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

I'm delighted with this thread and I'm here taking notes
On the days I cook Stew/Bollinase (sp)Shepard's pie etc I make double the amount and freeze half. Every week when I do my big shop I buy an extra box of Washing Powder/ Dishwasher Tablets or big pack of Toilet roll. I have a cupboard that I keep these extras and one week every (about) two month's I don't have to cook for the whole week or I don't need to shop I then use the weeks money for a clothes shopping spree

I would put your O/d on a 0% credit card, because then you will not be paying interest on it and every payment you make will go towards reducing your debt rather than paying a bank for the priviledge. You have to make sure that you do pay as much as you can EVERY month without fail otherwise you will be hit by all sorts of charge (learnt that one from experience!) I have our house moving costs on a credit card that I am moving about until I can't find any more 0% deals. I pay off the minimum every month and whatever else I can afford. It sometimes gets to me that I am over £3500 in debt, but it was easier than having to find the money up front and I have seen it fall from £4800 in a year, so I know I am moving in the right direction....HTH I would do anything rather than pay money to a bank for doing NOTHING!

THe double cooking and freezing idea is great too as it is SO nice not to have to cook one night a week and just get something out in the morning to defrost!

I have also set up a seperate bank account that all my food money/clothes/trips, etc., money goes into at the start of every month and is paid out of - then I can keep a strict eye on it. I also take out £50.00/week in cash and that is all I have to spend for the week. Anything left in my bank account at the end of the month goes towards the credit card! I have had to do this after getting myself into a real pickle before Xmas! It is a better system, but there is always something you don't budget for that bites you in the bum!

next question....

overdraft on same card as I am paying off or a new one? I have plenty of 'space' left on the card (they ahev given me a ridiculous limit

I also try to buy bulk where poss to take advantage of better prices - bog roll, pasta, rice, two for one deals, but only if you really need it! Depends if you have the room to store it I guess.

Right I'll shut up now. You can tell I am a born again budgeter!

If you can stick it on the same card on 0% I would do so, depending on how long you have left at 0%. Then you can transfer it all over together onto the next one....

When you start looking at your finances its amazing how much money gets wasted. I consolidated all our family debts into one bank loan with an interest rate 1% ABR. I shopped around and got a really good graduate loan. I have also found ebay brilliant for baby gear. All our baby clothes, prams, cots etc has come out of monthly budgets as they were so cheap. The bulk buy baby clothes on ebay are the best.I have also found planning ahead really helps and buying one thing that you know your going to need every month. I drew up a wish list..I know it sounds very sad but we all write what we would like on it and every time there is a bit of spare cash I buy something off it. I think its important to give yourself little treats even when your on a budget. Lastly Its awful but I have found keeping my husband away from the finances has helped!!! When he goes out now I just tell him what he can spend! He's happy as he hates worrying about money and this way our finances are more under control. Paying all bills monthly instead of quarterly also works for us and there are savings to be made by paying by direct debit. mrow

who was your bank loan with if you dont mind me asking?

This sounds like it shouldn'y wiork, but I decided that i wanted to go organic and so started having an organic box delivered, costs me £9 a week for veg and £6.50 for fruit (plenty for 3 of us, in fact cancel it every few weeks to use up the excess) I decided it was worth the extra cost

BUT I have found I am actually saving money! Cos I have the veg I make myself use it and plan my weeks meals better (Can see online what is in next week's box, also means we eat more varied food, as the contents varies each week, so less popping out to pick up a few bits for dinnera nd spending lots!

Re: mobile, get rid of it! Up until a few years ago we coped perfectly well without them (or viewed them as a luxury) but now see £20 a month on calls and texting as essential to life and normal expenditure - madness!

Look at moneysavingexpert.com, lots of tips there

Look at gas, electricity, phone suppliera nd consider changing to a cheaper supplier.

beat you to it melrose - did that yesterday

Royal bank of Scotland. There are different graduate loans. If you did a degree that gives you a professsional qualification you can negotiate a lower rate.

ah - a graduate loan.....It is about ten years since I graduated....not sure i could qualify anymore ;)

Sorry did not read wfole thread, seriously recommend getting rid of mobile though (or keeping in bag for emergencies only) I stopped taking my work mobile out with me all the time and quartered my personal usage bill, don't miss it much either!

melrose - good advice....I will start doing that! I have also applied for a free o2 sim card which gives me stacks of texts for 10 quid a month

until that arrives, the phone is switched off

Amazing how reliant we have become on them isn't it? Friends and I have often commented taht we used to be able to arrange a night out, all meet in the right place and get home again, without the need for 20 texts en route! If someone was late you just waited for them!

www.madaboutbargains.co.uk this is a fab site and has tons of special offers but you can do a comparison with the supermarkets on whose products are cheaper so I always have a fish around to see which one to shop in that week. Also my local Sainsburys is especially good at it, they have a reduced cold shelf with stuff that is nearly out of date but if you freeze the items you can use them when you want, they also have a shelf for tinned stuff, cereals etc I always buy from these and there is nothing wrong with the stuff

this thread is fab. i recently bought alvin hall's book on money saving techniques but he is not as canny as mnetters . how easy is it to get started on ebay? must admit, an still too intimidated to try it, and have loads of outgrown 6-18 mth girl clothes to flog.

anyone want to share their weekly menu plans?
am drawing up a list of what we usually eat but need some new (cheaper?) stuff

I'm still interested about people's recipe ideas. I do try and stick to a shopping list but seem to get way-laid with things...too tempting! To create a 4-week menu planner would be terrific so if anyone has one already done and would take pity on an overly worked/tired mummy, I would be very grateful in addition to feeling a tad cheeky .

on my list so far i have a variety of cheaper meals interspersed with some not so cheap...

hnoey chicken drumstick
lasagne
spag bol
tomato pasta sauce with veg
fish pie
shepherds pie
chicken 'parcels'
veggie bake
tuna pasta bake
homemade burgers
homemade meatballs intomato sauce with pasta

And then there are the really obvious, but often forgotten solutions. Like taking your own lunch to work. It's amazing how much you spend on bought lunches. Introduce your children to the joys of porridge for breakfast. Don't get those ready brek things, just get simple rolled oats. A bag cost under a quid and lasts for weeks. You can jazz it up with a drizzle of honey or some fruit slices. I found investing in a breadmaker actually saved us lots of money and is healthier too. I make a 6 seed loaf that fills you up with only one slice and introduces Omega 3's into the diet (via linseed) as well.

If you have a garden, do you grow vegetables? I grew tomatoes in grow-bags on the patio of my last house. It's dd's job to rinse the sprouts that we grow on the kitchen bench every day. A packet of alfalfa seeds is very cheap and lasts for months.

toa din the hole
chicken/beef stir fry
roast dinner (?)
homemade fish cakes

we haev a breadmaker that we rarely use
ok another idea!
that can be DHs job

we already eat porridge