits for the house etc. I don't even miss them honestly. Most of my days are now "no spend days". I also do a lot of the things people have already mentioned.

We're trying to eke out our oil and after Easter boiler will have to be turned off. We have an immersion heater for hot water, never normally used, but we'll have no choice. Local oil deliveries are going to be up to two weeks anyway and hopefully by then it will be warmer. I'm hoping there'll be massive price drops in oil by summer.

We have a heated throw each for evenings, cost pennies to run and very cosy.

I've always bought most of my clothes and crockery from charity shop, but 4 have closed just on my high street, recently. I'm sure lots more will go the same way.