As many of you know, I am a keen money saver. A dramatic change in budget after I gave up full time work after Kieran was born meant I had to look very closely at my budget and basically pull my head out of the sand. I very soon realised that I’d become complacent when it came to bills, often just accepting the first price given and getting on with it. I wince now to think of how much I could have saved over the years!
Since then I have altered my spending and money awareness a lot! I now have a proper monthly budget to work from. This is a realistic budget which includes money for things such as birthday and treats, the small spends that you make without thinking but which can really add up over a month.
Food has always been a huge expenditure, and never more costly than what it is now! I do a meal plan for the week to incorporate leftovers and do one weekly online shop (excluding meat which I get from the local market) buying everything I need for 7 days. Even the milk and bread I buy in bulk and freeze it as I’m very aware that a quick top up shop for bread always seem to cost £25` (This is one of life’s mysteries, I’ve no idea how I always get so close to £25 when going to spend £1!).
Every six months I do a review of all my outgoings, for example, like using a comparison site to compare car insurance. Armed with the best rates I then know I have access to, I ring my providers, moving if I need to, ensuring that I get the best service at the best price. There really is no excuse to be paying over the odds nowadays when the info to help you save is literally there with a click of a mouse!
We save. Sounds silly but with so many people relying on credit in these tough times, saving for something seems to have become a forgotten art! We have recently returned from holiday; theme park tickets which would have cost £80+ were paid for with Tesco Rewards using my vouchers, the food, treats and petrol from money saved since January and the accommodation (a Travelodge), I booked at the beginning of the year in the sale, using money left over from our Xmas budget! A fantastic holiday that we enjoyed all the more knowing that we wouldn’t be left penniless for the rest of the month on our return!
My eyes have been well and truly opened when it comes to money over the past five years and it’s become a personal challenge almost to cut spending without cutting back on quality or depriving ourselves. I get satisfaction out of knowing that I’ve saved money! Have you had to change your budget dramatically? How did you find it? Do you have any money-saving tips to share?
I have received remuneration for the post however my views are still true and my own. To see more about this see my disclosure page.