Help need your money saving tips to help survive - you guessed it - the credit crunch (and can anyone think of another name for the credit crunch while we're at it?)

Don't go to the shops when you are hungry - eat at home before you go out.
Turn your thermostat down at least 1 degree C. Check the timings on your central heating/hot water and don't run them when you don't need to.
Always check your utility bills and take a reading if they have been estimated.

what are soap nuts???

you do know that coinstar takes 7p in the pound filthy?

Find someone in the neighbourhood with a manual lawnmower (the push along type). Then cancel your gym membership and mow the lawn instead, saves on fuel and tones your bum!

I tried that one this morning Oliveoil but by lunchtime I was starving and had no energy for making food, so I bought a veg samosa and 3 bars of chocolate from the shop. It's false economy I tells ya

Oliveoil

It's turning into Viz, isn't it?

Are you Rosie Millard in RL?

Use clothes swap services instead of buying new - that way you recycle and get stuff for free.

Instead of giving old newspaper to the council invest in a log maker and make fuel for your fire.

Only buy foods with under five ingredients in (which bans expensive ready meals and most junk food).

Don't wash your clothes at 30c as they are still a bit wiffy afterwards. Wash them on the normal temp but on "quick wash" instead.

Not sure this saves much, but it's satisfying: make your own yogurt. Bring a pint of milk to the boil, cool till it's blood-heat, whisk into a bowl containing two tablespoons of yogurt (so always leave a bit of yogurt for starter). Leave in a Thermos overnight, put in fridge in the morning.

My ds likes this yogurt and honey better than the pricey little pots of kid's yogurt.

don't get up in the morning, saves energy and food bills

get the kids to do the same

catch some fresh air in a recycled jam jar for lunch

great with some fluff from down the side of the sofa

yum

make sure your tires are properly inflated and have good tread/are appropriate for the weather.

don't ride the clutch and drive the speed limit.

Sew linings into your curtains. And interlinings too if you're feeling particularly frugal.

We've had thermostatic valves fitted to all our radiators, so I'm hoping that will allow us to direct the heat where we need it most and cut down on bills, despite the initial outlay.

Make draught excluders.

Invest in one of those laundry pulley things that live up near the ceiling. I miss mine soooo much since we moved house. They dry clothes in no time if the heating is on anyway and save a fortune on tumble drying when outside isn't a possibility.

Write a list before you go shopping (and stick to it) or shop online to avod impulse purchases.

Apparently it's best to drive your car without a full tank of petrol because it's less heavy and therefore uses less fuel.

We share a strimmer with my DB, although come to mention it I haven't seen the damn thing since "we" bought it last spring....

anyone know the answer to this (bugging me)

am i better toasting bread under the gas grill or sticking it in the toaster?

likewise heating beans etc in a pan or in the micro?

mooncup
kettle at work to make your own tea or flask
clingfilm on windows
bulk buy food from Costco etc if you have space
grow your own veg

Be a collectivist:
car share
set up a walking bus to school
share mobile appliances with neighbours (lawnmowers etc) if you need new ones
don't go out to eat, but have friends over/go to theirs regularly and share food.

also since dh will be working away all winter i am tempted to bring both dd's into my bed when it gets really chilly and we can all keep each other warm.

only thing that puts me of is the thought of having to settle them again in there own beds come next year.

oh expat, now there's a thought which has cheered me up

I suppose something else you could do would be to get a couple of hundred women to do some free work for you instead of paying someone to do it

aldi in kirkcaldy and edinburgh.

my tip for not turning the heating on is bath dd's at 6-00 (as usual) then get them right into pj's and dressing gowns. they go to bed soon after so dont feel the cold at night.

i wrap myself in warm socks and blankets to stop myself chittering.

whine on in a double page spread no doubt expat

yawn

give
me
a
fecking
break

Make your own birthday/xmas cards

hold clothes swap/book swap parties

We have a 'penny' jar (all small change gets dumped) - take to coinstar machine at supermarket, got £30 the other day.

Have friends over to eat - everyone brings a course - and of course, people bring wine

For birthday parties, take kids to Saturday morning Kids Club Cinema at odeon, then home for (homemade) pizza/cake Make own popcorn, bringown drinks. £2.50 per child entrance, adult goes free.

Get a breadmaker

Freeze everything.

Stick to your shoppinglist religiously.

What is Rosie Millard going to do?

EMIGRATE

tell them to SOD OFF with their articles on the sodding frigging credit crunch

them and all the other doom mongers

[sick to the back teeth]