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[Mr Skrunts]

[size=12]Financially I am ok I suppose, but the recent news with the Halifax got me thinking back to how thing's used to be for me as a kid.

Mum and Dad were not tight, but they weren’t extravagant, Mum did all the cooking and looked after the home whilst pop's went out to work.  We went on holiday every year, ended up with a static caravan as we got older and then a cheap chalet/bungalow at Chapel st leonords a little later.

As I started work at 16 My Dad explained some of the ways we/they had achieved the above.  Sometimes we went without, but with an aim to gain what we hadn’t got.  There was no credit, and any extra money was paid off the mortgage which in turn gave us holiday abroad as we got older.

He basically explained his simple structure to me, and at that it was a well proven one.

I have a brother and sister both younger than me, and if we were all honest we live on a day to day basis and sod tomorrow.

Were as I have paid off a mortgage and stayed single, my sister has brought up 2 boys, now 21 and 18 and basically both starting to earn good money.

My Brother, self employed, likes to go out for  a drink 4 nights a week and from the age of 14 had always smoked up till his 40th birthday in Feb

My point after the ramble above.  Bro has made a saving on cigs to make a big dent in his monthly mortgage payment; sis is starting to see a saving of not having to dip into her purse every 5 mins for the lads.

Now I got pissed off when the Gas and Electric upped my Direct Debits from £24 and £27 per month to £36 and £57 per month.  They were quickly told to accept £30 each or the DD would be cancelled, both are still well with in credit.  

All bills are now on DD, with a 24/7 All day BT friends and Family plan for pree calls during the day. Saving £1 a month on paperless billing and £5 on DD, Also showing a saving of upto £20 per month on phone calls. :-/
  The saving so far is £20 on average.  So that could equate to £240 P.A. Allready

Well it got to thinking, what could I save and how.  So far the plan is:-

Change my browsing PC from a 450 watt PC with 3 hard drives and a 768MB VGA Card, to a 250 Watt Shuttle.  The 450 watt PC will be on and off to suit to play games (max prob 2 hours a day)

Low energy light bulbs through the house

Thermal Curtains throughout, keep heat during winter and keep house cool in summer.

Door curtain against the front door for winter use, with draught excluders for the door bottoms.

Keep doors closed, turn off lights.

List is still ongoing, but a lot of it is what was drummed into us as kids.

I am moving in home in January and will be stopping all take aways and going back to good old fashioned home cooking ( As per the thread Mike F Started) http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1221867048/all

Please feel free to make comment on money saving idea's or methods as I am sure we will all benfit.  

Why am I doing it, well I fancy a 3.2 Omega in place of my 2.5, and I fancy a 42" Flat screen but dont fancy digging into my saving for it.  I dont NEED it, I just WANT one.  So decided to buy them from what I save

Will be interesting to see what I achieved by December 31st 2009 From Jan 1st 2009
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[Mr Skrunts]

[philhoward]

Biggest pinch i've felt this year is the increased fuel bills - for the car, that is.  That extra £100/month was my "play" money.

Already do the low energy bulbs, paperfree DD bills, etc.  Can't turn the heating down any more as wife suffers arthritus in her knees and hands as it is.

Only real difference i've seen is with food - fewer takeways -and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.  I've found that making a larger, freezable meal last 2 days - spaced over a couple of weeks.  Trouble is our 2nd freezer died earlier this year - it was great for stocking up on the BOGOF's at supermarkets.  Since then, not had the spare £100 for a new one!  A rated (or better), of course..

Quick tip - never go shopping on an empty stomach - you always buy far too much for "when you get home" and most of it goes to waste.

[Mr Skrunts]

Biggest pinch i've felt this year is the increased fuel bills - for the car, that is.  That extra £100/month was my "play" money.

Already do the low energy bulbs, paperfree DD bills, etc.  Can't turn the heating down any more as wife suffers arthritus in her knees and hands as it is.

Only real difference i've seen is with food - fewer takeways -and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.  I've found that making a larger, freezable meal last 2 days - spaced over a couple of weeks.  Trouble is our 2nd freezer died earlier this year - it was great for stocking up on the BOGOF's at supermarkets.  Since then, not had the spare £100 for a new one!  A rated (or better), of course..

Quick tip - never go shopping on an empty stomach - you always buy far too much for "when you get home" and most of it goes to waste.

Learnt that one a few years ago, took a long time to get out of the habit though.

I do my main shop online these days, that way I cant smell the pies and other fresh food s I am shopping.

My biggest problem is take aways, even though they all know it's me phoning up and have adapted meals to suit, like pizza with out chess on thin crust and extra pepers and toms etc, plus specially made up salad trays I still end up with a bottle of pop evey time and the whole thing costs me 40/80% more than it would of cost me in a supermarket and making it myself.  That is my biggest waste of money by far.  Single and lazy.  :-/ :-/ :-/

[HolyCount]

Oldie but goodie --- if you are on a water meter pop a 2 litre coke bottle ( minus coke, refilled with water and with label removed) into the cistern --- this will save you a couple of litres every time you flush. Not a lot, but it all adds up!

