I thought about it but initial outlay and my council has strict rules on what you can burn
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Looked at bio ethanol fires but ads say they not suitable as main heat source just occasional use.
Also curious about oil radiators do they cost less than electric heater as they need plugging in and assume oil need refill.
wanted to buy electric blankets this summer.
already brought hot water bottles in the sale.
The issue we have is we use more electricity than gas.
Electricity costs more than gas.
Different areas of country have varying standing charges so electricity standing charge in Wales and South west is higher than London.
This month's been tough I wanted to start uniform shopping early spread the cost.
However I forgot that water bill was due we pay twice a year and prefer that as income variable so on low paid months helps to have less bills.
I did buy £40 2nd hand uniform for child 2 but child 3 and 4 start new schools this September so need go dreaded uniform shop and asda/ matalan find best generic stuff plus 3 new pairs of school shoes could set me back £150.
We just been sent a unexpected tax bill for 2k I don't understand we already paid £1300 tax at start of the year.
We only self assess for travel component millage might have pay accountant to look at it as makes no sense .
Worried about energy we currently pay £266 with octopus but they wanted £350 direct debit in April and we said no thats excessive.
We slowly into credit over summer but Martin Lewis saying we could be paying over 400 shocked me.
We with octopus and they really good company so reluctant to change but can't see a a way to fix with them .
I think 1 tyre needs replacing on car.
Car insurance due this month
Pet insurance next month we have a saving as no buses/ school dinners or breakfast club for the kids .
Not doing well paying down the credit card.
Now youngest starts school September been costing up childcare options as we really need the 2nd income.
Breakfast and after school club is £15 a day and holiday club around £20.
Teenager is moaning we not going on holiday most of her freinds and wealthy and all going abroad.
Shes just got herself a part time job although we still pay for phone, bus pass to school and school related expenses she pays for casual clothes and in 6th form she can wear what she likes.
We only run 1 car and even thats expensive.
Clean air zone being brought in autumn means £9 enter city centre we can't afford change to no newer non diesel car and sons new school is in the zone as are all the hospitals.
Just can't catch a break this year as hard as I try.
I really am shopping around to keep food costs down and do mix reductions/ offers/ magic bags.
I cook from scratch mostly.
Lilds constantly has no stock.
Aldi and morrisions gone up again
The one that shocked me most was Morrisions value pasta.
Value spagetti used be 20p and penne 29p.
Then aldi changed their up to 23p and 32p.
Morrisions hiked up to 30p and 45p.
I was fearful aldi would so same but they haven't.
I looked in big tesco and they reduced range pasta and saw no value pasta at all.
I did get exited to find cheap nooodles as they been missing off the shelves for ages and 12 year old doesn't like super noodles.
They were 29p each so got 2 whole cases.
I missed the tesco big shop in June so had not been since May and so much had gone up.
Only thing can think if that's stayed the same is squash maybe and bourban biscuits.
Also value choc still 30p bar tesco now 33p aldi and 36p morrisions.
I use to male rice krispie cakes as cheap snack.
I do 1 huge shop at tesco this year every month but missed June.
This month we spent £217 just in tesco i wouldn't do my whole entire shop in there but as large family its cheapest for soft drinks/ cheap biscuits/ cereals own brand and some dried pantry items and tins.
Some if frozen quite competitive fresh expensive.
Non foods with club card deals is quite competitive on nonfood example plastic plant pots and windows boxes cheaper than b&m.
The cashier must look at me strange with whole cases of noodles, biscuits/ 30 boxes cereals but I don't care.
My shop in cupboard under stairs is now full and I'm stockpiling some long life grocery and items that keep rising to keep food bills lower in autumn and winter.
The plan was drastically cut back over sept/ oct and nov and use money saved to pay the credit card.
We are overpaying council tax we usually pay over 10months but paying in 7 so by October when energy rise happens thats one less bill as have mot nov xmas then jan another tax bill as have to pay % child benefit back as exceeded earning threshold due to covid and non essential being shut and reopen April 2021 screwed us as sales were up that tax year
Jan and feb also fairly low paid months.
We usually buy as much reduced as we can dec and live in that in jan.
I did pick up a free freezer off market place so now have 4 freezer which sounds excessive but I can fill them all.
The grow my own project not super successful.
Must spent least £200 on veg plants as hardly any seeds took.
We have an allotment and we decide do container garden at back and waste of space front yard.
The containers are doing better than allotment veg.
We had good strawberry and redcurrant harvest but raspberries disappointing.
Something ahs ate all my spinach, a few lettuces and sweetcorn / squashes.
But my tomatoes are looking promising not ready yet.
We really have tried this year with growing but debatable see if saved much.
But I was working on possibility of shops being short on veg due to biometrics testing between uk and eu coming in which will slow down ports.
Buying clothes/ books and toys 2nd hand in jumble sales and charity shops
Hardly buy any brand new.
With 2nd income im seriously tempted get is private healthcare as almost impossible access a GP.
Luckily I stockpiled lft tests before they stopped the free ones so we ok in that respect.
Husband really needs some dental work we need to save more but seems impossible right now as we always in our overdraft.
Added it all up we £200 worse off since April per month possibly more with £70 energy rise and £50+national insurance plus rising fuel so probably not including fuel in that.
Struggling get dog the only food he likes at decent price.
I set £600 a month grocery budget for 6 people so £150 per week or 100 per person which works out £3.33 per day each for 3 meals snacks and drinks.
But that £600 also includes bathroom items, cleaning items and pet food so take those away its maybe £80 per person.
Annoyed I dode t stock pile deodorant as that's gone up.
We are eating more pasta and less meat.
Its frustrating try so hard and feel like getting now where.
Also takes so much time shop around and cook to try and get savings ib food how I will balance that with work not sure.
Might have do more regular batch cooking again.
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Do as I say…
its just so expensive