Sneaky ways to save the pennies

Aril

I often find it's much cheaper to buy a decent pack of sausages and take the meat out of the skins than buy sausagemeat itself.
Aril

fiftyeighter_2

Thank goodness. I have just finished reading this whole thread. What a lot of lovely tips. I am now completely hooked.
Thanks to all you lovely people.
Hope to see you (if not in person) on this and other threads soon.
xxx

allydowd

When you've been using your oven leave the door open for a few minutes for extra free heating.

(Don't do this if you have kids, animals or clumsy people in your house though!)

allydowd

Talk to your pharmacist more often!

Many expensive UK brand named medicines have cheaper alternatives with the same active ingredients. eg

Benylin Chesty Cough linctus contains guaifenesin and levomenthol. Your pharmacist will stock their own brand of this medicine with the same main ingredient at half the price of Benylin.

Sudofed decongestant contains Phenylephrine hydrochloride and can be treated similarly.

Alternatively ask your pharmacist for free medicines. Some people on low incomes can register with their pharmacist and receive free medicines like paracetamol under the Minor Ailments Scheme. Once you're registered you just go to the pharmacist, describe your symptoms and you'll be given an appropriate medication. It depends where you live but my service is detailed below:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/06/26102829/1

In my area you can get free medication for all of these ailments:

acne
athlete's foot
back ache
cold sores
constipation
cough
diarrhoea
ear ache
eczema and allergies
haemorrhoids (piles)
hay fever
headache
head lice
indigestion
mouth ulcers
nasal congestion
pain
period pain
thrush
sore throat
threadworms
warts and verrucae

laurel7172

Found in back of cupboard-half a jar of onion gravy mix. I substituted a teaspoonful for salt in pizza dough-delicious, apparently.

I usually take soup to work, and it's often from the freezer. It occurred to me recently that I'd paid for that energy transfer and I could get the benefit of it twice if I let the soup defrost in my fridge rather than work's microwave. But I fully expect somebody to tell me now that I'm wasting more energy than I'm saving by opening the fridge door to put it in and take it out.

Mrs_Thrify

My peg bag has seen its last days and broke so I looked around for something new? I came up with threading the old plastic hook bit through a small plastic basket with holes in the sides. It works well hanging from line or sat on the table. No money spent to replace as I used what I had the mse way.:j

kingshir

I came from a very poor background and although I have a good standard of living now, I am aware that I can't bear to 'waste' my money. OS seems such a better way to live, and I'm so glad I've found like minded folk:T Sorry, no tips today just lots of :beer: to you all!

angela110660

julie_d wrote: »

My peg bag has seen its last days and broke so I looked around for something new? I came up with threading the old plastic hook bit through a small plastic basket with holes in the sides. It works well hanging from line or sat on the table. No money spent to replace as I used what I had the mse way.:j

I have a friend who made a peg bag out of one of her daughter's baby dresses when it got too small. The peg bag looked so lovely and as her daughter got older, she still had it as a cute memory of her.

daska

angela110660 wrote: »

I have a friend who made a peg bag out of one of her daughter's baby dresses when it got too small. The peg bag looked so lovely and as her daughter got older, she still had it as a cute memory of her.

A t'shirt on a hangar also works quite well - have to make sure the neck is big enough though LOL

PinkPeach

julie_d wrote: »

My peg bag has seen its last days and broke so I looked around for something new? I came up with threading the old plastic hook bit through a small plastic basket with holes in the sides. It works well hanging from line or sat on the table. No money spent to replace as I used what I had the mse way.:j

When my peg bag broke I decided to use the kitchen 5ltr compost caddys that are supplied by the council. I've got a compost bin so the caddy had been sat in my garden for ages unused. It works well as I like that it's got a lid but the downside is that you cant' hang it on the line. Saved buying a new bag though.