On shopping, bills, household stuff, holidays.....

Best value/quality shopping listitems

you name it, I want the tips.

Thanks BTW

(and sorry about stupid typos in title)

Hi LTH

Have you tried the Moneysaving Expert website?

I would reccomend Lidl and Aldi for basics with regard to food.Nappies good too if you use disposables.

Meal planning - and only buy the things on your list.

Buy supermarket's own brands and - where possible - their value stuff. It's usually just as good (if not better) than their ordinary or premium versions, e.g. Sainsbury's multi pack of 12 snacks/crisps @ 49p!

If you're working, make your own lunch and take it to work.

Stop any 'trivial' spending - e.g. impulse sweets/chocolate or cups of coffee when you're out, don't buy that magazine, etc.

Pay everything by direct debit and switch to online billing - there is often a financial reward to either/both of these.

Investigate switching your energy suppliers - I think the site is uswitch.com.

That's all I can think of for now!

avoid tesco. i seem to spent alot more than usual in there atm.

Menu plan, and shop for what you need to make the meals only. Cut down on things like meat, fresh juices, processed foods to keep costs down

If you work take packed lunches. Don't buy expensive coffees and snacks when out, take a picnic

Use cash, not credit/debit cards.

Keep a spending diary for a month or two, and review to see where to cut down

Review energy suppliers

HTH

Shop online. Menu plan before you send off for shop.
Then withdraw £100 cash and put all but £15 in a drawer. This is for any 'top-up shops' (bread/milk/etc)See how long you can make the £100 last. (top tip, don't tell dh where it is - mine regularly dips into mine for the pub!)
Find a good mobile hairdresser - mine did me and 2 dds for £30 this morning, and she's great at it.
Look at monthly expenses - what can go? - mag subscriptions/gym/etc.
Use moneysavingexpert.com to see if you can get phone/internet/gas/leccy etc cheaper.

My very mean tip is to use nice notelets for friends birthday cards (unless its a 40th or something). As long as they look like cards (ie shiny card not paper). I also make some using some card making software. I did silly ones with a pic of them on too once. Also get your kids to makes cards for their freinds birthdays.

Lidl nappies are fab, also good for wipes, olive oil.

If you buy online (goods, insurance, car hire, electricty etc) go through quidco. I have made over £200.

If you do go to tesco, collect their clubcard vouchers to use for a day out. Its worth more than teh cash value

My top tip is do internet shopping. I always get swayed by deals instore or sweets/biscuits/cakes as I pass that aisle. I go online with my shopping list (which is vital) - and I spend less because I only buy what I need to and I can scroll through all the deals at the start and amend my list at that stage if need be. Plus, because I'm not lifting it all, I can buy bigger boxes/packets etc which costs less

Also, if you look around you can generally find discount codes which mean it's the same cost to get someone deliver your bulk bought stuff to your door as you hauling your ass to the shop.

For me, that's a no brainer.

Plus Martin Lewis on GMTV this morning rec'd a website that let you input your shopping trolley and it would tell you where it was cheapest. my supermarket.co.uk?

If you go to the hairdresser regularly (I'm usually recommended that it should be 6 weeks between appointments) then lengthen the interval between them. An extra 2 weeks shouldn't be too bad.

Look at what you've been spending on children's birthday cards and presents. Try and buy ahead so that you've always got a stash of cheaper cards/gifts to hand. It's amazing how many DVDs you can pick up for £3-4. Many supermarkets also do value cards which are much cheaper.

Spread the cost of Christmas by starting in the summer. Sounds dreadful, but by doing this I started the new year with no debt on my credit cards for the first time in years!

You only need 1/2 the amount of washing powder stated on the box. Esp persil tabs. 1 is FINE.

don't use fabric conditioner. You will get used to non soft clothes!

Also seemingly trivial stuff like turning the heating down 1-2 degrees C (erm, becoming less relevant as the weeks go by!) and also only boiling as much water in the kettle as you need - so don't fill it to the brim out of habit. Run washes at max 30-40 degrees, not 60+. Turn off lights when you don't need them, don't leave phone chargers in the sockets / TV on standby etc etc etc.

Thansk for all these ladies, I'm going to go through it all a apply as much as possible to our lives.

