If I don't buy a takeaway have I saved money???

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Jon

Jon

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I see this quite a bit on social media (mainly Instagram and the dreaded #debtfreecommunity) but I'm not so sure the math stacks up.


A person will put up an Instagram Story about how they've saved £20 by not getting a takeaway tonight.

Surely if they never spent the money in the first place they haven't SAVED anything, they just didn't spend any money.

However, if they bought a £40 takeaway and had a £20 off voucher code to use then they WOULD have saved £20..

What you guys in the TMS Brain Trust think???

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The Reverend

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Jon said:
giphy.gif



I see this quite a bit on social media (mainly Instagram and the dreaded #debtfreecommunity) but I'm not so sure the math stacks up.


A person will put up an Instagram Story about how they've saved £20 by not getting a takeaway tonight.

Surely if they never spent the money in the first place they haven't SAVED anything, they just didn't spend any money.

However, if they bought a £40 takeaway and had a £20 off voucher code to use then they WOULD have saved £20..

What you guys in the TMS Brain Trust think???

giphy.gif
Click to expand...

I suppose its the same argument for taking your own pack lunch to work.

I could spend £10 a day on lunch OR I could save £7 by making my own lunch every day for £3.

I could spend £30 on a takeaway OR I could save £20 by getting the £10 meal deal from M&S.
 
Jon

Jon

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The Reverend said:
I suppose its the same argument for taking your own pack lunch to work.

I could spend £10 a day on lunch OR I could save £7 by making my own lunch every day for £3.

I could spend £30 on a takeaway OR I could save £20 by getting the £10 meal deal from M&S.
Click to expand...
so it's a false economy then...
 
The Reverend

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Jon said:
so it's a false economy then...
Click to expand...

I depends.

I currently do spend £10 a day. By taking my own lunches I would save £7 a day.

Thats not a false economy. The only false economy would be someone who doesn't ever get takeaways saying that 'on friday I save £20 by not getting a takeaway'.

I suppose it comes down to whether you actual 'save' any money or it is just money you've not spent.

'I saved £100k not hiring a private jet to take me to magaluf and getting an easyjet flight instead.'
'I saved £100 by not eating at 'Dans Le Noir' and just eating my dinner with my eyes closed.'
 
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Jon

Jon

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The Reverend said:
I depends.

I currently do spend £10 a day. By taking my own lunches I would save £7 a day.

Thats not a false economy. The only false economy would be someone who doesn't ever get takeaways saying that 'on friday I save £20 by not getting a takeaway'.

I suppose it comes down to whether you actual 'save' any money or it is just money you've not spent.

'I saved £100k not hiring a private jet to take me to magaluf and getting an easyjet flight instead.'
'I saved £100 by not eating at 'Dans Le Noir' and just eating my dinner with my eyes closed.'
Click to expand...

Yeah see that's my point! The money was never going to be spent in the first place! That's like me looking at holidays online and closing the browser tab and then declaring I'VE SAVED MYSELF £4000 THIS YEAR ON HOLIDAY!! #NOSPENDDAYS
 
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Jon

Jon

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The Reverend said:
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Well done! You are an inspiration to us all! Can you add the story on Instagram so I can pin it to my Pintrest and do a reaction vlog on my Bebo?
Click to expand...
gah, the inspiration stuff does my nut in!!
Shout out to the_reverend_123 who is always inspiring me with their amazing 40p lunches
 
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The Reverend

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Jon said:
gah, the inspiration stuff does my nut in!!
Shout out to the_reverend_123 who is always inspiring me with their amazing 40p lunches
Click to expand...
Yesterday I found some dust on top of a cupboard at work.

Zero Calories AND Zero Cost

#nospend #nofilter #inspiration #dust #anyone #no
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gardenpea

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It's only money saved if you would genuinely normally have spent it (eg takeaway every Friday night) but you do have to offset the cost of what you've eaten instead.

Switching to own brand is a saving, but sticking with the same own brand you've always bought isn't.

That said, I do count my Shopmium cashback in the money I earn online as it usually replaces a purchase sooner or later.
 
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