Help me save money... suggestions!!

[Chrisp]

Me and the missus have decided that we spend uneccessaraly sometimes and we need some extra cash this year for things like changing the car, going on holiday, landscaping the front garden etc.

I have been trying to think of ways that we can save money and so far have come up with: -

Got annual commuter ticket instead of monthly - Saving = £30 a month

When going out for a night on the drink, have a few at home first - Saving = Approx £20 a month

Get the girlfs parents to come over to our house more often (they live 15 miles away) - Saving = Approx £10 a month

Less takeaways/deliveries - Saving = Approx £30 - £40 a month.

How else would you suggest to save a bit of money per month????

Chris

[Quick]

Take lunch to work.

Get a paper round

[Tupps]

Sell the turbo and buy something more economical!

[Barry123]

Originally Posted by Chris

Me and the missus have decided that we spend uneccessaraly sometimes and we need some extra cash this year for things like changing the car

major contradiction man. A car is an unnecessary spend.

get something cheaper instead of more expensive. you work in london so you only need a small smart or something.

you'll save a shed load from tax, insurance, fuel bills. with the saving you can probably start paying off the mortgage on your house/flat and stuff

job done.

[Chrisp]

Originally Posted by Quick

Take lunch to work.

Get a paper round

Already take lunch to work..... Tesco's 5for£4 microwave meals!!!

I'm not getting a paper round... I'm 28 god damn it

Originally Posted by Tupps

Sell the turbo and buy something more economical!

That's one of the reasons we are trying to save, so we have a bigger budget to get a newer, more economical car!

Chris

[vidal]

Learn to cook and sack the takeaways completely. Invest in good quality tupperware and bulk freeze meals such as curries and chillies.

Mobile phone usage - do you need to send 5 texts? Why not a single call?

Turn the heating down one degree - doesn't seem much, but it does help.

Buy economy size packs of washing powder, shampoo etc and decant into smaller containers.

Go out less, or to different places - some clubs that charge £10+ for entry are just eating your money.

Prioritise your debts - pay off the high interest ones first, whilst maintaining minimum payments on the rest. Then move on to the next highest rate.

V.

[Alexp]

Dont always buy brand name goods when food shopping, that could save a bit.

[mattchewone]

Buy a push bike and use that on sunny days in the summer to get to work.

[Chrisp]

Originally Posted by adsayer

major contradiction man. A car is an unnecessary spend.

get something cheaper instead of more expensive. you work in london so you only need a small smart or something.

you'll save a shed load from tax, insurance, fuel bills. with the saving you can probably start paying off the mortgage on your house/flat and stuff

job done.

We are saving up for a newer reg DIESEL car, so will be cheaper on Tax, Insurance, Fuel etc.

We've just remortgaged and are paying off an extra £250 a month off the house mortgage.

Chris

[Chrisp]

Originally Posted by vidal

Learn to cook and sack the takeaways completely. Invest in good quality tupperware and bulk freeze meals such as curries and chillies.

Mobile phone usage - do you need to send 5 texts? Why not a single call?

Turn the heating down one degree - doesn't seem much, but it does help.

Buy economy size packs of washing powder, shampoo etc and decant into smaller containers.

Go out less, or to different places - some clubs that charge £10+ for entry are just eating your money.

Prioritise your debts - pay off the high interest ones first, whilst maintaining minimum payments on the rest. Then move on to the next highest rate.

V.

Some good ones there Mate.... already do some of them, but will look in to the others!

Originally Posted by Alex

Dont always buy brand name goods when food shopping, that could save a bit.

We buy mostly Tesco's own brand food..... Not gonna go so far as Blue and White stripe though!!

Originally Posted by mattchewone

Buy a push bike and use that on sunny days in the summer to get to work.

I work 50 miles from my house.... I'm not gonna cycle that... I'll stick with my cheap commuter coach firm.

Chris

[Barry123]

Originally Posted by mattchewone

Buy a push bike and use that on sunny days in the summer to get to work.

thats what sayer does.

saved about £10 a week

Originally Posted by Chris

We are saving up for a newer reg DIESEL car, so will be cheaper on Tax, Insurance, Fuel etc.

We've just remortgaged and are paying off an extra £250 a month off the house mortgage.

Chris

awesome man, go for a older reg diesel... save some more cash


do you have sky??? Jack in sky - bollocks most of it anyway £30 a month saved straight off.

[Chrisp]

Originally Posted by adsayer

thats what sayer does.

saved about £10 a week



awesome man, go for a older reg diesel... save some more cash

We're going for a newer one (Up to 5 years old...not brand new)..... less chance of going wrong.

Chris

[Chrisp]

Don't have Sky.... we've got Virgin Media Phone/TV/Broadband package..... think I'd go insane if we only had terrestial TV.

Chris

[Alexp]

Search around for the cheapeast utilities, gas and electric.
Switch things off, no standby.

[Barry123]

Originally Posted by Chris

Don't have Sky.... we've got Virgin Media Phone/TV/Broadband package..... think I'd go insane if we only had terrestial TV.

Chris

Think of the money saving chris lol ... how much are you paying for the package if you dont mind me asking?

freeview is pretty good to be honest.

[Peejous]

sell your semen?

[Matt_e]

dump the missus, you'l save loads

[Chrisp]

Originally Posted by Alex

Search around for the cheapeast utilities, gas and electric.
Switch things off, no standby.

We've got those Byebye Standby remote plug energy saving things! gas and Elec are quite cheap anyway!

Originally Posted by adsayer

Think of the money saving chris lol ... how much are you paying for the package if you dont mind me asking?

freeview is pretty good to be honest.

We're on the most basic package... can't remember how much it is.... Can't get Freeview where we are yet... plus the package includes Phone and Broadband too... not getting rid of them!!

Chris

[Mark51p]

me and my girlfriend are in the same situation mate. thi is what we have come up with so far....

sell her car and pay off her finance, the mney we have left will go on insurance (TPFT) on a cheap £300 car as she only does about 2k miles a year. this will save us £200 a month.

stop smoking (started today) saves £120 a month

stop going out for meals so often. we normally go to this posh italian for omething to eat as we know the owners. we dont pay full wack but its still expensive, saves £200 - £400 a month

start buying in bulk. it costs more in the start but works out cheaper over time.

take lunch to work (already mentioned)

cook in bulk, what ever you dont eat freeze it for next weeks tea

as mentioned above you dont need to buy brand named goods, most supermarkets own brands are just as good. (personally id stay away from Smart Price sausage rolls, abit chewy imo)

this is the best one we have done so far. write down the amount of bills that go out each month, include everything from council tax to petrol to food shopping, etc... if you write down everything then you can see where your money is going and this should allow you to cut down and make a budget.

make a budget and stick to it, it is hard but you will notice the difference. also what ever cash you have left in your bank the day before pay day transfer it to a savings account, most people willleave it in and think "oooo ive got all this cash" and go blow it. however, if its in a savings account its out of the way.

hop some of that helps

[Chrisp]

Originally Posted by Matt_e

dump the missus, you'l save loads

F**king wouldn't... we'd have to sell the house, pay solicitor's fees, halve everything etc etc etc.

Chris