Tips for living on a budget

denseretard

I am on a tight budget. I am looking for a new job but in the meantime I am stuck on 20-220-25 hours a week.

Any tips for living frugally. I am prone to impulsive spending sprees but want to become frugal as I am nearly 43 with very little savings. (but have no debts) . Any tips to resist impulse buying, starting a savings account and building a

Gloomtastic!

Cut out meat from your diet. That’s my tip for you.

denseretard

Thanks will try to minimise my meat consumption.

I want to build a buffer of 6 months income and start saving for retirement. I am in a pension but only started 2 years ago and only have 4000 in the pension fund. Need to try and get a decent pension pot saved by 65. Any tips on how to achieve these goals.

LunaTuna

Can you elaborate on what you mean by impulsive spending sprees?

Never eat out. It's the biggest rip off. Cook all your meals. If you don't know how to cook, learn the basics. It will save you tons.

Only buy things when they are on sale. Never pay full price.

Spend only what you need to. The rest you need to save and invest.

gossamerfabric

Marry someone who will keep you in the manner to which you wish to become accustomed.

denseretard

I am not in debt but have very little savings. I tend to spend every penny I earn( in a part time retail job).

I spend money on botox, highlights for my hair, in app purchases, Peps MaMax and 80 a month for phone and Internet, wireless headheadphones. (Am on a Vodafone billpay contract and have 11 months to go oout of 24 month contract). Basically my spending is out of control and i want to become frugal to balance out the years i haven't been saving.

I don't drink, smoke or go on holidays but like I said I am very impulsive and have very little saved.

I have started from the 7

cute geoge

your phone bill is excessive ,lock all yout cards up and carry just enough of cash for your essientials

kabakuyu

Buy a 3 euro chicken from aldi,should be enough meat for 3 days on it for 1 person,the carcase can be boiled for soup stock.

denseretard

Thanks . will try and leave cards at home and only take what cash I need for bus fare.

phone bill is excessive but I have 11 months to go on my contract and very little I can do to reduce it till then but as soon as it's up I will be back on boards to see what I can dd

denseretard

I have started recording every cent I spend on November 7. When it gets to 7th December I plan on doing an analysis of exactly I spent over the month.

Basically I am a spendthrift determined to change my ways.

My goal is to save a hundred a week starting in January.

My goal for December is to have all my bills paid up until the end of January and pay for Christmas.

CelticRambler

Don't buy anything unless you've priced it up at two or three suppliers first. At the very least, that'll curb the worst of your impulse purchases, but it'll also get you used to finding the best value for every Euro. You might be surprised to find that some places with a reputation for selling stuff at low prices (online and in real life) are not at all as cheap as you'd think.

For your general day-to-day groceries, make every Euro count. Draw up a shopping list before you leave the house and don't be tempted to buy any special offers unless they're things that are on the list (or at worst, non-perishable items that you would be buying anyway in a month's time). Be prepared to switch brands if there's no good reason to stick with the one your used to. And if you can get a "5€ off 50" type offer on your supermarket shop, aim to spend 50.00€, not 65-70.

phormium

Use only cash on a day to day basis, take out a set amount from ATM per week. Mind you this won't stop your online purchases so default to the 24 hr rule, when you stick something in a basket to buy leave it for 24 hrs and hopefully you will realise you don't really need it!

If the botox/hair are non negotiable then it's a case of getting the essential things you need for as little as possible to enable you have money to spend on the things you want rather than need. So basically cut back everywhere you can, no take away coffees, bring your lunch to work if you can, stay out of the shops while on break or lunch, go for a walk instead. Sell any stuff you have accumulated and don't need on marketplace or similar.

Esel

No takeaways.

denseretard

Thanks everyone. some very useful tips there.

Will have to look at training colleges for the hair and botox.

Hair needs cut and colour but highlights are negotiable even though I love them. Botox I might look at eliminating even though i have lots of wrinkles

Will look at cutting out magazines and Pepsi Max.

I did an analysis of my spending for the last month and it was scary.

will take a set amount out each week and will continue to record my spending.

I save in work. Have arranged to increase this in the new year.

How realistic is saving 30% of your

Thanks again.

Pistachios & cream

Join the library. you can get app for free magazines, books etc for your phone or if you have a tablet. Then you will always have some entertainment on you and less likely to buy the magazine

Buy the pepsi max when its on offer and if you can combine with a grocery store offer. Take out your weekly amount for the fridge and then put the rest somewhere hard to get so you're not tempted to drink it all at once.

Think about why you are buying the magazines and the pepsi? Is it part of a routine, a habit. Can you replace that with something else that doesn't cost money? Understanding the way of your spending is important for you to cut it down.

