I love lists. Lets build the ultimate money saving list.

Annel

Lots of good advice on here. Just to add one essential for me: I use my M&S credit card for nearly all of my shopping in order to get the points which add up to discount vouchers (I'd be spending this amount anyway so may as well get the points). Obviously, I pay this off in full each month. As soon as I return from shopping trips, I enter all the receipt totals into my Excel spreadsheet and deduct the amounts as if I'd already paid for everything. This shows what I really have left in my 'current account' and so there are no nasty shocks when my credit card Direct Debit is collected.

elizabethhull

Annel wrote: »

Lots of good advice on here. Just to add one essential for me: I use my M&S credit card for nearly all of my shopping in order to get the points which add up to discount vouchers (I'd be spending this amount anyway so may as well get the points). Obviously, I pay this off in full each month. As soon as I return from shopping trips, I enter all the receipt totals into my Excel spreadsheet and deduct the amounts as if I'd already paid for everything. This shows what I really have left in my 'current account' and so there are no nasty shocks when my credit card Direct Debit is collected.

This is excellent advice. I have only had a credit card for a year, and as it is a John Lewis one, I get points for every spend. But leaving the bill till the end of the month fools me into thinking I have more in my account that I really do.
Solution (for me): as soon as I get home from any credit card purchase I transfer the money from my debit account via the website. No end of months shocks and no bills.

rdone

I do exactly the same. I have a Santander 123 debit and credit card and I find it works great. I do all my spending on the credit card to get the cashback and leave the money in my current account until the DD is taken to earn the interest on it for that little bit longer. As I have an app to see them both I can do a quick mental calculation to see how much I have, I also know that when I hit a certain figure on the CC I need to stop spending until next month!

SailorSam

I don't go as far as checking my spending against my credit card or bank account, but i have got spreadsheets going back several years that every penny spent go on. It's interesting to check month from month and store by store how things have changed.

tinkerbel*79

Look around when buying anything and loyalty doesn't always save. Just ordered my oil from a new oil company saving £23.11, its only a small saving but I look at it as its atleast 2 takeaway nights or 2 trips to the local pub. Which is the only fun/ treats we spend money on.
I now buy cravendale milk which has a longer date and buy twice as much, freeze bread and butter. It stops me going to the local spar and buying stuff I didn't need along with the essentials I originally went for.
I only buy in bulk when on offer and only certain items that will keep and I regularly use, butter and bakedbeans, toilet roll. You only need enough to last till the next offer. Other items only 1 in use and 1 in reserve. Starting to eat less for it, more room in cupboards to see what I have. Not throwing out items which have spoilt.
Make lasagne and cottage pie and freeze for the days you know you won't have time to cook or will be to exhausted to avoid another takeaway night. Bf says in morning I will cook by evening he asks if I fancy a takeaway? What a cheek does he think I am stupid!!!
I'm addicted to selling on eBay at the moment, finding all the stuff I just keep dusting and moving or is stuck in the back of a cupboard, if it isn't sentemental or part of your retirement plan, better to let someone else love and care for it.

samsamesggsandham

Does anyone else get every last bit out of toiletry bottles? It is amazing how much is still in side my moisturiser when it is 'empty'. I cut the bottle neck off with a strong pair of scissors and I can get enough to last a few more days. Brilliant!

Pollycat

samsamesggsandham wrote: »

Does anyone else get every last bit out of toiletry bottles? It is amazing how much is still in side my moisturiser when it is 'empty'. I cut the bottle neck off with a strong pair of scissors and I can get enough to last a few more days. Brilliant!

I stand bottles up-side down when they seem empty.

I put a bit of water into shampoo & shower gel bottles to release the bit of stuff that is still left in the bottle.

samsamesggsandham

Looking back trough this thread I think we have everything covered! A big thank you to everyone who has contributed. This is a pretty comprehensive list. Brilliant!