How are you saving money/budgetting?

greenbicycle wrote: »

This post depresses me. I dont do any of the above (as i I dont do the things that the poster has cut back on).
I always make my own lunch and bring it into work

I havent been on a holiday (even within ireland) in three years

I dont ever buy take away tea or coffee

I walk to and from work.

I do have a mortgage and that soaks up some money along with bills and general house maintenance. I only bought the house a few years ago so I didnt get some crazy mortgage before anyone says that.

After all of that I still have no money at the end of the month :-(

Just a question have you tried keeping a written log of all your expenses for a month? As in literally carrying a small notebook around w/ you & making a note *every* time you spend anything? If not, give it a try, its amazing how little things you don't even register can add up. Most people way underestimate the amount they're spending on things.

I use the notebook trick if I start to feel a bit broke. I'll keep a log of every expense for about a month or so & then at the end of the month look back & see what I could comfortably cut back on & then prioritize the rest, I also keep most grocery & other recurring expenses receipts in the book so I can check what types of food I'm buying.

For example I might see I've spent quite a bit on food that month, so I'll see if there is a cheaper place I can buy staple items or if I can wait for a sale & buy in bulk, etc. Or I'll see I spend maybe 10 a week on coffee in the shop near work, for me that's an expense I'm not willing to cut because I rarely see anybody in my office (only 1 other person in the building) so going out to get a coffee or lunch occasionally is a way for me to get out & talk to other people so I'll cut something else to afford that.

Your expenses might well be more than you think if you've never tracked them. Give it a try, you might be surprised at what you're spending w/o realizing it.

robocode wrote: »

Fair play! Very envious Without being toooo nosey, would it be fair to say you're earning quite a bit to manage that?

Thanks,

Not near as much as my friends seem to think though. I was never frugal with money, but was always good. After I was sick 2 years ago, I went AWOL with my finances and Murphy moved in with the car issues. Costly but a good learning experience.

I earn just over industrial wage as basic but get expenses about 6 months a year which help. That said said my expenses are to bring people out to meals which I have to furnish out of my own pocket first (so I need cash available) and get reimbursed a few weeks later. When I worked it out I only have a REAL gain of approx. €200 for each of those months, so that would have been €1k as I was on expenses for 5 months of the last 12.

When I am not on expenses I cut right down. My food bill is necessities only and no brand stuff. Can feed myself for €70 per week. I usually eat quite healthy so don't get stung on the cost biscuits, sweets etc. which all add up. That is not to say I stopped eating "bad foods" purpose just never think to go down those aisles. Excluding my Ariel Tabs for clothes I shop in LIDL/ALDI for everything. My t-shirts were Primark or something similar and asked for jeans for things like xmas presents.

My main income burden is the gym and physio. I am in constant rehab for my back and that will cost about €2,500 a year min going forward plus vhi of €1,800, which was very difficult to budget in.

Other things that helped with the momentum was to get a loan off my brother for €3k and gf for €1k at the start to help with credit card interest. This was paid back to them over 4 months, but I reckon saved me about 400+ over the 12 months.

Let's see....

Energy saving light bulbs throughout the house.
Immersion is on timer, set to be on for half an hour in the mornings and evenings (enough for 2 hot showers and 1 washing up, though the second one in the shower gets rather tepid water)
Lights are off in any room we're not in.

Shopping is done almost exclusively in Aldi and Lidl, we'll go to Tesco only for specific items and take care just to buy those and nothing else.

We don't drink much - maybe 2 bottles of beer a week between us.
Neither of us smokes.
We both bring lunches to work.

We buy catfood in bulk (10kg bags), same goes for cat litter whenever it's on offer.

Most of my clothes these days come from ebay.

But I think the most significant factor for keeping our shopping within limits is the fact that neither of us eats meat or fish.

All very good posts-

Try to budget some of your bigger bills like energy bills for elec and gas. So to prevent big spikes hitting you at winter time or christmas when the heating bills come in- Sign up to your supplier on both gas and elec and pay on direct debit and save 10% on one of the bills over the year. So we roughly added up our average elec bill for the year :example 6 bills at 150 euro and add up last years gas bill : example 1500 euro . This means if we put 200 away every month we dont get hit with big bills during the winter months and allows us to plan our spend or keep money flowing into the savings account. Also 10% off the biggest bill in this case is 150 euro.

Get rid of the monthly bill pay phone also, their a rip off.

ulinbac wrote: »

When I am not on expenses I cut right down. My food bill is necessities only and no brand stuff. Can feed myself for €70 per week. I usually eat quite healthy so don't get stung on the cost biscuits, sweets etc. which all add up.

For reference, myself and my girlfriend feed ourselves very adequately for €60 a week. €70 a week seems a bit excessive for one person.

The One Doctor wrote: »

For reference, myself and my girlfriend feed ourselves very adequately for €60 a week. €70 a week seems a bit excessive for one person.

During my strictest times I hit about 50 as I didnt even go out for coffee but was still consuming 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks a day for bulking. Lots of chicken, turkey and fish which adds up.

its easy 70 now due to more disposable income as I buy a few coffees a week instead of making myself and have lunch with work mates twice a week. My GF says hers cost 50 a week and she makes everything from scratch but again shr has an appetite with the gym. How do you manage 60 for 2 people?

My favourite spend of the week is after the gym on Saturdays. Finding an old cafe on my own with a large coffee and watch the world go by amd nobody to bother me. Used to do it for £4 in London

Quizmaster1989 wrote: »

I steal toilet rolls from public restrooms

3 hail Mary's and one our father

I am naturally good at saving money.

Coffees add up.
Taxis are expensive.
Don't drive when you can walk.
Reusable nappies, and we got second hand ones.
Bring lunch to work.
Go out less.
Eat healthily, more vegetarian and shop in Aldi/lidl
Reduce sweets and biscuits or stop them
Go out less - I have two babies so this is not a problem.
Save for unforeseen expenses
Shop around for electricity/gas
Wear warmer clothes around the house if it cold.
Insulate your home (if you own it)
Porridge is a great food.
I don't smoke
Say no to some invitations
Cycle or use public transport
There are lots of cheap and free family events
Read and join a library
Learn house maintenance and DIY

I do eat out on occasion and go to the pub. I try to have friends over.

I am well paid now but once was not. I am lucky

No, and no. Yolo, or whatever it is the kids say.

Realistically I'm just shocking with money.