economising

[popsycalindisguise]

My work hours are being reduced

Economising tips please?
Have searched the archives but I am doing something wrong - any links to threads are appreciated

ah
just read last post lol

we are with bristish gas for both gas and elec - so cant get mroe expensive really

Before we swapped accounts we stuck our overdraft on a 0% credit card and paid it off that way, we had it interest free for 12 months or so, and started our new account with a zero balance and we set up a dd to pay off the card monthly. If you find you cannot pay off the credit card before the 0% runs out you can just swap the debt to another 0% card.

Look here for the details of the breakdown cover - its exactly the same cover as the AA and RAC who charge £150 a year. The only down side is that when you call them out you have to pay them yourselves and keep the receipt and claim it back from the company, but it says you usually get your money back within 2 weeks. I don't mind this because its something I probably won't use anyway - have been paying breakdown cover for years and only used it about twice anyway.

Try www.switchwithwhich.co.uk/ for looking to get the best deal on your energy supplier, current account, mobile phone and mortgage. You could end up saving a fair bit.

Also highly recommend moneysavingexpert too !

that sounds sensible about the overdraft

this is what being ex-students does to you....overdrafts are acceptable

Oh and if you want to boost your income why not trying selling all your good used kids clothes on ebay - I'm a SAHM and have been watching ebay for a few months an have a feel for what sells and what doesnt - have been going to a lot of charity shops and carboots, and some high street sales too. I'm just waiting till next month to start sellng as there is still a lot of people selling unwanted xmas stuff on there at the mo.
Have a draw full of kids clarks shoes I bought new from £2 a pair last month!!!!

just started selling some stuff on ebay yesterday

I also have a few other potential irons in the fire - luckily my job lends itself to other stuff

Yep, another vote for Ebay here. Have bought loads of great gear for dd1 off Ebay and last summer kitted out myself on Ebay too. I also shop at NCT sales in posh areas for kids clothes and have picked up some great stuff. Dh is insistent I don't have to buy myself clothes on Ebay, but to be honest I really resent spending loads on brand new stuff in the shops when the items I have purchased on Ebay have been just as nice (maybe I've been lucky). Plus, I am lousy at choosing clothes and make some huge mistakes (if I was brave enough I'd be on Trinny&Susannah). I'd much rather put the money saved towards a family holiday. Have also had some success selling on Ebay too, as we are hoping to move house soon I am slowly decluttering the house and anything in good condition that will sell goes on Ebay. Last week I sold a Mrs Beeton cookbook circa 1850's - purchased a few years ago from an antique bookshop for £6 and was lingering on my bookshelves, unread. Sold for £55.

Have also started shopping at Lidl having read some tips on mn recently. Their fresh fruit and veg is 50% off at the moment and I got some good deals last week.

We use 18866 for all our 'phonecalls, just pay line rental to BT. Saves us loads. Also, we refuse to dial 0870/0845 numbers and go to www.saynoto0870.com for the geographical number instead. If there isn't one, we just don't call, simple as that. I have no qualms calling main swtitchboard and asking for the appropriate dept, if they give me an 0870/0845 number I just say my 'phone doesn't do them please put me through. Generally works and saves money on the 'phone bill.

Like lots of previous posters, we cook from scratch and I regularly use vouchers in Tesco to cut our ever-increasing shopping bill. Have been down the cloth nappy route but sadly didn't work for us, still using disposables.

there are a few archived threads we had this one about supermarkets, there might be something in it

Here

gas and elec - in that case you have def done the right thing, according to a guy on the radio 4 money program last week. He said if with British gas etc. swap instantly otherwise wait and see.

Well done

about to sort out our phone now....
to that free evening and weekend thing
i am cynical though....will it suddently change?
cant get more expensive than BT thogh (we did get huge discounts in the past with them but not anymore...)

thanks for link to supermarket thread

For me, the biggest way we save is by meal planning and buying what we need. I also do it online so I can see how much I've spent as I go along. Also get codes to save £5 or £10 so delivery is always covered at least. Spend far less each week doing it this way than if I don't have a plan and just go round Tesco throwing in whatever I feel like!

We've also changed our gas/electricity supplier which saves us quite a lot - changed from B.Gas to Atlantic.

I use Homecall for my phone. Free daytime and evening calls for up to an hour. Can't remember how much butcheaper than BT.

anyone want to share their menu plans?
am writing a list of meals but brain is mush

homecall

nutcracker - what abotu weekend calls with your phone?

we need to keep BT line as it s what our broadband is on and we have to keep bt broadband til the end of the year (work deal..)

Errr can't remember off the top of my head but i think I have the unlimited package which is about £12.50 and then my calss. Bill is usually £25 ish.

I think you can keep your BT line and just have calls through them. Thats what i did at first.

Hmm they may have changed it.

that is cheap!

right
getting somehwere"

Their site doesn't make it very clear but I would definatly ring them and check.

wil do thanks

not a lot to add as lots of good tips here. Just a owrd for Atlantic who have been fab for us over the last year and we have just got a months's electricity and month's gas refunded as a loyalty thing.

Another question - putting overdrafts onto 0% credit cards....
is that sensible? I have one 0% credit card which i pay off and never use. I would just like all our accounts to be in the black so we know where we are...