Great Tips... one liners

crawley_girl

oh disaster wise...

not sure I have had any disasters but maybe that's cos I'm not brave enough to try new things!!!! This is definately one of my NY resolutions!

EagerLearner

Hi - thanks for those - I think Nov/Dec were the start of my OS ways so now I intend to be very good and start off 2007 in the right way!

I have normally bought a six-pack of kitchen towel/paper in the £1 store every 6 or 7 weeks - so it's only say £8.50 a year.

How much are microfibre cloths and where can I get them?

Would def be greener anyway...

mandy_moo_1

you can buy a pack of 3 microfibre cloths in Home Bargains for a pound:D

vivw_2

4 for a £1 in the poundshop. I find them much more effective than normal cloths....can use with just water or for stubborn stains/marks with diluted stardrops.
I also use one for washing up with and my stepdaughter who isn't the most domesticated person on this earth, thought it was wonderful and wanted to know where to get one.
They hold a lot of water but also seem to squeeze quite dry[useful when mopping up...don't leave everything soaked]
Really great for washing cars....so watch out they don't go missing!!!

EagerLearner

Thanks all - will have to look about for those...

Aren't microfible cloths the ones that are really good for exfoliating your face too? I am sure the cloth I got with my cleanser/wash is microfibre...

Still on the hunt for a juicer, nothing in town so will have to order online I guess - at least that way I get cashback etc.

Am planning to buy a pack of 12 water filter cartridges for my Kenwood filter as Robert Dyas have these at £12.99 for 12 at the mo in Brighton. Hmmm, wonder if I can get those online and get cashback too...

Any other normal day to day tips? Or monthly / yearly ones?

Austin_Allegro

1. Budget to ensure your outgoings don't exceed your incomings.
2. Before you buy something, ask yourself if you really need it.
3. If you do really need it, can it be got free/second hand/in a sale/borrowed/made yourself from existing things, etc
4. Realise that the best things in life are free and that 'getting and spending we lay waste our power' Learn to enjoy things that don't cost money.
5. Cook from scratch and treat meat as a side dish
6. Realise that keeping up with the Joneses is futile - strive to be lower than them!
7. Avoid debt, unless it is to purchase something whose price is increasing faster than you have time to save for it (though such things are VERY rare except for mortgages, and I would counsel against them anyway in the current climate)
8. Forget about fads and fashions. Dress and decorate your home in a classic style, and let the test of time determine which books/cds/dvds/gadgets etc you buy (if you must buy them at all!) The latest must haves command a high premium and rarely hold their value.
9. Housing, cars and private education are the largest financial outlays that most people make, so give these areas special attention.
10. Save as much as possible.

Trying_really_hard

I still live at home with my parents, so 10 tips is pushing it for me as my mum does most of the house-type stuff. :rolleyes:

However, I have learnt one thing from this website (I have learnt other things but they will have to wait til I have a house of my own).

"Stardrops" detergent.

Its brilliant for loads of stuff. I use it to clean my car and its the only thing which brings the chrome up sparkling. There's loads of other things you can use it for. Plus its only about 69p. So a bargain too!!

gerretl

When I worked in contract catering, the budgets were really tight, so I worked to two cooking principles:
1) Learn how to get out of the !!!!.
2) Learn what to do with the leftovers.
actually theres another
3) Learn to cook.
We all have to eat, and paying someone to make you ready cooked rice is money down the drain, so heres tip four
4) Play the grated cheese game in the supermarket. My brother and I used to play it, where you actively look for the convienience food aimed at the laziest person e.g. grated cheese- you need cheese and a grater to do it yourself. There are hundreds, and once you start spotting them, you will say to yourself 'I can do that myself'
5) Buy a fantastic bed. You spend a third of your life in bed (More in the case of some), and a bad nights sleep can seriously affect your working efficiency, and earning potential.
6) Have an aim. Then when you spend money, you are much more focused on what you are looking for. I just bought a fantastic car for about £800 less than the going price, but because I knew exactly what I needed, I didn't waste time kidding myself that other options were good value.
7) Good management is knowing what you want and what you want to spend, then either getting something better for the same money, or getting what you want for less money.
8) Enjoy yourself, but be adventurous. Its easy to just keep doing the things you think you enjoy, but eventually you are just going through the motions. (This is why I rarely go to dance clubs)
9) 'You can sell your integrity for a pack of peanuts, but you can't buy it back' Don't be totally money obsessed, to the extent of ripping off others, and thinking it will be forgotten. I speak from experience.
10) Save small amounts regularly, and start today
Sorry if I digressed from the OPs theme, but I got a bit carried away there

EagerLearner

Thanks all - I agree with all of those - I have StarDrops and have used it for a couple of months now - very impressed! However, would love to find something 'like' Fairy (as good as) but not as expensive - any ideas?

I manage the household finances and do quite well, but I am lazy in some aspects and often just don't know how to start afresh in a new habit, hence this thread for motivation & sharing of ideas.

Keep 'em coming - particularly how to save money on cooking/cleaning/lifestyle aspects...

lil_me

mandy_moo_1 wrote:

you can buy a pack of 3 microfibre cloths in Home Bargains for a pound:D

Think I paid 89 or 87p for 3 in Tescos, they started doing them in the Value range haven't seen them in out £ shop yet

You can use Stardrops for washing up too - so no need to buy Fairy if you don't want to

Bicarb
White vinegar 1001 uses!
Meal plans - then buy what you need to go with what you have
Keep a spending diary/receipts to see what you spend and what on and where can save/make own/etc
Keep a 'thrown out diary' this was my biggest lightbulb moment to starting to be OS
Shop around, I ended up finding person who delivers my fruit, veg, eggs and pet foods cheap!
Instead of throwing things out, use it, freeze it, dry it etc
Start your own recipe book
Soda crystals, cheap and reduce how much washing powder you use, also good for other cleaning
Use sites like https://www.freecycle.org and https://www..dontdumpthat.com first if you need anything (maybe even a juicer)
Don't take it too seriously, if you make a mistake or have a disaster laugh it off :rotfl:

My first disaster - making too much cake mix and ended up with a hugeeeee cake

Second - didn't label as had ran out and defrosted wrong thing for tea have since found masking tape makes great cheap labels