Frugal tips and best savings advice..

[bingsulaflop]

Hi all,

A little bit of background...

Me, my partner and our 2 yo DS are moving out of my parents house (we originally moved in to save for a house deposit but cannot cope not having our own space and the controlling nature of my mum)

The place we're renting is affordable but with only one income and my student maintenance loan, we are making a conscious effort to be more frugal and mindful of our spending (we both can waste money on silly things and with a fast growing toddler he's always growing out of his clothes etc)

As a note it's not possible to only have sim only phones as we both are tied in a contract for the next two years..

Please share your money saving tips, what you've found works to be more frugal, advice on how to cut costs here and there any and all suggestions welcome!

Thank you x

• meal plan for the week
• buy in bulk/larger packets when they are on special
• We are in london and visit the meat and fish markets which is much cheaper and fresher than the supermarkets. If you can buy in bulk from local markets share say a box of something with friends/family, it will also cut costs
• I get 3 meals out of a chicken. Roast chicken, next day is chicken sandwiches/chicken curry/ chicken stir-fry etc, then the 3rd day I cook the carcass and any remaining meat into a soup- chicken noodle. chicken and sweet corn or just chicken and veg soup
• swap childrens clothes with friends

I know this is an old one but take your own food and drink wherever you go. It saves a fortune, at work and when out for the day. Decent lunchboxes/bottles and flasks are a wise investment.
If you like family days out, National Trust membership is your friend.
We have found Costco membership and bulk buying of certain things has saved us a ton of money. Perhaps split with another family?
I follow a lovely money saving blog called Shoestring Cottage and another called My Abundant Life. There are lots of tips on these. Good luck!

Might help to list your spends so we can maybe help?

Always put saving aside as soon as you get paid .Work out how much you can save if you live frugally and stick to that figure.You can get a lot financial information on the moneysavingexpert website.Make a shopping list and a weekly menu.If you shop at Tesco or Sainsburys use the points for Xmas / Birthdays gifts. Have a look at charity shops for kids clothing and toys.Keep an eye on Freecycle for free stuff that you may need/want.

Try to grow what you can & maximise what space you have. Stock up on things on offer.

Larger outlay but we've bought a breadmaker & used it loads. Great investment. Prioritise your foods to store & rotate stock.

Buy bundles of pre-loved clothes for ds on eBay, gumtree etc

Find cheap meals that you love

Meal plan.
Shop at Aldi, take a list.
Buy toddlers clothes second hand.
take food and drinks with you wherever you go... coffee and bottles of water really add up.
If ever you need to buy something check facebook marketplace first!
Avoid going into town and browsing shops.
Make a spreadsheet of incoming and all fixed outgoings, stick to the budget.
Consider getting a monzo account, I get paid into my main bank account and all bills/ DDs come out of there, then the rest goes into monzo so I can easily set budgets and keep an eye on what I'm seeing on food etc