# Money saving tips



## georgey2011 (Oct 24, 2011)

Is anyone else as bad as me with money?

This is not a case of times are hard, or I'm struggling to get by on what money I have its simply a case of I used to earn around £850 a month on agency after being out of work for 2 years. I then got made up where i was working as an agency worker and now take home around £1400 a month after tax.

Weird thing is since i got took on in the New year ive always had about as much spare cash left over as i used to have when i was earning £850 a month take home.

So I trawled through a couple of online bank statements one night whilst bored and noticed a few downfalls.

Takeaway food

Spending £30 ish on a shop at Asda etc, but then going to shops on the way to work and spending £5 ish on a sandwich and a bag of crisps (couldnt be asked to make sandwiches with what id bought and had at home after the big shop)

Petrol

Im a single guy, lives alone in a one bedroom flat. So my outgoings aside from rent, car insurance, phone credit fuel and food are pretty minimal. Within my first week of last months payday id blown £200 on **** food, petrol, amongst a few items of clothing off the internet.

So this month ive set myself aside £30 for food, £30 for petrol, per week (4 weeks in total). So i took out £240 in cash and left it in one of the kitchen cupboards.

Doing well so far. Only had one maccies, did a £30 shop and ive been making my sandwiches, £30 fuel in the motor is enough for the week. £15 phone credit so in one week nearly ive managed to less than halve my outgoings.

Does anyone have any other tips and tricks for being more sensible with money? It would be nice to see more from what i work hard for as its just frustrating i get just as much out of £1400 a month as i did from £850, as odd as it sounds !


----------



## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Why not transfer £550 into an online savings account as soon as you get paid? Then live off the £850 :thumb:


----------



## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

I'd setup a savings account with your bank and transfer in say £50-100 per month and just treat it like all your other direct debits that you cant miss it


----------



## georgey2011 (Oct 24, 2011)

Sounds like a plan! Cheers


----------



## georgey2011 (Oct 24, 2011)

Will_G said:


> I'd setup a savings account with your bank and transfer in say £50-100 per month and just treat it like all your other direct debits that you cant miss it


Ive done this for next month seeing as the pension is shocking in my job. Ive set up £200 to go out each month on payday into an ISA ive got. :thumb:


----------



## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

DD into a saving account is a good idea.

Plan meals and buy your food when you are not hungry... even better, do it online, quick, easy and it gets delivered to your door! 

Look at your diet at the same time... fast food is minging and really bad for you.... would you buy a Ferrari and put regular fuel in it?!? no, of course not... so why fill your body with processed s***t?!?!?!

Have a real look at what you are buying... do you "need" it, or just "want" it...

Nothing wrong with wanting things, but I normally give it 48 hours to see if that want passes...

If you really do need it, then make sure you are getting the best deal....

:thumb:


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Me and Louise spend £700+ a month in Tesco - to feed the two of us! We have gone to Online shopping as most of it was crap.


----------



## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

OvlovMike said:


> Me and Louise spend £700+ a month in Tesco - to feed the two of us! We have gone to Online shopping as most of it was crap.


please tell me your joking!! :doublesho


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Wish I was. Trouble is you can go in and spend £50, and still come out with nothing, relatively speaking. Went in the other night for milk and ham, spent £40 as I bought some cider, some wine, some Southern Comfort, some sauces, some carrots, some Ciabattas... And I still need to go back today for eggs and bread flour!


----------



## Osarkon (Feb 20, 2011)

Will_G said:


> I'd setup a savings account with your bank and transfer in say £50-100 per month and just treat it like all your other direct debits that you cant miss it


This is the best way I can think of to do it. :thumb:


----------



## GR33N (Apr 5, 2009)

Most people live to what they earn, so the only way you can cut your spending is to cut your income, or cut your visible income by saving it as other people have said :thumb:


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

OvlovMike said:


> Wish I was. Trouble is you can go in and spend £50, and still come out with nothing, relatively speaking. Went in the other night for milk and ham, spent £40 as I bought some cider, some wine, some Southern Comfort, some sauces, some carrots, some Ciabattas... And I still need to go back today for eggs and bread flour!