It could help in a lot of ways apart from to teh pursestrings
<annoying cyptic emoitcon>

Sell what you can on ebay

Really look deep into cupboards and use up tins/toiletries whatever before buying any new stuff.

If you have a water meter get very mean with water, dont flush unless you need to, only run washing m/c when full etc

Turn washing m/c down to 30deg, and run on quick wash - makes a big difference to electricity bill

Sell what you can on ebay

Really look deep into cupboards and use up tins/toiletries whatever before buying any new stuff.

If you have a water meter get very mean with water, dont flush unless you need to, only run washing m/c when full etc

Turn washing m/c down to 30deg, and run on quick wash - makes a big difference to electricity bill

Buy some good kids cups, and get into the habit of always taking a drink for them with you. It saves me at least £1 every time we go somewhere. I also give DS1 watered down fruit juice for pre-school in a cup, which saves a couple of pounds a week. I pop it in the freezer at 6am for a few hours, so it's nice and cold for him.

Make double of all meals, and freeze a portion. Reduces the amount of time your cooker is used for, and also the costs. You can easily stretch a pack of mince to two meals if you add more veg, but you could also use it all for one meal if you weren't intending to make extra.

Are washable nappies an option? If you've got children that poo at predictable times, you could just use cloth at the other times, so then the nappies can just go in with your normal washing.

Wipe faces and hands with flannels, not babywipes.

Make your own cleaning products instead of buying the expensive ones.

Get a cash back debit card. I always use my debit card rather than cash & I earned £58 just for using it last year! Thats with Halifax, obviously there are conditions, no fees, but I have to have at least £1000 credited to my account each month.

Use Freecycle.org - I got a free Toddler Bed on there when I posted a wanted add in my area! I also give loads away on there too which makes me feel good

Really look at the type of food you eat. I realised I was buying very expensive meal options & now try to use potatoes, pasta & cheaper cuts of meat where possible. I bulk out with many vegetables, which is also healthy.

Buy Baby/Toddler clothes & toys etc at NCT Nearly New Sales. They are sooo much cheaper than ebay & usually really good quality.

Use any 5p off per litre vouchers you might get from supermarkets (tagged on the end of receipts) & buy their fuel. Only use the car for essential journeys & car share where possible. Compare insurance each year with confused.com or similar.

Register for every reward card out there & use them. Nectar, Boots, Tesco etc. Be savvy & make sure you know everywhere you can collect points, especially Nectar.

I'm registered with Pampers & regularly get £2 off vouchers through the post, which I use. Use every voucher you get that applies to good you would buy anyway. Look in the back of Sainsburys magazine etc.

Ensure you are getting any Tax Credits you are entitled to & use any childcare vouchers you might have access to if needed.

On family days out make sure you have scoured local paper & internet for any money saving offers like one child free with every paying adult type thing. Remember under 2's normally go free

I LOVE money saving.

Oh, and for on the move snacks for Toddlers give carrot sticks in tupperware - over time I bet that saves ££ on rice cakes!!!

If you want chcolate treats get sainsburys basic choclate (33p for big bar) & own brand cornflakes & make chocolate cornflake cakes - it makes the treat go further & who doesn't like chocolate cornflakes? They last days in the fridge & make excellent packed lunch treats too.

In addition to all of above:
Make gifts fro friends etc; I hated having to give home made stuff at first, but my friends seem to love the home-made cream truffles, iced biscuits, herbs in painted pots whcih I was forced to give recently due to dire needs..
Another friend has paid me to bake her child's birthday cake for her!

Have a clothes swap party - invite friends of simialr sizes to you, tell them to being a bottle of wine and get yourself some 'new' clothes.

buy generic, store's own brand multi surface cleaner rather than different ones for kitchen, bathroom etc. All does the same job.

Find mobile hairdresser. Mine charges £10 for a killer cut (she works part time in a proper posh salon)
Next monnth I am having full head highlights for £30 (and yes, I have sen her work on others, so I am pretty confident I will not end up looking terrible

Less trips in the car, plan to do as many things in the same route at once as possible so you won't need to take the car back in the same direction again later in the week.

childcare voucher schemes -- check if your employer has one.

research your shopping costs and shop accordingly -- fresh from local grocers (if that is cheaper), dry goods from ALDI or LIDL, etc.. (Aldi is brilliant, BTW, as mentioned earlier; less keen on Lidl).

take the kids to soft play/swimming etc when the cost is reduced

only by 3 for 2 or BOGOF if you will actually use the item (shocking how much stuff gets thrown away).

