What's Your Best Money Saving Tip?

BARGAINHUNTER!

InMyDreams wrote: »

All the above. Plus

• Try keeping a spending diary for week or too. Very time consuming if you are strict with yourself, but can be a real eye-opener.
• Learn how to make decent porridge... when we worked out how much we were spending on breakfast cereals per week for 5 people it nearly blew me away. (Doesn't help that each of my children can get through 5 or more weetabix, and don't get me started on dh.) We now buy porridge in bulk at about 50p per kilo and save the boxed stuff for the weekend. You save on the milk too (assuming they're drinking enough anyway). Much healthier too.
• Packed lunches for work. Ditto.
• Not possible for everyone but we dropped down to one (very economical) car which we thought we'd never manage for a variety of reasons. But now we're used to it and have worked through all the difficulties, the thought of going back to two seems outrageously extravagant. There are so many other things we'd prefer to spend our money on and the mortgage is only one of them!

How do you make proper porridge please - I only know how to make Ready Brek!!

Capricorn_One

BARGAINHUNTER! wrote: »

How do you make proper porridge please - I only know how to make Ready Brek!!

This is how I make it and I'm sure there are better ways:

Get 1/2 a bowl of oats, fill another 1/3 with water and microwave for 2 mins then add milk amount of your choice. Don't eat Ready Brek. It's rubbish!

Oats are very nutritious.

InMyDreams

Capricorn_One wrote: »

This is how I make it and I'm sure there are better ways:

Nope, the 'best' way is what your family likes the most Experiment with different proportions, oats to liquid, water to milk.

I use one container (cup, jug... depending on how much you are making) of oats, equal measure of milk and 2 measures of water. This is quite runny but that's how dh likes it. I actually prefer mine thicker so let it stand for a while in a bowl (and heat it back up in the microwave if necessary). I do mine on the hob, stirring all the way because I can never get it how I like it in the microwave.

For the children you can experiment with hiding different things in it, eg sultanas or chopped or mashed fruit.

My kids also like eating the raw oats with cold milk and call it 'muesli'.

Edit: other things I've just thought of...
Some people like to soak the oats in the milk overnight in the fridge. I'm not that organised.
I use boiling water because I find it cooks faster, but make sure the cold milk and oats are well mixed first and stir as you add the boiling water. Don't add the boiling water to the oats first or you end up with gloop.
Different oats may need different proportions, so what works for one might not work for the other.

BARGAINHUNTER!

InMyDreams wrote: »

Nope, the 'best' way is what your family likes the most Experiment with different proportions, oats to liquid, water to milk.

I use one container (cup, jug... depending on how much you are making) of oats, equal measure of milk and 2 measures of water. This is quite runny but that's how dh likes it. I actually prefer mine thicker so let it stand for a while in a bowl (and heat it back up in the microwave if necessary). I do mine on the hob, stirring all the way because I can never get it how I like it in the microwave.

For the children you can experiment with hiding different things in it, eg sultanas or chopped or mashed fruit.

My kids also like eating the raw oats with cold milk and call it 'muesli'.

Edit: other things I've just thought of...
Some people like to soak the oats in the milk overnight in the fridge. I'm not that organised.
I use boiling water because I find it cooks faster, but make sure the cold milk and oats are well mixed first and stir as you add the boiling water. Don't add the boiling water to the oats first or you end up with gloop.
Different oats may need different proportions, so what works for one might not work for the other.

I have just made this with Tesco value oats - 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water and 1/2 cup milk. Microwave for 3 mins then add sugar. Allow to cool slightly and thicken. Very yummy and filling and very very cheap to make! Might have this in the evenings when im feeling a bit peckish instead of reaching for some biscuits!

Jonbvn

In our case instead of cutting spending significantly, we have increased income dramatically. I was lucky enough to get an excellent job, which means that we will soon be able to overpay massively, at the end of our fixed rate.

george_jetson

I would say the single biggest factor that will (hopefully) allow me to become mortgage free this year (14 years early) is my decision to do without a car.

I'll admit this is not for everyone, and may only be an option for those who live in big cities, but I reckon this decision has saved me thousands over the years. I have the choice of commuting to work by my scooter, bus or bike and use whatever option suits me best depending on my mood (and the weather!)

The car clubs that have started springing up around London have been a godsend for someone like me who needs a car very occasionally and at £4/hour for a Polo it doesn't break the bank…

If you have a car club car parked within a reasonable distance from your house, can get to your place of work by other means I think it is completely possible to get rid of your car and live happily ever after. And with oil now sniffing around the $127/barrel mark it might be the best money saving decision you ever make

Jonbvn

george_jetson wrote: »

I would say the single biggest factor that will (hopefully) allow me to become mortgage free this year (14 years early) is my decision to do without a car.

I'll admit this is not for everyone, and may only be an option for those who live in big cities, but I reckon this decision has saved me thousands over the years. I have the choice of commuting to work by my scooter, bus or bike and use whatever option suits me best depending on my mood (and the weather!)

The car clubs that have started springing up around London have been a godsend for someone like me who needs a car very occasionally and at £4/hour for a Polo it doesn't break the bank…

If you have a car club car parked within a reasonable distance from your house, can get to your place of work by other means I think it is completely possible to get rid of your car and live happily ever after. And with oil now sniffing around the $127/barrel mark it might be the best money saving decision you ever make

Not only the cost of fuel. Have you recently looked at the cost of parking in most cities? What you suggest is more than sensible.:beer:

setmefree2

george_jetson wrote: »

I would say the single biggest factor that will (hopefully) allow me to become mortgage free this year (14 years early) is my decision to do without a car.

I'll admit this is not for everyone, and may only be an option for those who live in big cities, but I reckon this decision has saved me thousands over the years.

We have just the one car. We are trying not to replace it, it's 8 years old (but I still love it). We tend to use it very little, just running the kids around as we work from home, take public transport and Mr SMF2 flies alot (:eek: - - bad carbon footprint). So we don't buy much petrol - yesterday it cost £53 to fill. Totally, glad we don't have to do that too often.:o

want2bmortgage3

i only like porridge when its really cold. i find it leaves a bad taste in your mouth later and is a bit tasteless. jordans country crisp is nice.. the real strawberries turn the milk to milkshake after a while, very nice.

Freyagirl

Jordans is really expensive though, porridge easy just leave the oats in soak overnight and then either heat it up for a minute in the micro or want2bmortgage3 just eat as it is, even more economic.

want2bmortgage3 wrote: »

i only like porridge when its really cold. i find it leaves a bad taste in your mouth later and is a bit tasteless. jordans country crisp is nice.. the real strawberries turn the milk to milkshake after a while, very nice.