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

rizla01

They throw what doesn't sell on a Saturday night because by Monday (unrefridgerated) they would go off.

If you are not as cocky as me, please try asking the boss if you can collect his throwaways at closing time.

Tell him that you have pigs to feed, or something, if you like. (Might not be far from the truth ).

Tell him that you need the fruit to start of the fermenting process for your beer. (That'll work).

I bet if you ask nicely he will accomodate.
Remember its the EU and the H&S bunch that forces him to dump it.

He would far rather it went to good use.

I was blessed that my Dad was a greengrocer and the dates that he used to sell had no relation to the more modern sellbydates.

HappySad

My lodger has handed me a bundle of clothes she does not want. How exciting seeing what I can get for free!!!! :0)

luxor4t

HappySad wrote: »

Keep stuff for ever and look after it.

• Habitat wardrobe over 20years old. Bought in the sale.

Oooh, 20 years isn't that old !

I've got, and still use:
- a habitat rubbish bin bought in 1980 (29 years old)
-my original dining table & chairs bought 1984 (25 years old)
- a bookcase from the mid-1960s (45-ish years old)
-my parents' small table built by grandad in 1956 (53 years old)
- My gran's piano, def. pre-war!
-the desk from grandad's shop (bought second hand in the early 1930s so
70+ years old)
(and plenty more, including a lovely refurbished cabinet from grandad's skip diving days)

Quite a marathon on polishing day (extreme cleaning= free exercise;))

queenmedusa

Some brilliant tips on here. Here are some of my penny-pinching ways...

Given up conventional cleaning liquids and gone retro - vinegar and baking soda are brilliant for cleaning and eco-friendly too.

The only things I won't give up are my Ecover washing up liquid and toilet cleaners (cos they're good and green). Even so my local health-food shop has signed up to their Refill Station scheme so now I can refill my bottles and save money :j

Make my own soup. 1 butternut squash and a couple carrots makes 4 lunches for me! Also salad dressings (balsamic vinegar and olive oil - doesn't have to be the dear stuff), healthy pasta sauces (how simple!) and bread are easy to make. Long life milk - lasts ages without going off. Since I only use a little for breakfast one carton lasts 2 weeks.

Use free samples from magazines instead of trial-size versions of things for holidays and weekend breaks. If you don't have any get little bottles (cheap from chemists) and decant.

Bought a 1970s Kenwood mixer off Ebay - at least £50 cheaper than an equivalent modern day one. It's just like my mums and hers has never had a problem.

Not exactly extreme but def. well worth it. Got an unlimited cinema pass. Use it twice per month and it pays for itself. Means I get at least 2 nights out with my fella each month so it's well worth the money (and good for those of us not on Orange/able to go only on Wednesdays!)
Simples! :beer:

HappySad

luxor4t wrote: »

Oooh, 20 years isn't that old !

I've got, and still use:
- a habitat rubbish bin bought in 1980 (29 years old)
-my original dining table & chairs bought 1984 (25 years old)
- a bookcase from the mid-1960s (45-ish years old)
-my parents' small table built by grandad in 1956 (53 years old)
- My gran's piano, def. pre-war!
-the desk from grandad's shop (bought second hand in the early 1930s so
70+ years old)
(and plenty more, including a lovely refurbished cabinet from grandad's skip diving days)

Quite a marathon on polishing day (extreme cleaning= free exercise;))

Wow you have really kept your things for a long time. I love old furniture.. :0)

toby3000

tip to renters- check the inventry. It's possible that some of the ufrniture was left by previous tenants- I have a lovely bookcase aquired this way...

I think that furniture should easily last a long time, it's a very modern idea that you should change it frequently

luxor4t

HappySad wrote: »

Wow you have really kept your things for a long time. I love old furniture.. :0)

My parents bought at auctions (late 1950s) as they could not afford modern furniture - their parents bought their furniture with cash so it HAD to last (and did ).
Pity DH is so hard on upholstery :rolleyes:

ThinkingOfLinking

That's the thing....in the olden days, things were built to last more so than today; I have an electric whisk which originally belonged to my great-grandmother and it still works fine. If you look after your things, they should last. I have had more trouble with modern stuff, eg Sony Discmans which never last more than a year in my possessions.

I now walk to AND from town to save on bus fares and only drink soda water, sometimes with lime in it, to save money at the pub; 40p a pint, you can't go wrong!!

Dandy_Lion_2

im saving hard for my new car i only have 1k left to save now, i work 9 hour shifts so to save money i always take sandwiches and bottles of water which i also fill a couple up at work, i drive at 60mph on the motor way and get an extra 2-3 days worth of petrol which is great. i dont draw money out of my bank because i know i will spend it i use my card if i need to. i smoke so i roll my cigs half the size to get double the amount. i walk when i can instead of using the car for short journeys.

aloiseb

My (40 year old) bike needed a new saddle recently. The bike shop had them for £19.99. I was visiting the tip and there was a bike just about to go in with a lovely lookikng saddle on it......I spoke nicely to the man in charge and he got out the hacksaw and sawed it off for me...wouldn't take a penny.:j
Nobody laughs (well, not more than they did at the squeaky old bike, anyhow)