Do an audit of your Kitchen cupboards and freezer and see what meals you can make with minimal added ingredients. Bonus if you can use up some items that are lingering. i've been using up my lingering lentil collection by swapping half mince for lentils in bolognaise, chilli etc. Make a shopping list and only buy that. Try and use a grocery coupon and combine that with store offers. That way your Pepsi max treat isnt as expensive.

Don't cut out all treats, its not sustainable but do realise they are treats and enjoy them for that.

Also do an audit of your make up, bath products, toiletries. I bet you have lots of stuff lying around you might have forgotten about even if its the "Good" stuff you are saving, use it. its no use if it goes off. Again Enjoy the treats that past you has bought you.

If you don't pack a lunch then start doing this. however do make sure you have the correct containers etc to make it work as otherwise its a waste if you won't eat it etc. I once read an article then said we think packing lunch is a deprivation so invest in good quality reusable items that you like and enjoy to make it a nicer experience.

If you are tempted by online shopping then unsubscribe from offers email and then implement the 24 hour rule. If you put something in an online basket. leave it for 24 hours and then come back and decide if you still need the item or if it was just a dopamine rush.

Best of luck with this and remember its a marathon not a sprint and changes we make slowly we are more likely to stick to.

wildwillow

I second joining the library. Borrow box has all the magazines. I notice that I spend less than 15 minutes reading most of them, it would have cost me up to €10 on hard copy. I take a screen shot or photo of any article or recipe I might use, and you can also make a note of the issue and find it later.

The library will also save you a fortune on books.

I would be less tolerant of the Pepsi Max. Wean yourself off it and your health and wallet will thank you.

denseretard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122918623#Comment_122918623

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122918623#Comment_122918623

would anyone be able to post links for good training colleges for hair and botox in Dublin?. Am due to get my hair cut/coloured by Christmas and might as well start now.

It is a marathon not a sprint but am determined to solve this problem. Hoping living frugally for a few years will pay off.

Thanks very much everyone, Will take all the tips on board and will act on as many of them as possible while being realistic.

My goal is to save 30 % of my income starting in January. How realistic is this working part time in retail in Dublin.

For December I am doing a damage limitation. I aim to not be in debt buying Christmas presents and have rent and phone bill prepaid for January so I don't have the January blues .

i currently save 15 a week and have arranged to increase this to 50 a week in the new year. (It is taken out of my wages every week and I get it back after 3 years). My goal is to save 100 a week.

denseretard

Thanks for all the tips. My new years resolution is to save money.

I have started recording every cent I am spending.

Unfortunately i ended the year with a credit card debt of 150 (buying Christmas presents), I plan to pay it off tomorrow but it means I won't be starting my savings until next week

Any tips for things I can do with my friend that don't cost money?

I am determined to sort my finances out but worry I am being unrealistic trying to save 50% of my low income(I only work 20--25 hours a week in retail . I am trying to find another full time job and have asked for extra hours but didn't get them.)

l

phormium

There is no point aiming for a specific percentage of your weekly income if it's low.

Once you have tracked your essential spending for a normal month then you know what it costs you to live, include also money that has to be put away for annual bills, then you know what sort of surplus to save is realistic rather than setting yourself up to fail by saying it's 50%. It can only be what is affordable for you doing your best to budget correctly.

SteM

Great advice on here so far but cut out the botox. People have wrinkles, just deal with it and save that money. If you get a better paying job then by all means go back to it but don't consider it until you can afford it. A friend teaches in the Advanced Therapy Beauty course in Cathal Brugha St, might be a good place to contact if you are looking at that sort of thing. I don't think they do botox specifically but I know they do skin peeling and skin needling for sure.

Some local libraries have guided sewing and mending sessions, usually on a Saturday morning. If you need any basic alterations on clothes it's a great place to learn, the libraries have sewing machines etc that you can use and someone on hand to show you how to use them. Booking for them is done through Eventbrite. If you're looking at doing something for free with a friend then you could also look at language courses that are run for free in some libraries too.

Also, look at your calendar now and start planning for any big events over the coming year - big birthdays, hen parties, weddings etc and have some money put by for them. Will save you using your CC for them like you did the Christmas presents.

denseretard

Thanks for that.

Yes am planning to save for Christmas/birthdays from now on so I dont get caught again.

Have been keeping track of my spending and it is ridiculous considering I work part time in retail. I am determined to change my ways and become frugal but I guess it is not going to happen overnight.

I am saving in work and I have arranged to increase this starting end of January. The next few weeks will be very tight until I get my money saved in work over the past 3 years but once it matures in February it should mean I will no longer be living pay check to pay check.

I haven't had Pepsi Max in January but have failed miserably otherwise but am determined to change