Which thrifty thing do you do that you're surprised that no one else does?

[Sizeofalentil]

Basically, that

I'm always surprised when people don't bulk buy things (toilet paper, store cupboard staples etc) or only buy name brands. How much tastier can a posh tinned tomato really be?

Dh is mortified when I reuse bath water to water the plants or make my own cleaning cloths from old pants. But he does love a charity shop bargain (most of his coats are from there).

What are your favourite thrifty tips or what thrifty things are you surprised that other people don't do?

[isthatabloborwhat]

We don't have to go out of our way to get to the cheapie supermarkets, there's a Lidl about 200 yards away from where I work and an Aldi round the corner from dh's.

[goose1964]

Buy spices, rice etc in ethnic shops, our current brown basmati was the same price for 5kg as Tesco is for 1,bags of spices are cheaper than the small tubs from the supermarket. We save up for the trip and the savings more than cover the train fare

[TeaAddict235]

Second re-using Jiffy bags to send stuff in. Or use pasta/ cereal/ ice lolly boxes to send gifts etc in the post.

Cut up envelopes to use as scrap paper

Use bath water to water the garden and house plants after the DC have bathed (they use very little soap etc). Or for car when it is muddy.

Use soap bars to wash hands thus saving cost of liquid hand soap

Use washing up water from the kitchen to rinse out the loo.

Buy cleaning vinegar to clean the floors and bathrooms.

Buy toiletries when on offer

Use loyalty points for treats for yourself

Only buy what is necessary from the supermarket and get the toiletries from Savers, B& M bargains, Wilkos etc

Get large multipacks of sweets and treats that you can share out over time for the DC.

Buy books from the library when on available. Our old one used to have a 'full a bag for £2' policy.

Sell bags& shoes that you no longer use.

[wiltingflower]

I have a nice travel mug and keep a mini stash of herbal teas and earl grey in my bag. Whenever I really feel the need for a hot drink, I go for hot water and pop in my tea bag. Saves on buying hot drinks.

I buy my winter shoes when on offer (usually end of summer). I know exactly what I like and where from so I wait until the sales.

[RoseMartha]

I do several things mentioned on here so they are not unusual thrifty things but.......

I have a friend who never buys granulated sugar . She just picks up extra sugars when she goes to a cafe and takes them home to use.

[BarbaraofSevillle]

Where’s the joy in life, spontaneity, freedom, live a little. All this planning, planning, planning, limited options and constrained living would sap the joy of life for me

But thrifty living becomes second nature after a while and you're not always going out of your way to go to different shops. I pass just about every major supermarket on my way home from work and rather than ever doing a weekly shop, I just drop in a couple of times a week and buy what we need for the next few days.

Most people can't afford all the luxuries they would ever want, but just a little thought and planning can literally save hundreds of pounds a month averaged out over time compared with never shopping around, wasting lots of food, not looking for deals, always buying lunch at work instead of using up leftovers, never changing gas and electricity etc etc.

Which means you have a few hundred pounds a month extra disposable income, which can make it so you can work less, retire early, go on more holidays, or whatever means a lot to you. This thread really is the illustration of 'look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves'. A lot of the tips about using and wasting less are also good for the environment.

Something I don't think has been mentioned much is never eat at a chain restaurant or go to an attraction without looking for a discount code. They're nearly always available,

[UnaCorda]

I'm sorry but some of these sound like sheer misery.

I agree. I'm all for being thrifty, but walking around in rags, never having a decent haircut, never going to the cinema just sounds miserable (and, in the case of the first two, is likely to have people muttering about you if you turn up for work in threadbare clothes).

There's budgeting and avoiding waste, and then there's living like a church mouse and looking like a tramp.

[BarbaraofSevillle]

I'd never take advantage of others or steal things, but sharing tools with a neighbour is a good idea if it works both ways and I really wish there were community tool libraries so you could have local free access to things like drills, hedge trimmers, ladders etc, perhaps for paying a modest monthly membership fee. But there would probably be issues about liability and some people would treat the tools badly and send them back dirty/broken/blunt etc.

Re sugar, I only buy granulated sugar as it is much cheaper than icing or caster sugar and then if I need the other sugars, I grind it up in the food processor.

[Geraniumpink]

There needs to be a balance - and it varies from person to person. I’d be miserable reusing teabags, but quite happy to receive secondhand books and clothes as a birthday present. There isn’t (usually) enough money for everything all the time, so it’s about prioritising.

[Whosorrynow]

I cut open the toothpaste tube and scrape out the remains

[Ciderandskatesdontmix]

Those of you who say you bulk buy washing powder etc, where do you buy from? When I looked into it I couldn't find anywhere that sold it cheaper than the wash powder I get from lidl. Do you literally just mean that you buy the bigger boxes as opposed to the ones that only give you say, 28 washes?

[bliminy]

Think that tips you over into c.f. territory.

