I've been 'here' 3 weeks and look what I've saved so far!!!

Hi a-t. It's great when you start noticing things and re-doing things you used to do but forgot or got out of the habit of doing.

Like you, I've always had a tendancy towards thriftiness. I always shopped around for the best deals, esp on things like insurance and I've always bought pressies etc in the sales as I've seen them. The great thing about this site is that even for the more thrifty natured, it makes it so much easier to find the best deal, as well as showing you ways you'd never have thought of - online discount vouchers being one of my faves.

A lot of thanks go from me to the Ol' Stylers for encouraging me in ways that not only save me money, but in saving the environment - simple things like not using any/as much washing powder, the benefits of vinegar and bicarb, re-introducing me to the ways of the slow cooker (Oh, did I tell anyone about that yet?:p ) Lots of my money saving has been done in ways I can't put a figure on (mainly because I haven't old receipts to compare against) but I know I now shop at the market and buy local, better quality goods for less money.

I'm saving even more at the moment by staying away from the shop till you drop board as much as I can, cos I don't need anything currently (apart from food) so unless I need it, I don't look for it - saves any impulse buying

So, thanks Old Stylers, board guides, mods and of course, Martin for such a generous site.

Now, I did get a tax form the other day - must go and look at it sometime soon.... got a whole £23 ish back last year

apprentice_tycoon wrote:

I'd looked at the forum often in the past but didn't feel the need to join in until I had a tax query, the advice given was was my first saving, I can't put a figure on it yet until the returns for this year go in but I'd much rather have it than give it away.

The other gems I have picked up include cutting the cleansing wipes that I bought at bogof in to two pieces so I in effect got 'buy one get 4' because half works perfectly well.

I picked up a link to the Kitchen Garden website from Magentasue and decided to sell all my back issues of the magazine, I have been photocoping any pieces that I would need again, selling just 2/3 of them has produced over £20 into the kitty and given me 2 file boxes back (does that count?)

Today I had an order delivered from Tesco that had a saving of £16.00 (even after the £3.99 service charge) with a code that I found here plus a few bogofs.

I decided that the idea of saving all my Tesco vouchers till Christmas was good, no actual savings but it will seem like that when I use them....this is just the start of many more savings, I certain of that.

I always had a leaning to thrift - I have all the Tightwad Gazette books, the Penny Pinchers book, Mary Hunts Cheapskate books etc but it's very easy to lapse, having got involved in the forum has brought all this stuff more to the forefront of my mind.........so, er, thanks everyone! :T

Where did you get those books from and how much. I am particularly interested in the penny pinchers book. Could you please give me a brief synopsis?

jjl: Having recently had a mooch for these myself, I found the The Complete Tightwad Gazette (Amy Dacyczyn, £9.43 from Amazon, ISBN: 0375752250) was available on request from the library, so it might be worth trying before you buy! (and our library service no longer charge a transfer fee if the book is just sitting on the shelves at another branch!).

a-t, ticklem, and calleyw: I couldn't agree with you more - I'd been ripping j-clothes and kitchen roll in half and reusing wrapping paper for years before I stumbled upon MSE. And I've since realised that I've got such a lot to learn from the Old Stylers! AND EVEN MORE TO APPLY! Having joined the Grocery and PIN money challenge, it certainly has worked as a proverbial kick up the *** for me!

apprentice_tycoon wrote:

Amazon's good for all these books, they sell second hand books so you can pick up old out of print ones too (I sell all my old books on Amazon). The penny pinchers (Irma and John Mustoe) wasn't the best of them I'm afraid it was a bit TOO 'down home', like making your husbands underpants yourself out of curtain lining and making lampshades out of old maps.....

What I am stunned that does sound a bit mad underpants out of old curtian lining I wont be able to stop laughing all afternoon. lol

I remember Scrimpers, I never missed an episode. I wish they'd show that as a repeat instead of some of the real rubbish they put on now