How are you saving money/budgetting?

cloud493 · 29-08-2014 09:30AM #1

Since we all seem to still be squeezing the pennies, how are you saving money?
As for me, I'm

- I quit smoking, which is saving me an astonishing €50 a week, €200 a month, and I smell nicer and no longer cough
- I don't really socialise that much, and when I do I always try to not waste money on take away food and ****e I don't need, when I can cook much better at home.
- I live real close to the train station, and its actually much quicker for me to get the train to work than drive, so thats more money saved.
- I play video games a lot, so stopping paying the outrageous prices on the high street such as Gamestop helps a lot, theres always deals to be found.
- Cinema subscription.
- Doing the weekly shop in NI, I have a 20% discount card in both sainsburys and Marks and spencers UK, go up once a month, buy a load of stuff, and freeze it to use throughout the month.

How about you, AH?

catallus · 29-08-2014 09:31AM

I light my cigs with fivers now instead of fifties

Uriel. · 29-08-2014 09:32AM

I have trained my cat to be a cat burglar

No recession or budgeting in my cat den anymore.

:cool:

Spring Onion · 29-08-2014 09:33AM

Don't concentrate 100% on savings, if your employer is doing well start thinking about increasing revenue...

I leave my CVs on the printer and I leave recruitment websites open on my laptop when I go to lunch. It helps get a payrise if you do it before the next pay/performance review.

Dravokivich · 29-08-2014 09:37AM

I'm not. Bills are my luxuries!

anncoates · 29-08-2014 09:39AM

Restricting the kids' diet to brown rice, tomato sauce and LIDL cornflakes.

cloud493 · 29-08-2014 09:52AM

Sure thats all healthy :cool:

ulinbac · 29-08-2014 09:54AM

Took a year to get out of €12,000 debt, on top of cashflowing bros wedding €1,500 and about €2,000 in medical bills. Paid off the last of it on Wednesday, DEBT FREE!!

Found the only was to do this was to save using a strict budget and any wage increases and bonuses went straight on debt. Having nothing each month and maxing out my credit cards scared me too much.

To save during the last 12 months I:

- Cut drinking to every 4 weeks sometimes every 6 and didn't drink too much
- Stopped buying more rounds then I should and rounds of shots randomly
- Went out and didn't drink at times
- Had to learn to say NO when going places
- Reduced amount I spent on Xmas and birthday presents
- Reduced going out to meals with GF. We cooked indoors instead
- Stopped buying very expensive clothes
- And lastly, SAYING NO NO NO, delaying pleasure now so I can have it in the future. I am not going on 2 weekends away with my mates because I don't want to put it on the credit card. The lads know that I was trying to get my finances in order and know that from October i will be able to go on any weekends away from then on.

Some of the above will change now that the debt is gone, like buying nicer clothes and more expensive holidays. That said I have found it invaluable to have an Emergency Fund (small at the start like €500) in case something unplanned happens like car needing repair. My Emergency Fund is now just under €5k and the pressure is off. I'm cashflowing ALL of my holiday next month and never plan on being in debt again unless its for a Mortgage.

talla10 · 29-08-2014 10:25AM

Family, Friends, Religion.

These are the three demons you must slay in order to stay debt free.

mickydoomsux · 29-08-2014 10:28AM

talla10 wrote: »

Family, Friends, Religion.

These are the three demons you must slay in order to stay debt free.

Seems a tad bit extreme to murder people because you're bad at budgeting but i'll go with your idea.

Can i tell them that an internet man told me to do it if i get caught?

catallus · 29-08-2014 10:37AM

We never had these problems when we payed tithes to the church! Just sayin'.

Dravokivich · 29-08-2014 10:41AM

catallus wrote: »

We never had these problems when we payed tithes to the church! Just sayin'.

Nor when we were slaves. Bring back slavery to abolish debt!

catallus · 29-08-2014 10:44AM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Nor when we were slaves. Bring back slavery to abolish debt!

