Extreme Money Saving things you have done!

eselt

ouch! - having read my post in the cold light of day in black and white and read all your comments I can't believe I've become so tight (went bankrupt last year and am really paranoid about spending anything now!). You are all completely right, thanks for the reality check- I'm going to spend some serious time adjusting my moral compass and hope I can still be thrifty but make sure its ethical. Have given my 13 yr old an extra £5 pocket money this week due to guilt. Once again thanks for stopping me in my tracks and making me see sense.

purdee

Without sounding like a leach? leech? I save money because my O/H buys loads of stuff for me - even fills my car up and buys me pressies that I need. He is so kind hearted but he doesn't get much from me apart from my moods! perhaps I ought to find out how to save money properly and stop being so lazy - but then again..........:rotfl:

sarah_smurf

I try going for the BOGOF offers at shopping, try the cheaper options on some things, and get odd things from the shops around town that I know are cheaper than the supermarket prices. I also look on the reduced bread shelf to and the shelf in the veg isle to see what 2nds they have going for cheaper. Last month I got some Warburtons bread for 9p each, all because the best before date was the day after that day... so snapped 'em up quick and in the freezer they went to be used. I think that was the best bargain I'd caught in ages as was cheaper than all the bread on the normal shelf and good make to.

My sis sometimes buys DVDs when on offer from play so I nick her packaging once they come and reuse them as packaging for when I sell some of my unwanted DVDs from my collection on ebay to save on paying for jiffy's.

Will have to think what else I try and do now...

Valli

PandaPants wrote: »

They don't, a price tag is not an offer to sell that that price, it's inviting offers to buy, in the eyes of the law. It's called an invitation to treat. It's all very confusing and boring.... :rotfl:

Panda Pants is spot on - it's 'Invitation to treat' so that IF someone misprices an item (as has been known) the shop can tell you this and has the right to refuse to sell it at the offer price. The contract actually starts when you agree to pay the stickered price and the store accepts your offer to buy. The situation usually is though, that the shop will sell you the item at the stickered price for goodwill.


There are some mean tricks (and impressively devious ones) on this thread - my current mean trick is to use my Baygen wind up radio instead of the electric one so I'm reducing my leccy bill as I have the radio on all day, getting a bit of exercise winding it up and doing a bit for the environment too! Incidentally I won it as a comp prize about 10 years ago and up to this week I rarely used it - but a power failure on Thursday showed me the (metaphorical, obviously, as the power was off) light!

Valli

BARGAINHUNTER! wrote: »

You can freeze mash if you make too much!

Or even make 'Duchesse' potatoes which (I think) is - you put into icing bag and make swirls (a la mr Softee) which you can open freeze and they are already portioned out - pop into hot oven from frozen for about 15-20 mins they go brown like cottage pie, look dead posh and save you time!:T

calleyw

I only buy danish pastries when reduced.

But I think I have got too tight. Can normally get them for 10 or 20p for two in my local sainsburys. I saw some the other day reduced for 30p and went NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rotfl:

Yours


Calley

givememoney

I must confess I haven't done this myself but it is a good wheeze.

When a gift is called for at Christmas time make out a Christmas tag with you name eg. `Merry Christmas Aunt Betty from Andrea`. Then when no one is looking drop it in the pile of gifts under the tree. By the time the presents have all been unwrapped Aunt Betty will be none the wiser to what happened to the gift and you may even get a `thank you` letter.;)

In the same vein (also never tried by me.... never had the guts) when arriving at a party say a big `hello` and at the same time wave a bottle of drink in the air making sure plenty of people have seen it. Next suddenly remember you have left the car unlocked and excuse yourself taking you bottle with you which you leave in the car. No one will be any of the wiser coz they saw you bring in a bottle didn't they. :rotfl:

pennypinchingpenguin

eselt wrote: »

ouch! - having read my post in the cold light of day in black and white and read all your comments I can't believe I've become so tight (went bankrupt last year and am really paranoid about spending anything now!). You are all completely right, thanks for the reality check- I'm going to spend some serious time adjusting my moral compass and hope I can still be thrifty but make sure its ethical. Have given my 13 yr old an extra £5 pocket money this week due to guilt. Once again thanks for stopping me in my tracks and making me see sense.

dont be too hard on yourself. it made me laugh! :rotfl: it can be very hard when you have serious money fears.

telboyo

lostinrates wrote: »

DH and I don't use heating (or really hardly ever).

I was very ill a few years ago and had loads of funny symptoms, and my DH has psoariasis. One of my doctors suggested it might help BOTH of us to try turning of the central heating. We sufered for a couple of weeks, but it is surprising how quickly one adjusts. If I do get bitterly cold it means I'm not busy enough, lol. Ironing is the best cure for that, but really, any vigourous house work is good, or a brisk walk.

Bonuses to this are: DH's psoariasis is often barely evident or even NOT evident most of the time (he's had a bit of a resurgence since sharing an office with someone who understandably needs heating though-why in May/June I'm not sure, but there you are), there is a REASON I need lots of cashmere clothes, watching tv in the evenings has become a seriously snuggly and romantic thing...we tend to have loads of lovely throws on the sofa and we snuggle together cosily we get notably fewer colds.

Drawback: we tend to pant a bit in public heated places and I have to wear summer clothes under the layers when we go out in winter. I'm living with my family right now and I find the heating horrid!

We didn't do it for money, but it makes a difference, especially with prices now. We put the heating on when we have people over but we don't over heat, we set the thermostat for 18 degrees

It is amazing how quickly you can get used to having no heating, I work away from home and was spending a fortune on lodgings, so I have rented a very cheap flat, the only drawback is that it has no heating and very draughty crittal windows. At first I found it a struggle but after a few weeks I found that I could wear a sweater if it is chilly or do the hoovering and housework if gets really cold. My OH is starting aa job in this area in sept and will be not be happy with no heating but needs must.

DdraigGoch

Must say I have to agree with you. We have spent a winter without heating at all, no hot water other than out of the kettle, in an old and draughty stone house - it's doable, but the children might never forgive me .... things are looking up now, we have a fire AND wood to burn.