Best ways to save money

[Thinkcalmthoughts]

I've just got a new job dont start till jan sometime once all my checks have came back etc it's better pay and hours will be monthly pay though. My partners job brings in good pay as well a month

Looking for ways to save cash so we can put it towards putting back into our saving for getting a house ( my dad left money before he passed on but we've had to dip in to it for things but definitely putting money back in and build it up again) rest of the savings will go towards the wedding etc

I'm phoning my gas and electricity supplier to see if they can give me a cheaper deal of not we will be changing
Anything else we can cut to save money like food shop TV etc

Any tips and advice welcome

Literally don't go to the shops.

I think that recent "save on payday" campaign got it right. Immediate automatic transfer to a saving account you can't dip into.

Also noting down everything you spend - the little bits that are frittered away soon become apparent.

When you have been paid think.. Some for me now.. Some for me later
Get in to that way of thinking and you can't go wrong. Even saving a small amount regularly can build up over time

We will he cutting out takeaways starting form the new year as will be going back to gym etc to lose weight for july

@OhioOhioOhio wish it was that easy though thinking of getting back to lidi or aldi for the food shop

@hopeishere I've seen that might be a idea once I've got my first wage in etc might get partner to do that aswell will look more into that

We have reduced our bills to the bare minimum it’s so refreshing. We have no mortgage (aware that we are very lucky)
So our monthly bills are:
Electricity 50
Childcare 200
Insurances (life x2 and home) 70
Phones x2 65
Netflix 5 (eel pay half with my mum)
And that is it!!
We found that nothing else was necessary for living. Internet is unlimited on my phone contract so I use that for home too. We watch movies on the tv through Netflix.
You’ll find you can reduce/get rid of more than you think.
We just create sinking funds for yearly car tax and insurance.

Go through your last few months of bank statements to see how much you actually spend on everything. Don't forget annual expenses like car tax.
Get the cheapest versions of everything you can't live without, get rid of everything you can live without. Be ruthless about what you really need to be happy and what you can do without to reach your financial goals.
When I had my dd, I made the following changes:

• mobile phone contracts replaced with SIM only deals
• sold my car, got a cheap bicycle and hire when absolutely necessary (for long trips)
• cancelled tv package and use freeview only
• got cheaper deals on: gas, electric, broadband, insurances
• scoured Gumtree, etc for Freebies
• mended shoes/clothes instead of buying new. Also borrow event clothing from friends/family
• check out budget brands in your usual supermarket or switch to a cheaper supermarket
• buy a water filter instead of bottled water

There are probably more but that's a good start! Good luck

@Happygirl79 we save any spare change and trying to save extra pound coins in a hard too just so we can do that it's when it comes down to the bigger stuff it's trying to find ways to cut costs
Think when I have my first wage in we will be able to sit and work out the big bills ie rent and take it from there

@Parttimers that’s very lucky! Don’t you however pay council tax, water?

Don't spend.
If you go shopping you will see things that you want or think that you need.

Go food shopping when you are not hungry, and stick to your list.
When you buy cleaning products, but multipurpose ones.

Make your own lunches, and don't buy food and drink when out and about.

Set up a DD to go into a savings account on payday. You won't miss the money and will build up a nest egg.

In terms of food I
Meal plan
Portion plan
Shop at Aldi/Lidl
Don’t buy items like juice, biscuits, crisps etc

Walk more. Nipping to the corner shop on foot rather than in the car means free exercise and you'll feel less inclined to impulse buy because you have to carry the stuff home.

@Namechanger23455 no we are not in the uk so we don’t have those bills.

What do you currently spend your money on? You mention takeaways. How much do they cost you?

@KellyHall we both dont drive so no worries about car insurance etc though a monthly bus pass anit cheep but we both need it for work
We dont have young kids at the moment but I have a 15 (16 next month) lass

Was thinking of looking into getting a cheeper TV package as we are sky been looking at now tv and I do have netflix
Broadband and home phone put on to my mobile phone contract as with Vodafone but thinking of looking around to see if I can get the same deal cheeper
Currently about to phone gas and electricity supplier to get a cheeper deal and all takeaways will be a no no unless its treat and have the money

Thanks for the advice so much to look into

It is easier than you think. It is so easy to spend more than you need when you pop to a supermarket.

Keep milk and bread in the freezer.

Always have one extra of ketchup, mayo etc and don't do the 'pop to the shop' thing.

Wildorchidz cause where we live theres like 4 takeaway joints within 5 mins so temptation is always there and wouldn't say we spend loads and we try and share but it's the fact it's a regular basis say every fri then the odd sat if my partner is on nightshift for me and my DD
Takeaway will stop as getting fit and healthy lose weight for out wedding in july

@MikeUniformMike dont drive which is probably a good thing and do tend to walk alot just where we are it's easy to walk and its quicker than walking in the opposite direction for a bus

What's your wedding plans?

Personally I'd cut back on all of that and get my money sorted.

It always amazes me the money people piss away on catering.

@OhioOhioOhio everything is in one place a hotel so the ceremony then the dinner then the evening party. As my dad left money to.us all my mum is using her half to pay for the venue my dress I paid up in installments and did the same for bridesmaids dresses (only 1 payment left)
We also pay up our piper and photo booth and will be paying up.our wedding rings and halfway through paying up the honeymoon too the rest of the stuff is not expensive and do have 2 jars one for wedding and honeymoon and we do have money in there just not been able to for a wee while now but hoping to get money back in there come next month

Seriously I'd cut back on that.

Cant cut back any more on that everything is more or less done and wedding is july we made sure that who were going with were not over the top expensive and kept it local so its not big brand companys more small independent companies

Fair enough. The other thing I like to think is that a receipt is money I used to have.

It really makes me think before I buy.

Ring sky. I was paying nearly £50 I'm now paying £20 per month and only lost 1 channel. I was on old deals etc will go up after 18months but will either cancel then or ring up and ask for better deal again.

@DoveBlue thanks will do
We are I think about nearly £80 that's the whole tv package so will look at the package and see if we can drop anything from it

Where I live, the takeaways are very cheap. They're not very nice.
One takeaway a week isn't too bad.
Plan meals ahead, and have backup meal ideas.
When you get home from the shops, put food in cupboards, where you can't see it.
Don't be tempted by last minute extras.