It seems that at the moment the media is full of talk about how to tighten our belts in this present economic 'crisis'. This is something I've been trying to do for years now - credit crunch or no credit crunch - and I do wonder just how much further I can actually tighten my bloomin' belt without cutting off my circulation!! For all my carefulness with spending it just seems that things are getting more and more expensive on a day by day basis - travel costs, food, fuel prices, household bills, you name it and it is going up at a frightening pace. The past three weeks in particular has seen me get through an emormous (to me) amount of money with nothing really to show for it. Where has it all gone? and what can I do to put the brakes on my cash?
I've tried really hard this past week to not put the central heating on even though it has been exceedingly chilly in the evenings. There are two reasons for this - 1. I don't like the idea of unnecessarily burning finite fossil fuel when I can manage with putting on an extra layer and wrapping myself in a blankets, and 2. the cost of gas has become so ludicrously expensive that although we're not on the breadline I do object to paying so much just to keep warm. On that note, whatever happened to the 1970's idea that North Sea gas would be so cheap it wouldn't need metering?? Anyway, after having been so cold on Sunday evening that I watched 'Brokeback Mountain' on TV wrapped in a duvet with a hot water bottle under it, I gave in and actually put the heating on for a few hours each evening. I didn't like doing it but there are limits to even my penny-pinching.
As regards food expenses I just don't know how much further I can cut back. Most meals these days are vegetarian as neither of us likes eating cheap meat, and we can't really afford to pay the, no doubt realistic, prices for organic meat. I already do the majority of my shopping at Aldi (which, along with Lidl and Netto, are apparently booming as more and more people discover a cheaper place to shop). All meals are home-cooked using fresh ingredients and we rarely rarely have takeaways.
We do have a car but it is so rarely used that I can't remember when we last put petrol in it - at least six months ago I would guess. At least we are spared the galloping petrol prices at the pumps for the time being although of course the rapidly rising price of crude oil is going to affect all of us - drivers or not - in the near future as transport and transportation costs rocket too.
Scarey times! - has anybody out there got any 'credit crunch-busting' tips to pass on. At the moment both me, and my purse, would be really grateful.
Hello Elizabeth, I've found my way hear via Lily's House. I like your writing and general thrifting. If you don't know it already, visit Rhonda's blog at
http://down---to---earth.
blogspot.com/
There's a wonderful community there for all things simple and frugal, and I'm sure you'll find some more helpful ideas.
Best wishes, Diana
Posted by: Diana | 05/23/2008 at 06:09 PM
Just noticed my spelling mistake....I meant 'here' not hear!! It's friday afternoon...a long week...!!
Posted by: Diana | 05/23/2008 at 06:11 PM
Just noticed my spelling mistake....I meant 'here' not hear!! It's friday afternoon...a long week...!!
Posted by: Diana | 05/23/2008 at 06:12 PM
A very thought provoking post. We need to tighten our belts too (we've just taken out a loan for a new car - oh dear!) so I will be interested to see what ideas you get back. My only tip is to stay away from shops as much as possible! This week has been exceptional in that I haven't had to go into town for anything and have been home most of the time, but as a result have only spent a few pounds on a book of stamps.
Posted by: Rachel | 05/23/2008 at 06:17 PM
Hello Elizabeth!
Yes the price of food is scary isn't it? I am trying to concentrate on not wasting food and using up all the leftovers. It's quite amazing how much difference that makes. Old nearly sprouting spuds get peeled, par boiled and roasted ready for the freezer as home made "aunt bessies", leftover veg and gravy gets collected in a pot in the freezer to make suprise soup once I have enough veg I cook it all up and then process until smooth, add a tiny bit of butter and some milk - home made cream of veg soup. I freeze half of every loaf so it doesn't go off. Any apples looking past their best get carefully peeled and cooked up with some sugar, cinnamon and sultanas and frozen ready to make apple pies or crumbles. I have been known to cook up the apple peel and then put through a sieve to make puree. All time consuming though but I enjoy it.
Posted by: Heather | 05/23/2008 at 10:17 PM
I'm in the same situation, it's scary isn't it - how much everything costs at present, just stupid. I don't buy convenience foods and we never have takeaways either. I like Lidl too, especially for fruit, yogurts,ham and cheese, cereal. I use my breadmaker for our loaves which is definitely cheaper. Unfortunately my husband commutes quite a distance and I need the car for my job - petrol is crippling us. I suppose we've just got to keep on what we're doing and hope it gets easier.
Posted by: asti | 05/25/2008 at 03:05 PM
I have been menu planning and cooking from scratch so I don't waste anything that I buy. I always shop with a list and am now a big fan of the 'cheap shops' like Poundshop and Quality Save for shampoo, cleaning things etc. I read Down to Earth too and it's very inspiring. I also read www.moneysavingexpert.com which is full of good ideas, especially the money saving old style section in the forum. I find the amount that things are going up amazing, not just 1 or 2p at a time but 10p 0r more, I bought our usual large milk the other day and it had gone up 16p! Tight belts all round I fear.
Posted by: French Knots | 05/26/2008 at 08:03 AM