Sneaky ways to save the pennies

OrkneyStar

Primrose wrote: »

Can somebody please tell me how the machine works for putting your Boots vantage card in, and what it does. We have a card which we use at the till when purchasing stuff from them but I've never noticed any machine elsewhere in the store that does anything else. Does it give you free vouchers or something?

Our small store just recently got one of these 'kiosks', some small stores may not have them yet but the larger mainly ones do (although often out of order!). Basically it looks like a portable ATM, you put your card in, can update details etc, and it also gives offers than you can print out and then take to the till. I have not had any free stuff on vouchers but quite a few extra points ones. One of the best ones was 50 points to buy baby juice which costs 52p, so effectively getting it for 2p. Had loads of these and printed one on several occassions. If you buy something online you also collect your points for that from the kiosk.
hth :rolleyes:

Uniscots97

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Our small store just recently got one of these 'kiosks', some small stores may not have them yet but the larger mainly ones do (although often out of order!). Basically it looks like a portable ATM, you put your card in, can update details etc, and it also gives offers than you can print out and then take to the till. I have not had any free stuff on vouchers but quite a few extra points ones. One of the best ones was 50 points to buy baby juice which costs 52p, so effectively getting it for 2p. Had loads of these and printed one on several occassions. If you buy something online you also collect your points for that from the kiosk.
hth :rolleyes:

Great minds think alike Orkney, looks like we posted about the same time

kal25

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Our small store just recently got one of these 'kiosks', some small stores may not have them yet but the larger mainly ones do (although often out of order!).

Our store does not have a kiosk:( ,I find it unfair to b honest. Why should I have to go to another store (10 miles away) just so I can get what they r offered? I think they should have kiosks in all.

Primrose

Thanks for the explanation. I'll look out for the kiosks in future. I obviously wouldn't pass the Boy Scout's Observation Test !

FairyElephant_2

Re: sachets & packets of stuff like milk, sauce etc. My SIL who works in catering has been told by companies she's worked for to throw them away if customers leave on tables, even if unopened, due to safety concerns in case they have been tampered with.
We noticed that in our local W'Spoons the staff throw away any unopened ones, and as we often take one or two too many which we don't use (never sure how much mustard, vinegar etc you need and when the pub is busy it's a pain if you have to get up during your meal to get more!). We take the unused home and put in our 'travel box' which contains various sachets & packets of stuff, and take this when we go camping/self-catering weekends away.
When I used to travel a lot with previous job I always used to take the sachets of tea/coffee/milk from the room. I seldom had time to use them, and figured that they are paid for in the bill at the end of the day. These always went in our 'travel box' too.
Always grab a few serviettes on the rare occasion that we have snacks etc when out. Unused ones taken home and put into empty cardboard tissue box, to be used instead of kitchen roll. Most people take extra ones and just throw them away.....

Uniscots97

Primrose wrote: »

Thanks for the explanation. I'll look out for the kiosks in future. I obviously wouldn't pass the Boy Scout's Observation Test !

In smaller stores I've seen them hidden away in a corner or behind a display!

Uniscots97

kal25 wrote: »

Our store does not have a kiosk:( ,I find it unfair to b honest. Why should I have to go to another store (10 miles away) just so I can get what they r offered? I think they should have kiosks in all.

You could alway ask Kal see what happens, seems unfair if you have an advantage card that you're missing out.

DdraigGoch

I think the title of the thread does encourage the "sneaky" element of moneysaving to be taken a little too seriously. If you've paid for it, it's yours anyway, or it's going to be thrown away - fine by me, if it's neither of those then it's theft. My opinion, and I suspect that of many shopkeepers/caterers/hoteliers/etc. If you're not sure, think - if someone came into my house and did this, would I have concerns? If yes, don't do it.

Meanwhile, back at the script..... :rolleyes: :rotfl: I've been using UHT semi skimmed for a great deal longer than the family realised. I just bought alternately fresh and UHT and topped up with water and UHT the fresh, until it was all UHT - no-one noticed!

I worked for a friend earlier this month, I was her plongeuse [washer upper :rotfl:] as she catered for a group. End of the evening, I get some money and carrier bags of leftovers [end of course and a shortfall of attendees :T]. The carrier bags contained 32 chicken drumsticks [neatly frozen in 4s that night], 3 pots of coleslaw, 2 large lasagnas [now frozen and ready for a "restaurant evening"], half a dozen mini orange jiuces, pasta salad [freezes well:T] x 2 - large tubs, salad [good for that night's tea and tomorrow's sandwiches], and enough small glass bottles to last me a long time [refill and use with OH's lunch]

So, for the cost of 3 hours and wrinkly hands, I had cash AND enough food to last us for nearly a week

njb286

I like the idea of the box. I always have random sachets all over the place. I will find a disused ice cream tub at once! We're about to go on holiday and have already stocked up on drinks (much to DH disapproval) but we're going to need to buy lunches as staying in Travel Lodges and drinks always cost loads when you're out!

Olliebeak

Have to admit to being a sugar-sachet taker. OH takes sugar and I don't - yet we pay the same amount for our coffees. Therefore I take the sugar that I consider I've paid for. This is especially useful when on holiday. We stay in a caravan and I begrudge buying a bag of sugar while away. Each time we go for tea/coffee, I pick up 'my share' of the sugar for use at the caravan.

Thoughout the year, I also keep hold of any salt/pepper/dips left over from McDonalds which come in useful instead of having to buy containers of s and p while away. McDonalds put them in your meal from the drive-through and my son and his girlfriend often go through those and keep them for me.

I always take a roll of kitchen towel with me from home - helps as serviettes and for mopping up any spills - no intention of buying a pack of four of the darn things on holiday.