Great 'ways To Cut Back' Hunt

greytdog_2

blueneleh wrote: »

Sorry if already been mentioned as I haven't read all the pages but ladies at that time of the month use this:

www.mooncup.co.uk

You start saving money on sanitary products after 6 months as it lasts 10 years and is great for the environment!:T

I have just had a look at this site and had a giggle at the question from some poor sole who asked if this device would fit through her letterbox!!!! make sthe mind boggle :rotfl:

EagerLearner

My top tips:
- Sign up to Nectar points if you buy stuff at Sainsburys anyway (it's the only supermarket close to us) - we now have 13,000 points saved over the last couple of years.
- Get a Boots gift card for YOU! That's right - pick up an unused one, go to the til and pay for your normal shopping. Then ask them to put say £2 onto your gift card each time you visit, meaning that at Christmas you will have a card to treat yourself or others with.
- Buy online at least once every 4-6 weeks. Great savings can be made, plus you can buy all the heavy / buy 1 get 1 free offers / household items that normally 'clog' up your weekly shop. Saves lugging it all about too.
- Sign up to Quidco / Pigsback and all the other cashback sites you can manage (ask me about my make £3 a day daily click guide to make free money on these - just PM me your e-mail).
- Join the Grocery challenges each month here on MSE - great at motivating you to cut down plus you can put whetever you save towards something you want or a treat.
- Plan your meals one week or one month ahead so you don't waste food (and you don't panic each night wondering what you are going to make at the last minute, like I used to). This will save you lots of time, washing up, stress and money.
- Bulk cook food and then freeze the leftovers for another meal. Saves the hassle of at least one or two meals per week.
- Buy veggies, eggs, cheese from your local market if you can, so much cheaper than supermarkets and often less packaging too. Plus think of your carbon footprint.

carbon_junkie

Stop using supermarkets as they are expensive and have perfected the art of drawing more money out of your pocket than you wanted

Cook from raw ingredients saves a fortune

carbon_junkie

Turn off your freezer eat fresh and save the planet I did it - the freezer not the planet bit and have never looked back

always_amazed

okay, here's my tiny bit of 'cutting back' advice; I know it's not amazing but I didn't think I saw it before, and if it has been mentioned, sorry!!!


Plan a cheap strategy against boredom; for example I try to take a (library ) book in my handbag when I have to travel anywhere. If I forget that, then before I know it thats £3 on a magazine, by then I'm in the shop and buy sweets and £5 has gone, just like that!

dreams_R_free

carbon_junkie wrote: »

Turn off your freezer eat fresh and save the planet I did it - the freezer not the planet bit and have never looked back

I agree in part, carbon junkie, but I think a freezer can also save money. By buying fresh produce in season (especially when it's really cheap) and freezing it for later there's lots of savings to be made in the food budget.

If you grow some of your own fruit and veg (as we do) or have gardening friends with a surplus then a freezer is a brilliant money-saver.

I think the trick is to keep the freezer as full as poss at all times to maximise the use of the electricity you're using. Apparently it costs the same/more to run a half-empty freezer.

painted_lady

I have posted here before, but here are my suggestions, been working for me (I am on extended maternity leave= no money, trying to pay debts and set up a business, I need all the tips I can get!) Some of these are "new" anyway.
- been using a tablespoon of washing powder per wash, everything has come clean so far and smells great.
- I have been using reusable nappies for 2 months now, no nappy rash, no hassle, always come clean (even with tablespoon of powder, plus a teaspoon of nappy san to help kill germs)
- always buy white label goods
- buy reduced veg, freeze it, make it into soups, currys, etc, save these in freezer for when you have no time to cook= cheap, healthy microwave meal
- buy blender for £5, make own baby food, save loads (eg - 55p for a jar of carrots mashed, can boil a carot and blend it for next to nothing.)
- buy phone credit at boots, go to machine for extra advantage card points, total spend £20, get 150 points, effectively £17.70 for £20 credit
- turn off thinsg when not in use, obvious but one we soemtimes slip up on
-make sure your bank arent charging you for statements, some charge for additional statements, just get free ones
-sold my car, use boyfriends, put tesco petrol in, get points
- buy everything 2nd hand, got a high chair for £4 sunday, plus bag of baby clothes for a couple of quid
- use real cloths, not them disposable ones, used to love flash wipes, but hot water and a cloth is (almost) as good
- cancelled my cleaner and do my own cleaning now!
- dont iron, save electrics (lol)

Think thats it for now folks.

Tete_en_l'Air

dont iron, save electrics (lol)

Now THAT'S a good spin for it!! Thanks!

Batgirl

always_amazed wrote: »

okay, here's my tiny bit of 'cutting back' advice; I know it's not amazing but I didn't think I saw it before, and if it has been mentioned, sorry!!!


Plan a cheap strategy against boredom; for example I try to take a (library ) book in my handbag when I have to travel anywhere. If I forget that, then before I know it thats £3 on a magazine, by then I'm in the shop and buy sweets and £5 has gone, just like that!

Thats a great tip, thanks.

linbadd

Not sure if these have been mentioned before, but I'll mention them anyway.

1. Borrow books from the library rather than buying. Average paperback costs about £6.99 and is read once! If you really want to keep books, buy second hand at car boots, jumble sales, etc. or get them at 'remaindered' book stores at a fraction of the cover price.

2. Join 'Freecycle', which has groups all over the country - in fact all over the world. its aim is to stop items going to landfill. You can get rid of your unwanted items without using petrol to take them to the tip and get things you need for free! Here's a link to the main page, from which you can find your local group:

http://www.freecycle.org/

3. Check out stores such as 'Poundland' and 'Bargain Homes' for some real bargains. There are goods of all sorts at rock bottom prices - household goods, toiletries, toys, garden items, even wine and beers at Bargain Homes. Many are branded goods on sale for much more at other shops. But watch out - with so many bargains around you can end up buying more than you intended!