Is that *some* southern comfort each day?


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

The Cueball said:


> DD into a saving account is a good idea.
> 
> Plan meals and buy your food when you are not hungry... even better, do it online, quick, easy and it gets delivered to your door!
> 
> ...


What if I want to buy some wine for say an anniversary, bit difficult explaining it two days later 

Ready meals are expensive, tasteless and full of crap.


----------



## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

OvlovMike said:


> Wish I was. Trouble is you can go in and spend £50, and still come out with nothing, relatively speaking. Went in the other night for milk and ham, spent £40 as I bought some cider, some wine, some Southern Comfort, some sauces, some carrots, some Ciabattas... And I still need to go back today for eggs and bread flour!


Tell me about it. We spend a fortune at the supermarket each month and still struggle to work out what we're going to cook each day. Thank god for our free canteen at work :thumb:


----------



## ShiningScotsman (Jun 20, 2012)

SteveyG said:


> Tell me about it. We spend a fortune at the supermarket each month and still struggle to work out what we're going to cook each day. Thank god for our free canteen at work :thumb:


Yeah I can relate totally to this......confusing how it seems to happen :wall:


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

budget is my philosophy.

Set a excel spreadsheet up of what your income as how much money you spend per month on petrol, insurance, tax and spending money, how much saved for holidays each month etc, and stick to it and i find myself alot more better off, especially at year end when insurance is due as on my apprentice wage were i earn about 800 a month i find myself with 300 left over to do what i want with as insurance generally cones down.


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Yeah, we've done that and have £1800 left at the end of every month according to the spreadsheet.

Unfortunately we don't.


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

OvlovMike said:


> Yeah, we've done that and have £1800 left at the end of every month according to the spreadsheet.
> 
> Unfortunately we don't.


You funny, obviously you have to be sensible about it and then from my experience and others i know do it have a much better lifestyle rather than living month by month.

Also REALISTIC is the key no pointing unrealistic figures.


----------



## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

OvlovMike said:


> Yeah, we've done that and have £1800 left at the end of every month according to the spreadsheet.
> 
> Unfortunately we don't.


If it's too complex tracking every penny go back and start tracking cash - only pay in cash and take out £100 or £200 at a time? Spreadsheets are good - but only if you do them properly :wave:


----------



## Will_G (Jan 23, 2012)

Bero said:


> If it's too complex tracking every penny go back and start tracking cash - only pay in cash and take out £100 or £200 at a time? Spreadsheets are good - but only if you do them properly :wave:


I think this is a good one, its all too easy spending on cards these days then you log onto your bank and think hmm where has it all gone. With cash you'll soon realise how much you're handing over.

I've done a spreadsheet of my spending and its helped. I've found though that I probably underestimated the small things like lunch at work.

As for spending in the supermarket you have to know what you're going in for otherwise you'll just end up buying loads and not knowing what you want to do with it all. As said before ready meals can cost a fortune just for convenience and they dont taste as good as doing it yourself


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Even with card purchases, im building my credit rating so got a credit card and use it like a debit card and when i spend money on it i draw the money out and put it in a clip ready for when my bill cones then go pay it off, and i pay for everything on it, petrol, clothes, meals and if you get a credit card like mine where you collect points and get vouchers for amazon or something its a bonus


----------



## shonajoy (Jan 27, 2009)

We spend about £200 a week on food for a family of four- two teenagers who eat constantly. Save money by putting a large amount into our pension scheme as the company match it and it's a great deal, and overpay our mortgage so we have no savings as such, but our mortgage will be paid off in two years when we are 45. We rarely have takeaways, and cook all food from scratch which is better anyway. We don't pay up anything use cash or,debit cards for everything- I got into trouble with a credit card a few years back and never again. We pay for cars with cash.

