Great 'Embarrassing MoneySaving tips' Hunt

CarefulMum

My drinks cupboard is full of top brand booze bottles collected over many years, which I've had as presents or brought back from holidays abroad. The contents though are likely to be supermarket own brands - bottles refilled when empty. I once had a party and put out all my booze. Guests were amazed at my generosity and drank heartily. I overhead two chaps pouring themselves generous glasses of a 'single malt' and saying how nice it was but it wasn't the single malt they thought it was - it was cheapest supermarket plonk in the posh bottle!! I do this with wine as well - saving really good wine bottles (bought when on offer at supermarket or presents). Easy to refill them when they have the metal caps.

diddly74

I don't have a drinks cupboard! I don't see the use in having all that booze that I have no intention of enjoying it myself (not a big drinker) - this concept however smacks me in the face when it comes to Christmas etc, when I have none to lace the pudding with or make boozy tiriamsu (oh gosh the one my SIL made this week was heavenly!!!)

Never mind on a diet in Jan!!!

ceridwen

anamenottaken wrote: »

If you post an item with stamps that have already been through the postal system then it is not "probably illegal". It is - and known as theft.

[Shame that nine people have used the"thanks" button.]

To save anyone else hunting back through - its post no. 58 on this thread.

I quite agree - ie that it IS theft to do this.

Barneysmom

nic_hip wrote: »

I buy blank cards and envelopes (£8 for 100 from Works) and cut up nice birthday/christmas/any occasion cards.

I stick the recycled card onto the blank one and then I customise them with various crafty bits (recycled ribbons, rivets etc.) and not only do they make cheaper cards, but have a personal touch too. I ask all my friends for their cards and any I don't use go to school for the kids to use.

I like that - just been watching QVC and they had blanks as a TSV but it sold out. Looked on EBay and they seem expensive, so your post came at a perfect time for me

We bubblewrap all the windows in the conservatory. It stops all the condensation and controls damp in there.

Tea bags can be reused, you can make a nice tea wine out of them -
http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/home-brew-tea-wine

http://users.aber.ac.uk/auj/kitchen/tea.shtml

Primrose

ceridwen wrote: »

To save anyone else hunting back through - its post no. 58 on this thread.

I quite agree - ie that it IS theft to do this.

Re: re-using postage stamps. I have several stamps which I've steamed off Christmas card envelopes because, before they got posted, we received cards notifying of changes of addresses, or the death of one of the recipient's partner, so that new cards & envelopes needed to be written out. Surely you're not saying I can't use these again when they haven't even left my possession & gone through the postal system?

diddly74

Primrose - I don't think you could say that was theft - they haven't left your possession. You have paid for the service that they represent and have yet to use the service.

I think what the others mean is to remove unfranked stamps from mail received - thus not paying for postage when again sending mail. So intentionally diddling Royal Mail out of revenue.

ceridwen

Primrose wrote: »

Re: re-using postage stamps. I have several stamps which I've steamed off Christmas card envelopes because, before they got posted, we received cards notifying of changes of addresses, or the death of one of the recipient's partner, so that new cards & envelopes needed to be written out. Surely you're not saying I can't use these again when they haven't even left my possession & gone through the postal system?

Nope - I took as read that one can use stamps that havent already been used IYSWIM. If I put a stamp onto something and then don't post it - then that stamp obviously hasnt been used (ie gone through the post) - so I remove it and use it on something else.

The poster was talking about using stamps that have ALREADY been used (ie sent through the post).

Penelope_Penguin

arran_m wrote: »

i cant say that i have found any of these tips embarrasing to be honest

me neither .........

dstanden

I think that my family has the record for re-gifting a box set of Hai Karate aftershave. It was first gifted in the 1980's and saw regular pass the parcel style re-gifting. I had it back 3-times over a 10-year period despite giving it to different family members than I received it from. It was like an unbroken chain letter. I know - you may think that this is just another set being passed to me, but to make certain I placed a small 'x' on the packet so that I could see if it ever came back. Thankfully, I have not seen it for over 20-years and so either someone accepted it, binned it or gave it as a raffle prize.

Regularly recycle gift bags too - criminal not to in my opinion.

Happy 2011

Filey

safetygirl wrote: »

Not a good idea to reuse food that a) you haven't cooked yourself i.e. KFC etc., or b) has been previously chewed.... due to obvious hygiene reasons.

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Maybe I've missed something here, but as long as the food is thoroughly cooked at a high temperature, like boiling to make stock, then any pathogenic bacteria will have been killed.