Advice on budgeting

[smellsofbiscuits]

Hello,

There have been quite a few threads on creating (and sticking) to budgets but many don't seem to have been updated recently.

We are regularly going over budget each month but have had the luxury of savings to top up with. Life circumstances mean that we may not have this luxury long term and I'd prefer to start cutting our current outgoings as much as we can.

I'd like this thread to be a place for those of us who are *doing okish* with finances but could do with some encouragement to creating and sticking to a monthly budget.

Let's see if this thread sinks like a rock or floats
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First of all, I'm cutting back on my subscription services that including magazines and my phone bill. It's been straight forward enough to cancel the magazines. Unfortunately I'm locked into my phone contract for another year Even if I move to another provider, I'd still need to pay my current one the remainder of my contract in full.

I'm trying to curb my Vinted subscription - haha! Got some parcels arriving next week and then going to reign it in by sticking to selling only.

Next step is to look at our joint spending account to see if there's anything else we can cut back on. Disney + is looming high there methinks.

 

[Rosie glow]

We have been cutting things back too on the subscriptions , we called sky and got a reduction on our package, cut out aa as that kept going up we have paid in for 3 years and never used it canceled Disney + if I don't start using netfix more I going to cancel that too changed my house insurance to a cheaper company will do same again with car insurance when it's due its surprising how much you can save by cutting out a few things you really don't use much

 

[neverbeeninfluenced]

We’re in a similar position.
I keep looking at our food shopping but even though I do things like meal plan and shop mainly in budget shops it just keeps getting more expensive.

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

We’re in a similar position.
I keep looking at our food shopping but even though I do things like meal plan and shop mainly in budget shops it just keeps getting more expensive.

I just don't get how meal planning saves money at times. My shop always seems to go up by 20-30 pounds more when I meal plan

One small change I made was buying 3 loaves of bread in my weekly shop and sticking two in the freezer. That was after discovering that our mid week trip to the corner shop "just for bread" was running extremely high. Turns out we were buying a lot more than bread on those trips.
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We have been cutting things back too on the subscriptions , we called sky and got a reduction on our package, cut out aa as that kept going up we have paid in for 3 years and never used it canceled Disney + if I don't start using netfix more I going to cancel that too changed my house insurance to a cheaper company will do same again with car insurance when it's due its surprising how much you can save by cutting out a few things you really don't use much

Thank you - this post inspired us to cancel Disney +. We've kept Netflix as we share it with my parents. They provide childcare one day a week so the extra £5 we're paying on our account is offset by the £50 per day charge for childcare

Spotify also offer a Duo account aimed at 2 person households and costs £13.99pcm. Unfortunately see above for why we need to stick to our current Premium account!

Being very strong with Vinted Although this hot weather and needing to find cheap work friendly clothing might break me!

 

[neverbeeninfluenced]

I just don't get how meal planning saves money at times. My shop always seems to go up by 20-30 pounds more when I meal plan

One small change I made was buying 3 loaves of bread in my weekly shop and sticking two in the freezer. That was after discovering that our mid week trip to the corner shop "just for bread" was running extremely high. Turns out we were buying a lot more than bread on those trips.
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Thank you - this post inspired us to cancel Disney +. We've kept Netflix as we share it with my parents. They provide childcare one day a week so the extra £5 we're paying on our account is offset by the £50 per day charge for childcare

Spotify also offer a Duo account aimed at 2 person households and costs £13.99pcm. Unfortunately see above for why we need to stick to our current Premium account!

Being very strong with Vinted Although this hot weather and needing to find cheap work friendly clothing might break me!

Oh good idea about the bread, I’m always nipping to the shop for one thing and coming out with more.
do you sell on Vinted? I’ve built myself up a little savings pot selling the stuff that no longer fits

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

Oh good idea about the bread, I’m always nipping to the shop for one thing and coming out with more.
do you sell on Vinted? I’ve built myself up a little savings pot selling the stuff that no longer fits

I do sell but have worked out that I've spent more than I've made Trouble is I'm quite fussy about clothes and I find it's good for finding items I like. Well done for building up a savings pot!

Handbags and kids' stuff with tags still on seems to do well for me

 

[neverbeeninfluenced]

I do sell but have worked out that I've spent more than I've made Trouble is I'm quite fussy about clothes and I find it's good for finding items I like. Well done for building up a savings pot!

Handbags and kids' stuff with tags still on seems to do well for me

All kids stuff sells well for me. I was having a sort out and put some used but good condition pj’s on and they went within 10 mins. I fished some not so good ones out of the charity bag and they went as quickly. Bonkers!

 

[boomska]

I know the last post was in 2023 but I’m hoping to ask for advice but how the duck is people coping with how expensive everything is if you’re a single person?

I’m currently living with a friend so my bills are low (£600pcm) but I do want to live by myself in a year but then I think how expensive rent is, bills, and then what if my car goes, I couldn’t afford one out right so that’s a loan so that’s £150 down the drain, gotta live, eat, enjoy life it’ll be easier if I had a partner but nooo.