We have done a few things on interest free credit if we have a good deal, but putting any extra into our mortgage has served us well.


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

shonajoy said:


> We spend about £200 a week on food for a family of four- two teenagers who eat constantly. Save money by putting a large amount into our pension scheme as the company match it and it's a great deal, and overpay our mortgage so we have no savings as such, but our mortgage will be paid off in two years when we are 45. We rarely have takeaways, and cook all food from scratch which is better anyway. We don't pay up anything use cash or,debit cards for everything- I got into trouble with a credit card a few years back and never again. We pay for cars with cash.
> 
> We have done a few things on interest free credit if we have a good deal, but putting any extra into our mortgage has served us well.


Fair play to you there mate, you've got your head screwed on properly :thumb:


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

rob_vrs said:


> You funny, obviously you have to be sensible about it and then from my experience and others i know do it have a much better lifestyle rather than living month by month.
> 
> Also REALISTIC is the key no pointing unrealistic figures.





Bero said:


> If it's too complex tracking every penny go back and start tracking cash - only pay in cash and take out £100 or £200 at a time? Spreadsheets are good - but only if you do them properly :wave:


I'm living just well thanks, all I'm saying is that no matter what you do in terms of budgeting you will always find a way to spend it if you don't rigorously stick to it. I know full well where it goes - this month I'm waiting for £500 of my expenses to be paid still, takeaways aren't necessarily a bad thing (we do one a week on a Weds or a Thurs as it costs a tenner then for the both of us) and we spent a lot on cycling gear this last month. Spent a fair bit on romantic evenings and last month was pet food month (we buy in bulk) and a trip for meat so it soon sucks it up.

You can't take it with you, so as Shona is doing I'm sticking stuff on mortgage and funding essentials (unfortunately my car is an essential) and 'living well' off the rest. Rate we're going we'll be rid of a mortgage by the time I'm 40, which isn't bad at all!


----------



## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

I echo all the comments about food shopping, I'd often get home from Tesco, end up with cupboards full of food but have nothing to eat :wall: 

I do it most weeks online now, and it makes a difference, none of the spur of the moment purchases (boring!) and you can have a good look at all the so called offers, compare prices at leisure and so on, so despite a delivery charge, I reckon I spend a fair bit less as I buy what I need rather than things I think I want based on some half baked brainwave whilst in the actual shop. I hate shopping anyway, so not wanting to spend any longer in there than I have to, I'd rarely check prices and stuff but just grab and go. 

Which is all very well, but I do have a spending problem elsewhere. I gave up smoking purely to save money as I enjoy smoking a lot, went cold turkey and so far, all has been tickety boo and peachy. Easy even. Can I kick my Amazon habit though? :wall: Books (used ones most of the time, but by no means always) and bits for the camera... I'm waiting on yet another book right now as it happens :wall: I've also got a wish list of camera bits that could easily see off another £200 too. On the one hand, online shopping can be a good thing, on the other, it's too darned easy and tempting.


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Multipla Mick said:


> I echo all the comments about food shopping, I'd often get home from Tesco, end up with cupboards full of food but have nothing to eat :wall:


Indeed, got all manner of stuff in the freezer and cupboards but all I want right now is some breaded chicken! :lol:


----------



## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I married an accountant and my life is a spreadsheet. We have funds for everything but I never have to worry about not finding the money for car insurance. I even have a car modifying fund  we spend a reasonable amount, most on holidays I'd rather spend and enjoy it as there will come a time when you cannot


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

OvlovMike said:


> Indeed, got all manner of stuff in the freezer and cupboards but all I want right now is some breaded chicken! :lol:


Do you have bread? Do you have chicken? Do you have eggs?

