Best Investments To Save Money In The Long Run?

emperorstevee · 6 August 2017 at 2:37AM

Hello everyone, I hope you are well!

I don't have too much money and I take satisfaction in investing in things that save money in the long run. I've invested in things such as LED bulbs due to less power consumption, curtains to conserve heat and shower heads with different settings for less water use. What genius ideas do you have for investments that save money in the long run? I'm looking for savings in any area at all - from cooking, to cleaning to gaming. I don't have a massive budget to work with, mind.

Thanks

tacpot12 · 6 August 2017 at 8:52AM

I like repairing things and buy tools that allow me to do this. It saves a lot of money compared to hiring trades people to fix stuff.

I buy used off eBay or new depending how much use I expect to get out of the tool and how expensive the tool is to buy new.

[Deleted User] · 6 August 2017 at 9:04AM

My slow cooker has saved me a fortune over the years and I invested in a remoska several years ago which was ideal for me as it means I can cook stuff without having to put my big oven on A large empty emulsion plastic drum catches all the cold water in my shower ,before it runs hot, and I use the water on my garden in the summer as I am on a meter my water rates now are £14 per month .Why throw money down the drain

I use all my bendy veg that I can and make soup,if I don't want to eat straight away they are frozen in pouches My freezer saves me a lot of cash as I freeze any left over bits if I can,even left over bits of pastry get frozen until there is enough to use in a pie Nothing is ever wasted in my house as to me food that I have bought I will use I can see no point in throwing cash away ,even if its in the form of food its still hard cash that you have paid for it.

I don't eat bread anymore as it was just going off before I could eat it (I dropped a stone and a half as well ) I eat crackers .In the same way I use UHT milk instead of fresh as that too was going off before being used up and UHT is fine for me in a cuppa or with cereal.I make my own cakes and biscuits and shop bought cakes with a three month bbd to me must be full of chemicals and additives I don't think I want to eat a cake thats been sitting in a shop for three months !!

Prinzessilein · 6 August 2017 at 9:34AM

I totally agree about the value of a slowcooker...it easily recoups the initial investment ( a basic model can be bought for around £25 - and often cheaper)...and moreover, the food it cooks is sublime! From slowcooked pig trotters with split peas for a cheap but delicious soup in winter....to lamb slowcooked to melt-in-the-mouth tenderness for a meal worthy of gracing any posh dinner-party table (just add a slosh of red wine and a splodge of redcurrant jelly when cooking - and serve with buttery mash...drooooool!)....and it makes batch cooking super-easy too.

Personally I have found a wide necked thermos to be a good buy...I eat lots of joghurt! Making your own saves £s over a year. (and then add whatever local grown fruit is on offer!)

I also believe that a good pair of shoes is an investment worth the money....partly because I have very awkward feet and the bargain-shop shoes half cripple me....but also because a good pair can last me years!

A good kettle is useful - one that boils just one cup at a time works for me - I live alone.

But the single biggest investment to save money??????........a notepad and pencil!...costs just pennies and saves me untold pounds!...I can keep a record of what is in the freezer/cupboards....I can keep an ongoing list of what needs to be bought...I can write a shopping list (and avoid the temptations of impulse buying)...I can write out a menu plan so I KNOW what I will be eating rather than wondering half an hour before dinner what I 'fancy' having for my meal. (Funny, but 95% of the time, what I 'fancy' would cost way more than something planned!)....not that I NEVER give in to impulse, but the notepad sure helps!

Greenqueen_2 · 8 August 2017 at 7:30PM

Sewing needle with black and white thread. Always try mending before buying new!

jk0 · 8 August 2017 at 8:23PM

Miele washing machine. Yes, I know they are nearly £1000, but mine is nearly 12 years old, and not broken once. It is used almost daily as I have allergies and need to wash my blankets every two weeks.

They are meant to last 20 years, so maybe £50 a year.

