10 ways I will be saving money this year. -join me? (How has the Credit Crunch affected you?)

Member Name: I-tried-this

Product:	How has the Credit Crunch affected you?
Date:	13/01/09 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: If I stick to it, it will work, and I can save over 3K this year!!

Disadvantages: Its going to be as easy or as comfortable as I would like it to be...

I have no idea if this helps anyone- great if it does, if it doesn't well, I have added something up for thought maybe.

I need to make major cuts in what I buy this year, I have lost my job, and have little way into getting a new job I can live from at the moment. I have fees and costs coming out of my eyeballs- I pay for my own psychotherapy which has so far kept me from a return of my eating disorder so worth every penny in my eyes. But I live in London, use public transport, (had my bike stolen some years ago and could not afford to replace it.) And I live alone so cannot go halves on bills nor go to bed with a human hot water bottle :( so gas and electric bills are sky high for me. Turning off all plugs at the wall, yank them out and do not leave anything on standby. Obvious stuff, stuff I already do, I need new ideas!

Here are 10 ways I will be trying to save/cut spending in 2009.

1.
Wash my clothes only after 1am, when the meter has swapped over to log everything on a cheaper rate. When I get up in the morning, leave my clothes to dry while I am out all day (windows need to be left open so they do not cause damp or mildew.) I don't actually own a tumble dryer but if I did, it would add to my bills.

2.
Turn off my heating in the day time when I am not home. I am at home night time, so its allowed to be on then- until 6am when the meter changes over anyway!

3.
Turn off my microwave! I read somewhere that a 1000kw microwave (which is what I have) costs as much as 1p a minute- just to light itself up and look pretty! Right- its going off as soon as I have finished with it!

4.
Do not replace my mobile phone! Now, for many people, this is too much of an ask. But for me? I contact my friends by email, face book (as long as I can grin and bear it) and if really urgent, land line. I chat with them- face to face. I did have a phone last year- it was a really nice phone, a Nokia N95 8GB (see review for comments) but it was stolen shortly after I got it, and I was stuck with an 18 month contract. 3 mobile who I am with, send me a replacement (for a fee) but that went and got stolen too- so basically I will have spent just over 12 months of my 18 month contract paying £25 a month on a phone I cannot use nor afford to replace- I think if I can prove to myself I can do without it, then I don't need it. 8 months to go!

5.
Do not buy any Magazines, Newspapers or otherwise. Not unless they are bought for me will I read them. I used to spend 50p per week day on a newspaper, then £1.40 Saturday, and/or £2 on a Sunday. This is a total of £5.90 a week, over £300 a year!! Added to that magazines- which I get around 4 a month of the glossys (Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire, Grazia, Psychologies, Zest, Time Out, Fit....OK, so maybe more then 4 a month) that's around another £20 to £30 a month and up to another £360 a year, so I am spending at the moment, somewhere between £500 to £700 on magazines and newspapers!!! No wonder I am always broke!
I will instead be reading on-line magazines, not as fun, no, but still as informative, no freebies no, but do I really need another mascara? And £700- that's a Mulberry bag at full price!
And as for newspapers? Well I live in London, daily I am able to travel just a bit further and pick up not just one, but three separate newspapers- (The Metro, The London Lite, and The Londoner) all highly similar, but better then £300 a year, right?!

6.
Stop buying still bottled water. OK, hands up, I am stupid. I know water from the tap is just as clean- but even the strongest sceptic must be aware there is a taste difference. The thing is though, I don't drink water for its taste, I gulp it down to hydrate me at the gym. So I will now be using my water bottle-the one I was given free at my new gym. This should save me an additional £300ish a year. Same goes with coffee/tea. I am not so guilty of this as I tend to stick to water (trying to be healthy) but if you were to pay say £1.50 to £2 a day for a coffee or tea, 5 days per week, every week, you would be spending around £390 to £520- not including any weekends or if you decide to have more then one cup a day. Ouch!

7.
NO MORE MAKEUP! OK, maybe some, but a lot less! And definitely no more skincare- unless its a free sample by Origins with no spend required. (They normally do a try 5 for free offer in February time). I counted up12 mascaras earlier, 8 lip glosses, I have about 7 lip balms, 5 blushers, 5 foundations, 7 concealers, I lost count of the eye shadows. Mac or not, no more no more no more! Not until I use them up! I was very fortunate to have a wonderful mother who bought me the Boots No.7 black vanity case skin care set which itself should last me all year, and for some unknown idea I took it upon myself to add to it buy buying a smaller Boots skincare set in the sales....added to my many samples, if I do run out this year then I seriously do believe in Faeries! Added to that my Haircare- now filling an under the bed sized box. I get bored easily is my only excuse. Definitely should last me half the year. And that's not including the samples I have!

8.
Stop buying expensive pre-packaged food. Just. Say. No. I am going to have a real problem with that one, I love eating freshly cut melon- so much that I will not buy myself an entire melon to cut up myself. Why? Because I would (and have) easily eat the whole thing in its entirety. Yes really. And its not good for my stomach- do you have any idea how long it takes your stomach to digest fruit? Well I can tell you if its an entire melon, its longer then you think! (Wouldn't stop me though!)

9.
Use the shower at my gym. And try to use it only at my gym. OK, so I already do this (yes I go to the gym 5 or 6 times a week). But I have had to cut my membership to my gym as I can no longer afford it. Instead I joined a far cheaper gym. And boy does it show. No frills is not the word.- Well I suppose anything would be in comparison to a gym that has been marked "The Centre of Excellence" by the FIA (Governmental board). But now I have fallen far far FAR from grace, (OK I now heavily dislike the new gym) I am going to need all the motivation I can get to keep me there, as unlike with my last gym, I cannot just cancel from one month to the next, I have an annual contract, and there is no way I am going to waste that, good offer or not. Now here is a trick that can really make it work: I will be saving money if I continue to go as often as possible- at least 5 days per week. I will be boosting my metabolism so keeping myself warm for long after I have done my workout, and doing all my/most of my cleaning there, so will continue to save water costs and heating of the water costs. Unfortunately as I have been doing that already for the past 2 years, I have no idea how much money I will be saving- it would be significant though- 1 shower a day for an entire week/month/year can't be that cheap.

10.
Well how could I not have this as my final point? To continue posting on Dooyou. Not only does it get me points and thus vouchers/cash, but it also keeps me out of trouble- though will have to try hard not to try what has been reviewed on here, that's my only bad point about Dooyou, through this site I have reclaimed my Lush addiction and begun an interest in luxury haircare!

Summary: A challenge with a huge reward