If so, you have breaded chicken


----------



## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

RisingPower said:


> Do you have bread? Do you have chicken? Do you have eggs?
> 
> If so, you have breaded chicken


Alright Fanny bleedin' Craddock  that's all very well if you are a cookist and know what to do with your chicken bits, bread and eggs. I wouldn't for a start  I'd end up with a fried egg on a bit of chicken in a sandwich, which actually doesn't sound too bad now I mention it :speechles


----------



## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Transfer your money through to your savings account, in time, it will increase.

It's good to have a budget, it's hard times out there at present.


----------



## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

Cash requires discipline , Learn the discipline and your on your way 

Sadly it's easier said than done

Just because you earn £x doesn't mean you have to spend £x , Learn how to spend £y if you find you are still spending £x after really trying , Then I'd say your living to your means which isn't a bad thing but trying to trim your cloth might be difficult and you may need bigger changes , It really depends what you want to achieve


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Multipla Mick said:


> Alright Fanny bleedin' Craddock  that's all very well if you are a cookist and know what to do with your chicken bits, bread and eggs. I wouldn't for a start  I'd end up with a fried egg on a bit of chicken in a sandwich, which actually doesn't sound too bad now I mention it :speechles


I'd have salmonella, my chickens is all froze.


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Multipla Mick said:


> Alright Fanny bleedin' Craddock  that's all very well if you are a cookist and know what to do with your chicken bits, bread and eggs. I wouldn't for a start  I'd end up with a fried egg on a bit of chicken in a sandwich, which actually doesn't sound too bad now I mention it :speechles


Going by the sound of it, you'd have a fire first 

Really difficult it is mick, make breadcrumbs, dip chicken in egg, then dip in crumbs, stick in oven for 25 minutes 

This is you right?


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

OvlovMike said:


> I'd have salmonella, my chickens is all froze.


Presumably you have a microwave?

http://www.helpwithcooking.com/cooking-poultry/defrosting-poultry.html


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

RisingPower said:


> Presumably you have a microwave?
> 
> http://www.helpwithcooking.com/cooking-poultry/defrosting-poultry.html


I know, I know, but 10 minutes to defrost, 10-20 minutes buggering around with making it breaded, 20 minutes cooking...

I'd have chewed my arm off after that long!


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

OvlovMike said:


> I know, I know, but 10 minutes to defrost, 10-20 minutes buggering around with making it breaded, 20 minutes cooking...
> 
> I'd have chewed my arm off after that long!


10-20 minutes to bread it, is this a piece of art or something? :lol: Try 2 minutes


----------



## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

Keeping a spending diary definitely helps for me, I've got an app on my phone (android) called Easy Money - can have all my different accounts on there (current, savings, credit cards, cash).

I'm also on the Money Saving Expert forum, on one of the boards they have different challenges one that I take part in is the No Spend Days. So for July I've set myself a target of not spending on 12 days. It makes you think more about how much money just gets frittered away on things you don't really need.


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

RisingPower said:


> 10-20 minutes to bread it, is this a piece of art or something? :lol: Try 2 minutes


Would need to blast the bread in the food processor, fanny about with going to get eggs from Tesco as we ran out...


----------



## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

This is quite handy as well https://budgetbrain.moneysavingexpert.com/auth/login


----------



## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

RisingPower said:


> Going by the sound of it, you'd have a fire first
> 
> Really difficult it is mick, make breadcrumbs, dip chicken in egg, then dip in crumbs, stick in oven for 25 minutes
> 
> ...


Might be....  :lol:

Well I'm getting better, I used to eat Divorcee dinners, (ready meals), all the time, but they are crap and way too expensive, so now I cook all my own food  I can fry eggs, bacon and sausages, do oven chips, and fish fingers even. Beans on toast, I can do 'em all. Bleedy good eh? :thumb: And a lot cheaper than before I can tell you 

As for discipline, I haven't got any when it comes to a bit of retail therapy online, I should cut back on my spending though.


----------



## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

It's all about balance with me.

One month, I may spend quite a bit of money, while saving a bit, the next month is very boring and only essentials are bought and everything else is piled into the savings account.

