Spending Less

As this was one of my main aims for 2013 and as I am just a frugal Yorkshire girl at heart I thought I would create a post about the ways that I try to spend less.  The following are some of the ways I try to spend less on a day to day basis:

Shop at Lidl

For several years now Lidl has been my supermarket of choice as it offers great value and good quality across the store.  The actual experience may not feel as enjoyable to some as cruising the aisles of some of the larger more upmarket supermarkets but to me this is a small price that I am happy to pay to make savings.  For a start, the simple layout of the store and the fact that it doesn't have a huge choice of brands and price ranges available means that you don't get drawn into the usual supermarket tricks of displaying the most profitable items at eye level and the cheaper brands in some obscure place.  They have one own brand range generally, and some other non-Lidl branded items, although they do now stock more luxury own brand products if you are looking for something a bit more special.

In addition, the comparably few ranges and brands helps me personally stick to the basics, which at Lidl, I find to be on a par in quality terms with supermarkets on the continent.  This prevents me overspending and picking up lots of unneccessary extras that are not only bad for my waistline but also for my pocket.  We have become so happy and acclimatised to shopping here that goods bought from other supermarkets often just don't hit the mark.

(A tip for gardeners out there - I have grown some amazing lettuces over the years using Lidl seeds which cost about 30p per pack)

Gradually as the recession has taken hold in the last five years more and more people we know have begun shopping there, to a point where now when we visit family and friends we find that almost everyone we know now shops there regularly, without any prompting from us.  Presumably this is through necessity and their own realisation that they sell good quality products.  I would recommend the store to anyone wanting to save some money on groceries. 

Online Discount Grocery Stores

Another way to save money on groceries I have recently discovered by reading blogs is to use online discount grocery stores such as Approved Foods and ROSSPA.  I am a recent convert to these websites and have just placed my first order with the latter so am waiting to see how that works out for me.  I have placed several orders with Approved Foods and find the service they provide to be excellent.  It is tempting however sometimes to order too much and not have enough room in your cupboards so I am trying to be careful in this regard.  I like the fact that new items are listed on the site daily and sometimes you have to be quick before they sell out.

The most frustrating thing I find is when I place an order and then the next day something I really use regularly and would really want comes on but is sold out by the time I need to place an order again.  Such is life I guess.  Items tend to come around again sometimes though. 

Although many of the products are beyond their best before date and some are brands I have never heard of,  I have found that there are few I have ordered that I would not reorder.   You can also tick a box to show only goods that are within date which I think is a really useful feature.  I believe that the postage charge of £5.25 is waived on your first order but even after this the convenience and savings can still make this worth paying as they have occasional amazing and irresistable offers on some items.  The lucky box where you pay £1 and get a lucky box of goods worth at least £4.99 is great fun too when it is available.  It's like having a go on a grocery lucky dip.  You never know what you might get in it.

It's hard to say how much I am saving using this site because I don't really analyse it but their prices for many things are cheaper than I've seen anywhere which enables you to enjoy treats you might not otherwise indulge in.  (Not so great for your waistline however, as I found to my cost after my first few orders.  I now try to avoid some of the chocolates and crisps as much as possible!)

Loyalty Cards

I know that many people do not like to use loyalty card schemes when shopping but I am happy to collect points for pounds spent to use on some of the little luxuries in life.  I don't have a whole raft of loyalty cards but 2 or 3 that I use reasonably regularly such as Tesco clubcard, Boots and Sainsbury's Nectarcard.  I must admit that as I do most of my shopping at Lidl I don't always collect huge amounts of points but I have collected enoughTesco points to secure 3 magazine subscriptions this year for Prima, Making and Grow it Magazines. 

I have subscribed to Prima in this way for several years now, primarily as you receive a free sewing pattern with each issue which I can then use to make clothes, time permitting.  You do have to opt in now by calling the publisher and asking for the patterns to be included with the magazine but this is just a quick phone call and is very straightforward.  Grow it Magazine is a gardening magazine which often comes with a free packet of seeds.  I've already received a pack of tomato seeds to sow later this year.  Making is a craft magazine and I  am always happy to receive inspiration through the letterbox.  Better still they all get delivered and I don't have to go searching for and spending money on magazines or worry about missing an issue.  I have also used the points to give magazine subscriptions as gifts at Christmas which means that the gift lasts all year.

My Boots loyalty card is also useful for occasionally being able to get free products using the points.  I shop at Boots mainly for the make up range I use regularly which also often has a free gift offer if you buy 3 products and these free gifts of makeup palettes, makeup bags, etc. I then often use as small stocking fillers at Christmas.

