The Great "Extreme MoneySaving" Hunt: How far do you go?

thistledome

Some great tips on this thread. Just starting to try to save money this year so very helpful, thanks This is what I'm doing:

I make a 2ltr thermos flask of tea in the morning and it stays hot right up to bedtime. I used to have the kettle on about 6 times a day or more and now just once. Also use fewer tea bags this way.

Use a menstrual cup instead of disposables. Cost between £12 - £20 and lasts for years and years.

Don't turn the heating on all day and turn it off later in the evening as soon as we're warm.*

I also do all the obvious things like water down washing liquid etc and buy clothes from charity shops.

*Not just to save money, our gas supplier is keeping us waiting for a gas delivery and we've got less 10% left in our tank!

harryhound

thistledome wrote: »

I make a 2ltr "Thermos" flask of tea in the morning and it stays hot right up to bedtime.

If you are on economy 7 electricity you get a double bonus.
I have a giant vacuum flask of hot hot water on the work top and, if there is an unused bit left in the kettle, I top up the flask. The other way round gives a near instantly boiling kettle.
(Some green/moneysaving measures are best treated as secret vices - most people would tend to think one is strange/mean/obsessive. I've also noticed an arrogant attitude amongst some along the lines of "I'm so rich, who the hell thinks they are going to tell me how to behave" as they throw about their conspicuous consumption. Rends to be a "parvenu" trait perhaps ?)

[Deleted User]

Great ideas on here - look forward to catching up with all the tips

HappySad

Hi...I have recently worked out some more extreme money saving for babies/toddlers.

I rarely buy nappy bags (nappy sacks) for dirty nappies. I now reuse plastic bags or food bags for this now. So when the large bag of frozen peas are all gone I collect this bag and use it for the dirty nappies!

Also use newpaper as disposable nappy changing mat for when I am out and about. I prefer to use this instead of my normal reusable changing mat because I can just recycle it when I am finished and also it does not take up much space in my bag.

I got 90% of my son's nursery free clothes by asking parents to bring in anything they no longer needed.

moneysavingideas

We acquire, take home and use all of the little shampoo, conditioner and body scrub bottles from hotels when we stay in them for holidays or work trips.

It's amazing the length that some people will go to.

Lily_The_Legend

moneysavingideas wrote: »

We acquire, take home and use all of the little shampoo, conditioner and body scrub bottles from hotels when we stay in them for holidays or work trips.

It's amazing the length that some people will go to.

I do the same! As well as the shower cap, soap and sewing kit! They always come in handy! :T

linz

Lily_The_Legend wrote: »

I do the same! As well as the shower cap, soap and sewing kit! They always come in handy! :T

I take the tea/coffee sachets to use on camping trips:rotfl:

linz

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Uhhhhh no thanks

FatVonD

When my son was born I gave up work to be at home with him and money was very tight. One time when he had a cold I was at the doctors anyway and she told me to just give him Calpol so, since I was there any way, I asked her to prescribe it for me so I didn't have to pay for it. If looks could kill I'd say she was in breach of the Hippocratic Oath but she did it for me I didn't feel guilty, I figured that by that point I'd been paying taxes for 22 years and now was the time I needed something back.

I also used to keep 2 packs of nappies on the go, one popular brand one for overnight or any time when quality might count but then I'd buy Value nappies for the times where I knew they'd only be on for an hour or so (eg the hour between waking up and bathtime.)

I think someone else has already mentioned putting carrot in any recipe that uses mince, I grate mine and they even *look* like mince!

HappySad

FatVonD wrote: »

When my son was born I gave up work to be at home with him and money was very tight. One time when he had a cold I was at the doctors anyway and she told me to just give him Calpol so, since I was there any way, I asked her to prescribe it for me so I didn't have to pay for it. If looks could kill I'd say she was in breach of the Hippocratic Oath but she did it for me I didn't feel guilty, I figured that by that point I'd been paying taxes for 22 years and now was the time I needed something back.

I also used to keep 2 packs of nappies on the go, one popular brand one for overnight or any time when quality might count but then I'd buy Value nappies for the times where I knew they'd only be on for an hour or so (eg the hour between waking up and bathtime.)

I think someone else has already mentioned putting carrot in any recipe that uses mince, I grate mine and they even *look* like mince!

Great on you on getting the prescription. I have got this for calpol twice by GPs without evening asking. I thought that this would be normal to get Calpol from GP. Your GP should not have given you the look.

Good idea with using value nappies for short use.