Great 'Isn't it obvious?' MoneySaving Hunt revisited

UnlikelyButTrue

Charity shops and carboot sales - what you want for a tenth of the price - fab!
and so many people don't bother...

and buying reduced-price food to freeze - fill your freezer with 10p bread!

there are so many ways to save and all you need to do is get into the habit, it gets easier...

Gintotmelinda

I try and buy as much meat as I can reduced-love those yellow stickers.

Gintot

Lwsi

MaggieBaking wrote: »

Tesco Rewards - I still know lots of people who don't know about converting them into 3 times their value!!

We love the cinema tickets and restaurant vouchers!!

Read the small print carefully! We were delighted when Topps Tiles vouchers came into the scheme, and after carefully working out how many vouchers we needed we ordered them and when they arrived a few days later, off we went to get what we needed, only to be told that you can only buy tiles with the vouchers. We then had the extra cost of buying the cement and grouting and other stuff, and had vouchers left over.

sock-knitter

looking for reduced items in supermarket and freezing them
being aware of special offers and stocking up if its a product i use a lot of, or has a long shelf life, eg tins
not buying something just cos its on offer if its something i wouldnt normally use anyway

narabanekeater

When having children look at bootfairs and on freecycle for bits. Babies need very little really. Use washable nappies and breastfeed if possible even if only for a short time. Make your own baby food and use bibs as baby food stains especially orange stuff

riva

Letting menu of the week be decided by the week's supermarket offer. I've picked up so many new recipes (on google of course) when trying to figure out how to use certain items which were reduced/on offer. Markets are much cheaper though although a little hard for me to get to. But if they are clearing- I tend to buy the stuff and either make soups and freeze or fruit smoothies/cakes/muffins. Our menu can have anything from simple vegetarian dishes to scallops or pate etc. Its nice not knowing.

CCP

I don't know if this has been mentioned already (I have read the thread but can't remember what everyone's said ), but check the price of individual items before buying a multipack - it's sometimes cheaper to buy the same number of items individually!

And definitely take a packed lunch to work: a home made sarnie / salad is so much cheaper - and usually tastier - than a shop-bought one.

rosieben

these are hints I found here on OS, sorry I cant remember the original poster -

proving bread dough - cover the bowl with a plastic shower cap to keep draughts away; I bought a pack of cheap shower caps from ebay for this, works a treat

if you have a draughts whistling through a keyhole, cover it with a fridge magnet; sadly this doesn't work for me here as my door furniture is non magnetic

eta can you tell I used to live in a draughty old house?

sasilverman

It's funny, that even now I have a much healthier bank balance I can't let go of the old 'austerity' ways!

I'm sure i'm not mad/alone in doing the following (love the person who also rinses out the washing up bottle to get the last few drops out!):

Top 3:

1) Here's the biggie, which many won't consider. Give up/Cut down on smoking/drinking. Many friends ask how i afford 2-3 holidays per year. I point out they spend £1,000-£1,500 a year on smoking, and £2,000 - £2,500 on drinking! When they question this, i point out these figures work out at packet of cigarettes a day, and a 'heavy' night out at £50 per week.

2) My next biggest saving comes from home cooking. You can easily cook a meal for 4-6 people which works out at £1-£2 per portion, and is much healthier and tastier than the pre-packed food. Example, a simple bolognese sauce - £1.99 for lean mince, 30p for tin toms, another 70p for garlic/onion and whatever olive oil/dried basil and pasta is used. £3-£4 for 4-6 portions, simples!

3) Holidays - DIY or wait last minute. With careful planning you can easily save up to 50% on planning a holiday by DIY, and often getting a better class of hotel, more trips and eat out more often than through a travel Agent. Alternatively, recognise that you don't mind where you go on holiday, just book off your 2 weeks in advance, and then wait till it reaches nearer the time to see what last minute offers come in

Little Ones

1) Always work out cost savings on 'promotions' in store - all to often I see things like buy 2 for x amount, when you will only be saving pennies

2) Stock up on goods which have a good promotion

3) Always check the reduced section, again check prices as reductions aren't always that great (often it's subjective so some places better than others!)

4) Time visits to the supermarket for 6-7 in the evening when you know goods are being reduced - bread especially often down to 20p per loaf, 10p for 6 buns etc. Freeze what you can't use!

5) Turn off lights in the day time (sounds obvious doesn't it?)

6) Try to keep the thermostat between 18-20 in winter, using cups of tea/coffee and an extra layer to keep warm! Careful in older houses as excess damp/condensation can damage furniture and be a false economy

7) If it's within a miles distance, walk. Heck, if it's within 30 minutes walk, walk! Healthier and saves on petrol. Use public transport, off peak, where possible, or get a bike!

8) Take your own tea/coffee/lunch into work. I used to spend £10 a day on the canteen, which now covers most of the week

9) Buy fewer, more expensive, higher quality clothes, than many 'cheaper' items. As my fiancee will back me up on, having just taken 3-4 bags to the charity shop of clothes/bags she has only worn the once because they have gone tatty. Whereas the higher quality clothes she wears again and again

10) and finally... one thing i haven't got round to doing but is a great idea - celebrate all holidays 1 week late... and buy all the same presents/stuff half price! Valentines, Easter, Christmas - save your hard earned money and just buy in the sales! Or buy in sales for the year ahead!

Moorhen

If the distance that you have to travel is less than one mile then WALK!
Since starting to follow this about a year ago I have saved loads of money in petrol and lost 9lbs in weight.:D