Money Saving and You.

[Parasondox]

Cold but sunny. British weather does suffer from bi polar.

When you are working a low paid job with small hours, you have to be cautious with your money. Like seriously cautious. I took a job that was 15 hours a week at a pay of ?435 per month while living in Zone 3 (Boris Johnson desperately wants my area to be Zone 2) London. It's shitty so I have to manager my money.

You may be wonder why I took that job? Well, while I was applying for about 100 jobs a week and getting no reply, this was the only one that got back to me. Plus, those other jobs were looking for 5 years experience and I only had 3. So I was fucked.

Can ?435 last in London until your next monthly pay day? Nope. As my journey to work was ?120 a month. Luckily I found a cheaper solution around that. Whats bad is how I was called "stingy" for not leading money out. I mean, really? Yes I had bills to pay and by the time payday came, "annnnd its gone". Yeah. Shitty.

Now, my pay has increased, so has hours and things are on the up. Kinda. Slowly. Looks like I will retire at 90. Thanks Tories.

Anywho, what money saving tactics and advice can you give to those who haven't reached that low point yet?

Give us some of your tales of money stress and one advance I would give is, do not go to a pay day loan lender. Just stay away.

Some may say money isn't important but sadly, it's what makes the world go round and the point between life and death in some cases.

 

[Zhukov]

My tip would be learn to cook, at least reasonably well.

Buying ingredients is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying any kind of quality pre-prepared or ready-to-eat food.

You can eat relatively healthily for very little money if you know what you're doing. Especially if you're single and you're not trying to impress anyone with fancy meals.

 

[Phasmal]

Ah, I have been there.
Two years ago I took a minimum-wage job, while my boyfriend was working nights and getting a nice night-premium, and we got our new flat together.
And then he lost his job, which left us with just me working a job which, if I did my contract hours added up to... ?10 less than our rent. Now we did manage to get some government help (though not much) and boyfriend has a much better job now, but yeah. Been there.

Zhukov is right, learning to cook is a good idea. There are actually quite a few cookbooks on how to eat very cheaply.
There's also money saving websites which feature things like vouchers and deals so you can make the most out of your money.
Also when you're shopping, write a list and stick to it.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of right now.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Do your reseach on which stores sell which products for the cheapest and you shouldn't rule out the little store/ markets.

You be suprised how cheap that store is selling for it.

Granted finding the actual store in your area and the time and distance to go just for the specific product is a different matter.

Also there are plenty of sites that give guide/ advice on managing your budget on a low income.

 

[Summerstorm]

Oh man...

So: I was coming out of college (failed) and needed money fast. Got me a terrible paying job and took ALL of the hours i could get. doing double-tripple shifts. (I think payment was 4? / hour - living in Germany - rent alone was 450?/month)

And then i switched to a better paying job (Which would now be minimum wage), but i barely had money left: Rent was payed for the month, but i had about 10? / week while working a physically demanding job (Plus point: In about a month and a half i lost ~30 kg weight - superhealthy... but i was fat before so i could take it)

I could buy tickets for the bus, so i cheated with a handful of tickets - First i bought food for calories... after a while i bought food for volume (so i don't feel so hungry)

So: If electricity isn't that much of an issue: bake your own bread. (Flour is 40 cents a kilogram, yeast is 8 cents, salt and maybe an onion for taste - pretty cheap) Try to have some multi-vitamin juice ready.

Other Things to fill: Rice, Beans, Potatoes. Just salt it and done. Buy only cheapest stuff.


Ok, the REAL advice is: Get a better paying job, apply for help (The damn state allows people be poor, so they better help out) or just give up on your dreams and work soul-crushing jobs you don't like full-time (yay... that is me - still poor, but not THAT poor)

 

[NPC009]

-There's nothing wrong with frozen/canned vegetables and peas. Stock up when there's a good sale going on. Same goes for other stuff that stays good for like forever, such as pasta and rice.

-Spotted some fresh produce for a good price but it's too much for just one person? Ask a friend if they want to split. You'll pay less and won't have to worry about anything going to waste.

-Avoid public transportation when you can. Walk (or, if it's an option, get on a bicycle) instead.

-Keep an eye out for good charity shops. It's amazing what kind of stuff you can get there for next to nothing. I've bought brand name clothes that were like new for a couple of bucks.

