Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

Anne_Marie_2

Caterina wrote: »

We have considered shutting the radiators in the unused rooms but are worried that we might get damp in them if we don't heat the, regularly, is this the case I wonder, does anyone know?

I don't live in the UK, but we do have a problem over winter with damp in the houses here, which are not insulated and geared for keeping cool in the summer. We get a salt like substance coming through some of the floor tiles downstairs, and a bit of a similar problem with some of the walls too when it's been raining and damp over a prolonged time.
We did have central heating installed when the house was being built, but it's very expensive to run on bottled gas, and cheaper to use the air conditioners for heating.
After our first pretty bad winter, I found that I had to throw out a few pillows which had become mouldy in the upstairs guest bedroom, which is really the only room that is never in use. I now put the a/c on for around 30 mins to an hour in wet/damp weather daily in that room, and when it isn't bucketing with rain, one of the windows tilts inside, so leave that opened to keep the air circulating. So far, touch wood, this has worked out well, with no mould developing, and we've had some pretty wet winters over the past few years, albeit this winter seems to have been not too bad. (Unfortunately, this isn't good for water later in the year, but another story altogether).

Anne_Marie_2

gran3 wrote: »

What a shame that milasavesmoney has had to defend herself for choosing to live how she does. She and her OH have made this decision and that's up to them. There may be a lot of other factors which have fed into their decision and that's their business. I didn't think the tone of this thread was to judge but to respect, support and learn from others.

Agree, it's not right. I am in that position, as are my parents, in having a house which is bigger than our immediate needs, but I will be damned if I feel in the slightest bit guilty about it. I have room for family to come and stay, but thank goodness, not enough room for all of them at once! :eek:

Even with council housing, who would want to deny an older person or couple not being able to have a room for family to stay for a few nights, or stay for a while to care for them in times of illness?

It was a big bee in the bonnet for my FIL many years ago. Three bedroom family home, marital split up, and he lived in the house until he died. He approached the council several times to get a two bedroomed house, but was told that he either stay put or he could have a single bedroom house, so he stayed put. It really infuriated him that there were 2 bedroomed houses opposite, with families who could have been doing with his house. At the same time, one bedroom extra was all he needed for putting up his family when visiting. At the time, if we and other family had to stay in a hotel, our visits would have been quite short, rather than spending the quality time that we did.

I am sure that the person who posted against, did so in haste, not thinking through the big picture, and may have just been going through a tough time, and still may be. Hopefully good times lie ahead, and we are all here to lend a helping hand.

milasavesmoney

I'm finding that when I'm mindful of what I have in the refrigerator I cook around that much more, and that really saves me money while I reduce my waste. I am so enjoying becoming more aware of my bad habits and moving to correct what I've been doing.

OSMS has really opened my eyes to how wasteful I have actually been , when all the time I thought I was fairly frugal. Thanks!!

Ilona

milasavesmoney wrote: »

I'm also concerned with the idea of 'you can't take it with you'.

but money building within families is a solid financial strategy.l

Money building for a single person is also a solid financial strategy. I have lived alone since I left home at 18. I am now in my second three bedroom house, (owned outright), which would probably be ideal for a young family if they could get a mortgage. I am hanging on to it because I couldn't afford to pay rent, I would have to claim benefits, and if I sold there wouldn't be enough equity to get a smaller property in a similar area. It will have to go eventually but for the time being I stay put.

Which brings me to the other point, 'you can't take it with you'. I get sick of people telling me this. Just because I am very careful with how I spend my pension, I am seen as tight and not having a life. I read MSE forum because I pick up a few ideas here and there to save a few more pennies. By cutting my day to day living costs enables me to spend on what is important to me. Nobody else has any right to tell me how I should spend my money.

No, I can't take it with me, the plan is to spend the chuffin lot before I pop off, I am waiting for the right time. If I was waiting at deaths door I would blow it right now.

More money saving tips please :j

Ilona

poppy811

We live in a small 3 bedroom house but are lucky enough to have a separate Dining Room that could be converted into a downstairs bedroom. We also have a downstairs loo and shower room. We discussed moving locally but felt that not only are the costs of estate agents, solicitors and stamp duty prohibitive but also by moving locally into an area with bus routes shops etc would mean we couldn't afford anything like what we have here. We are lucky that we have very supportive neighbours and now that my husband is seriously ill I hope we have made the right decision to stay put. I may need to have help with the garden and of course internet shopping will be a boon. I suppose eventually I will look at a small retirement flat but not just yet.

Siebrie

Back on topic 'sneaky ways'... My dh has tumbled to the fact that I refill the small branded shower gel bottle from a larger bottle. Luckily, when he found out, I was finishing a huge bottle of another branded shower gel. Now, I have refilled the large branded bottle with unbranded stuff I'm saving €3 per large bottle!

Goldiegirl

I think, if you own your own house, it's your own business where you live, regardless of how big it is.


We have a 4 bedroom house, which we've lived in for nearly 27 years - and no children.


Maybe one day when the time is right we'll downsize. I've had a look at two bedroom bungalows, and some of them are nice. But, by the time I'd have paid my moving costs, and got the bungalow how I'd like it, all the equity that I'd have freed up would have been spent.


I can see us staying here for many years and maybe go into a retirement flat when the house is too much for us. But that time is a long way off.


It's our house, and we've paid for it, so why move when we don't want to or don't need to? Maybe there's a few judgemental people who think I should move to free up the house for 'a young family'. But there's lots of other properties on sale, the young family can buy one of those. I'm not going to feel bad about it!

caffinated_geek

When my OH and I started house hunting a few years ago we were looking for a 2 bedroom house. We don't want children and my OH likes his computer games so the extra room is used for the computer.
We looked for ages but couldn't find anything suitable, the only two bedroomed properties in our area were either very expensive, or new builds. We looked at the new builds and they were tiny! The bedrooms were the size of postage stamps, the kitchens wouldn’t fit a washer and dryer and there were no real gardens.
We ended up buying a 3 bedroom end terrace with a garage, dining room, conservatory, cellar and a large garden because it was in our budget and ticked all the boxes for what we were looking for.

milasavesmoney

Instead of buying my little dog new toys (so expensive for something he's going to take the stuffing out of anyway), I buy small stuffed animals at thrift shops. I bring them home, wash them and eke them out one at a time. Last time I bought 5 nice stuffed animals for what I would have spent on one new toy. He just fell in love with his bear and now sleeps with it...something he has never done in 11 years. Little rascal!

t14cy_t

i always buy my dogs soft toys from the jumble sales towards the end of the sale so the children buy the good ones first. im just careful not to buy bean filled ones....they make an awful mess to clear up. im lucky none of my dogs swallow the fillings.! x