Use your Boots card, save the rewards for Xmas or other presents.

Bulk buy kids' Birthday presents when you see good deals (e.g. I recently bought 4 of the same game half price from ELC, saved on shipping that way too and had the presents ready for individual b-day parties) and also from The Book People (bulk buy or individual books are great value as well).

Get a slow cooker (cheap)-- you can cook cheaper cuts of meat, freeze half of it for another meal, and it is also a time saver (might not be so good on the leccy tho).

Buy everything you can 2nd hand.

Conversely, you should invest well in your appliances; not the most expenxive, but mid-range. better to spend £250 on a washer that lasts 10 years than £150 every five years.

Clothes: buy darker colours, few prints, and conservative styles (you can accessorise boldly if you want to stay fashionable). INvest in quality pieces that will last (e.g. wool trousers or cardis) for the same reason as above. get things in the sale that you genuinely think you will wear next season. Develop your own sense of style so you are not swayed by the latest 'must have' trend.

DOn't buy magazines. ever. not only do they quickly add up, but you will be lured into thinking that you need these things in order to feel good. you do not. (OK, one or 2 treats maybe. )

Keep a jar for loose change and save it for something special.

have a direct debit of £10 a month into a savings account, just for rainy days.

Always aim to save at least 10% of your income for your retirement. (we are really crap at this one but it is important)

Hope that helps. We are really feeling the pinch at the moment!

Everyones said my tips.

We've saved loads since xmas by:

Swapping sainsburys for Lidl.
Swapping Boots for Superdrug (or Lidl).
Swapping No7 for Avon (or Lidl).
Meal planning.
Buy annual pass for 1 all weather kids place and avoid others.
Not buying mags/comics except occasionally.
Not going into town.
Not taking the kids to shops where there are toys (unless planning to buy one).
Growing hair and going to supercuts 2xyr.
Switching enery supplier.
Plan what clothes you need and don't buy ant more.

Basically down shift everything.

Oh, yes, get some good quality sharp scissors and do minor trims and the kids' hair at home; reduces the need for frequent cuts.

If you have a good eye for vintage trinkets or books or whatever, you can pick up bits and pieces at car boot sales or charity shops to sell on eBay or Amazon. Let the money sit in your Paypal account ready for Christmas presents.

Vegetable soup is the skint person's best friend. You can make a giant pot for about two pounds, and it will do about a dozen meals.

Join your local Freecycle group.

I forgot, chicken thighs taste just as good as chicken breast fillets but are about half the price.

Put the pets on super-budget food. It's probably all the same stuff as the branded food anyway, and if they're not bringing money into the household they don't get to nibble on tuna sashimi and Kobe beef.

Asda sell chicken wings (about 24) for about £2-3 which a very meaty. I use them to make chicken stock and pick the meat off them.

I use some of the meat to make a chicken soup, and the freeze the rest to use in pies, rice or noodles dishes where you don't need 'nice' looking pieces of meat IYKWIM.

They are meaty enough if you to do somwthing like southern fried chicken.

Never buy drinks for kids when out for the day, take them with you.
I also never buy birthday cards, what a rip off, make them or recycle pictures kids do at school/nursery and turn into b'day cards.

Buying all christmas/birthday presents in sales or from ideas found on Moneysavingexpert or Hotukdeals throughout the year.

Buy in bulk any non-perishables eg loo rolls,bleach soap etc if a good offer spotted.

Buying as much as possible online using free delivery and discount codes.

Never paying to go to the cinema - always go
to free previews courtesy of seefilmfirst.

