Good lord, where have I been?

[radegund]

Where did the time go?

We're still pretty whacked out after the extension. Snag list is outstanding, but it's essentially done. We live here now, and every day it feels less and less likely that the real owners are going to come back and evict us. Most of the boxes are even unpacked.

Our main object at the moment is to juggle the cashflow so that we squeak unscathed from payday to billpay, slaloming between our creditors like an Olympic athlete. Fun times. [We'll be fine. But it's a little hairy this month and next.]

To that end, we're penny-pinching. (Or cent-cinching, which is the same but in euros.) Problem is, we trimmed out a lot of the fat a few years ago, and it's tough enough to see where we can trim any further.

Things I'm perfectly happy to do, off the very top of my head:

• Go back to washing my hair in bicarb and vinegar (reasonably effective, as I recall from 2006).


• Shop more often in Lidl.


• Find out which of our staple meals are actually cheapest and dearest, and plan accordingly.


• Keep a hawklike eye on expenditure, and stop spending on non-essentials when the allotted budgets are exhausted.


• Work for pay every spare minute I get (which is not very many minutes, admittedly, but I have been doing a bit of paid work).

Things I'd strongly prefer to avoid:

• Stop buying organic food.


• Cut out paid childcare and house cleaning (they're such a relief).

I dunno. What are your favourite money-saving strategies? I'd really love some inspiration.

Comments

[jinxremoving.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you are already doing this, but since joining the redundancy club I have finally learned to only buy groceries when the ones I have are finished, rather than shortly before I expect them to be used up, which invariably turns out to be a miscalculation. I'm walking all over the place instead of using the bus, and I can possibly give you some hints for cheaper travel if you're planning any trips away.

Also I find that hosting couchsurfers is quite useful because, although I don't expect anything from any of them, they often do things like buy me drinks and/or groceries, as well as leaving their shampoo behind by mistake. It would, however, be a bit weird to start hosting people simply in the hope that this might happen.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

On the groceries - you mean perishables, right, so you don't end up throwing any thing out? Or is there some peculiar alchemy that means money is conserved if you run out of, say, flour before buying a new bag? We've got a lot better over the years at using stuff before it goes off - that was a lesson of career break #1.

Hosting couchsurfers in the hope that they might subsidise our household expenses would indeed be a bit weird :-) We have been toying with the idea of renting a room out again, though. (It'd have to be to a fairly tolerant person, though, given the ubiquity of the kids.)

[rmc28]

Lodger: I've found the key is to be upfront about the child and the cats, and then generally you only get enquiries from people who can stand both. I also make sure I don't tidy too much when potential lodgers are coming (not that this is hard!) on the principle that they should see it as it is going to be rather than get uptight when the place isn't actually pristine.

We've done well out of post-grad students and the recently-graduated young professionals, and most recently Microsoft Research interns on 12-week placements. I had to do a bit of chasing to get my details onto the company list for interns, but since then I've turned away about 3 times as many interns as I've housed.

I don't have any ideas to add about saving money except that I often tend to shop from the reduced section, especially when I can freeze things for later. But I may take up your idea of costing up your staple meals.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the excellent advice! I think short-term lodgers might actually be a reasonably good bet for us, because then if there's any awkwardness, at least it's a temporary situation.

[natural20.livejournal.com]

Well, speaking as an ex-lodger, you are wonderful hosts. Of course, there was only O at the time, rather than the O & F double act, but even so, anyone that you wish to host should probably be able to easily cope with your wonderful sons.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, it is easy to be a good host with a lodger of your calibre :-)

[jinxremoving.livejournal.com]

Kind of yeah, but this is also from the perspective of someone living alone. Trying to remember that if I've run out of pasta I can probably cobble some other sort of dinner together with stuff in the back of the cupboard, that sort of thing.

I suspect my tips are rubbish. They're not really tips, they're just what I'm noting more myself these days.

[jinxremoving.livejournal.com]

Although, sod it, for the sake of rambling on, other stuff I do includes freecycle (now freegle, in Edinburgh!) and bookmooch. Bookmooch.com is particularly super for getting hold of books I want for free (other than postage), and if what I want isn't available right away I can add it to my wishlist and the site will automatically tell me when it becomes available.

For one-off things, I might check ebay to see if I can find a good deal, and I use rechargeable batteries (having gotten a recharger from freecycle). My neighbour and I leave perishables for each other when we go travelling.

I used to be a member of a LETS scheme, though since the advent of freecycle I found it too much of a faff to figure out credits and stuff. However, freecycle/freegle doesn't allow for services, only goods. I've found a friend who's up for helping me make a (non-)hot press in my bathroom cupboard, so, hooray.

