What's your best OS moneysaving tip?

miniloopie

Blimey, I disappear for a couple of days, come back and there are tonnes of fab OS hints and tips waiting...
I'm definitely going for the HALF dishwasher/washing powder technique... I already meal plan and stock up in the freezer... and yesterday spent a happy morning sorting and labelling things in the storecupboard... now I need to find a good recipe to use up all the risotto rice I didnt know I had!
Thanks everyone, keep em coming :j

angelavdavis

How about the family risotto?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=597914&postcount=172

miniloopie

angelavdavis wrote: »

How about the family risotto?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=597914&postcount=172

Sounds fab to me! Not done a risotto in absolutely ages... shows by the amount of risotto rice we have left in the stock cupboard :rotfl:
Thanks!

pickle

The things I do are:

Charity shops for clothes and other items - have saved an enormous amount of money here and got some great stuff. The clothes don't shrink in the wash either! Even my friends are starting to shop there as they are impressed with my acquisitions.

Hang out washing.

Buy value range groceries as much as possible.

Shred paper in paper shredder for the cat litter tray.

Try not to buy takeaways or restaurant meals (not as good as my food anyway).

Cook from scratch, so few costly value added products.

Energy saving bulbs.

Meal plans if I have time.

Reuse as much as possible.

hollydays

You dont need all the expensive cleaning products-or fabric conditioner,or toiletries.( I only use fabric conditioner for bedding for guests). Do your shopping in more than one shop.Keep an eye on the bargains with fixture ferrets.Use a dispenser for shampoo and shower gel.Use freecycle.

dND

My tip is to buy a couple of different sized spatulas. It's amazing how much stuff is left on the inside of a mixing bowl - another pancake or fairy cake! If you have a small spatula it can mean another couple of sandwich worth of mayo or jam.

Only a small saving each time but it all mounts up.

Uniscots97

Use a handful of porridge oats in mince to bulk it out even further (I use the Tesco value ones). Its means you use less meat and keep the cost down.

Penny-Pincher!!

We use a gas stove kettle and any boiling water left in the kettle is put into a flask for drinks later.

Only serve regular portions so there is no waste unless its food that can be used again.

Use WM when its full.

Use DW when its full.

Turn heating off at night (approx 8hrs)

PP
xx

juliaw

Buy Christmas cards, presents, decorations etc in January. Buy summer holiday stuff at the end of the summer. When you see end of season sales it is tempting to think that you don't need that stuff for at least 6 months and you won't bother now, but later you will be glad to have bought it cheaply.

belfastgirl23

oooh interesting thread

I have to confess my biggest tip was to PAY ATTENTION to what I was spending on basic household goods. I was in a habit of going to whatever supermarket was handy. Admittedly I always had a list of essentials but then I just threw in whatever came to mind. Since I didn't have a budget it didn't occur to me to notice that some supermarkets were more expensive than others.

Now I think before I buy - do we need this? will we eat it? have we budgeted for it? I notice prices. I notice what's in the fridge that needs used. I freeze leftovers if we realistically won't eat them before they go off. I know now how obvious all this stuff is but somehow it wasn't before. And yet I would have thought I was a reasonably savvy shopper.

I have also cut back a lot on cleaning products. I think before I put on the heat or head out in the car.

For me though while it is about specifics it's more so about awareness and not just drifting through life....