I must admit that the Nectar card gets very little use as there isn't really a Sainsbury's very close by but I have in the past used the points to get dvd's for Xmas presents.  I would earn more points if I could get eBay to accept my nectar card for purchases on their site.  Mental note to try to get this sorted for this year.

Sale Shopping

I do love a trip to the sales but I do tend to be very practical and try not to get tempted by much of the stuff on offer that I do not need.  I am also quite selective about which sales I go to as I prefer certain stores where I can get quality brands. 

The main store sales I attend are Marks and Spencers, Boots and John Lewis.  I must make a very sad admission that I have already started my Xmas shopping for next year in this year's sales.  I won't go into much detail but have managed to buy some lovely gifts at a fraction of the price that comparative things will be in the lead up to Christmas next year.  I adopted the same approach last year and continued to shop for Xmas throughout the year so that by December I had very little shopping left to do and didn't need to face the hourdes in the shops.  This also helped me to spread the cost of Christmas.   I did venture out a couple of times, however, as it is nice to get caught up in the atmosphere in the weeks before Christmas.

Marks and Spencers I particularly like as towards the tail end of their sale they slash prices to a quarter or less and I have often picked up great items of good quality that last for years.

Ebay and Online Shopping

I regularly buy and sell on eBay.  If you shop with care you can get exactly what you want and have it delivered to your door much cheaper than if you went out searching for it in the shops.  I try to use eBay for buying very specific items I can compare prices on or obscure items that it is hard to find to save time looking.   Any money I earn selling things I no longer need or want I keep in my account and use it to buy items on eBay or elsewhere on line using Paypal.  I like to give business to ordinary people trying to make some money as well as the eBay businesses that I believe provide a service to people all over the world.   I do hear negative things said about it and sometimes purchases can be disappointing but overall I think it is an amazing tool and especially useful for those people who collect, don't live near shops and to whom it would be a car or bus journey to get what they need.

I also like to do some Online sale shopping, particularly at this time of year as some brands have some great savings on children's clothing, particularly La Redoute, Joules and Boden.  I never buy these latter brands full price as I just cannot afford to.  I am however happy to buy them at a reduced price in their online sales and have done this for the past two years. I don't worry too much about whether it's the latest style as I believe in having my own sense of style and not relying on what the fashion industry dictates.  In addition if you buy quite a few things in the sale then you justify the postage costs.

Charity Shops, Car Boot Sales and Jumble Sales

This method of reducing spending may not appeal to some of you which is fine.  Each to their own.  I, however, enjoy a good rummage with the best of them.  A large percentage of my spending is done in charity shops, car boots and jumble sales.  The added benefit apart from saving money is knowing that your money is going to a good cause and helping others and that you are reusing things that otherwise might find their way into landfill when still perfectly usable.

There are certain charity shops, jumble sales and car boots that I frequent on a reasonably regular basis when the urge takes me.  I must admit to having a slight compulsion in this department but have become adept at managing it in the last year as our house was too full and just could not accommodate much more.  I usually take a set amount of money with me such as £5 or £10 or £20 at most and limit myself to spending no more than that amount, often I come back and don't even manage to spend much at all.  I have found some real bargains over the years including numerous vintage dresses that I enjoy wearing and people almost always comment upon when I do wear them.  Another example was that I managed to buy a hardly used swingball game for £5 at a car boot last year which would have cost £20 or more in the shops to replace ours that had been worn out.  This are just a few examples of many over the years and as such are the reason why I keep returning quite apart from it being a pleasurable way to shop as you just never know what you might find.

Gym Membership

Many people may disagree with this as a way to save money but for me it works out brilliantly.   I pay about £50 per month for my gym membership and it is worth it's weight in gold.  It gets me out of the house which when you work from home is crucial, keeps me fit which enhances my life and how I feel about myself, and cuts the cost of classes if you go regularly.  For example, I can attend as many classes as I want, swim and use the gym on or off peak for this sum.  I only really use it for classes but I regularly attend 4-6 classes a week so these work out at about £2.50 each which would be hard to beat anywhere else in London.  I didn't always get so much value out of my membership but in the last year or so I have started attending more new classes to get the best out of it and it has really paid off.

So there you are, just a few ways I try to spend less in everyday life.  Nothing complicated in there and I'm sure there are lots more ways I could save even more which I am finding out about reading some of the many blogs out there.  Some I probably will never try but some I will give a go and see how they suit me.

This has been quite a long post I realise and I hope I haven't bored you all too much.  Apologies for the lack of photos.  I'm working on it.  My camera is not great but I will endeavour to post some photos in the near future.