Cutting back?

[fionas]

Definitely cut back on magazines - that's a big vice of mine.

And lunches - we try to take our own.

And food generally - about to do menu planning for this week.

[AnyDream]

Krystal - I know what you mean, it drives me crazy when something needs doing/fixing/organising at home and we just don't have the funds to get what we need to do it!

Astrid - I hear you on the cost of toasted sandwiches! I don't normally patronise the golden arches but there was a time they were doing cheese toasties for $1.50 or something which is about right I think!

We used to all have a snack & a drink before we did the grocery shopping (the whole family goes on friday evenings) but I have since discovered I can get "minimum chips" for $3.50 which keeps DD2 happy in the stroller and tides everyone else over and there are not so many impulse buys going in the trolley!

Tinkerbell I think you are right about a lot of people cutting back - that and takeaway too. When I was getting my $3.50 chips last week the place was deserted and it was right on that time you'd expect the families to be queuing up for Fri night tea.

Charmalea - I do your trick of bulking everything up with veggies - one serve of meat turns into 2 or three nights dinners. It sounds like you're a frugality powerhouse LOL

Trish I'm a huge fan of the baby and kids markets too. We've got one on this weekend here.

I'm finding it really interesting reading all this. There's a big difference between being frugal because you have to, and actually consciously choosing to not spend your $ on particular things. I guess scrimping always leaves you feeling like you're missing out, but if you feel like you're making a conscious choice then you feel more like you're in control and things are going the way you want them to, kwim?

[Laranna]

Great thread!

Magazines are the number 1 thing I've cut back on. I've got a couple of subscriptions due for renewal and I really want to renew them but....on the other hand one of them is money magazine which means if I renewed I could claim it in my tax and it will give me money advice over the next year...catch 22!

I also bulk up my meals with more veggies and every meal I make enough for DF to take leftovers for lunch and for DS's dinner the next night. I've also dropped a meat meal and have 1 vegetarian dish a week, usually a mushroom risotto or something like that.

Am using bicarb and vinegar to clean, haven't bought cleaning products in ages and this saves us heaps.

I'm a part time cloth nappy user and at the moment I need to increase my stash to go full time but we just can't justify spending the extra money.

Our big expenses at the moment is our wedding and pumping all our spare change into the mortgage.

[Astrid]

Astrid - I hear you on the cost of toasted sandwiches! I don't normally patronise the golden arches but there was a time they were doing cheese toasties for $1.50 or something which is about right I think!

I used to wonder why so many parents bought Happy Meals for their kids, well now I really understand after seeing how much it can cost for just some basic food at a cafe.

I have found a cheaper option for us these day if we are going to the supermarket after the rest of our shopping. I will get a small quanity of ham or salami from the deli and one of those little packs of biscuits and cheese. Will also pick up a small choccie to share. Nice cheap lunch/snack to have in the car on the way home.

We used to all have a snack & a drink before we did the grocery shopping (the whole family goes on friday evenings) but I have since discovered I can get "minimum chips" for $3.50 which keeps DD2 happy in the stroller and tides everyone else over and there are not so many impulse buys going in the trolley!

Gosh I remember the days where we survived on minimum chips ($2) and a couple of potato cakes. When we first bought and were cleaning out the cupboards in the new house we could come across coins. If we found a $2 coin we would go "yeah, we can eat tonight!"