[sm2005.livejournal.com]

Organic fruit and veg in Aldi is cheap and decent quality.

How much bicarb and vinegar do you need for a hair wash? Pound shops are a good source of cheap shampoo in large servings.

The 2 euro shop on Abbey St (and presumably elsewhere) stocks a surprising variety of goods and brands (including 300g tubs of veggie-friendly jellies!) at dramatically reduced prices, esp coming up to best before dates.

The Asia market and other ethnic supermarkets in town have excellent prices on food - I buy enormous bunches of fresh corriander for 1.50 on Talbot St instead of the sad small handfuls Tesco and the like sell for twice the price.

Do you pay for TV? We invested 80 quid in a satellite dish and decoder in Lidl 2 years ago and have only paid the license fee since.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

I love shopping in the food co-op, but I'd do Lidl organic produce if it came down to it (Lidl is around the corner from us - it isn't that I have a position on it versus Aldi).

Bicarb and vinegar will be an alternative to the ultra-eco-spensive stuff I use at the moment (Burt's Bees Raspberry and Brazil Nut shampoo and conditioner, to be precise - which is looooooovely). I try to avoid petroleum-based cleaning products (more out of distaste than any in-depth knowledge of their effects), so the cheap shampoos aren't so appealing.

I must indeed check out the 2 euro shops and the Asia Market again (I used to get stuff there from time to time when I worked in town).

This satellite dish idea is interesting. Any idea if it's possible to get CBeebies with one? If we gave that up, it'd constitute a fairly serious imposition on the boys. (We've considered ditching it, of course, for all sorts of reasons. But at the moment it's low on our hit-list.)

[sm2005.livejournal.com]

I decided about a year ago that Aldi's produce was superior to Lidl's, but can't remember the finer points of the competition at this stage. Might be worth trying both to see how you find them. There's an Aldi in Rathmines now, I think, which should be moderately handy for you.

Yes to Cebeebies on the free satellite signal. It's the only channel CA gets to watch. Sadly, RTE isn't broadcast on satellite yet, but if you have broadband you can watch most of the programming live online or on the RTE player for 2-3 weeks after first broadcast.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm. Interesting stuff. We actually watch virtually no TV. If we could get BBC2 and CBeebies, I think we'd be set. Of course, we can't rely on Lidl to supply a cheap dish - I wonder how much they cost when not discounted? To be investigated. Thank you!

[sm2005.livejournal.com]

What's RRP on your shampoo? Found this on ebay which looks like it might be good value, but can't really tell since I don't use it:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/3X-Burts-Bees-More-Moisture-Raspberry-Shampoo-12-oz_W0QQitemZ350233451131QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518b8a5a7b&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Yes, very good value, even when you count the shipping. Again, thanks!

[leedy.livejournal.com]

Seconding the Asia Market and other Asian shops rec!

We also buy ginormous bags of rice there, which are good quality and excellent value.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Indeed it does! See under "stop spending on non-essentials" - our meals out budget is 50 euros a month, and (ideally) when it's gone, it's gone.

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

Travel. I know it's essential for some things, but buses and trains mount up very, very quickly. Obv I commute a long and expensive distance, but I'm always shocked how easy it is to spend a fiver or so on bus fares without meaning to. See if you can cut out car use as much as poss, maybe? I know petrol is cheaper than public transport, but still.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's a big one. Petrol may be cheaper than public transport, but parking in Dublin definitely isn't (which is a good thing, obv).

I've got completely out of the habit of walking places - I don't talk much about how long it took for my pelvis to heal after Fiachra's birth, but it was long enough to change my default choices pretty thoroughly.

[ailbhe]

You hardly talk *at all* about it. I'm almost totally unaware of it, in fact, and completely aware of the socks-and-sitting-after-showers thing.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's funny, isn't it? Perhaps the oddest aspect is that I hadn't noticed until you pointed it out that I really, honestly don't talk about it, even to you. So, here, pull up a chair:

Walking for any length of time (five minutes early on, later up to twenty) was uncomfortable to argh-don't-do-that painful for upwards of fourteen months after F's birth. I also had continuous mild to severe discomfort on and off for much of that time. I don't remember exactly when it went away, because one doesn't notice the cessation of pain nearly as much as its onset.

And actually, I don't know if it has gone away, because my habits have changed so much: I rarely walk for long these days. I do get twinges if I have an unusually active day, and it's the main reason why I don't sling F much now that he's heavier. I don't remember noticing it the day you and I went into town to drink tea and swear :-) I was chasing the boys around the garden earlier, and I detect a faint ache now, but that might be just because I'm looking for it.

