Sneaky ways to save the pennies

Quasar

I've read all of the 3.651 posts now!!! :eek:

Forgot I'd posted the lemon face mask trick before.

My favourite tips here are the squashed loo roll, grating and liquidising soap bars (I used to collect them and have now over 80 bars ), and most of all, the fantastic idea of putting soup components in a flask and after a few hours you have lovely soup at the ready. Tried it and it worked a treat, and just by boiling a little more water when making tea, therefore saving making it in a pan on the cooker.

InaPickle

Quasar, pump dispensers are available at most supermarkets and other places like Dunelm Mill, where I bought mine. (And Merry Christmas while I'm at it! )

Quasar

Ta, InaPickle. That one is in my "must do" list. And Merry Christmas to you too and a Happy New Year! :A

Today I tried the teabag-does-two-cups thingy, but it's not working for me. I like my tea strong and the second cup doesn't cut it for me. BUT... I found that if I make two cups each with their own teabag and keep both in a flask with some hot water, then I can get a third one just to my satisfaction. So, still a saving because I get 3 cups out of 2 teabags. Oh the complications of OS saving... Stil, I drink a lot of tea, so it all adds up. m:)

InaPickle

Quasar wrote: »

Ta, InaPickle. That one is in my "must do" list. And Merry Christmas to you too and a Happy New Year! :A

Today I tried the teabag-does-two-cups thingy, but it's not working for me. I like my tea strong and the second cup doesn't cut it for me. BUT... I found that if I make two cups each with their own teabag and keep both in a flask with some hot water, then I can get a third one just to my satisfaction. So, still a saving because I get 3 cups out of 2 teabags. Oh the complications of OS saving... Stil, I drink a lot of tea, so it all adds up. m:)

I think that's the crux of this money-saving lark: going as far as you are personally happy to go, and making the tips work for you.

Here's to a good, teabag-reducing 2010, Quasar! :beer:

whiteguineapig

this may have already been mentioned but i save used t bags and sprinkle the tea round the plants in the garden (i think i read somewhere its good for them)

Kimitatsu

I have only got past the first 20 pages - Q you have more stamina than me obviously :rotfl:but I am going to try the potato flour! DS is gluten intolerant so that might just be the thing I am looking for.

So my money saving tips for the moment:

Dermalogica does a japanese washing cloth (think its called the ultimate buffing cloth) which are brilliant! They slough all the dead skin cells from your body and they are long so you can do your back in the shower. Cost me £11 about 10 years ago but you hang them up to dry after your shower and they are dry in about 10 mins. It is only now that it is starting to fray and I need to buy a new one - it does wonders for the skin leaving it really soft and the cellulite!!

DH saw a coffee perculator in lakeland that had a timer on it, so coffee would be ready in the morning when he got up. Coffee maker from freecycle, digital timer from Wilkos. coffee from Lidl - mastercard moment lol!

Dog toys - having got a working spaniel puppy, she happily chews on empty plastic bottles which then go into the recycling. All of their dog food comes from the local feed merchant, £7.50 for a 20kilo sack of working dog food (VAT free) and £13 for gluten free sensitive light stuff for the older dogs, far cheaper than the £40 that the dog that lodges with us brings with him :eek: just as good and he eats loads of it!! You can get a free bag of bones from the butcher just by asking (they have to pay to dispose of them otherwise) and being honest most of the beef bones you could make gorgeous stoock from! We also get pet mince from the butcher made up of all of the offcuts that are minced up together for them.

Boys in my house all use pit rock rather than spray deoderant, far more economical and lasts for ages. DS's are at the age where they would use a tin of deoderant a day before they would walk out of the house. :rolleyes:

Other then that I think most of it has been suggested, we freeze chicken carcasses to make stock with, add lentils/chickpeas/veg to stews, use the slow cooker lots, invest in a bread maker, and keep chickens!

Right will get back to my reading keep the tips coming!

david_hellier

Further to my earlier post on soaking porridge oats to save boiling energy, it reminded me that many things can be pre soaked to save on boil time such as dried pasta, rice and, of course, dried peas. Any one any other suggestions?

david_hellier

Keep an old kitchen spray and clean it out. Put a squirt of fragrent bleach in and top up with water. Makes a good anti bacterial work top cleaner. (keep out of reach of children).

kippers

Quasar wrote: »

Ok, just read up to post #2393 :eek:.
I have a question about the pumps for dispensing w/up liquid, shampoo etc. :think: - Can you get empty ones anywhere? I have so much stuff already that I would prefer not to buy one with a product in it already.

I know you didn't want to buy a dispenser but why don't you buy tesco value hand wash (i think it's under 30p) and just peel the label off. It's a good solid plastic dispenser which can be used over and over again

Quasar

kippers wrote: »

I know you didn't want to buy a dispenser but why don't you buy tesco value hand wash (i think it's under 30p) and just peel the label off. It's a good solid plastic dispenser which can be used over and over again

Worth a try at that price. Oh and... I was given a set of three Roger Gallet soaps for Christmas. No sooner than I've used up one bar, two or three others are coming in. :rotfl: