Great Isn’t it Obvious MoneySaving Hunt: Tell us the secrets you didn't know you had

mintymoneysaver

I buy huge roll of tin foil from the market and use it for packed lunch sandwiches, much cheaper than the sandwich bags I used to use every day!
( DD won't have a lunch box as it won't fit in her trendy bag!)

plebeian

Using newspaper to wrap presents - we would get the Guardian at school so whenever the centrefold was something prettyful I would nab it quick.

I think the best one so far has to be contraception - can't you get it free on the NHS?

caileag

gillette147 wrote: »

I want a way of using all the bits of soap bars once they get too small to use. Like a soap masher.

I use a wee net bag I got with washing tablets - put the soap pieces inside and wash with it. Added benefit is the texture of the net makes it a good soapy scrub!

My habit is saving envelopes - padded ones especially, but also A4 or A3. Open them carefully then you can stick a label on and use them again.

Bungarm2001

Has anyone mentioned driving at 65 mph on the motorways yet? and generally cutting down speed in all areas?

We've been doing this and have decreased our diesel consumption by a considerable amount. We've noticed many drivers doing it too!! Where our local motorway used to be a bit of a racetrack it is now like a bunch of little old ladies out for a sedate Sunday drive! Long may it continue...

tizzicat

Here is something I have been doing for years. I always take cash to the shop to do my weekly shopping. Work out how much you spend - say £60 per week.

When paying, use any spare pound coins to buy their savings stamps.

also, go shopping every 8 days instead of the same day every week. After 6 weeks, you have saved one week's shopping money.

I save the extra money in a savings account and use it to pay £500 off my mortgage when I have enough saved.

Also, when paying off a bit extra on the mortgage, the amount I save in interest I also put away - I would be paying it out anyway!

jb5

My dentist told me this one many years ago.

Dental Floss -
Instead of wrapping the floss around your finger, tie the ends to make a loop.

Usually three knots about 1cm from the end is fine, ('super slippery' brands may require more knots).
Once tied, pull on the loop to make sure the knots are secure. Use as normal, working your way from one side of the knot to the other.
Minimum wastage! Pain free saving.

SDH

I never realised it wasn't "normal" until i read a comment about it on this site about someone being worried the cashier would worry they had problems down there .... but I have always bulk-bought loo rolls!

Primrose

I usually tear off a couple of pieces of kitchen roll to put in the bottom of my Kitchen Waste Crock to absorb any moisure which seeps down to the bottom of the container. Overthe years I must have used large quantities of this stuff for this purpose. In future I think I'll just rip up some pieces of newspaper which will serve exactly the same purpose as it's very absorbant.

gillette147

tizzicat wrote: »

Here is something I have been doing for years. I always take cash to the shop to do my weekly shopping. Work out how much you spend - say £60 per week.

When paying, use any spare pound coins to buy their savings stamps.

also, go shopping every 8 days instead of the same day every week. After 6 weeks, you have saved one week's shopping money.

I save the extra money in a savings account and use it to pay £500 off my mortgage when I have enough saved.

Also, when paying off a bit extra on the mortgage, the amount I save in interest I also put away - I would be paying it out anyway!

Cashback credit card would be better tho instead of paying cash.
I just got an AM EX card so I will get 5% cashback for next 3 months. AND Quidco are giving me £33.75 for having it.

I only use cash when absolutely no other way. My old CC gave cashback too and I have £115 waiting to be spend on something.

^^^^ Sorry I know this is not quite OS idea but paying with cash isn't the most profitable way to buy stuff.

gillette147

I'm overpaying mortgage too.....when we all come off our deals over the next couple of years we are all gonna be hit by the banks. So I am doing all I can to soften the landing.

Last year I made a game of how cheaply I could have drinks at work.
Lidl mint tea came out at 3p a cup.
I bort cheapest coffee (asda 33p I think) and i would put smaller and smaller amounts of coffee in the cup each time to see how weak I could take it. Less coffee needs less milk. Every cup I had I made a mark on the jar and when it was gone I worked out how much per cup it had cost!!!

Also I have got 3 cups of tea from one bag on occassion......but other frown on this LOL. But why should I use too much tea just because tetley decide to put too much in the bags.

I wonder, how much cheaper is loose tea? And what can we use as a makeshift teabag? Hmmmm

PS..home mobile charging at work as I speak.