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

MandyQue

My regular treat is lunch with the girls once a week. I'm going to a festival soon so I have been stashing the sachets of sauce/mayo etc from the ones they provide. We're not allowed glass bottles on the campsite (which cheap sauce always comes in), and as I have to travel light they are ideal

Mrs_Wossinge

mintymoneysaver wrote: »

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!)

Hope you're washing and re-using, whichever you're using... I've made a box of re-sealable freezer bags last for years, and if I've not used it for cooking meat, foil gets re-used in our house too, until it falls apart!

Mrs W :A

flying_teddy

I am absolutely flabbergasted at the number of contributors to this thread who advocate using their employer's resources for their personal use. Making expensive (or any) personal phone calls from work, using the office photocopier, taking paper home, etc., etc.

At a previous place of work, there were people who regularly put their personal post through the company's post room, and even a few people who sent their entire Christmas card list that way. Staggering!

Sometimes I despair at the attitude of some people - "I can save money by making someone else pay."

To consume your employer's resources for your personal use is wrong, incorrect, immoral, and is theft, which makes it illegal. If discovered, you can be summarily dismissed, and quite right too! How MoneySaving is that!? Don't get me wrong, I'm no angel. Yes I've taken the odd pencil home - but to openly encourage this sort of behaviour is absolutely astonishing.

I call upon the thread moderator to delete any contributions which encourage illegal acts.

Whoosher

rainbow-kristie wrote: »

And I can't be the only one who doesn't use kitchen roll... most jobs (in our house mopping up spills) can be done with whatever is about to be washed eg teatowel, t-shirts etc

Yikes, my old grandma used to dust her dressing table every morning (she used a lot of face powder) with yesterday's knickers!!!:rotfl:

hollydays

Whoosher wrote: »

Yikes, my old grandma used to dust her dressing table every morning (she used a lot of face powder) with yesterday's knickers!!!:rotfl:

Dont use kitchen roll,don't use fabric conditioner.

lutzi1

If you have peppers or lemons coming to the end of their useful life in the fridge, or if you pick some up cheaply at the end of the day, chop them up and freeze them for later use. If you open freeze lemon slices on a tray, then bag them up when frozen, they shouldn't stick together and you can just take out one for your G&T. Much better than using one slice and throwing the rest away.

A lot of reduced items in the supermarket can be frozen for future use - check the packs of ready meals.

Batch cook and freeze meals, save on fuel and time.

If you have dogs, get all your friends and neighbours used to giving you their leftovers after meals ( no onions, they're not good for dogs, and broccolli and cauliflower are not recommended for other reasons!!). If you're batch cooking, fry up the meat trimmings and give them those with their dry food. You can always freeze those for later use too. You can sometimes pick up cheap sausages for pennies at the end of the day and your dogs will love you for it!!

Frozen or ready prepped roast potatoes are handy when you're in a rush, but not cheap. Buy a bag of potatoes when they're cheap, peel cut into large chunks, boil for three minutes, drain, add a bit of flour and shake in the pan with the lid on. When cool, place in freezer bags and freeze. These can be placed straight into hot oil and cooked from frozen when required.

Buy a useful folding continental type airer with wings and air dry your clothes as much as possible. These are better than the rotaries because you can move them round the garden to follow the sun, and they're quick to grab and carry inside if it starts to rain - much easier than having to unpeg every item.

Now it's summer, turn the thermostat right down on your boiler. Most of us have it too hot anyway - no point in heating water for a bath and then having to add loads of cold water to cool it down again.

Dishwasher tablets are expensive - I buy the cheap ones at Netto and then snap them in half.

Supermarket cheapo biological washing powder is brilliant for all sorts of cleaning jobs - soak your oven shelves or your shower curtain in it and then wipe clean, and clean your - white - bathroom sink with it. Cheap vinegar is brilliant for cleaning windows and getting rid of limescale.

You can make a really cheap, VERY tasty, meat and potato pie for up to six people based on on large can of corned beef - 78p at Asda. Chop up some potatoes and onoins and put in a bit of water in a pan, boil, add the chopped up meat and whatever you've got in terms of seasoning - a stock cube, garlic, tomato puree, Marmite, whatever. then put in a pie dish and cover with a layer of pastry and bake. Serve with carrots and mash or chips - mega cheap and very satisfying.

ALWAYS use your oven for several things at once.

Enjoy!

lutzi1

wbk666 wrote: »

why not just squirt less into the washing up bowl?

'Cos those of us with families know they just won't !!!

mother24

When using washing tablets, only use one not two. It washes just as well (Which did a survey years ago telling people that)

halia

probably already had these but here goes:
turn iron off then keep going until its cold
tip left over hot water into flask for next boiling of kettle
Get shopping delivered from tesco and use vouchers to cover delivery (points, no petrol, less hassle, fewer 'additions')
Buy boggoffs and store
Buy ownbrand or basics where possible
have arrangement with local newsagent for freebies of front of out of date kids magazines for little toys for DS
Save all shampoo etc satchets from magazines and use for nights away
walk or cycle everywhere I can
Always hunt for a discount
Use Tesco vouchers to pay for things in DEALS I would get anyway,
Buy wine by the case a few times a year when I spot a deal, also use virgin winebank as I a) get interest and b) £20 goes out regularly every month rather than a huge sum once in a while
Use nectar and boots points for presents, (case of wine, theatre tickets, smellies)
Only shop at tesco, sainsbury's, boots if the product is only available there or is cheapest there!
Try and buy in bulk, and not just for obviuos things. I sleep badly so use earplugs and get them in bulk boxes from workear safety suppliers - £2.50 for 3pr from boots versus £20 for 200 pairs!
Be flexible in purchases and snap up bargains when you see them. This only works if you have a list of things you need and think ahead. Buying a winter coat in the sale for £15 in July etc.

halia

Sharp_Eyes wrote: »

I was the one that mentioned that I use a PAYG phone but I also said that I rarely use it to make calls. I mostly use it as a point of contact. I prefer to meet people in person to chat rather than gab for hours on the phone. The above would work for you because you probably use your phone to talk a lot - either via calls or text messages. I could NEVER use 400 mins on a phone so it would be a waste of money for me. I go through 4 or 5 months with a 20 quid top up and its MUCH less hassle than doing all the contract shenanigans. It all depends on what works for the individual.

I'm with you here, I have a PAYG because I prefer not to be tied into a contract. I got the cheapest possible basic phone from tesco and get £10 worth every 2 months. I'd never use the minutes they give you on most contracts so it would really waste cash for me!