One of our favourite meals is what we refer to as "Dogs Dinner" - that is everything left over/lying around cooked and served up buffet style - usually stuff where theres maybe only one or two items left in the box in the freezer. Nobody seems to mind that certain stuff dosent really go together.

cook big portions and freeze, instead of ready meals

maybe a bit 80s but get a soda stream - we got one recently as we're addicted to fizzy water and felt bad about the plastic bottles. it is muuuuuch cheaper and can make fizzy drinks with it too, of course

buy value everything and as big a pack as you can afford of things like washing powder, fabric conditioner etc

buy a JML Doktor Power cleaning thing (woolworths, asda etc) - this cleans everything brilliantly and lasts absolutely ages

use coupons. I live in America where it is the norm for folk to use coupons all the time, and they are much more abundant than in the UK, but I'm sure you can find them.

I regularly save $20 or so on each shopping.

I have just signed up with this website to get the best deals. The USA seems quite good, haven't nosied around the UK one yet. Once you get into the habit of using them you can become addicted - the trick is not to buy things you don't actually need just because you're getting 50p off!

Brush off your bicycle and use it for local trips...I have seat on back for dd

Make own packed lunches for work ...

Cook in bulk and freeze ...

Make ready supply of soup ...

Use lots of pulses in cooking to 'stretch' casseroles etc...

Buy clothes in one or two colours (probably v. boring but most of my winter clothes for eg are brown or based around brown which allows me to add to collection each year and use items for much longer - also buy less because everything (accessories and shoes) goes with everything )

Get water filter and drink tap water instead of bottled

Buy good quality children's clothes in huge sizes - dd has been wearing one of her coats for 3.5 yrs!!

Buy Christmas presents (particularly toys) wrapping paper and cards in January sales (wish I could follow my own advice on this one!!)

Use Voipbuster to make phone calls - better than skype because can use phone2phone facility - don't need to be rooted to computer screen, can use ordinary land line

Look after clothes well. Store them well. Will last longer.

Be organised with birthday and Christmas presents (again need to follow my own advice here) so you don't end up "guilt" buying something more expensive because it's late ... also, inexpensive thoughtful gift much more appreciated than expensive last-minute buy

Grow own fruit (blackcurrants v. easy for eg) and make your own jam to give as presents

Dispense with "luxury" cleaning items ie things that are not totally necessary such as fabric softener. Use household white vinegar to clean everything - v. good for rinsing hair too!!

Make your own cleaning products (loads of websites provide details)

Buy bogoffs on things you use and that will keep (washing up liquid, washing powder, toiletries etc).

Sainsburys value rubber gloves and sanitary towels are fine.

(Can't bring myself to buy "value" food).

Use cash instead of debit card. Get cash out of atm and promise yourself not to use debit card for as long as you think cash SHOULD last.

Turn off heating 15 mins earlier at night and put it on 15 mins later in morning.

Do not wash every item of clothing every time it is worn (except undies, obviously).

Buy children's clothes in charity shops and ebay.

Never buy bottled water. Take drinks for children out with you.

Do not use a nappy sack for a disposable nappy that only has wee in it.

(scraping barrel now)

Take the exact amount of cash with you. Put one item back at the till if you are a bit over.

Take a snack as well as water bottles when you go out anywhere.

Only buy particular household items at sales time eg bed linen and towels

Get one of those pipe things that diverts rain water from gutters in to barrel and use it to water garden

Always buy fruit and veg (and some fish & meat eg game) in season

Write down every single thing you spend for a month - lord that was a shock ....but v worthwhile exercise

Always buy specialist sports equip or clothing (eg skiing gear, riding boots) from good quality second hand outlets (safety exception = helmets) ditto 'event' dresses that you might only wear once

Withdraw enough cash for week and only use that and no more .... if you save any put it in a jar for a rainy day

Have a gently-used toy swap among friends

Swap books among friends

Give up alcohol, sweets, bought puddings for six weeks and put money away for a rainy day ...

I second the soda stream. They are v widely used in Germany 0 land of recycling. We used to buy Diet Coke (in 1.5 l bottles in a crate that got returned and refilled like the old days of corona pop!) but everything else we sodastreamed.
Can't easily get the blimmin gas over where we are now so it is on our cupboard of unusable european appliances.

Oh now .. didn't mean to come across as brown-clothed lentil-weaver ....

house swaps for holidays

go with another family on holiday (pref friends with dc the same age as your dc) and save on transport costs and baby-sitting costs ...

