“Creatures of habit” that’s what we are and shopping is a
habit that is there to be broken!!!!. Just
to say I have been there and got the T shirt when it comes to saving and achieving,
My husband and I set out to pay off our mortgage…………..and we did, we paid off
our 25 year mortgage in 9 years!!! We now are doing the same with a second
property and planning to pay off a £100,000 mortgage in 6
years!!!.............yes we are shoveling money into it, no we are not living
on stale bread and beans on toast, we have all the clothes we need and we run 2
cars, have 2 holidays a year, and we eat out so all in all life is not
miserable.
So what don’t we have??
Credit cards, mobile contracts, extortionate trips to the
pictures, we don’t smoke, or for that matter drink much, I don’t buy magazines,
or fake tans or fake nails, and as my hair is, and almost always has been long,
I don’t have massive hairdresser bills, I do get it highlighted twice a year
though!!.
If you are serious about saving money you have to really want it. Do some maths and see for yourself what your
habits cost……a Coffee “treat” on the way to work at say “£2.00” a day, times 5
days a week for say 40 weeks (to allow for hols, sick not feeling like coffee
days etc) means a treat of £400 pounds a year!!!! Do that maths and much more besides and you
will soon see where your money is going!
There are tonnes of hints and tips on the internet about saving money,
so I am not going to go listing them all here but do think about some of the
following:-
Next time a renewal letter arrives (breakdown cover is a
classic!! – we have saved tonnes of money by making just one phone call a
year!!) ring said company up, ask why the price increase……….tell them you are
considering moving company’s as the increase is unreasonable………wait for the renegotiation!!! This even works for TV packages
I mentioned the pictures earlier………..well here’s the thing,
I USED to love a family trip to the pictures, but now it’s nothing but a
trauma, not only do you pay a ridiculous amount to watch a film in a big room, that’s
not even guaranteed to be warm, but you have to put up with inconsiderate rude
people, who let their kids run to the toilet or concessions stand every 2 minutes
whilst they use their mobiles to catch up on their social lives. Not anymore, it’s far cheaper and less
stressful to buy the DVD, make some popcorn at home, or buy a big bag if making
it isn’t your thing (don’t get me started on the price they get away with
charging for popcorn!!!) and get drinks at a fraction of the cost, turn off the
phone……….erm yes we DO turn off the phones – all of them!!!! Draw the curtains
and crank up the volume a bit, even the dog joins in which he can’t when we go
out – far more cosy, enjoyable and cheaper too.
Heating (ours is gas)……….now this is a biggie, we have a log
burner in our living room so we use our central heating as little as possible,
even in the winter……….we have 2 teenagers and all their lives we have
encouraged family time, so actually, they are happy to spend time in a room
with us. The heating isn’t on during
the day on week days (even though I am home 2 days a week………..I just get
layered up if it’s cold). We have a 3
oil radiators, and draft excluders for every door (Old house with chimneys),
blankets we warm the house up for going to bed, use hot
water bottles and wheat bags in the beds and within reason do all we can to
keep the costs down whilst keeping everybody happy
DRYING CLOTHES OUTSIDE IS FREE!!! – sorry to shout but I
know so many people who now just shove everything in the dryer….I have solar
panels and still dry outside!!!!
Plan your menus, make a list, and stick to it!! Fresh food
is cheaper than ready meals……….Get a slow cooker and use it, cheap to run, meat
falls apart and is delicious and juicy, and it’s ready when you get in from
work – no brainer!!!
Don’t go shopping!!!...........unless you really need to! money
stays in your purse a lot longer if you aren’t near a till!!! – If you are
really bad at adding extra things to the trolley that you really don’t need,
shop online, yes you pay for delivery but you don’t end up spending money you
didn’t intent to………and you don’t have all those extra calories hanging around
the house that now need eating up!!!!!
Internet/ebay, look there first before you pay shop prices…….market
stalls don’t have massive overheads – check out the fruit and veg, not only is
it cheaper than the shops but often fresher too, as stall holders don’t have
massive great warehouses to store stuff.
Lots have people say it but how many do it…………Ask yourself “Do
I need it” before you buy……….be honest, if you are really serious about saving
money, you will know what is needed and what is a waste.
OK lecture over……….relax!!
