What is the most moneysaving/stingy thing you do?

gs1647

I was interested to read that a modem/wifi hub uses more electricity than just about anything else in the house. I've been trying to get into the habit of switching it off when going out for the day/weekend or on holiday, after all there's no reason to leave it on. Even switching off overnight can build up savings.

Herbalus

gs1647 wrote: »

I was interested to read that a modem/wifi hub uses more electricity than just about anything else in the house. I've been trying to get into the habit of switching it off when going out for the day/weekend or on holiday, after all there's no reason to leave it on. Even switching off overnight can build up savings.

I wouldn't do that. Telecoms companies tell you not to as well. It can affect your speed if you have standard ADSL.

Plus, estimates have wireless router electricity costs at £15-20 per year, so you're not going to save a large amount. It's a lot less than many other appliances.

Hedgehog99

When I have used kitchen roll to dry washed fruit & veg, I dry it out again to use for wiping out a frying pan before washing etc.

TCA

Herbalus wrote: »

Most of it is common sense and not being wasteful as opposed to mind-boggling savings.

I use all the toothpaste before starting the next because why would I not?

Very true. A lot of waste is just pure laziness. Not being wasteful takes literally no time or effort. My question for the doubters would be: if for nearly no effort you save even a tenner, would you want it or not if someone handed it to you? Yet to meet the person that refuses free money. Or as good as.

CCFC_80

If it's raining when I'm driving, I'll switch off my windscreen wipers whilst going under a bridge

DominicH

TCA wrote: »

Very true. A lot of waste is just pure laziness. Not being wasteful takes literally no time or effort. My question for the doubters would be: if for nearly no effort you save even a tenner, would you want it or not if someone handed it to you? Yet to meet the person that refuses free money. Or as good as.

It depends on the effort involved, and the timespan involved. Ten pounds earned over a week, or a decade? You have to balance reward against effort, rather than just claiming that any reward, however trivial, is worth the effort.
There are double standards at play here. It seems that rewards, however small, "all add up", whereas similarly trivial efforts are dismissed as "literally nothing" when they are not nothing, as you seem to acknowledge in the next sentence with the phrase "nearly no effort" (emphasis mine).
Effort and energy add up too. They are finite resources just like money is, and should therefore be prioritised on the things that bring the most reward for a given amount of effort. There are far more efficient ways of expending your finite money-saving energy than scraping toothpaste out of a tube to save 0.2p.

TCA

DominicH wrote: »

Effort and energy add up too. They are finite resources just like money is, and should therefore be prioritised on the things that bring the most reward for a given amount of effort.

That depends on how valuable you think your own time and energy is. I'm happy to expend a bit of time and energy (within reason) rather than waste something out of sheer laziness. Irrespective of any miniscule saving.

lynnejk

Herbalus wrote: »

I wouldn't do that. Telecoms companies tell you not to as well. It can affect your speed if you have standard ADSL.

Plus, estimates have wireless router electricity costs at £15-20 per year, so you're not going to save a large amount. It's a lot less than many other appliances.

I turn mine off every night and when away from home.


Just part of turning off everything except fridge, freezer and hot water (on night-saver) when I go to bed each night.


Lx

DominicH

TCA wrote: »

That depends on how valuable you think your own time and energy is.

Indeed. And I tend to think that one's time and energy is very valuable. Too valuable to be squandered on thinking of ways to save 1p by making a teabag last twice as long. It's really the opposite of Money Saving Expert thinking. There are more efficient ways to improve your lot.

But some people seem to think that economising means saving money, at any cost. It doesn't. It is a false economy to obsess down to the last penny. It's too much worry for too little gain. By all means count the pounds, or even the 50ps. Don't count the pennies. That way madness lies.

marleyboy

In my student Years I used to water down the milk. Nowadays I guess its saving the takeaway tubs for freezing homemade meals in.