But sharing tools makes sense. My neighbour uses my snowblower, my son mows his lawn for him to say thank you for letting us use his lawnmower, when our trees come down we work together to cut it up and we share the wood. When the power goes out he can plug into my generator. We give each other lifts and look after each other's children/grandchildren.

It's a shame more neighbours aren't so kind to each other really.

[HermioneMakepeace]

I don't collect coppers any more. I just chuck them in the do it yourself till at the supermarket and pay the rest on card.

That is genius .

[formerbabe]

Re sugar, I only buy granulated sugar as it is much cheaper than icing or caster sugar and then if I need the other sugars

I only but caster...it's exactly the same in tea and coffee as granulated plus better for baking. I don't find granulated necessary for anything.

Similar with onions. I only ever buy red onions...they are good for general cooking and you can also use in salads too. Works out cheaper than buying white onions and spring onions too.

[HermioneMakepeace]

About bulk buying... you need money for that. I struggle to buy ONE toilet roll most weeks.

[OhTheRoses]

Rarely put the heating above 18°C. If we are sitting still, we put a log on. OTH we never turn it off either.

[woodhill]

Cut the hard bit off on each end of bread as I don't like the thickness, 2 more slices.

Definitely agree with tube cutting tip

[LipstickHandbagCoffee]

Cycling Christ,there’s being good with money.and there’s a miserable biscuit arsed life
Saving the elastic bands from scallions,why?
Don’t flush bog...really?
Multiple use of washing up water
No hair cuts

I don’t go to library because I’m not always available when it’s open
It’s easier to own a book then donate it to charity shop

[Graphista]

Paying full price for branded long life products - just stock up when they're on offer! I don't buy many branded things but the ones I do I find better value than their unbranded counterparts but I still don't pay full price unless I really have to.

Not looking after stuff! This totally baffles me! If you just look after things, store, clean and maintain them properly they'll last ages. Most of my clothes are primark which is often referred to as "disposable" fashion but I keep the items going for years just by not neglecting their care!

Minor repairs to clothes too - the number of people I've met who've THROWN perfectly good clothes out when all that was required was a button sewn on or hem fixed SO wasteful! Hell even if you can't do it yourself I'm pretty sure you know someone who can, even using a high street seamstress can be cheaper than replacing the item!

Using veg that's past its best in soups and stews - nothing wrong with it other than a bit wrinkly or whatever. Again some peoples food wastage really shocks me.

"I genuinely don't understand why people buy top of the range mobile phones costing £600+" this to a degree. I am an iPhone user but my first was a second hand one from a friend when they upgraded - used it for 4 years then bought my current one - an SE about 3 years ago. The SE was new (I'm wary of buying tech second hand heard too many horror stories) but I shopped around, got the oldest model iPhone that was being sold as new still and haggled a bit too. It's still going strong but I need to update the OS sometime soon as a few apps are starting to glitch/updates require a higher os. Absolutely no need to have the latest model every time your contract runs out! I'm on sim only now too. I didn't have the cash to buy upfront then and I do need a phone as I'm disabled and frequently housebound by mh issues.

I don't own a tumble dryer or a dishwasher.

My one "luxury" is having a tv licence, Netflix, Amazon and tvplayer - but even having all of those is cheaper than sky or virgin (I've damn near had a heart attack at what people pay for those!) it's my only real enjoyment in life at the moment so I think that's fair enough.

I can cut my own hair, when I'm not housebound the hairdresser I use is £10 for a cut and blow dry. I cannot understand spending a fortune on this! A good cut yes maybe but a blow dry lasts a day at most.

"Turn product bottles upside down get contents to drain down" yes - I'm trying to educate dd on this one as she's a pain for throwing out when there's still enough for 1-2 uses if the bottle is tipped upside down - I just wish more bottles were designed to make this easy, it's a pain having to find something to balance certain bottles in.

"Have shoes repaired" yes I do this too - again a lot of people don't/find it strange why? If the repair costs less than the cost of replacing the shoes it makes sense - especially with favourite comfy shoes! I also once caught dd almost throwing out a pair of trainers just because the insoles were trashed! Showed her they are easily and cheaply replaced £1 for 2 pairs from the pound shop usually

[Craftycorvid]

Sewing on loose or missing buttons, getting shoes soled and heeled rather than chucking when worn, darning clothes. Buy all my clothes either in charity shops or from Ebay (not undies obvs! ). I sell on Ebay too, only re-donate clothing I just know won’t sell well on Ebay. Yes to cutting tubes of moisturiser etc in half too, otherwise you lose a load of expensive product. Not sure what bit of saving a few quid is not to like really. I feel unashamedly smug when I bag something good in a chazzer that would otherwise cost loads (Cath Kidston oilcloth bag for 6 quid the other day).