-Only turn on the heating when it's freezing (wouldn't want to risk damage to the pipes, afterall). Wear layers instead, have an extra cup of tea, and make sure you don't sit still for too long. Get your circulation going with some cleaning. Cold hands? That may be a good time to do the dishes.

-There's lots of free entertainment out there. The internet is a great source, but be sure to check out your local library.

 

[Saelune]

A crazy idea, I know, but don't buy things you don't need. Yes, even if its on sale. My grandparents constantly buy things just because its on sale or they have a coupon, then no one uses or eats it (usually its food) and then it just goes to waste.

 

[Parasondox]

From a lot of the comments posted, the answer is clear. Don't live beyond your means and don't be afraid of trying something cheaper and easier to purchase. My added thought is, don't follow the crowd. Your friends may have the latest Beats but don't try to play catch up.

 

[Vausch]

Coupons. Sign up for free places that will get you coupons for food and things you need, go to stores that have frequent deals, if you have a smartphone get a company app as you will likely get dozens of deals from them to use repeatedly.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Eliminate monthly expenses you can't afford. I don't have reliable paychecks coming in. Sooooo, I have no phone. At all.

No apps, no texts, no calls. Nothing.


"But how?"

I never got addicted to my phone, made it easier. My work? Emails and calls can all be handled through the internet (skype if both parties have it, google hangout can call out to numbers). I live in Canada so our cell plans SUCK and are too expensive for a time when you don't have monthly income. They usually have massively expensive cancellation fees.

There are phone cards and other alternatives but I haven't needed to go out to restore my phone time of writing.

Anyway....

Invest in meat that can be frozen long term if you absolutely require meat in your life. Ration yourself, re-freeze. Cook pastas (cheap), use lentils when you can't afford meat for your protein. Keep up with your veggies. Cut out all extraneous substances, you can live without beer.

Sleep well, turn off your lights. Game time has to be paid in utilities so make sure you're not convincing yourself your free-to-play MMO is totally free. Drink tap water and use ice for hot days (unless your city has Flint levels of problems), research your groceries to reduce the prices you pay, reduce the amount you drive if you drive and refuse parties if you know you can't afford to participate. Debt is no fun.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

Learn to cook. There are quite a few really good cooking websites online aimed at people on a low budget as well. My personal recommendation would be for Jack Monroe [https://cookingonabootstrap.com/], who provides a breakdown of the cost for each meal, but some of their dishes you might want to add a few extra bits to for more variety. Also you can add frozen veg to pretty much anything for more health and little cost.

Check out local shops over supermarkets, as you might be able to find cheaper meat and veggies there. And avoid brands.

If you need clothes, charity shops are a god send. Pretty much all of my jeans and work shirts come from them.

Try to save money on regular expenses. If you have to take the bus or train to work, walking or cycling might save money in the long run, or if you absolutely need to use transport then look into a season pass. Also if you drink regularly, consider cutting down or even going dry for a little bit. Any place that serves alcohol in the UK must also serve free tap water by law, so you don't even need to stop going out.

Wear extra layers instead of turning the heating up. They're part of my rent in my current house, but gas and electricity used to be the second most expensive part of my living arrangements (first was rent).

-There's lots of free entertainment out there. The internet is a great source, but be sure to check out your local library.

I'm also going to strongly recommend this as libraries deserve much more attention than they get.

 

[Zaeseled]

Buy foodstuff that is expiring, most grocery stores (atleast in my personal experience) have stickers on products that are expiring today or the day after. Usually it's 30% off, and that'll save you quite a bit of money.
For example in the grocery store I work at a 300g package of minced meat usually costs around 4 or 5 euros, if it's about to expire we usually re-price them at 2.00 or 2.50 euros.
And if you have a freezer, all the better. You can put the meats and breads there and they'll last longer, then take them out on the day you want to eat them.

 

[BlackBark]

Something I like to do is stockpile certain things when they are on offer. I either do this with food I can freeze or food that won't go off fast, like cheese.

Also with toiletries. I only buy half price or bogof toiletries and always check the supermarkets when I'm there. If I'm even close to running low, then I buy when they're on offer to avoid having to pay full price when I really need them.

If you want to go quite extreme, then you can plan all your meals out, which means you should know exactly what you need to buy and won't get tempted by offers for things that you don't really want or need.

