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What 5 OS Strategies have helped you the most?

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24

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  • My five are:-

    1. Meal Planning
    2. Batch Cooking
    3. Stardrops
    4. Budgeting
    5. Shopping around and not buying everything from Mr T's

    LMS xx
    Mortgage Balance 1st May 2009 £94749.00 :(
    Current End Date 1st April 2039.
    Total Overpayments to date £950.00 :j
  • Gers
    Gers Posts: 13,140 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I only really have one - don't go shopping unless it's necessary. Sometimes I find my self at some kind of shop or centre - yesterday I drove to the Metrocentre without a concious thought - but have managed to resist the urge to go inside. I always ask myself - Do I NEED things or do I WANT things. A 'want' answer usually gets me out of spending.

    Yesterday I sat in the car park, right outside the glittering and tantalising shop windows, had a little think and drove away again. It felt much better than going inside and coming out with a bagful of stupid stuff!!

    :rolleyes:
  • newleaf
    newleaf Posts: 3,132 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker PPI Party Pooper
    Peg out the washing instead of using the drier.
    Meal plans/shopping list
    Buy secondhand from charity shops, ebay or freecycle
    Official DFW Nerd No 096 - Proud to have dealt with my debt!
  • taplady
    taplady Posts: 7,184 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    1. make a shopping list
    2. write a meal plan
    3. try not to take your OH or children shopping;) :D cos it costs twice as much!:rolleyes:
    4. cook double and freeze some for another day
    5. cook from scratch wherever possible
    Do what you love :happyhear
  • boo81
    boo81 Posts: 654 Forumite
    Meal plan
    Use leftovers for anything and everything
    Freeze what you cant use right away
    Organisation prevents wastage down the line
    Use OS cleaning methods - cheaper and more eco friendly!
  • oops_a_daisy
    oops_a_daisy Posts: 2,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Name Dropper Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    mine are probably similar to others

    1. Meal planning
    2. Take a shopping list and stick to it when buying food
    3. Use stardrops & vinegar for cleaning
    4. home cooking instead of ready made or take aways
    5. growing own veggies and fruit
    :cool: Official DFW Nerd Club Member #37 Debt free Feb 07 :cool:
  • 1) Don't EVER buy any washing up liquid, shampoo, shaving gel, shower gel, toothpast, toothbrushes etc unless they are BOGOF. At some point, they all are.
    2) Cherry pick the best offers from each supermarket if they are all on your round anyway.
    3) Rather than save 25% on a fancy item, save 100% and don't buy it!
    4) Keep a record of everything you spend for a month...and prepare to be shocked!
    5) Only have a coffee in Starbucks, if you intend to lounge around on a comfy sofa for a while.
  • Linda32
    Linda32 Posts: 4,385 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Can I say the OS version of Flylady, it really does work and leads to an organised home.

    Meal Planning with what you've already got.

    Stardrops, microfibre cloths

    Balking out washing powder

    Not filling your bin with things which hold air, like tomato punnets. You fill your bin bag up with air, you need to buy more bin bags. - Take these straight out to the dustbin

    Value range of everything - give it a go just once.

    Edited to add, I can't count upto five
  • lamplady
    lamplady Posts: 63 Forumite
    1. I shop for food every 8 days. By doing this, every few weeks I have a bonus stash of money.

    2. I draw my weekly housekeeping out in cash rather than using a card

    3. Meal planning, checking cupboards beforehand. It's also really imprtant to check the plan the night before so things can be defrosted or the temptation can be to go off plan.

    4. Friday night is homemade takeaway night..pizza, burgers, indian etc, It's imprtant not to feel deprived

    5. I try lots of new recipes so i don't get bored, feeling deprived, boredom and routine are the main downfall I think.
  • Here we go:

    1/ Plan meals in advance, make a shopping list and only buy what's on it!

    2/ Minimise food wastage, freeze or find a way to use up extras/leftovers.

    3/ When ever possible - walk, it is better for the environment and you can't easily carry extra/unplanned purchases home with you.

    4/ Plan for home-made yummy stuff so you don't feel the need to impulse buy treats.

    5/ Keep a note of the frequency of specials and bogofs on regular items so that you can buy enough on discount to get you through to the next offer.

    Its a way of life.
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