Sneaky ways to save the pennies

larmy16

If there is something you would like but it is not an immediate need, then keep a note of what you want and wait and see it invariably turn up in a charity shop.

This has happened to me several times but when I have not waited. For example I paid 27.99 for a steering wheel lock and then blow me down they had the exact same one in the CS for £5!(new) Doh!!!

Also I bought a thermal lunch bag from Robert Dyas for £8.99. The next week they had one in the CS for £3 complete with a sturdy sandwich box and flask.(new)

I would like/need some cooking tongs so I am waiting to see if some turn up!

steerpike

My daughter has braces and for the past two years I have been forking out for the purple coloured 6-in-1 action Listerine to help keep her teeth in good condition...price for 500ml varies between 3.20-3.95 and I have been lucky to get the occasional bogof but I am pleased to say that I have discovered that Wilko do an identical product (even down to the purple colour) at 97p per 500ml. Close comparision of the ingedients on the label showed that theformulation is virtually identical - Wilko being slightly stronger concentration suprisingly.... the empty Listerine bottles will now be stealthily retrieved from the bin and refilled for a third or quarter of the price! :rolleyes:

shazrobo

larmy16 wrote: »

If there is something you would like but it is not an immediate need, then keep a note of what you want and wait and see it invariably turn up in a charity shop.

This has happened to me several times but when I have not waited. For example I paid 27.99 for a steering wheel lock and then blow me down they had the exact same one in the CS for £5!(new) Doh!!!

Also I bought a thermal lunch bag from Robert Dyas for £8.99. The next week they had one in the CS for £3 complete with a sturdy sandwich box and flask.(new)

I would like/need some cooking tongs so I am waiting to see if some turn up!

i do this with books, i have had many craft books which retail at around £15 each from charity shops for 50p to £2 all in as new condition

linni

I keep a small notebook with a plan of all the rooms, windows etc, with the measurements. I also put a list of everything I am looking for, with the sizes, and I take this with me everywhere. I often see things in boot fairs, charity shops, or in the sales and it saves me having to take things back or not buying something that might not fit. I often forget things that I need so I just look at the book and it reminds me what I am looking for. Although it was a pain to do in the first place, it has saved me loads.

bravobeastie

linni wrote: »

I keep a small notebook with a plan of all the rooms, windows etc, with the measurements. I also put a list of everything I am looking for, with the sizes, and I take this with me everywhere. I often see things in boot fairs, charity shops, or in the sales and it saves me having to take things back or not buying something that might not fit. I often forget things that I need so I just look at the book and it reminds me what I am looking for. Although it was a pain to do in the first place, it has saved me loads.

What a good idea, perhaps you could even pick up one of the free measuring tapes at Ikea and fold it up and put it inside the notebook for measuring anything at boot sales

linni

Yes, I have a tape measure and a pencil at all times - I know, I'm a bit sad - but I have a terrible memory and I decided to do this because I bought the same item 4 times!

cyclingyorkie

glad to know I'm not the only one!

sandy2_2

bravobeastie wrote: »

What a good idea, perhaps you could even pick up one of the free measuring tapes at Ikea and fold it up and put it inside the notebook for measuring anything at boot sales

I always take Ikea tape measure on holiday, just in case we see Tshirts, curtains etc and need to know if they´ll fit

Primrose

Like the notebook idea. More than once I've passed by a bargain of curtains I really liked at charity shops because I wasn't sure they would fit. But going forward, over the next couple of months I'm going to try and make a list of all the VATable household expenditures we've got coming up and see whether I can't take advantage of the lower VAT rate before it ends on January 1st and possibly goes up to 20%. Quite apart from non-food grocery items (washing machine powder, loo rolls, etc. there are things like gas boiler service, car service, mower service which could be bought forward, and next Spring's gardening outlay like some new fencing, seeds, compost, Tomorite, etc. and a couple of other domestic repairs which we can't do outselves, which will all have VAT on them.

p00

I went to buy a mattress topper as the spare bed is uncomfortable but when I saw how thin they were I thought they didnt look any different than a quilt anyway but cost around £25+ so I bought a new quilt from Asda and used that instead. Hey presto comfy warm bed for less than a tenner.

xxp00