My Thrifty Ways to Save Money

savingpennies

May I join in? I love this idea of making savings everyday. I mentally do this as I do everyday tasks: hanging out the washing - no cost, watering toms, plants, pots etc from water butt - no cost.
By asking myself, 'Am I saving money by doing this?' it helps me think of cheaper ways I can do things.

I save loose change as well. 1p, 2p & 5p go in jars and then I bag up. We go to Center Parcs once a year as a family (me, OH, my mum, 2 DD's (plus boyfriends) and this money is used to pay for mine and OH's activities. Kids have to pay for their own. £2 coins are saved for a meal out whilst we are there.
Other loose change goes in the 'Parking bag' - I knit a small bag which we put in the car's glove compartment for the loose change.

On the toiletries front, have you got a Bodycare shop near you? I compared Wilkinsons, with Savers and Bodycare and they came out cheapest for our favourite toiletries. I also saw a report that of all the supermarkets, Sainsburys was the cheapest for toiletries.

wort

I use body care or home bargains, I find them cheaper than the others too.
Home bargains has cleaning products and foods as well as toiletries at great prices.
A quick question for those who collect the pennies, how do you convert them into notes,? The machine in asda charges you commission, and the bank didn't used to like counting out ! But that was years ago !

suki1964

wort wrote: »

I use body care or home bargains, I find them cheaper than the others too.
Home bargains has cleaning products and foods as well as toiletries at great prices.
A quick question for those who collect the pennies, how do you convert them into notes,? The machine in asda charges you commission, and the bank didn't used to like counting out ! But that was years ago !

Corner shops will often take them, they usually get charged for change at the bank

I_Love_comps

Welcome Savingspennies you are very welcome to join in.

I do not have a bodycare shop near me.

Thanks Suki1964 I love your 'waving hand'

Nichelette

wort wrote: »

A quick question for those who collect the pennies, how do you convert them into notes,? The machine in asda charges you commission, and the bank didn't used to like counting out ! But that was years ago !

I count them out and bag them up myself. They then weigh them at the bank to confirm amounts are correct so pretty quick to deposit with no problems.

freyasmum

I_Love_comps wrote: »

Morning Everyone and welcome to September.

This is the month where the weather gets colder and the nights begin to draw in (which they have done already). We will also now be bombarded with loads and loads od adverts or offers for that thing that happens in December that begins with C.

Personally I think advertising and the shops should hold off until October.

I was at the shops two or three weeks ago and Clintons were finishing up a sale on their Christmas items :eek:

I absolutely adore Christmas - we all get together as a family and talk and play games and eat too much - every. single. year - but it was flipping August.

What makes such times so special is that they only happen once a year. Christmas shouldn't run from August to March

Don't get me wrong, I pick things up as I go along through the year and see them. But I don't want to see Christmas stock in summer!

VfM4meplse

I_Love_comps wrote: »

Personally I think advertising and the shops should hold off until October.

Stocks are available from August. From a retailers perspective, there's no point in holding it back whilst a profit could be made from them. Thankfully, savvy consumers don't think in quite the same way.

There is a lot to enjoy about September to the second week of November: harvest, Autumn, Halloween, Guy Fawkes night (and some personal celebrations for my family!) so in a non-retail driven world, the craziness should be held back until mid-November.

At least Americans recognise the 6 weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year as the holiday season.

bouncydog1

Everything I spend goes onto a spreadsheet so I can track. We have always overpaid on our mortgage and when one has been repaid, then do our home improvements. Boots points are saved up and used to buy sunscreen for hols when on 3 for 2 offers. Use our local co-op for all cleaning products on the deals. Have paid into pension funds since we were 18 so hopefully won't be too hard up when we retire in a few years. When in France on hols we visit the large supermarkets and buy stuff like fabric conditioner, dishwasher tablets, pasta, tomato paste etc which are loads less than where we live.

Ilona

I_Love_comps wrote: »

Went out yesterday for the day would have liked to wonder around the shops but as it was pouring down with rain - we just went straight to Dobbies garden centre for lunch - I was out celebrating my wedding anniversary - it was on Friday but hubby was working.

Dobbies have a card which is £12 a year. You get your membership money back though through the year as they give you 2 free teas and coffees each month and when it is your birthday you get free scones and a pot of tea for two worth £8. When you buy anything from either the store or the cafe you earn points too.

Excuse me for butting in, but I am always interested in how other people save money. A quick question, can you go in Dobbies and get your freebies every month with the card, without buying anything? Loyalty cards always have a catch, which is they are a marketing tool to get you through the door in the hope that you might buy something.

If they give you the freebies, 24 free teas and coffees, and free scones and a pot of tea once a year, without you actually spending any cash, it might be worth having the card. Also, if a single person has a card, what happens if you only want one cup of coffee, can the other one be saved for a later date?
Just curious. I would study the terms and conditions before signing up to anything like this.
Ilona

[Deleted User]

Ilona yes I have a Dobbies card and have had one for a couple of years I go twice a month for my freebie cuppa, excellent value I think.
Our local U3A have their weekly 'coffee morning' at our local one and Dobbies set aside a part of the restaurant on a Tuesday morning for us all as part of their community helping scheme. Its suits us all as chances are we will probably buy something on our way out as they have a smashing deli with great discounts as well. You can ue the card for just one cuppa at a time twice a month.