What will you never economise on?

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.

Quite a lot of the above but I do try to buy when an item is on offer.

Butter
Free range meat and eggs
Tea - Yorkshire!
Coffee (instant but it has to be Douwe Egberts)
Organic rapeseed oil
Face cream (only Clarins suits me)
Loo rolls

Books, booze, broadband, butter and build project.

...and Mya, our 7 yr old rescue dog.

Heating - due to lung problems, I need a warm house

Butter
Good quality bread and tea
Haircut every 6 weeks I remember how I looked during lockdown
My iPad, I could give up TV
Mobile Phone

Teabags. It’s Yorkshire GOLD or M&S for me!
Spreadable butter (as long as it’s got some butter in)
Any cooking oil but rapeseed oil can’t stand the ‘industrial’ smell. Preference would be Corn oil or Rice Bran Oil for saute’ or fry-ups

Now Rosie has had her say I will not cut out, but may try to rein back a little on

Nespresso coffee pods
Reading matter (books on my Kindle)
My optician/glasses. ( I have tried Boos, Specsavers and others and they do not match the care I get at my Optometrist. Yes the glasses can cost £700 but I wear them every day, so cost per wear becomes negligible over 2 years.)
Seeing a podiatrist every so often- if your feet are not right, nothing is right!
The occasional trip to theatre/ballet/opera/a good film /a gallery
My Art History and Film studies classes- I have made some good friends there
(But I must stop buying clothes and shoes especially boots - I could open a shop! )

Lurpak butter
Tetley tbags
Bold for white washing
Quality seeded brown bread
Quality bedding
Fresh fruit and veg
For everything else I will buy the cheapest on offer in Aldi...

I agree about the car!
Some new clothes every now and then.
Hairdos.
Nice cosmetics.
I’ve traded down with tea, coffee and cereal and am very happy with the alternatives. I economise on cleaning products, shower gel etc.
I’d hate not to have good quality fruit from my local M and S food hall especially in the summer.

Reliable, reasonably fast, broadband.
Car maintenance
Vegetable seeds
My glasses
Books if the library started charging
Our mobile phones

Eating out every 3/4 weeks unless of course my favourite restaurants close due to rising costs or lack of staff.
I have very few extravagances now.
I have my hair cut every 5 weeks by a girl who comes to the house, it costs £22 and whilst most would never do that, it suits me and always looks decent.
Wine occasionally, spirits occasionally but I have already cut that down by buying small bottles of wine so that I only have one glass, probably 3 times a week.
Not much else to cull.

Our dog and no matter what we have to cut back on he his not doing without anything he needs.

Decent coffee

I’ve been economising on everything, including heating, for the past year. Quality/luxury items are a thing of the past. I did splash out on a pack of decent loo rolls as I had weekend visitors ? I’m back to the £1.30 Savers brand now.

I feel concerned for families with children to feed or perhaps a disabled loved one at home. So many are beyond the stage of what they can cut down on. This winter it will be choosing what they have to do without.

For me it has to be fresh fruit. I’m not a fan of vegetables so tend to rely on fruit for vitamins and usually have three or four a day. I do buy frozen fruit out of season and have it with a little Greek yogurt for breakfast.

I also won’t buy cheap margarine for sandwiches, I only use butter but spread it very thinly and also use sandwich fillings that don’t need butter.

There are areas other than food where I would struggle to economise, such as petrol for my car. As I have very bad arthritis I cannot walk very far so I rely on my car to get out of the house. I live alone and get a bit depressed if I have not seen anyone for a few days so being able to socialise is important to me. Likewise heating the house, my arthritis becomes very painful when I get cold so I keep my house at a constant temperature during the winter. Last year I kept it at 19 degrees which was fine, only increased it on very cold evenings when my legs would ache even under a blanket.

Luckily my state pension kicks in this October so I have a nice little cushion to cover the extra energy costs! Sadly I won’t qualify for the extra Winter payment as the critical eligible date
is in September so I miss it by two weeks!

Butter, i dont eat much bread so hardly use any butter, but when i do i like it thick and tasty.

Decent teabags and coffee

Free range eggs, can't bear the thought of all those poor birds caged up.

Imperial Leather soap, i don't use any other, it brings back memories of childhood and my late husband when i smell it.

My two cats
French perfume
Organic eggs
My car

Wine my favourites I have quite a few especially sparkling at the weekend
Sustainable fish only don’t eat shellfish
Free range chicken eggs game and meat from traceable uk farms
Quality salted butter nothing else will do
My car my friends dh sold hers to car share I would divorce if my husband did that

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

For me it’s
Decent coffee (not instant)
Proper butter (I don’t use much)
My dog ( his diet and vet care)
Good quality meat (don’t mind the cheaper cuts if it’s from a good butchers)
Fresh Flowers (a bunch every week or so for me & one for my DH’s grave)

As I'm on a very restricted occupational pension and I'm not eligible for the state pension til 2024, I will have to economise on everything,given today's announcement on the latest energy 'cap'. I will not be in the position to be choosy.

Free range eggs and chicken, and strictly only U.K. raised
higher welfare pork and bacon - nothing relatively quite a bit cheaper from EU factory farms. Not that we eat much meat at all any more, and nothing will be wasted.
I do appreciate that we’re lucky to be able to afford those choices though.

Tea
Milk
Coffee
Bread
Laundry detergent - can only use certain brand for sensitive skin.
Natural ingredient soap - for sensitive skin reasons again.

I don't mind cheaper cuts of meat as I can adapt the recipes. Eggs are eggs too. Pasta is pasta. etc

Don't exactly know until I'm tested. Perhaps our various regular practices are sometimes luxuries to others. I hope not to be tested too far. Don't we al?!

My dog - her insurance, vet care, food or welfare in any way.
Dictated to me and signed by ? ? (Rosie, her mark)