[cem_devecioglu]

Biggest pinch i've felt this year is the increased fuel bills - for the car, that is.  That extra £100/month was my "play" money.

Already do the low energy bulbs, paperfree DD bills, etc.  Can't turn the heating down any more as wife suffers arthritus in her knees and hands as it is.

Only real difference i've seen is with food - fewer takeways -and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.  I've found that making a larger, freezable meal last 2 days - spaced over a couple of weeks.  Trouble is our 2nd freezer died earlier this year - it was great for stocking up on the BOGOF's at supermarkets.  Since then, not had the spare £100 for a new one!  A rated (or better), of course..

Quick tip - never go shopping on an empty stomach - you always buy far too much for "when you get home" and most of it goes to waste.

Thats very true

[Jay w]

Oldie but goodie --- if you are on a water meter pop a 2 litre coke bottle ( minus coke, refilled with water and with label removed) into the cistern --- this will save you a couple of litres every time you flush. Not a lot, but it all adds up!

we were told to use a house brick......but the principle is the same  

[cem_devecioglu]

Home cooking is much better for your health..
You can prepare vitamins, carbohydrates and proteins as how is necessary..

Although budget is available to buy ready food, we dont prefer that..

And mostly my wife prepare food for job.After I loose some extra weight..And now I feel better..In ready food outside they use bad quality oils, long waited bad gradients,bad quality meat etc (unless an expensive quality restaurant)

And also for the home you can prepare very different things ..Vegetable soups for night (this is my #1 for the night ..) ..spagetti..some different fish styles..sweets.. I also I like cooking (if theres no night job)

I see something about myself , my stomach now dont accept oily ready food (like pizza,doner,kebab etc) like when I was 20 :-/



Now for economy..

The home we stayed in is ours..I spend serious cash for insulation walls, doors, windows ,insulation ceilings ( 2 floor home) etc.

All the lights are energy saving style..

However still heating bills are huge ..Nearly monthly 130,140 £ monthly in winter..As gas is import from Russia..

Now water bills and electric bills are high also..30£ and 40£..

We dont go outside frequently..Sometimes for cinema  or a friends meeting..

So our only high expense is monthly fuel bills and car parts..

And 1.43 £ (1.47 was before) is really high for us.. If I use omega

everyday, monthly cost varies depending on the night jobs between 180 £ to 300 £  

So I bought the clit (also wife drives sometimes)  and mostly use this

on traffic..(consumption is nearly half)..Driving a 1.6 ton automatic car in a nose to nose crowded start stop traffic spends 12-13 liters/100 km in city on the average..

Miggy stays in front of the home washed and covered.. Mostly I drive in weekends now..or sometimes for important things I use miggy..

[Gaffers]

are you trying guilt trip me for getting a new car?  

[size=8](34 days and counting to delivery)[/size]

[Dusty]

Skruntie it is clear from reading your lengthy post that you need the love of a good woman. (not me I hastily add as I am already married to a member of the forum who shall still remain nameless)

But, I will ask around amongst my friends and see if I can find a suitable lady to be your future companion.

 

[HolyCount]

are you trying guilt trip me for getting a new car?  

[size=8](34 days and counting to delivery)[/size]

New jag car, are you getting a new jag car?? I had totally forgotten about that [size=8](not)[/size]  

[Gaffers]

are you trying guilt trip me for getting a new car?  

[size=8](34 days and counting to delivery)[/size]

New jag car, are you getting a new jag car?? I had totally forgotten about that [size=8](not)[/size]  

you dont look good with green eyes fella!  

[Mr Skrunts]

Skruntie it is clear from reading your lengthy post that you need the love of a good woman. (not me I hastily add as I am already married to a member of the forum who shall still remain nameless)

But, I will ask around amongst my friends and see if I can find a suitable lady to be your future companion.

 

Can I put requests in.  

[Dusty]

Skruntie it is clear from reading your lengthy post that you need the love of a good woman. (not me I hastily add as I am already married to a member of the forum who shall still remain nameless)

But, I will ask around amongst my friends and see if I can find a suitable lady to be your future companion.

 

Can I put requests in.  

three of my friends are Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz............I can put in a word if you like.

[Mr Skrunts]

Skruntie it is clear from reading your lengthy post that you need the love of a good woman. (not me I hastily add as I am already married to a member of the forum who shall still remain nameless)

But, I will ask around amongst my friends and see if I can find a suitable lady to be your future companion.

 

Can I put requests in.  

three of my friends are Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz............I can put in a word if you like.

Ah, now that makes it hard.

Who would I choose.

Will have to give that some thought, As soon s I saw Angelina in the list I thought my mind was made up.  I am fairly sensible but I like a good laugh and a giggle.

So it would be down to Kate or Cameron.

Cameron I reckon would be a laugh a minute, but she is far too skinny.

Oh X Factor is on I must have been dreaming