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

DP was made redundant a couple of years ago, and while he wasn’t working we downshifted on branded products, to own brand, then value. When he got a new job, we stuck to it. The ones we couldn’t manage were peanut butter (the cheap ones tasted of pure oil), beans and ketchup (has to be Heinz), and cat food (fussy cat who would starve rather than eat a different type of food). We have always meal-planned, and picked up reduced stuff for the freezer.

On the flip-side, I get my hair cut every five weeks, enjoy buying clothes and makeup, and we eat out regularly. I have extremely sensitive skin, and sold things on eBay while DP wasn’t working to be able to buy my usual expensive products.

[BuildingQuote]

I bought a big 5 litre or so thing of washing up liquid on amazon and it’s really satisfying to not have to keep buying small bottles as I just top up the same bottle.

For those who think all these ways sound miserable, I think they are very environmental and as long as not combined with mean-ness they are usually great!

I also consider buying ikea furniture 2nd hand as firstly it is more environmental and also saves having to build it

[mathanxiety]

Car is 2003 model, has 120,000 miles on it. Change the oil regularly and attend to routine maintenance. 'A stitch in time saves nine...'

Bought my phone outright and have a payg account.

Buy canned tomatoes and beans, and frozen fruit and veg - bulk shop if on sale, ditto pasta and big sacks of rice. I rarely buy fresh fruit any more, with the exception of citrus, bananas and apples. Big tubs of plain Greek yogurt are often cheaper than individual pots and you can make smoothies with the frozen fruit.
I freeze bananas that have gone too ripe and use for banana bread. Slice lemons and limes and freeze.
I buy bulk herbs and spices, nuts, dried cranberries, and couscous from my local Whole Foods Market.

I shop in Aldi for canned items, grated parmesan cheese, some household goods in the centre aisle of wonder and magic (big dutch oven for $29.99 < hellllooooo > and next Wednesday DS will be there when they open to buy a dehumidifier for $199 that would be 50% more expensive anywhere else) and nice frozen green beans and peas imported from the Netherlands but still cheaper than I can get them anywhere else. Aldi also sells German choc and that is where I get Christmas treats for the DCs' little stockings (family tradition).

I have a bread machine and make dough for pizza, cinnamon rolls, bread.

I use rolled up balls of tin foil instead of dryer sheets.

We eat lots of soup and stews, heavy on beans. I batch cook and freeze. We do not drink sweetened fizzy drinks though I love fizzy unsweetened water/seltzer and I buy the cheap store brand.

Meal planning - check..

Buy lots at the Dollar Store (US) - big bag of name brand ginger snaps for a dollar, box of 36 nasal decongestant tablets, 100 ct aspirin, acetaminophen, 20 imodium, 30 midol, nail polish remover, boxes of 160 tissues (name brand), name brand toothpaste and toothbrushes, bags of 100 cotton balls and boxes of 350 q-tips, name brand plasters, boxes of cake mix (name brand), small bottles of name brand salad dressing (snapped up Paul Newman dressings when they appeared one day), little jars of decent seasoning like Montreal Steak seasoning, containers of sea salt/kosher salt and lots more. All a dollar for each item.

Virtually all of my clothes are from a charity shop, and lots of my footwear too, and handbags and coats/jackets. I have also bought kitchen stuff (set of mason jars in different sizes for storing bulk dried lentils, beans, couscous, etc) and items of furniture there - bookshelves, a slipper chair for DD's bedroom, and a nice mid century coffee table as my old coffee table now serves as a stand for my herb pots when I take them in for the winter. I grow herbs for cooking, leave them out in summer and nurse them through the winter in a bay window.

Other stuff (less than 5% of what I own) comes from the clearance racks of discount places like TJMaxx or Burlington. I recently got DD4 a graduation dress for $23 from the TJMaxx clearance rack. I got DS a suit from Nordstrom Rack for just a little over $100 two years ago - down from about $650, and they measure properly and do alterations there for a fixed price per alteration that is far cheaper than taking a suit to a dry cleaning place that does tailoring. I have got very good at altering clothing to fit, and will take in DD's dress for her, but won't touch a suit.

I cut and colour my own hair. It's curly and forgives a lot of cutting mistakes. Also cut all the DDs' hair if they ask.

Use cloths for cleaning and polishing, wash with the regular wash.
I have a mop (bought at Aldi) with washable and reusable mopheads.

[mathanxiety]

And we have never had cable or satellite tv.
I buy books at the library sale - about 30-40 annually to have a good selection to read, at $2 per hard cover and $1 per soft cover. Also buy the odd item from Thriftbooks.

[AlexaAmbidextra]

I have a nice travel mug and keep a mini stash of herbal teas and earl grey in my bag. Whenever I really feel the need for a hot drink, I go for hot water and pop in my tea bag. Saves on buying hot drinks.

Where do you go for a hot water? If it’s to a cafe or coffee shop and you use your own teabag then not only are you tight but also a CF.