BTW, I have them in 12 BTL flats and have about one repair per year.

krlyr · 8 August 2017 at 8:33PM

A thermostat for the heating - not only does it save having to whack the heating on for ages to warm the house up, but it keeps things like damp/mould at bay too

Hermia · 8 August 2017 at 8:41PM

Prinzessilein wrote: »

I also believe that a good pair of shoes is an investment worth the money....partly because I have very awkward feet and the bargain-shop shoes half cripple me....but also because a good pair can last me years!

I agree. I recently bought some pricey walking trainers and I have been able to walk a lot more before my feet get tired (5-10 miles rather than a few miles) . I have therefore not had to catch the bus home from places like I used to.

Good kitchen storage - since starting batch cooking I have bought some decent sturdy storage containers that stack in the freezer well and won't open accidentally.

Kindle - I am a huge bookworm so I use this daily and have saved so much money on books.

Netflix (or whatever service suits your taste in films) - I am also a big cinephile so have saved a fortune on DVDs since I started using online movie sites.

Ballymackeonan · 9 August 2017 at 8:26AM

I'd also agree about the Remoska - since I bought mine (10+ years ago) I've only needed to use the full oven on a few occasions! I've also got a Wonderbag which is great for casseroles etc -you start the cooking on the hob and then stick the pot in the Wonderbag to continue, a bit like a slow cooker as it retains the heat.

I put part of every loaf of bread in the freezer, pre-sliced, and take out as needed - and also freeze blackberries at this time of year for use during the winter. A well-filled freezer is more economical to run.

If you've got space for one, an old-fashioned clothes horse for drying clothes is useful - I've saved a fortune as I haven't used a tumble dryer for ages!

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth · 9 August 2017 at 8:46AM

Prinzessilein wrote: »

I totally agree about the value of a slowcooker...it easily recoups the initial investment ( a basic model can be bought for around £25 - and often cheaper)...and moreover, the food it cooks is sublime! From slowcooked pig trotters with split peas for a cheap but delicious soup in winter....to lamb slowcooked to melt-in-the-mouth tenderness for a meal worthy of gracing any posh dinner-party table (just add a slosh of red wine and a splodge of redcurrant jelly when cooking - and serve with buttery mash...drooooool!)....and it makes batch cooking super-easy too.

Personally I have found a wide necked thermos to be a good buy...I eat lots of joghurt! Making your own saves £s over a year. (and then add whatever local grown fruit is on offer!)

I also believe that a good pair of shoes is an investment worth the money....partly because I have very awkward feet and the bargain-shop shoes half cripple me....but also because a good pair can last me years!

A good kettle is useful - one that boils just one cup at a time works for me - I live alone.

But the single biggest investment to save money??????........a notepad and pencil!...costs just pennies and saves me untold pounds!...I can keep a record of what is in the freezer/cupboards....I can keep an ongoing list of what needs to be bought...I can write a shopping list (and avoid the temptations of impulse buying)...I can write out a menu plan so I KNOW what I will be eating rather than wondering half an hour before dinner what I 'fancy' having for my meal. (Funny, but 95% of the time, what I 'fancy' would cost way more than something planned!)....not that I NEVER give in to impulse, but the notepad sure helps!

krlyr wrote: »

A thermostat for the heating - not only does it save having to whack the heating on for ages to warm the house up, but it keeps things like damp/mould at bay too

second the thermostat. Get a programmable one. Ours is on 24/7 everyday of the year. No cold no mould. Bills are £75 a month fixed til December 17. Set at 19C when occupied. 14C when not. Boiler never on for more than five minutes unless it is very cold. Get rid of thermostat radiator valves.

grunnie · 9 August 2017 at 9:00AM

A freezer and keep a list of what is in it.
Good shoes and a good bed ( my granny used to say if you weren't in one you were in the other)
A clothes airer and if you use a tumble drier put a dry tea towel in and the wet washing will dry quicker.
Good pans they last for ever - most of mine came from sales and charity shops.
will add to the list later when I have more time

I got a slow cooker and used it twice so it is on freegle in the hope someone near me wants it.

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Best Investments To Save Money In The Long Run?

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