Ways to reduce expenditure during career break?

[Shufflebumnessie]

My maternity leave is due to end soon and I've been granted a one year (unpaid) career break from work. DH is still working full time and we'll be using saving to help if needed.

I'm looking at ways to cut our spending & just generally tighten our belts!

So far we've;
Swapped utility providers to the best deals,
Shopped around for the best insurance providers (home & car),
Reviewed all direct debits/standing orders.

We don't smoke, have sky tv, buy take-out coffees etc. We do pay for Netflix but use it a lot as we don't really go out as we have no childcare. Our phone contracts are very cheap.

I try to cook from scratch as much as possible, although we do enjoy a take-out once every couple of weeks. If we go out for the day we generally take a picnic.

Is there anything that I'm overlooking? Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Change where you shop if possible to cheaper supermarkets like Aldo or lidl, meal planning etc.

I use the library a lot. Used to spend a fair amount on books and music and now barely anything.

Get toys and equipment second hand and resell or use a toy library, especially for the bulky toddler toys they use for less than 6 months anyway. I personally don’t shop at a super cheap discounter but I do use vouchers and buy things on offer rather than having a set list. Kind of the opposite of meal planning but it works for us. Walk rather than getting the car out. Ask for memberships as gifts so you get lots of free days out at local attractions.

Cycle rather than drive
Buy less meat
Buy less booze
Use cheaper supermarkets
Grow your own veg
Renegotiate mobile/data contracts
Sell your unwanted stuff on eBay

Agree with cheaper supermarkets. We've recently changed from Ocado to ASDA and it's much cheaper. Aldi is good too but not close enough to our house.

What about transport? Do you have a car at all? Can you do with no car or go down to one if you have two?

Download all your recent bank transactions.

Look at the most recurrent items outflows and see whether you could live without them.

Make a budget, stick to it.

Come join us on the Frugaleers thread:

Frulgaleers - Jumping into Junewww.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/3264052-Frulgaleers-Jumping-into-June

For one year, can you and your dh go without any new clothes?
Run down any toiletries
Let everyone know Xmas gifts will be token gestures (so they can do the same)
Try to go out (library, window shopping, playgroups) so you don't have to heat your house for so long in the winter
Wear clothes longer before washing (easier to do if not working? I also got away with washing my hair less often when on mat leave)
Cut down on cleaning products
Use washable wipes/old flannels
THINk before buying anything. Do you need it? Can it be brought cheaper?

If you have access to a freezer, use it. Batch cook and stop that takeaway. Just make some curry or sauces so you reach for that. Buy a second hand freezer if not.

Shop smart, downgrade to cheaper own brands. Aldi saved me a fortune when I was off.

Find a good list of cheap meal and meal plan. Lentil curry, jacket spuds, porridge, sausage casserole (yum and freezes well).

Don't buy crap, bake a cake.

Do not buy kids packet foods, make your own. A few tubs such as Avent breast milk tubs have been used in our house every day and paid for themselves 10 times over. I still take my lunch to work in them (carrots/cucumber/tomatoes etc). I would make 1.5litres of cheese sauce and freeze it in the tubs, batches of tomato sauce, mince meat, mash potato. All of these are easy and quick kids food and cheap.

Lentils in with meat to bulk up the dish.

Cheap meals don't need to be expensive.

Always take a picnic..., those Avent pots are handy here too! Kids food when you're out is expensive and gets left uneaten. Don't get tempted, get organised.

Being organised is the key for me. A dash round the local shop because we've run out is much more expensive than a meal plan and a good shopping list.

Enjoy your year off. Enjoy tightening your belt, don't resent it, see each adjustment as buying time with your baby, what a great thing

Do you have a mortgage? Some providers let you take a payment holiday I think. Or if you're not tied into a fixed deal, look at changing mortgage provider to a cheaper deal or even interest only for the short term if you meet the criteria? A mortgage advisor will be able to help or ring your current lender.

Cheap meals don't need to be expensive

Don't need to be tasteless!

One other thing!

You can only tighten your belt so far. Has your DH asked for a pay rise? What can he do to increase his pay. This isn't a criticism, it's a legitimate way of trying to increase the pie. You never know, a good case, well made, could see more coming in.

Car boots for baby clothes

Yes yes to car boot, or find an NCT group. I bet they do a nearly new sale.

ShadowKitty

I would not touch my mortgage and if I did it would be the last resort.
I agree with all the other suggestions accept the one on mortgage.
Learn to bake if you cannot. I bake everything from scratch and its amazing how much better.
Buy bananas that are going off and make either banana bread or banana muffins
Buy fruit that are on sale, cut up, place in freezer bags and make smoothies - bananas, strawberries, mangoes, black berries to name a few. You can also freeze cut up pineapple and eat frozen instead of buying ice cream.

I forgot to add learn to bake with wholewheat flour if you have not done so already.
It's a lot healthier, more fiber and really does taste better than the white flour.
Buy stale bread and make bread pudding, cut up and freeze.
You can freeze all your baking.

Try not to do top up shops - I spend a fortune if I have to keep going again for some bits. Another vote for Aldi. Can’t believe how much I get for my money there, although I find I still need to go to Asda for a few things. Charity shops are fab. I have recently properly discovered Primark & fallen in love! Virtually living in my new shorts & my 90p flip flops! Google promotional codes before buying online. I have done really well out of this & wish I’d started ages ago. Also save coupons etc, Clubcard points, Advantage card etc etc. Had some great deals at Boots.

NCT nearly new sales for designer label clothing, once outgrown sell for a profit on eBay/FB. Friend of mine did very well at this.
Find out best day time for best food reductions in your local store and shop then and freeze.

Grow from seed more expensive items such as tomatoes, peppers, strawberries (might have to grow on from small plants as is a bit late. Sew cut n grow style lettuce. Keep chickens and sell on any surplus eggs, plants, produce.... Make eg chutney, jam puddings, cakes from home grown produce, take on an allotment or share the produce someone else growa - you turn it into products in return for keeping some.

marjorie25 why wouldn't you look at a better deal on a mortgage? Just curious. I change lenders every few years and have saved considerable amounts.

I would not touch my mortgage and if I did it would be the last resort.

How come?

My mortgage deals are usually 2-3 years then I remortgage (oherrwise you revert onto SVR).

Have you got a fab 10 year fixed rate or something? Or have your circumstances changed such that you wouldn't be lent the full amount you need now?

Thank you all for the great ideas and suggestions.

We're already planning a car boot sale & baby nearly new sale.

I think the top up shopping trips are probably my downfall, especially as I walk past a supermarket on the school run - all too easy to pop in for 1 thing and end up spending £25!!!

Our mortgage is fixed for the next few years (on a good rate) so won't be doing anything with that.
I'm on a self-imposed clothes shopping ban already (although I did treat myself to a new pair of sandals as an early my birthday present!)

DH has just secured a promotion so salary negotiations will be taking place before he starts in his new role.

I'll pop on to the money saving threads posted above.

Thanks again.

DH has just secured a promotion so salary negotiations will be taking place before he starts in his new role

Yes! That's fab news and that's a win that can keep giving.

ShadowKitty

"or even interest only for the short term if you meet the criteria?"
That's why.
If they are able to make great savings on other things, I would not touch the mortgage for an interest only or even have a payment holiday.
Those would be the absolute last resort.

DH has just secured a promotion so salary negotiations will be taking place before he starts in his new role.

I would suggest to still live on his previous salary and save the new extra money.
See this as when you planned the budget, this money was not forthcoming, so continue to plan the budget on his old salary. That will be a real lesson in budgeting.