I could do more, my cigarette habit alone costs £200 a month, so that £2400 a year I could have in the bank. Easier said than done unfortunately.

I typically save between £700-£1000 a month.


----------



## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

I am the same as TDK some months I will spend a little more than usual but most months I try and save.


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Multipla Mick said:


> Might be....  :lol:
> 
> Well I'm getting better, I used to eat Divorcee dinners, (ready meals), all the time, but they are crap and way too expensive, so now I cook all my own food  I can fry eggs, bacon and sausages, do oven chips, and fish fingers even. Beans on toast, I can do 'em all. Bleedy good eh? :thumb: And a lot cheaper than before I can tell you
> 
> As for discipline, I haven't got any when it comes to a bit of retail therapy online, I should cut back on my spending though.


Yeees  it's a start I guess


----------



## georgey2011 (Oct 24, 2011)

Jesus 5 pages ! 

I don't eat ready meals.. dont even possess a microwave at present, a lot of it was mcdonalds breakfasts and KFC!

I know the feeling about spending money in Asda etc then getting home and wondering what id bought. many a time ive gone in spent 30 quid come home, had nothing to make a half decent meal with then had to go back 2 days later to buy more bread/rolls for sandwiches plus fillings. I spent £30 friday and i cant remember what on but had to spend another £8 on sandwich stuff for work yesterday. I spent £200 in a week after ,y last wage. im up to £80 at the moment, £60 of that being food and petrol. Come Friday ive got another £30 for my weekly shop, which ill plan a little wiser.

Just be nice to have the odd bit of spare cash to buy myself something with as when you spend every penny you earn and have nothing to show for it, buying yourself ' treats ' just makes you feel guilty.. where as if youve done well and you know where your moneys gone then buying yourself a ' treat' seems more rewarding.


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Will_G said:


> I'd setup a savings account with your bank and transfer in say £50-100 per month and just treat it like all your other direct debits that you cant miss it


Just becomes part of your budget and build up the monthly premium slowley and if get pay rise anytime up it then as won't miss


----------



## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Plan out your meals for the week and buy only what you need and review all your contracts always savings to be made, also any big spending sleep on it


----------



## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

georgey2011 said:


> Jesus 5 pages !
> 
> I don't eat ready meals.. dont even possess a microwave at present, a lot of it was mcdonalds breakfasts and KFC!
> 
> ...


I'm a popular guy 

Couldn't agree more, but it seems you get nothing for hard work in this life, only blackmail, brown nosing and bullcrap.


----------



## ChuckH (Nov 23, 2006)

OvlovMike said:


> Me and Louise spend £700+ a month in Tesco - to feed the two of us! We have gone to Online shopping as most of it was crap.


Errr ....Well Errm.... Well how can I put this ....................................

Are You fat ..................................................................................


----------



## cleancar (Sep 21, 2006)

Draw your cash out for the month so you can look at it at say this is my lot for the month.

Write a menu for food for the week and stick to it so you know what your eating each night


----------



## Huw (Feb 16, 2007)

I do a shop on www.approvedfood.co.uk every two months, usually save £45-50 on the rrp. Purchased one item for 59p that retails at £3.29, actually purchased 12 of them. Mainly buy pasta/rice/sauces etc as well as soft drinks. Sign up for their emails, stock changes daily.


----------



## alexj (Apr 12, 2012)

davies20 said:


> please tell me your joking!! :doublesho


What do you spend, I agree with Mike


----------



## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

alexj said:


> What do you spend, I agree with Mike


Probably about £50-60 at the most a week on food for two adults.
Go to the butchers for meat & grocers for veg & fruit.
Was paying £1 for a big bottle of milk but recently started buying a milk at the grocers which comes from a dairy 2 miles away, costs 50p more but after hearing about the dairy farmers on the news suffering from the supermarket price wars have decided to support them.


----------



## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

for food, I'm around £30 on average per week...obviously there is the "big shop" each month when I need to buy things for the house like washing powder etc... 