Instead of expensive family days out to adventure parks or zoos etc join up with another family for picnic or treasure hunt in woods etc - just as much fun with a bit of imagination and forward planning ....

buy from ebay, u can get everything from ebay at lots less than retail price

kids clothes sell on ebay so dig them out get rid, make some money

do car boot sales

check out www.hotukdeals.co.uk, great offers on there!

make up big jugs of diluted juice and slice an orange or 2 pop in fridge and fill up cups for the kids to take out, rather than buying expensive bottles, etc.

i always take snacks on trips , to avoid rip of cafes.

buy cheap clothes from asda or tesco, they r great value.

I put all my coppers and 5p coins in a big jar. I cash it in at the bank in December and put it towards Christmas food.

I always try and buy Christmas cards in January. Got 4 packs of 10 for 60p each this year.

Always get cheap wrapping paper - it's only going to get ripped up and thrown away.

Have second class stamps on you and try and remember to post something in time to use 2nd class post.

You only need half the amount of washing powder it says on the packet. And I do all y washing at 30o.

I only ever wash my hair once. None of this "rinse and repeat".

If you fly in Europe often (my sister lives in France) book flights as soon as they come out.

Use your local library for books, dvds and cds.

For adults, buy good quality clothes once, rather than cheap clothes often. More environmentally sound too.

Check out Richer Sounds and Morgan Computers (google them) before buying any electronics.

Never go food shopping on an empty stomach!

Use the sunshine to dry washing. Don't go near clothes shops - you don't need new clothes just cos its a different year.
Stale bread - cut into cubes and freeze then make croutons with it.

I would imagine also that learning to knit and use a sewing machine, if you haven't already, could lead to lots of clothes-related savings (and would probably mean you get a better fit tbh, cheap clothes are always rubbish for that).

You can earn up to £4,000 tax-free for renting out a room in your home.

(cyteen, I'd agree re the sewing machine but knitting is a very expensive hobby! Wool always seems to cost more than the completed garment would in the shops)

Hehe, yes, now that you mention it I do know a couple of serious yarn addicts

Write a list of who you need to but xmas presents for (outside of your household) and through the year buy a couple each month from ebay or the sales and by Xmas you will have quite a stash.

Use the libraray dvd's and cd's a pound a week and free books and internet.

On days out try and go to free places like the museum and park also take a picnic.

Meal plan

Flannels for wipes

own cleaning products

I can vouch for the cleaning power of bicarbonate of soda, it removed all the black gruft from even my hideous, never-cleaned oven.

haven't read the entire thread, BUT

I've found I've spent less money since I've started using only cash to make purchases (unless online obviously).

Every time I've been out to the shops and bought something as soon as I get home all my 1's, 2's and 5's going into the piggy bank (done this since the 1st of January and have £6.40 in there so far!).

Buy the biggest packs/tins/boxes/packets of non-perishables that are available. Yes it'll make the odd shop appear more expensive, but you'll save a FORTUNE in the long run.

If you know anyone with a Macro card, or have one yourself, use it to the fullest. Things like tins of tomatoes, pet food etc. are much cheaper bought in bulk (my dad used to sort me out with pallets full of tinned goods every time I went back to uni).

Handknit clothes are not cheaper but well made they last FOR EVER.

Have just bought a half-pint little thermos flask in TKMaxx, am going to use it for taking coffee out with me to break my Costa Coffee addiction.

Am also going to get a 25kg sack of bread flour for the breadmaker (not all at once!)]

Use mooncup if not already doing it.

USING IT I mean

you could try www.babeecard.com. It's a pay as you go card for mothers. It gives you access to a whole bunch of discounts including grocery stores like Sainsbury's/ASDA and kiddy stuff like mothercare.

If you are near a branch of Gap, keep an eye on their sale rail. I quite often pick up T shirts for £2.99 (I know, Primark are cheaper, but Gap tops actually cover my tummy and I find are much better quality) and trousers for less than a tenner. I also do a lot of shopping at those out of town outlet villages.

... stock up on cheapy greetings cards from places like supermarkets, The Works and The Book People. They can be as cheap as 30p each. I used to be rubbish about remembering cards, and would end up spending a couple of pounds on a glossy on. By having a selection in at home, I can be a bit more organised.

This website on how to stop wasting food is really helpful