As for why I don't mention it, well, it's partly because it's Only Me, and it isn't incapacitating or anything - nothing compared to what Everyone Else went through, etc. (See under My Experiences Don't Count; thank you very much, family trauma.) It's also caught up with a nest of even more twisted emotional crap, which I'll tell you all about some other time.

(Heh. I was about to apologise for hijacking the thread to talk about my own issues, when I remembered that THIS IS MY JOURNAL. Sheesh.)

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

Oh love, I am sorry to hear this. Have you been to the doctor about it? Erm, I know this is financially counterproductive, but it sounds to my completely ignorant unmedical ears as though some kind of physio or yogic exercise might help. Or maybe it wouldn't? I am glad things are much better, at least!

[leedy.livejournal.com]

Was just going to ask if it was something where a physio could give you exercises to help with further recovery: that probably is something worth spending money on. You poor thing.

[rmc28]

Oh good grief! I'm really sorry to hear that. I remember how frustrated I was about SPD and I only had it the last couple of months or so of pregnancy :(

[londonn7.livejournal.com]

I didn't know this (obviously), poor poor you. I had weird bent-over-double cramps for about six weeks but otherwise things basically went back to how they had been. Our family physio is absolutely fab if you are looking for one, and is brilliant on post-birth stuff.

and for economising...is it feasible to change your mobile to a pay as you go? Probably v expensive if you make any amount of calls on it. I'm also plumbing the depths of the wardrobe and resurrecting winter clothes rather than buying anything new, not least because of the rapidly emerging bump. It is also fab to have all my maternity clothes right where I left them not 6 months ago...I am determined that the only new baby purchase will be a double buggy of which the British Government is determined to subsidise most of the cost....

xxxxx

[ailbhe]

I so so don't want to cut out organic food, but we have almost eliminated organic meat :( I make up for it by buying only about-to-be-binned meat (there's a special Reduced section) and planning the meals around that. I am also thinking *very seriously* about Freegan-style waste-food-reclamation from actual supermarket bins but am a bit scared of it.

I don't think it would help my cleaner's budget any if I cut out her money, either.

Meal-planning is my absolute favourite. Also, I'm starting to assemble my price-comparison sheet again; it turns out that for organic foods Sainsburys is the cheapest in many, many instances, and the True Food Co-op is cheapest in many other instances.

An Aldi has opened nearish us and I intend to investigate it; we already buy Lidl stuff a bit (their free-range chicken is ok, because it *is* free-range and at least British, so comparatively local, but it still makes me sad).

Clothing - only second-hand, often free, including Freecycle.

I'm planning on going through our bills in the near future to see about changing phone, elec & gas suppliers.

Linnea will be making Christmas presents for most of her friends. So will Emer and I for Emer's friends.

Working out which meals are expensive is a good idea but one I find very depressing.

If we get the trike repaired our transport costs will go down again. I really hate being without the trike.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Reduced section. Yes, we should investigate that. As for Freeganism, I admire it, but there's some fairly serious time-and-effort overhead involved. I don't feel there's enough slack in the system at the moment.

Cleaner's budget: yes, absolutely. Also childminder, who remits to her family (and is adored by ours, furthermore). Such a pity one can't embrace dog-eat-dog faceless capitalism. It would be so much more convenient.

Must resurrect my price-comparison sheet, too. All these practical steps to be taken, and here we are barely getting fed and laundered - we need to hire some STAFF, dammit. Where's our housemage?

[yiskah.livejournal.com]

It's an obvious one, but I've saved a fair amount in the past by not going to the supermarket with a set list, but buying whatever was on special and figuring out what to do with it (also has the effect of expanding your cooking repertoire). Has the extra benefit that you end up eating seasonally without even trying!

[radegund.livejournal.com]

Interesting. We've had the opposite experience: that having a list that we stick to like glue saves money, because then we don't buy stuff on spec that has no place on the menu and goes off quietly while we pretend we can't see it because we only really bought it because it was cheap, not because anyone actually wanted it. Perhaps if we were more disciplined ... or had more headspace to devote to the figuring out part ... ahahaha. Oh well. Eventually, even Fiachra will sleep through the night, and then everything will be possible.

[mollydot.livejournal.com]

With gadgets such as pdas, or with internet connection, it should be possible to store recipes so that you can access them in the shop. Then if you see something cheap, you may be able to work out there & then what to do with it & make a decision based on that.