Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

bajangal

unixgirluk wrote: »

I save all the little bits of wax left over from candles (i.e even tealights if you have to blow them out before they burn out you will have wax left) and melt it all down to make another candle.[/QUOTE
What a brilliant idea - but where do you get the waxed wick from or what do you use.

Uniscots97

bajangal wrote: »

unixgirluk wrote: »

I save all the little bits of wax left over from candles (i.e even tealights if you have to blow them out before they burn out you will have wax left) and melt it all down to make another candle.[/QUOTE
What a brilliant idea - but where do you get the waxed wick from or what do you use.

I tried cotton twine soaked in wax which seems to work Bajangal

marmiterulesok

I have started using leftover suntan lotion as a general body lotion.The bottle has hardly been used this summer,it's nearly full and it works just as well as an ordinary lotion.It should keep me going for a few months.

I had seen someone else post this but had never tried it.

savingqueen

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I have started using leftover suntan lotion as a general body lotion.The bottle has hardly been used this summer,it's nearly full and it works just as well as an ordinary lotion.It should keep me going for a few months.

I had seen someone else post this but had never tried it.

I also do this and as a bonus the coconutty smell reminds me of past holidays (a looong time since I had a beach holiday!)

I find decanting toiletries into smaller containers helps me use less of the product. eg. I have face wash (or baby bath when it used to be 9p a bottle) in a tiny old B*dy sh*p bottle and I use far less than squeezing a big blob out of original tube.

sq:)

marmiterulesok

savingqueen wrote: »

I find decanting toiletries into smaller containers helps me use less of the product. eg. I have face wash (or baby bath when it used to be 9p a bottle) in a tiny old B*dy sh*p bottle and I use far less than squeezing a big blob out of original tube.

sq:)

That's a good idea.

sparrer

While not exactly sneaky it's my one-woman protest against the gloss and tinsel of supermarkets, and OS into the bargain. I've hardly ever got out of one with only what I went in for so I'm not going in them any more than I can help. They cost the normal shopper far too much, lure them into buying non-essentials (ie rubbish) have destroyed the heart of towns and villages all over UK and destroyed families livelihoods, genuinely good service and what was once a pleasurable shopping experience.

So, back to baking my own bread, cakes, biscuits, dog biscuits etc., using the village butcher and corner shop, buying my eggs from the elderly lady up the road with her half dozen hens, using the weekly van for fresh fish, the farm shop for dog/cat food, the market for green-grocery and the many other necessary day-to-day things I can buy there, and so on...

Ultimately it should help my purse and hopefully go a tiny way to helping local retailers keep their heads above water. I appreciate that it may not be cost effective for families but as a single it can only save me money. In fact I'm quite excited about the challenge of beating Mr Tosco and the like . It'll be interesting to see what my balance sheet looks like at the end of the month

Aril

Gosh I haven't been on this thread in ages- used to post lots so shall try and make amends now:D

I cut open the bottom of packets of things eg sugar, coffee to make sure I get every last granule out.

If I go a cafe I drink tea rather than coffee.

I joined the hotdeals email a few months back- I find a quick scan of the freebies and deals columns is a time effective and cost effective way of picking up money saving tips without too much effort eg 1st class stamps in Superdrug have 5% off until 24th Dec.

If you haven't got enough leftovers of eg spag bolognaise for a full meal put it with jacket pots to stretch it.

I have spent the last part of this last year knitting blankets with wool either kind donations from friends, freecycle or charity shops. I knit them in long scarves and then sew them together as am far too idle to knit individual squares. I just stick to garter stitch and it means that you can use up part balls of wool as there are no rules. I have kept all the ends when I've stitched them in and found them invaluable for stuffing small felt decorations or I cut out a cardboard heart and then stuck the different strands across to make a birthday card.

I have discovered that several of the libraries in my local area are linked so rather than spending 75p to order a book into my town library I check to see if it's any other library that I will be passing by [I don't go specifically obviously] so I can pick up from that branch and not pay.

I keep an eye in the free paper for free local events, deals, jumble sales, tabletop sales etc.

We do geocaching for a free hobby- you do need GPS for that though but it's now available on many mobiles I believe [except mine that came out of the ark] and slightly weird though it may sound I really enjoy nosing around churches. You get to see some great gargoyles, greenmen and lots of history.


Arilx

camNolliesMUMMY

Great tips on here I'm gonna o back and have another read through of this fab thread.

My tips is to get your washing machine manual out and choose a program to suit and see if you can cut the time down by using in my case the time saver mode.

On my hotpoint a 60 degree an 90 will take 2 and a half hrs, with time saver I can get this down to around 1hr but I never have a Full load of whites so it then goes on mini load as well which uses less water to heat

My colours go on a 30 degree wash which s around 1 and a half hrs, time saver brings this down too 45 mins.

I used to use quick wash but found it wouldn't spin the water out well and would thm have to put on spin again which took more time and hassle.

I've kept To Routine of a washing only mon, wed and Friday only!

Using less powder/gel conditioner that's recommended.

This does it for me and saved me £2+ a week on my pre pay meter, as I got stuck into washing every day on half loads.

In our house its me, dh, ds1 age 5 and ds2 age 7 months as you can tell.....we ave loads of washing lol

sparrer

Aril I so agree about using the last scrap of everything, nothing gets past my scissors, screwdriver or even pincers if need be! Three or four (or more) day's product lurks inside where the manufacturers think we can't reach - oh, yes we can!

cnMUM, what a good idea, it's easy to choose a programme when the machine is new but how many of us ever look after that? I've just flicked through the book and found a 30 degree programme that take 25 mins, ideal for freshening up instead of chucking once-worn items in a normal wash. Thanks for the tip . I admit I usually put washes on the lowest spin then again on the highest in winter as I don't have a td, but in summer it goes on the line after the first spin.

At the end of every day I split the coins in my purse between it and the giant whiskey bottle - ie four 10p pieces is 2 for the purse, two for the bottle. If it's an odd number that goes in the bottle too. Do the same with all the coins and you'll always have money in your purse, and be saving at the same time.

Uniscots97

When going to the supermarket don't be fooled into thinking that pre-packed cold meat is the cheapest. I went to the deli counter and asked if they had any ham 'bits', these are the end bits left on the tray or are too small to go through the slicer. I ended up with 400g of ham for £1.24. Any bits that need slicing I slice using a serated steak knife to save my fingers (I'm not great with sharp edged knives!). I have enough for 2 days lunch sandwiches for me, to put into a rubber chicken pie and a little to go in an omlette. Most deli counter do end bits for most meats so just ask.