Best money saving tips ...

[littlemamawithoutthedrama]

Hi all, just wondering with the cost of everything going up in price what are your best money saving tips ...

I'm trying to batch cook more and use all my left over veg for soups etc

Buying food on sale on its sell by date and freezing it - something i never did but you can get great bargains on meat, pizzas, ready meals etc

Using cheaper (own brand) washing powder/fabric softener

Trying to cook fake aways instead of eating out at weekend

Ordering off the saver menu at McDonald's and bringing our own drinks 🥤

Anyone got more to add ? It's actually quite fun when you realise you've saved £30 by tweaking what you normally do lol

I have a no spend day once a week

No takeaway coffees - was getting one beardy every day 😬

If you are going to use the oven, really use it! E.g. if you are making a cake also put in a casserole and some jacket potatoes. The cake will need to cook for less time on a higher heat but you can turn it down once you have taken the cake out.
Then have the casserole and jackets for tea that day and leftover casserole with crusty bread the next, you can reheat on the hob or in the microwave.

@littlemamawithoutthedrama

This is probably really stingy but we have now started getting a jug of juice when out for dinner- usually costs £2 for a large jug yet a coke can be £2:50 each.... kinda pays for dessert - or again, skip desert and opt for an ice cream from the shop lol 😝

If you can afford to go out for dinner, I would say you probably don't need to be saving - or else you just wouldn't be going out for dinner?! Surely?!

Seems a bit bonkers to me.

I’m having a no clothes policy - I have enough (unless I have a special occasion such as a wedding, or something wears out).

Using up on my toiletries before buying more.

Using my cupboard stock before buying more. I rearranged my cupboards recently and didn’t realise what stock I had.

Drinking less alcohol.

Turning lights off if no one was in the room.

Turning the tv off is no-one is actually watching it. We’re terrible at just leaving it on.

I

If you shop on the same day each week make it every 8 days. You gain 6 weeks worth of food money a year. It pays for our xmas shopping, booze etc

Would anyone recommend an air fryer? Someone told me they're cheaper to run than an oven and we mostly only cook small things.

During lockdown we started to grow our own veg. We had not done so before so we're beginners. We grew tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, chillies, carrots, potatoes and herbs and planted 2 cooking apple trees. Last year we added raspberry canes, strawberries and blackcurrants. We made our own jam. It is actually delicious. I picked the cooking apples, cooked down and froze them. This year we are going to try runner beans and peas too. I'm sure we saved money. The thing is it all comes at once so we froze quite a bit and gave neighbours some too. It tasted nice and fresh too. I got foster son involved and he is eating more veg now.

@HelebethH

If you shop on the same day each week make it every 8 days. You gain 6 weeks worth of food money a year. It pays for our xmas shopping, booze etc

Similar to this ...do a weekly meal plan but have one evening a week where you don't plan so have to eat up leftovers or get creative with what's in the fridge

Do any online shopping though a cashback site. I used Quidco and have made loads of there over the years. It's especially good as you can choose to have your cashback in the form of gift cards which you get for less than face value, if that makes sense..so you exchange £10 of cashback value for a giftcard worth £11 etc.

I’m a big fan of Aldi, but in disagreement to your previous post, I don’t skimp on pasta. It makes up the bulk of the meal and personally I can’t stand cheap pasta. I think ‘fakeaways’ as you call them sort of miss the point, surely the reason you are having one is that you don’t want to cook or it’s something difficult to do at home (sushi). Why don’t you just reduce the frequency of the takeaway then you still get a treat. Frozen vegetables are great especially the Mediterranean selection - so quick and no waste. Reducing meat will save money.

@CoastalWave I agree it's all bonkers but drinks definitely add up on the bill.

@Qwill

I’m a big fan of Aldi, but in disagreement to your previous post, I don’t skimp on pasta. It makes up the bulk of the meal and personally I can’t stand cheap pasta. I think ‘fakeaways’ as you call them sort of miss the point, surely the reason you are having one is that you don’t want to cook or it’s something difficult to do at home (sushi). Why don’t you just reduce the frequency of the takeaway then you still get a treat. Frozen vegetables are great especially the Mediterranean selection - so quick and no waste. Reducing meat will save money.

I hear ya, we don't really eat much pasta but I agree there's some things you can't replace.... ours is coffee I need my nice coffee

Sell stuff.
Don’t go shopping for an activity.

We don't spend a fortune on family days out - it's on the bikes, foresty places etc and don't buy from the cafes or restaurants. I gave up horse riding too and that's saved loads a month.

I try and ring fence the 2 council tax free months' money for car and home insurance, as it's money you budget for each month. I also try and spend an hour or so a night doing surveys for Amazon vouchers etc. I aim to make enough to pay for Christmas and birthdays this year...hopefully!

Buy staples from a zero waste shop that lets you bring your own containers. Also get your fruit and veg from a market if you can. Often much much cheaper.

Put money by each month for Christmas and buy for as few people as possible.

Go through all your direct debits and see what is outgoing which you may not be aware off - any hidden subscriptions, memberships etc...

@vixeyann which survey sites do you use please?

Cancel apps. Simple baking recipes. Soup and pudding for dinner.

[quote mcdog]@vixeyann which survey sites do you use please? [/quote]
@mcdog

I use Swagbucks and One Poll.

Halve your meat in things like chilli/spag etc and bulk out with kidney beans/chick peas/lentils/chunky mushrooms. Mine haven’t noticed the difference.

I use the good to go app, though there’s not much near me.

I get gousto and manage to feed 2 of us for the week with it, my other dc is fussy so I have to buy her a few bits but it’s working out less than doing a big shop. Dd2 has cooked school dinners, dd1 takes in sandwiches, I eat soup for lunch which costs hardly anything.

I buy and sell clothes in vinted so I am buying less new.

We also take sandwiches if we are going out for the day, rather than having to buy something whilst out, buying lunch in a cafe for 3 people can cost £20+, 3 sandwiches can cost a couple £.

I also do online surveys (when I have spare time, when I’m eating my lunch).

@vixeyann do you make much on surveys?

Sign up to Martin Lewis and the Money Saving emails:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/

Their mantra, if you’re skint is:

1. Do I need it?
2. Can I afford it?
3. Have I checked if it’s cheaper anywhere else?

If the answer is no, don’t buy it.

Works every time!

@Riverlee think a 'no clothes policy' is a bit drastic 😨 and chilly, although would save on laundry liquid🤔😂

I do the gov UK surveys. Takes about a year to get £50 but as I quite enjoy doing them and do them in front of the TV its free money. Have also been fortunate to be on the ONS covid survey which pays you a £25 voucher each time once a month but you have to be invited to do that, it's allocated randomly. Cook from scratch, including baking is much cheaper with flour only 45p a bag in Aldi or Asda. I make big batch of bread dough which will keep all week in the fridge, then break off a piece for fresh bread rolls each evening or make our own pizzas.