Finally, keep track of all your spending and put it in a spreadsheet. I've found this makes it easier to spot areas to lower costs.

 

[Parasondox]

Do not get a contract phone, over ?20. It's a waste of money and I know the latest Samsung or Apple or whatever other Smart phone is out but really, think about what you use your phone for mostly. Use alot of WiFi? Get sim only deals that have loads of data for cheap. You will get less minutes and text with them but if you most things online, then you don't need the minutes. Get a budget smart phone too.

I know in the UK, it's difficult for you to cancel your mobile contract without a large fee attached. Don't make silly phone purchases. A colleague always complains that she is poor but a week later decided to get the iPhone 6s on contract for over ?50 a months. Hey it's her money, but why complain about being broke.

Oh and fuck EE and O2.

 

[llsaidknockyouout]

I usually go mid-range on most non-perishable items I buy. Buying cheap results in crap quality, stuff breaks and you're going to have to buy again. Going high-end usually means you're just paying for a logo.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Have you looked into reserve service? I'm not sure how much of that is a British thing, but if it's anything like Australia the military has a ton of service personnel-only benefits to take advantage of. It's not like Iraq or Afghanistan is still a thing. It's a way of filling out your resume more, and the military, at least here, has a whole lot of education resources you can access. I know a few people that did their trades through military service.

Also, get a very good accountant and make friends with cooks at student canteens and like. Free potato bake is free.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

god damn, I'm not sure if it's just because all the stories I hear from are on here, but it really sounds like the UK sucks balls to live in right now between jobs and finding somewhere to live without government help.


I have no idea how it works in the UK, but in the US if you have a job but it's not covering the hours, you can get "government assistance" if you are actively looking for other full time jobs, so that can really help cover the difference in expenses.

some have mentioned military service, it's a good way to get benefits and long term career options in the US, not sure how it is in the UK, but worth checking out if you reach "fuck it"

 

[Parasondox]

god damn, I'm not sure if it's just because all the stories I hear from are on here, but it really sounds like the UK sucks balls to live in right now between jobs and finding somewhere to live without government help.


I have no idea how it works in the UK, but in the US if you have a job but it's not covering the hours, you can get "government assistance" if you are actively looking for other full time jobs, so that can really help cover the difference in expenses.

some have mentioned military service, it's a good way to get benefits and long term career options in the US, not sure how it is in the UK, but worth checking out if you reach "fuck it"

At the moment, the UK is juggling a million problems at once. Cuts here, cuts there, entire industries effecting a large community. Doctors feeling strained, the disabled feeling the bruises of less resources going towards them. More people living below their means while councils can not wait to get rid of them, our referendum with the EU and of course the recent revelation concerning the Panama Papers where those who avoided tax could have helped this country a great deal and these cuts to the worse off wouldn't have been so extreme. All they needed to do was PAY THEIR FUCKING TAXES IN FULL but, nope, Gideon refuses to poke the bear. Well, that bear is also in Number 10 with his alleged links with his late father's off shore trust fund. Or that bear could be Gideon himself. Allegedly.

Listen, I know that's what capitalism is about. Making the most money, profit, profit, profit but really one must ask how much money is enough for any one person to live on. You don't need that mega yacht in every continent with 2 helipads. The bragging rights is pathetic, the power play is childish and the dick waving, dick measuring contest is all but tiny and narcissistically sad. Jobs are cut but CEOs still take bonuses no matter the outcome and yet those high end bosses are the ones complaining saying, "oh, if you increase the minimum wage, I will have to cut staff numbers", but yourself and shareholders will all be sound, right?

Yeah, the UK is going through a bit of a mess at the moment. The more water is being poured into the glass, the more it overflows and creates a massive flood of problems.

 

[MeatMachine]

Looks like everyone here mentions the need to make sacrifices to get by.
"Getting by" is usually a state in which you have little else to sacrifice.

...I'm not sure there's much I can say that hasn't already been said, and certainly nothing that would sound more comforting.

Sorry man - being a member of the working poor is seriously shit. Only reason why I'm not right there with you is because I'm an American who qualified for the military, enlisted, did a few years of service, then got med-boarded with high disability pay over genetic health complications that just happened to manifest in my early 20's. I don't take my income for granted, and certainly don't feel proud that most of it isn't earned through the work that I do, but rather granted over the duty I was too broken to finish.