What will you never economise on?

Things that my dogs may need
Coffee
4 times a year I treat myself to a tin of Toffolossus biscuits from F&M - if things get really bad they will be the first to go.

Manicured and pedicures and my hairdresser or my season ticket for RLF. All essential. I don’t drink or smoke and I’n veggie so I won’t be economising on anything really.

I’d be really upset to lose pet insurance, the modest amount I spend on makeup to
help me from looking totally hideous and PG tips. Not being able to buy my family and Christmas or birthday gifts Wouid be really upsetting for me.
I could go without holidays / day trips: eating out and I Couid make do mostly for a year without buying new clothes.

I will never economise on my cats needs, vet, food etc
My car
Anything else I’m not bothered

Like others, I will never give up on my dogs' needs, including insurance. Also motor, contents and holiday insurance.

Other than that, nothing's That important, although there's lots of things I'd rather keep.

henetha

Wiggy's seed and millet. Can't let her starve.
Hot chocolate drinks in winter.
Soup. I often make my own.

The seed reminded me of an uncle who was a prisoner of war for 6 years during WW2 . He had had a budgie before he joined up and his mum paid a pound a pound for seed for it all through the war. When uncle eventually came home he had forgotten all about his pet .

Non-negotiable on food:
Organic milk
Free range eggs
British butter
Naked bacon and sausages
Wild Alaskan salmon

I like cheap (fairtrade) instant coffee!

I grow and preserve much of my own veg and fruit and try to avoid any imported produce except bananas and citrus
Wild bird food

My car
Broadband, though I only get the slowest fibre speed
My far from new iPhone
Good quality bedding, though my blankets are from charity shops

I don’t drink alcohol, never eat out, I don’t buy new clothes except a 5-pack of pants or socks every couple of years. I don’t use scent or makeup, cut my own hair, I’ve never had my nails done, my reading glasses are from the pound shop.

Things I would not give up are:

DH (expensive but worth it and anyway he catches spiders for me).
Five weekly visit to (cheap and local) hairdresser.
Broadband.
Car.
My laptop, phone and kindle.
My radio. (Not too bothered about TV but will keep unless desperate.)
My twice yearly train trips to visit my sister.

I had to laugh at those who see French perfume as essential.

Our cat’s requirements. Food, treats, insurance and monthly treatments
French wine - I am enjoying rose at the moment a glass in the evening.
Nespresso Coffee Pods
Cheese
French perfume
Good bed linen
my car
Fresh flowers

The above is a list of things that give me pleasure which I know I could live without, all bar my cat’s requirements and my coffee pods.

The cat, all his paraphenalia, including a certain type of dearer catfood. And my tea, because i prefer the PG granules to bags.Also the PG bags as one of my sons wont have anything else.And the pepsi max coke other son drinks as he only ever drinks that (or occasionally milk)

(Seems to be a lot of cats ruling the roost on here hmm?) ???

With doggies following close behind?‍⬛?

My cat’s food, his insurance.
Decent shoes, going out once/twice a week for coffee with friends.

Organic milk and eggs
The tea I enjoy

Would be the very last to go

I’d not want to give up
my weekend glass of wine
our twice a month meal out
the car, couldn’t get to many hospital appointments or our family without it.
Being warm enough to keep extra pain away

Hair is cut every six weeks by a newly qualified hairdresser in a local salon. She does a much better job than my previous hairdresser who cost a lot more. If it became unaffordable I’d cut it myself as I did for years. I am Mr C’s barber, he prefers me to do it.

Times change, we had little in the early days of our marriage, had both grown up in families where money was tight and so expected little in the way of luxuries. We’ve got used to being comfortable and being able to include little treats when we want them. No, we don’t want to go backwards but know we can if it’s needed and must with some things, the plan is to gradually cut back to avoid a shock. I suspect many folk are doing the same, certainly friends are.

kevincharley you are SO right.
I feel quite privileged. I'm not "well off" but fortunate enough to have choices - which actually IS "well off" these days I suppose.
Like you, I know everything (pretty much) could go and I could survive.
It's hard work "only" surviving though.
I do hope there is more support for those on low incomes in due course (but am not holding my breath).

Quality loo rolls, not most expensive but I order Costco .
Meat, I splash out on really good pork chops , beef skirts and mince steak from local butchers about one every 6weeks, otherwise Morrisons meat is next best thing!
and absolutely gotta be local free range Chucky eggs too!
Coffee, lavazza red, only have one good cup per day two very occasionally so my treat!
Clothes-yep! Always been firm believer in buy good to last, buy cheap /buy twice, I still wear a Wallis maxi length flowing duster navy gaberdine coat from 1990!!! It was fashionably eeeenormous on me then , now it still fits ...ahem.... Bit more snug but fits and looks fab, always get asked where I bought it!!? They should ask when?

Oldnproud

I can't think of anything that I wouldn't economise on if push comes to shove, as they say.

It's even hard to think which of my few 'luxuries' would be last to go. I'm not talking big things, as I am careful anyway (one of us has to be!) but would I prioritise that weekly packet of supermarket own-brand shortbread fingers over the weekly crisps? I don't know.

My OH, on the other hand, would have a list as long as his arm of the things that he's not prepared to economise on or give up. A very expensive list. And his list would not include things like car maintenance!
I forsee some very heated discussions arising here shortly, when the cost of living crisis really starts to bite.

Interesting that you think car maintenance a luxury?!? It's an absolute essential and should never be corner-cut! Worn tyres can be the death of you and others, good maintenance also saves on running costs.

Looked at this thread many times and been thinking about it.

What do you mean by 'economise'? I am very happy to put back in question products and processes to use them better and more efficiently. Happy to look at holidays, family and friends- and re-assess if we can continue to entertain each other, have fun, but again, possible more 'efficiently'. Same for clothes, petrol, heating, hot water, etc, etc. Nothing wrong with looking at how we do things and re-assess, surely?

I used to jump in the car to go and buy one thing I'd forgotten- now I make sure I check the list, and if something is missing, tough, it will wait till next weekly shop, petrol is too expensive.
I now wash things which are not dirty, but just need refreshing, on a shorter, colder wash, and make sure machine is full. Etc, etc, - lots of small things, which, all added up, here, but mainly on the national/worl scale, can actually make a difference.

Economising on goods, processes, etc, but not on the actual results.

Warmish home.
I can at a push do without a lot of other things. I can cut down on where and how warm but I need to be warm at home evening it's just one room. I have Tey to be persuaded which type of space heater would be most economical to run. Seeing as gas is still cheaper than electricity.

Tea, nice bakery bread, butter, good coffee. PS, I will easily economise on take away coffee.

Also, we have cancelled Pet Insurance. It was a ridiculous amount. Instead, we put money aside each month just in case.

Have also cut hairdresser to once a year

Cereal!
I don't eat a lot of it but when I do, it has to be Kellogs Cornflakes or Crunchy Nut, proper Coco-Pops or Weetabix.
The cheaper ones just do not taste right!!

Startingover61…
I’m with you! So grateful in this time of economizing for the Things We Have, including our physical and mental health to deal with whatever comes our way. Best response. Cheers to you!
USA Gundy

My crafting hobbies. I only ever use the best, the most natural fibres and don`t look at the cost as I seldom add to my considerable stash

Organic veg box, organic eggs, grass fed meat, best organic dairy

My car and E5 petrol

The best 90-100% chocolate

Fresh home-ground organic coffee

My pure linen bedding and wool duvet and blankets

House and garden maintenance, including stove and boiler servicing