Spill the beans ... what's the most embarrassing MoneySaving thing you do?

Uniscots97

Ok, my turn. When I was a student I worked as a chambermaid. If the person who's room we were cleaning had had room service I would pocket any unused (sealed) little jars of jam and honey. Same if they hadn't used the toiletries provided I would take those and replace them with the new stuff. The place I worked had a rule that anything like that left had to be thrown away.

Now probably the most embarassing money saving thing I do is send away for freebies and use them to bulk out people's birthday/christmas presents. I also the lace waistband bit from old knickers (washed of course!) to edge a t-shirt or top.

VfM4meplse

Katkin wrote: »

Ok Back on track - My most embarrassing OS trick is to make butter using my power plate (equivalent). Place cream in jar with lid on (and salt if necessary) Clasp between thighs and stand on plate; knees bent, thighs clenched; wobbling and holding tightly for 10 minutes. Perfect butter eavery time.

Fine until you realise that the curtains are open and everyone walking by can see you with a jar between your thighs! :rotfl:

It has earned me some strange looks but I cant be bothered to shake in the normal way for 20 mins. Far too strenuous.

An excellent way of eeking that much more out of my gym membership. Not sure whether all that vibration does your internal organs much good though!

Justamum

unixgirluk wrote: »

Ok, my turn. When I was a student I worked as a chambermaid. If the person who's room we were cleaning had had room service I would pocket any unused (sealed) little jars of jam and honey. Same if they hadn't used the toiletries provided I would take those and replace them with the new stuff. The place I worked had a rule that anything like that left had to be thrown away.

I don't blame you for doing this - it's a scandalous waste if the things are unopened and thrown away. I can understand them saying things should be chucked out if they are partly used but otherwise?

I bet they had sky high hotel prices to cover for all the waste too.

THIRZAH

unixgirluk wrote: »

Ok, my turn. When I was a student I worked as a chambermaid. If the person who's room we were cleaning had had room service I would pocket any unused (sealed) little jars of jam and honey. Same if they hadn't used the toiletries provided I would take those and replace them with the new stuff. The place I worked had a rule that anything like that left had to be thrown away.

Now probably the most embarassing money saving thing I do is send away for freebies and use them to bulk out people's birthday/christmas presents. I also the lace waistband bit from old knickers (washed of course!) to edge a t-shirt or top.

I've just been away with my sisters. We had breakfast and dinner in the Wetherspoons next to the hotel and I brought home the unused tubs of jam and mango chutney from our plates-didn't bring the butter as thought it might leave a greasy mess in my handbag.I haven't got over the time when DH and I went to his firm's annual dinner . We were given petit four with our coffee and I put mine into my evening bag to take home for DDs. Unfortunately I forgot they were in there and held my bag under my arm for most of the evening.By the time we got home they were stuck to the lining.

SpikyHedgehog

mavisangelica wrote: »

Well after a conversation with my 17yo son last night who accused me of swapping Asda weetabix with the proper stuff (I wouldn't care but it was the real thing!). This morning I have opened the Asda packet that I had hidden and put the sealed contents in the proper Weetabix box and sealed the box down with a pritt stick

I keep teling him it comes from the same factory (interestingly comparing the ingredients, they are in exactly the same order and have the same % of wheat.).

Don't know how you got on with this, but my son knows the difference in the wraps that they use (because he's a wee bit obsessive ;-) ) although luckily he will eat the supermarkets own weetabix as he eats 6 at a sitting...

I work in a preschool so walk around with my pockets stuffed full of tissues all - the crumpled ones get pulled out of my pockets & go into the box at home.

sabretoothtigger

Justamum wrote: »

I don't blame you for doing this - it's a scandalous waste if the things are unopened and thrown away. I can understand them saying things should be chucked out if they are partly used but otherwise?

I bet they had sky high hotel prices to cover for all the waste too.

They do that with sandwiches at the airport. Every two hours they throw away about 50 sandwiches, salmon and all sorts. Never been touched but against the rules to touch and they paid me 3 quid an hour, I wasnt eating salmon thats for sure

katieowl_2

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

They do that with sandwiches at the airport. Every two hours they throw away about 50 sandwiches, salmon and all sorts. Never been touched but against the rules to touch and they paid me 3 quid an hour, I wasnt eating salmon thats for sure

That sort of waste makes my head revolve :mad: especially when it's food.

I can see maybe they'd 'dispose' at the end of each day...but every two hours? Following that mentality your packed lunch is inedible by lunchtime!

I think it's daft beyond words that the staff can't eat them too...!!!!!! on three quid an hour you really could use a 'perk'

Kate

mavisangelica

SpikyHedgehog wrote: »

Don't know how you got on with this, but my son knows the difference in the wraps that they use (because he's a wee bit obsessive ;-) ) although luckily he will eat the supermarkets own weetabix as he eats 6 at a sitting...

I work in a preschool so walk around with my pockets stuffed full of tissues all - the crumpled ones get pulled out of my pockets & go into the box at home.

Well I think now he just doesn't trust me full stop and appears to be boycotting it. Shame as there is a genuine bonifide large box of weetabix in the cupboard (on special offer a few weeks ago).

This might also be down to the fact that for years I managed to stop him 'stealing' my tea off my plate by telling him it was too spicy for him (whatever I was eating) :rotfl:

Mistral001

The most embarassing thing I do is to use the electric instant hot water shower to fill up a bucket of hot water for putting in the wash hand basin for shaving with rather turning on the emersion heater, thus not wasting energy to heat up the cylinder and pipes. BTW it is quicker and does away with the problem of forgetting to switch the emersion heater off which I would used to do from time to time wasting a lot of energy. I do not have the central heating on as ran out of heating oil last winter and no money to buy a fill up.

Thorndrop

Haha.. this is where I start to feel embarrassed about being so tight.

I drink a lot of tea. I use the same teabag for two cups.
I take sachets of salt, pepper, sugar, sauces, etc, from the cafeteria.
I make porridge for breakfast using water rather than milk.
I never buy toilet roll because I take some for free from public toilets. < definitely the strangest one
I re-use paper bags from shops to wrap packages for postage.

*shame*