Credit Crunch... What are you doing to beat it?

[happy-chick]

This has probably been posted before but just wondered what people are now doing to save money and beat the credit crunch? Thought it might be a good idea to share money saving tips etc? I've posted this in here so that more see it

We've been doing the following to save money:

• * Shopping around for things rather than buying all from the supermarket, things like veg, fruit, cleaning products etc.
  * Planning means so that we make the most of our food.
  * Less eating out/ takeaways lol
  * We now turn all plugs off that arent being used during the day and everything at night. We turn lights off where we can and save eletricity.
  * We are trying to use our heating efficiently but still working on that one!
  * Using less of things, like washing powder etc. I used to just pour it in but now i'm careful.
  * We're trying to recycle and reuse everything that we can so nothing goes to waste.
  * FREECYCLE! Its amazing we've saved loads by getting stuff off there that other people no longer need, we've also given lots away.
  * Walking if we can so that we save petrol, although this isnt often admittedly
  * Selling things that we have hanging around doing nothing.
  * Buying some things second hand rather than new.
  * Making things rather than buying.

Im sure there's lots more, will add as I think of anything! So what have you been doing, lets share tips so we can all try and save some money

 

[Jade&Evie]

I've been walking everywhere- looking forward to the summer now because I enjoy walking

 

[helsekia]

i guess planning a weeks meals in advance is the main thing.kiara takes pack up instead of school dinners,OH takes pack up a well now instead of paying £4 a day for sandwiches!we only use the car during the weekdays for school runs and 1 trip to tesco a week.we dont have takeaways very often but i make my own curry and stuff instead in fact most meals i make from scratch.when the family allowance comes each month i go and buy a months supply of milk,nappies,wipes,kids toiletries and anything left over usually buys the kids some clothes.this way i dont have to buy nappies ec out of my weekly shopping money.

 

[NICCI]

nothing
i need to though, im gonna watch this thread and get some ideas from you lovlies

 

[Minxy]

Nothing really TBH, the recession seems to be hitting people with savings harder than us average Joes. Apart from job insecurity, our mortgage payments have got cheaper and that's about it.

We are more careful with money but only because of impending maternity not because of global finance We're not moving and we have no stocks and shares so I don't think we're on the front line.

 

[Babylicious]

I've started shopping around more for food and have made savings but it's more to do with our expensive holiday

We'll also be cutting back on takeaways/meals out too x

 

[ejjie]

We stopped our Friday night out back last summer when things got tighter

We eat out less and cook curries etc now rather than order them in

Selling unwanted stuff on EBAY

Having a car boot sale next month

I'm drinking less alcohol

 

[Tadpole]

I've always been quite 'thrifty' so tbh the credit crunch hasn't (yet) affected us. I already shop around, use charity shops, ebay, freecycle, cook from scratch and Mike haggles for everything. I am always checking my utilities to make sure I am with the cheapest supplier, turning off all electrics that I don't use, not running water unnecessarily etc etc. We will be moving in a couple of weeks as well and I will be in walking distance of town so won't have to drive everywhere. (At the moment I live out in the sticks with no bus service). I don't drink or smoke anyway so that isn't an issue.

Aaaand I sound really boring don't I? My friends all used to laugh at my (tight) ways but it means I haven't had to change my lifestyle and I live well - despite what it sounds like!!

 

[Happybunny]

Like Minxy all the credit crunch has done for us is make our mortgage cheaper. However, me leaving work to stay at home with my daughter has certainly made us count our pennies much more carefully. I do everything in Happy-Chick's last and
*Look for BOGOF or three for two offers on non-perishables or things that can freeze.
*Use my boots advantage card when pertinent and use points for nappies, wipes etc.
*Book Travelodge accommodation three or four months in advance to take advantage of £9 rooms. (All my family live 300+ miles away, so have to travel.)
*Take full advantage of Sure Start activities to entertain April so that we don’t have to pay costly fees for baby franchise classes like Gymbabes etc.
*Joined Sure Start toy library.
*Get veggies from FIL allotment.
*Ebaying old things I no longer need but have value. Sadly I used to put things in the charity bag, but now I think our family need the money more.
*Changed our energy company and capped our tariffs.
*Scour Money Saving Expert for meal vouchers if we fancy a lunch date.
*Dropped branded products from the grocery shopping - this has made a BIG difference.
*Check the bank statements religiously - very important as OH noticed £30 going out of his account just recently which turned out to be a cloned card!
*Keeping our older mobile phones and switching to a very cheap tarif.