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

gillette147

plebeian wrote: »

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?

That's a great idea.
When I was a kid some of our presents were wrapped in newspaper coz they'd run out xmas eve....or it was big present like a bike.

But after reading this I am going to get all family to use newspaper this xmas.
Save the environment.....save money.

gillette147

Someone said use a PAYG mobile.

But by getting your contract through say Quidco AND taking up e.g. e2save etc type cashback deals you can get big contracts for free.

For example last year I had a 12mth contract with cashback equalling the 12mths charges (so free). I also went through quidco and got £37. Then coz I already had a perfectly good handset I sold the one they gave me on ebay for £25.

This year my contract will cost £2 a month. But got £30 odd pounds from Quidco AND i'm putting another phone on ebay for about £20.

I have been getting 400 mins and 500 txts a month for the last 3 years and it's making me money.

The only issue is that you have to jump through hoops to get the phone people to pay. But write the key dates on your calander and a bit of hastling them (on work phone - oops) and I have always got the money.

Primrose

Gillette - on the question of buying loose tea, I once saw a little sieve-like spoon which opened in two and clipped together again , which enabled you just to just put in sufficient loose tea to make a cup/mug of tea. It's rather like the little teaball containers on a chain which you clip into teapots for the same purpose. (http://teafrog.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/how-to-infuse-loose-leaf-tea-a-beginners-guide/) I saw it in a cookshop and am kicking myself for not buying it because I've never seen one since. I imagine you could use it with ground coffee too for just making one cup and eliminate using a caffetiere. I'll check the internet and if I can see one, I'll post details.
PS. Found one - not quite what I remembered but serves a similar purpose http://www.teafrog.com/teas/2-inch-mesh-pincer-tea-strainer.html

gillette147

Primrose wrote: »

Gillette - on the question of buying loose tea, I once saw a little sieve-like spoon which opened in two and clipped together again , which enabled you just to just put in sufficient loose tea to make a cup/mug of tea. It's rather like the little teaball containers on a chain which you clip into teapots for the same purpose. (http://teafrog.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/how-to-infuse-loose-leaf-tea-a-beginners-guide/) I saw it in a cookshop and am kicking myself for not buying it because I've never seen one since. I imagine you could use it with ground coffee too for just making one cup and eliminate using a caffetiere. I'll check the internet and if I can see one, I'll post details.
PS. Found one - not quite what I remembered but serves a similar purpose http://www.teafrog.com/teas/2-inch-mesh-pincer-tea-strainer.html

Thanks,
But I want to use an old sock or drill holes into a pingpong ball or summat really OS. I'm not paying $5.
LOL

gillette147

Here's a simple one....go on a diet.
I'm on one and I now go round shop and hardly buy anything.
And I don't go down the norty aisles like biscuits or cake ones.

CarlaKoala_2

Cheap lining paper, bought from DIY shops makes very good drawing and painting paper. Our watercolour art teacher uses this in his class - makes sense really - it is after all designed to get midly wet and then dry without disintergrating.
Old plastic bottles - cut the tops of smaller ones and you have a perfect funnel for when I need to decant cheaply bought bird food into a larger plastic container.
Keep an eye on the most unlikey sources - our Poundstretcher is selling tea and coffee - Nescafe for £1.99 - it is nearly £4.00 in Lidl!
Always ask yourself DO I Really Need This in My Life?
Buy with cash rather than plastic.
Buy a (stylish) shopping trolley - I have not taken the car shopping into town since it was bought for me 2 christmas' ago - and we have serious hills here.

Millennium

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I can't make any sense of this.
Surely using the hot tap (whether the water is hot or not) is a bad thing when you don't need it.

I use the hot water for a shave once it's run hot!

lizbuf

To continue the thenme of boiling water for tea.... we have a thermal kettle. You fill it, boil it and then for the 3 hours or so, the water remains at the perfect temperature to make a cuppa. Perfect if you're a frequent tea drinker like me!

gillette147

CarlaKoala wrote: »

Cheap lining paper, bought from DIY shops makes very good drawing and painting paper. Our watercolour art teacher uses this in his class - makes sense really - it is after all designed to get midly wet and then dry without disintergrating.
Old plastic bottles - cut the tops of smaller ones and you have a perfect funnel for when I need to decant cheaply bought bird food into a larger plastic container.
Keep an eye on the most unlikey sources - our Poundstretcher is selling tea and coffee - Nescafe for £1.99 - it is nearly £4.00 in Lidl!
Always ask yourself DO I Really Need This in My Life?
Buy with cash rather than plastic.
Buy a (stylish) shopping trolley - I have not taken the car shopping into town since it was bought for me 2 christmas' ago - and we have serious hills here.

Sorry but this is wrong!!!
Always buy ONLY what you need......with a cashback credit card.

kyh

If you have to tie your hair up for work don't buy hair bands use old tights as a bun/hair net. I use black tights for dark hair but you can use tan tights for blonde.

Cut about 6 cm from the toe ends initially and then work your way up each leg and back down the other. Much stronger than hair nets and last longer - also good use of old laddered tights.

Useful for those in the military or police etc where long hair has to be tied up.