Not too many people agree with me when I say it out loud, but I firmly contend that modern society is based on slavery. Anyone who works for money is a wage-slave. If we went back 100 or 150 years and showed a normal person modern economies in the West they'd consider most workers to be contracted slaves. I do get funny looks off people when I tell them this.:cool:

Pumpkinseeds · 29-08-2014 10:44AM

Ha Ha, savings, I try to save but the expenses keep mounting up so the savings soon go pay for the latest expenses. No, I do not spend much on luxuries. My luxury this week was a 2.99 smoothie. I don't smoke or drink either.

mickydoomsux · 29-08-2014 10:51AM

catallus wrote: »

Not too many people agree with me when I say it out loud, but I firmly contend that modern society is based on slavery. Anyone who works for money is a wage-slave. If we went back 100 or 150 years and showed a normal person modern economies in the West they'd consider most workers to be contracted slaves. I do get funny looks off people when I tell them this.:cool:

You don't understand the definition of the words "slave" or "slavery".

That would explain the funny looks.

shruikan2553 · 29-08-2014 11:03AM

I just budget so only need 11k to get through the year. Anything after that is saved with the odd expensive thing.

catallus · 29-08-2014 11:07AM

mickydoomsux wrote: »

You don't understand the definition of the words "slave" or "slavery"....

Just because I don't subscribe to the propaganda of the elites?

mickydoomsux · 29-08-2014 11:12AM

catallus wrote: »

Just because I don't subscribe to the propaganda of the elites?

Yeah, that must be it.

/backs away slowly

catallus · 29-08-2014 11:18AM

mickydoomsux wrote: »

/backs away slowly

Hey! Come back and answer me this! Why should a man love his fetters, though they be made of gold?!

ancapailldorcha · 29-08-2014 11:22AM

cloud493 wrote: »

- Doing the weekly shop in NI, I have a 20% discount card in both sainsburys and Marks and spencers UK, go up once a month, buy a load of stuff, and freeze it to use throughout the month.

Here, where do you get these cards?

cloud493 · 29-08-2014 11:27AM

From family members who work for these businesses :cool:

ancapailldorcha · 29-08-2014 11:28AM

cloud493 wrote: »

From family members who work for these businesses :cool:

Lucky sod!

keith16 · 29-08-2014 11:29AM

Cancelled UPC - I know some people who spend the guts of 200 quid a month - eye watering. And then complain they have no money for a nice holiday.

I always buy a good quality phone outright and get a cheap SIM only monthly bill pay plan. No long contracts an changing phone every year. Have my Nexus4 for 2 years now and hope to have it for at least another 2 or 3.

Cycle to work. Fill the car with petrol and it does me for 2 months as it only gets used on the weekend or for longer trips. Speaking of cars, I also buy a car outright. Plenty of very decent 2nd hand cars to be had. Last one cost me 3k and is still going strong. No monthly repayments.

Don't eat out for lunch or even grab a sandwich. That can add up quickly. Cook meals at home and make enough to freeze some and also have for lunch during the week. Big pots of stew are perfect for this.

Ken Shamrock · 29-08-2014 11:36AM

Quit smoking and stop socializing!? Sorry but i value my happiness more than money

AgileMyth · 29-08-2014 11:36AM

I just don't buy much. Never actually consider budgeting or saving. The one time i did i saved six grand in four months. Then spent it on a four month holiday.

AgileMyth · 29-08-2014 11:37AM

Bob.Carcass wrote: »

Quit smoking and stop socializing!? Sorry but i value my happiness more than money

Does smoking make you happy?

Ken Shamrock · 29-08-2014 11:37AM

AgileMyth wrote: »

Does smoking make you happy?

It sure does.

catallus · 29-08-2014 11:38AM

Lovelytastyummyfags

AgileMyth · 29-08-2014 11:39AM

Bob.Carcass wrote: »

It sure does.

I really don't understand that. I can think of so many better ways to spend that money.

cloud493 · 29-08-2014 11:43AM

I did (do?) love smoking, but the benefits of quitting smoking outweighed the negatives. I no longer reek of stale tobacco. I no longer have an awful hacking cough all day long. And I'm saving a fortune.

kylith · 29-08-2014 11:46AM

cloud493 wrote: »

I did (do?) love smoking, but the benefits of quitting smoking outweighed the negatives. I no longer reek of stale tobacco. I no longer have an awful hacking cough all day long. And I'm saving a fortune.

Off them about three weeks myself. Don't miss them. Don't miss a smelly house. Don't miss the cough.

How are you saving money/budgetting?

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