Where can I save money?

Former Member

I'm going through my accounts with a fine tooth comb because I really need to find an extra £200 a month for my assistance dog and travel up to Birmingham to see the man every other weekend or so. Has anyone got any interesting ideas about how to save some money? I thought about cutting out some things like my house insurance and lovefilm but I get so much use out of love film and it would be just my luck with the house insurance. I'm thinking of selling some stuff on eBay but I don't have much of a reputation and I've managed to get myself well into my (interest free but all the same!) overdraft too, and I'd like to build up a little savings too.

Any ideas? I'm looking on MSE but I'm not getting anywhere!

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Former Member

I wouldnt worry about the reputation thing on ebay. Do you get the emails through about free listing weekends? I always have stuff to sell so every now and then I take photos of the stuff and write the blurb ready. Then when i hear about free listing days I just copy and paste all the info in and start selling

Former Member

Can you cut anything out of your food shopping? Even if it's just switching to a cheaper brand.

Former Member

Hey
It's different for everyone when it comes to saving money as we all have different spending habits.

I like this blog and this particular article with 100 great tips for saving money - http://www.thesimpledollar.com/little-steps-100-great-tips-for-saving-money-for-those-just-getting-started/

Check it out.

Former Member

Melian wrote: »

Can you cut anything out of your food shopping? Even if it's just switching to a cheaper brand.

I buy own brands as it is, most of the time I'm shopping at Aldi so I'm not sure how much more I can cut out there.

Former Member

I don't smoke, I buy almost all my clothes from charity shops, I get most of my stuff on freecycle, I can't move to a cheaper area, I can't downsize, I'm not sure what else I can do?

Former Member

Have you made a list of where every single penny goes? You may find you can make savings that way.

Former Member

Pretty much - a lot of my money goes on petrol in my PAs car which is a gas guzzler so I've decided I'm only going to pay her a mileage instead - I put half the petrol into my mums car that I do hers and it does twice the mileage on it. It's not fair I should pay for her choice to drive an inefficient car.

I do need to go through things with a fine tooth comb - but I'm pretty sure there's no major savings to be made there. I'm just going to have to put loads of stuff on eBay and possibly ditch the idea of getting the dog

Danny!

Hey Miss_Riot

Just a few more ideas:

Bills? Can you hunt around for cheaper energy bills, and maybe get cashback for switching? Mobile phone - there are some really cheap deals if you're not tied in to a contract.

Focus groups? The online surveys often don't pay much, but could be a bit extra if you have time. And the face-to-face ones are irregular, but pay a lot and it's often cash.

Benefits check? It's always worth making sure you're getting everything you're entitled to. Use an online calculator, or see your local CAB.

I often use MSE when I need to save money!

Former Member

I've just cut my phone and net to 30 a month with TV and my mobile to 18 a month. I'm getting my disabled persons railcard, I'm going to looking at seeing if I can lower my gas/elec bill

Former Member

Best starting point is probably to get a really tight handle on what you currently spend money on, bearing in mind that lots of little bits here and there can start to add up pretty rapidly.

Word of warning on switching your PA onto mileage rather than petrol - do the number crunching and see what it looks like the difference will be. Even on my boy racer car, I used to make money out of claiming mileage from work rather than petrol because most mileage allowances factor in other running costs.

How much driving does your PA really do for you? And how much do they need to do? Is there the potential for better planning to allow you to cut down the mileage?

Former Member

The trick is not to get into the mindset of, well I need this, and I need this and I need this etc. If there is any scope to reduce spending all round, then it is surely better to do that then cut harshly in one area. I genuinely rang up to cancel my newspaper subscription as I was going to go somewhere else for cheaper, they knocked half the cost off for 4 months. Could be worth getting in touch with some companies and seeing what they might be able to do?

Former Member

The problem is in my household bills - which is £50 a month more due bedroom tax even though i have an overnight carer but thats a tory government for you. I thought i cut it down but i cant find wiggle room without switching suppliers. She would be vastly losing out with mileage (she drives a v reg automatic honda civic and drives like a racing driver) and cos everything is on the outskirts of town and i don't have the energy to do it all in one go often plans often dont go to plan. i dont have much asides the basic utilities but things like private physio kill me financially but i just wouldn't get it on the NHS and it helps me be in less pain!

Former Member

It's still worth checking the maths - I assume that you only pay for the petrol the she uses driving for you at the moment?

I drive a 12 year old Subaru Imprezza Turbo. Will depend on the mileage rate though.

Sounds like it's time to start keeping full accounts of everything you spend on, and maybe make some calls as to what will give you the most value. e.g. if you had a choice between physio and dog, which would be better.

Former Member

At the moment she gets paid £20 a month petrol and tbh I don't think she does anywhere near that much driving. I did pay for her to have lessons so she could drive our new more efficient car which is also a manual and has the adaptations I need to get my wheelchair in it but she decided after I paid for her licence to be changed and the lessons that she didn't want to do it.

Former Member

After watching the latest series of House of Cards on Netflix, I have cancelled my subscription and taken to buying cheap kindle books instead. Netflix is excellent value for what you get, but its still £6 a month.

Former Member

£20/month at 25p/mile is 80 miles. Or 20 miles a week. Or five trips to something 2 miles away a week.

Former Member

2 trips a week max really!