The Great "Single MoneySaving" Hunt

ElleWoods

I'm single and although I have a 20 month old son, the same budgeting applies so here are my tips...

As a few people have suggested, bulk cook meals and freeze portions. You can get cheap 'Smart Price' containers from Asda for about 40p that hold enough for one or two portions and are dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe.

Buy those huge boxes of washing powder (loose powder not tablets) and use half the recommended amount - honestly, you won't notice the difference to your clothes but you will to your pocket. Same for fabric conditioner, just use about half unless you want things really soft, like bedding or towels. Also, I tend to buy own brand of both, rather than branded versions. Again, you won't notice the difference, except money-wise.

Bulk buy loo rolls - a massive pack of 18 or more lasts for months when there's only one person using it. Also, unless there's an offer on, try own brand versions as they are much cheaper.

Aldi and Lidl do really cheap products as long as you're not fussy about which brands you have. If you shop at one of the big supermarkets that have an online service, shop online for that month's items. Try the value brands as they are often just as good as the branded ones. Use a voucher code to get money off and shop via quidco or one of the other cashback sites to maximise your cash. This saves money as you only tend to get what you need, rather than being tempted by impulse buys. Keep an ongoing list throughout the month and write items down as soon as they're running low so that you don’t miss anything out.

I have a lot of trouble with perishable food going off before I have chance to eat it, so here are a few tips to try and prevent that:
Bread – freeze loaves and just take out slices to toast from frozen - this stops it going off before you’ve used it. Breadcakes – freeze in foil or individual sandwich bags and take out a few hours before use.

Cheese – buy huge blocks (look at price per kg to work out the cheapest). To stop it going off before use, cut into portion sized pieces or grate a portion, and freeze. Take out a piece/portion of grated at a time to defrost before use.
Meat – bulk buy and freeze individual portions as soon as you buy it. Chicken breasts can be frozen as they are or chopped up before freezing if you’re going to use in a stir fry or curry. Same with bacon – buy whatever’s cheapest per kg and freeze in individual portions.
Garlic bread (don't laugh!) - I buy a twin pack and take them out, cut each baguette into thirds (usually 3 slices per third), then put it back into the packaging and freeze. When I want garlic bread I just take a third out and cook from frozen.
For the above you need to be pretty organised and have a good memory - there's nothing worse than getting to work and realising you haven't taken any chicken out of the freezer to defrost for tonight's tea - it means beans on toast that night!

Never buy bottled water, use tap. For the gym/out and about, buy a cheap bottle of water, drink it, then keep refilling it with tap water. Store in the fridge and it doesn’t taste any different to mineral water.

If you’re really skint and can’t afford to spend any money on yourself, ask for vouchers for certain shops or shopping centres for birthdays and Christmas, then use them to buy clothes, shoes etc. that you’ll need for the upcoming season.

Ask friends to pass you their second hand magazines and borrow books from friends, colleagues and the library.

That's all I can think of at the mo, hope it helps someone.

CC x

lilac_lady

Do your main shop at Aldi or Lidls and only use the big supermarkets for BOGOFs and special offers. Try not to shop too often, make do with what you've got. Avoid nights out that you don't really want to go to instead of spending money you don't want to. Treat yourself with little things if you don't have anyone who does that. Enjoy your life.

heyjustme

On any type of benifit?... I'm on child tax credit... I have just got a warm front grant worth £2700 for a brand new boiler.. I will only have to pay £77.81..see grants in google.

Easy on line application form. Applied 03/01/08 being fitted 25/02/08..

My best money saving yet!:j

James_H

A stereotypical single person who can't be bothered to properly cook may rely heavily on pizza. I like the fresh supermarket counter ones (as a treat and only have them once in a while - I don't live on them). But instead of buying a 10" one, which makes for a relatively pricey large single portion, I buy a 14" one. It's double the size but only costs a little more. Similar to cubacat's garlic bread, I cut it in three, bake one and, freeze the other two, leaving two easy to prepare big slices that are nicer than anything actually bought as a frozen pizza.