:thumb:


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

Natalie said:


> Probably about £50-60 at the most a week on food for two adults.
> Go to the butchers for meat & grocers for veg & fruit.
> Was paying £1 for a big bottle of milk but recently started buying a milk at the grocers which comes from a dairy 2 miles away, costs 50p more but after hearing about the dairy farmers on the news suffering from the supermarket price wars have decided to support them.


More fool you, as the supermarkets are some of the few that are actually paying the dairy farmers well :wall:


----------



## sladey (Jul 28, 2012)

I write down each months earnings once I know (I find out a week before payday) and then write down and take off all the usuals including over budgeting for petrol and food

I then have say £900 for example of which I say £300 to my ISA for example and £150 per week for spends IN CASH drawn each week

This is an example but I generally find the process works and I may have money left over at the end.


----------



## Deanoecosse (Mar 15, 2007)

OvlovMike said:


> Me and Louise spend £700+ a month in Tesco - to feed the two of us! We have gone to Online shopping as most of it was crap.


£700+?? are you a sumo wrestler? We're under £500 for a family of 4 plus a big labrador.
Just out of interest for comparisons sake, £700ish would pay a £140k mortgage!


----------



## Caledoniandream (Oct 9, 2009)

Deanoecosse said:


> £700+?? are you a sumo wrestler? We're under £500 for a family of 4 plus a big labrador.
> Just out of interest for comparisons sake, £700ish would pay a £140k mortgage!


I dont know how far that out is, i dont think its that extreme. 
we shop every week for the 2 of us and its mostimes around GBP 120.00
this includes everything washing powder, meat, bread, crisps, juice etc. etc. 
we both dont drink so there is no beer, wine or spirit in it, neither does any of us smoke.
A lot of people say to me "I only spend let say GBP 50,- per week in the supermarket", but than they forget the cornershop, the butcher,the baker, their ****, booze, etc.
we are not going very often for our dinner, so the 120 quid is our spent and that is it.
If people put al these figurs on the table what they really spend one week, you will be shocked
Our biggest saving is to go only once a week to the shop, we make a rough planning what we want to eat this week, so we dont have to go back. 
I don't know about somebody else, but if i been in the shop i see always something what i also would like, so i go in for a loaf and come out with 20 quid worth of shopping. :lol::lol:
our best way is make a plan for the week, write it down and stick to it. 
buy good quality than you have to throw less away, and if you make a decent tasty lunch for work, you are not so tempted to spend any money in the greasy spoon or canteen. 
i put bread in the freezer and take out what i need and make it for lunch, its defrosted in a couple orf minutes and still feels fresh.


----------



## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

As said above, it's going in for (today, for example):

Carrot
Mustard
Ham
Double Cream
Apples

However I'm also going to get (because I want to):
Malibu (well, Cococabana, as it's the same **** but a fraction of the price) - I need a drink after yesterday!
Lamb Chops - Lou has been eyeing up some for a while for dinner as she's never really had any, despite us having 30 chicken breasts and 4kg of beef mince in the house.
A couple of beers
A couple of cider
A couple of desserts

My <£10 shop has suddenly just turned into a >£30 shop...


----------



## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

OvlovMike said:


> More fool you, as the supermarkets are some of the few that are actually paying the dairy farmers well :wall:


It's small local dairy I think about 80 cattle and only supply a few shops in the area.
I hope they aren't getting "robbed" by the shops that sell their milk.
I've emailed them to ask how much of the money they see of the shop's price though.



Caledoniandream said:


> A lot of people say to me "I only spend let say GBP 50,- per week in the supermarket", but than they forget the cornershop, the butcher,the baker, their ****, booze, etc.
> we are not going very often for our dinner, so the 120 quid is our spent and that is it.


I think our average is £25 in the SM and the rest is in the local shops. Admittedly we do buy things like detergent & fabric softener, loo rolls & kitchen roll in bulk at Makro so not something we buy on a regular basis.


----------

