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I have one idea for the thread. Takeaways. So within our household, we have had illness, disability, several other things happen, including at one point a broken freezer/cooker combo, which resulted in Takeaways becoming a short-term fix.
In reality, they become a constant and for almost 2 years in total.
I got sick of craving home cooked food and realised we were in this loop of debt. We bought rubbish because we lacked a freezer and cooker, but we couldn't afford to replace them because we wasted so much cash on takeaways
So, I managed to look in the freecycle pages of our local area (in the UK and these are where folk can give away, totally free, items they no longer want or need). I found a small freezer that had been used as a temp solution for someone getting a new fitted kitchen.
This got me started on gathering some food together, that could be cooked in a slow cooker (that I found in the back of one of my cupboards, new and still in the box).
I then kept an empty hot choc bottle (that it comes in) and made a slot in the top. As this bottle is milky in colour, you can't see in. Each time we avoided buying a takeaway, I asked family to write what they would have had and using the menu, write the amount next to it.
Meanwhile, I moved the money into a savings account, rather than spend it.
At the end of the first year, having ceased buying cups of coffee and doughnuts, no more McD's breakfasts, no lunches/dinners etc., we tipped out our pot and read the amount we had saved in that year.
I was horrified, sickened and shocked to know we had wasted almost £8,190 More than enough to buy a new freezer, cooker and even probably a whole new kitchen
The following year, using the money saved in the account, we bought two large freezers, a new cooker (double oven and hob) and lots of containers to store food. We bulk cook, freeze and where possible, use deals to buy larger items and split them into smaller bags in the freezer.
We have less wastage and everyone has agreed, there is more choice, everyone is full and we are still saving money. I've also noticed everyone has lost weight, looks healthier and has more energy, thanks to ditching the cheaper option foods we had become used to.
Hope this helps someone to save a little more and put it towards their bills.
In reality, they become a constant and for almost 2 years in total.
I got sick of craving home cooked food and realised we were in this loop of debt. We bought rubbish because we lacked a freezer and cooker, but we couldn't afford to replace them because we wasted so much cash on takeaways
So, I managed to look in the freecycle pages of our local area (in the UK and these are where folk can give away, totally free, items they no longer want or need). I found a small freezer that had been used as a temp solution for someone getting a new fitted kitchen.
This got me started on gathering some food together, that could be cooked in a slow cooker (that I found in the back of one of my cupboards, new and still in the box).
I then kept an empty hot choc bottle (that it comes in) and made a slot in the top. As this bottle is milky in colour, you can't see in. Each time we avoided buying a takeaway, I asked family to write what they would have had and using the menu, write the amount next to it.
Meanwhile, I moved the money into a savings account, rather than spend it.
At the end of the first year, having ceased buying cups of coffee and doughnuts, no more McD's breakfasts, no lunches/dinners etc., we tipped out our pot and read the amount we had saved in that year.
I was horrified, sickened and shocked to know we had wasted almost £8,190 More than enough to buy a new freezer, cooker and even probably a whole new kitchen
The following year, using the money saved in the account, we bought two large freezers, a new cooker (double oven and hob) and lots of containers to store food. We bulk cook, freeze and where possible, use deals to buy larger items and split them into smaller bags in the freezer.
We have less wastage and everyone has agreed, there is more choice, everyone is full and we are still saving money. I've also noticed everyone has lost weight, looks healthier and has more energy, thanks to ditching the cheaper option foods we had become used to.
Hope this helps someone to save a little more and put it towards their bills.
£3K paid in just shy of a year, when I first started it seemed impossible but I'm finally here. Take this as your sign it is going to happen for you all too. Thank you all for the support I've received throughout.
there was once a point where I genuinely didn't think I'd get here. I was hoping to have paid it off last month or this month but Xmas and my birthday happened so 
got an expensive month next month so may be looking at March time but even so that's not far and actually achievable 
but then the cycle repeats. Probably sounds silly but I get worse during seasons changing, probably because this is when all the new bits come out in the shops. I’m definitely always worse when we are low on funds - especially takeaways etc, my partner is the same.
but I thought I'd share as it might resonate with you a little 
final push now, I have 4x £300 payments and 1x £100 left to make. I’ve also managed to open a savings account which currently stands at £1250. Looking back to when I joined this thread up to my eyeballs in it, it felt like this would never come, and I believe the government have signed off the nhs payrise so that’s a massive help