Other posts mention frozen things keeping for up to a month and most packets say that, but I finds things do keep longer. With chilled items, having just one person may mean it takes a while to get through something, but I don't rigidly follow use-by dates - if the appearance, smell and taste etc seem fine it probably is.

Take control of the central heating as there's no-one else to nag about it being too cold. As my work hours vary, I set mine to come on in the evening so it's not frozen but at a cooler temperature than I prefer it. Then only when I come home do I turn it up, so it isn't wasting too much heating an empty house if I'm home late.

Bulk buying is a good tip for people in general, but as this is a thread for single people, don't overdo it. People living on their own tend to have a smaller home and a feeling the place is full through having cupboards brimmed with washing powder and toilet rolls may give a longing for a costly move to a bigger home. But on the other hand, a single person in a home big enough for two should have enough free space where the 'other' person's junk would normally go to store such bulk buys.

Daisies

Any ideas for someone living as a lodger - so I have hardly any freezer space - enough for some peas but that's about it? And only a small food cupboard, which makes bulk buying difficult. My room is also only small so I can't bulk buy tins and store them under the bed (which I used to do at uni!).

dogshome

When cooking veg. for one, your Microwave is your best friend -Peeled spuds in a basin with a plate on top, with just enough water to cover, will be ready for roasting after 9mins on full power, or for mashing in 11 mins. Carrots cook in 6 mins and broccoli in 8 mins. The trick is judging the total volume of the water and veg with the cooking time. With the Micro using a less power than the cooker over a shorter period, it's worth experimenting.
I don't think frozen veg should be dismissed as it has usually been processed a lot quicker than the days during which 'fresh' veg has been hanging around,
I'm a big fan of those 'nuts' of frozen spinach, which with very little water will be done to a turn in the Micro in 4 mins.

yummy-mummy-amy

this is well worth applying for if you are in receipt of any of their qualifying benefits.

they can do cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, radiators, boilers, energy light bulbs etc.

i applied and got 2 radiators for my childrens rooms and didnt have to pay anything.

go to there website for more info and details.


http://www.warmfront.co.uk/

micktheeagle

Check on www.madaboutbargains.co.uk which gives details of all the latest special offers from the main supermarkets.

antcav

as a single person who's also trying to lose weight, i live on salad with pasta, rice and cous-cous.... i make a huge salad once or twice a week and use this as a basis for all lunch and dinners.

for lunches i buy tinned fish which is cheap and makes a tasty lunch. alternatively i roast a whole chicken and have this cold with salads for lunch. lemon juice and salt is a great salad dressing rather than having to buy a lot of olive oil.

bulk buy any fish, meat and poultry and separate into small portions and freeze. that way every night i defrost one portion of what i want to eat the following evening. I also write a weekly menu and stick to it.... less temptation!

sorting out your bills is a must. if you're paying monthly and overpaying, ask the company for the excess money back (they should happily arrange this)..... if underpaying, you don't have to accept what the gas or electric company puts it up to, you can phone up and suggest a happy medium....

with thames water, as i live in a block of flats where you can't get a water meter, if you phone them up and request a meter (even tho you know you can't) you are then eligible for a lower rate anyway once they say you can't have a meter.... Thames water are also changing the way they bill you so that you can pay as a single person living in a flat with two bedrooms - rather than an average amount for 2 bedroom flat (which could contain 4 people!) so that should reduce your bills as well... I was paying over 45 pounds a month for water and my estimate is more like 15 a month from next month!

hmm - i think i've ranted on far enough now! hope this helps!!!!

Bargainetta

I expect everyone's probably aware of this one but, just in case, you can purchase your Orange phone's promo 241 sequentially. i.e. one of you see two films in a row. This is great at my local arthouse cinema because they have a load of European/Global films that I like to see (for a window on another lifestyle if nothing else) and none of my friends are generally free on a Wednesday even if I could persuade them to catch something that isn't Hollywood.