Your number 1 money-saving tip

[PupInAPram]

What is your number 1 tip that saved you the most money on regular household spending?

Washing lightly soiled clothes in cold water or warm water, without detergent.

Using the Airfryer and pressure cooker instead of the oven.

Stopped using the tumble drier.

I line dry already but I had never thought about washing in cold water. One to try. Wish I could try airfryer and pressure cooker cooking without the initial investment in them, just to see how got on with it 🤔

Buy in bulk of you can . Then batch cook and freeze .
Turn down your heating a few degrees and put on extra clothing .
Who down a level , so if buying brands , go to store labelled . If buy store , try basic . Go shopping near closing times to get yellow label , but only buy if you can incorporate into meals .

Stop ‘treats’.
Coffee at Starbucks, take away etc, not necessary. Saving the pennies really does add up.

Meal plan.

Cupboard audit before going grocery shopping.

Never tumble.

Only wash clothes if they really need it.

Also to the no coffees out. But I never do that anyway. Unless it’s a treat. Not as a regular thing

Ask yourself if you actually need everything you’re buying.

Don't have kids. Saves a fortune.

@SkiingIsHeaven 🤣 Too late. I was a single parent too, so did it the hard way. They have left home now, but I see them weekly and try to help them practically in every way I can.

@GeneLovesJezebel what are these things you call treats? 😂

Don't go to the shops. Seriously. Wait until tomorrow and see if you really need it.

Never go on Amazon or ebay when drunk.

( posted under another user name once how DH and I bought a baby grand piano once when shitfaced on pink champagne. neither of us play the piano. Nor do we have room for a piano).

I keep to a list of essentials as much as I can,yellow stickers when ever possible last week I got medium chicken for £1.30 and put it straight in the freezer for this week-end also mince and sausages picked up for under 50p both put in the freezer for another time.
Always fill the washer and do a rapid wash and line dry.
Use my bus pass more often now and leave my car at home (I'm over 60 by the way)if when out and do decide to have a coffee always use the coffee bars that give pensioners discount but that is not often.

@SpringLobelia

Never go on Amazon or ebay when drunk.

( posted under another user name once how DH and I bought a baby grand piano once when shitfaced on pink champagne. neither of us play the piano. Nor do we have room for a piano).

This story makes me feel so happy! I think it's the best thing I've read on a saving money thread, ever.

@coodawoodashooda

Don't go to the shops. Seriously. Wait until tomorrow and see if you really need it.

My children’s bank cards say ‘Think about it. Twice.’ It’s the best financial advice I’ve come across. You need to think about every purchase (and every choice/action that will or might cost you money) and decide whether it’s actually the best fit for your priorities.

Agree with impulse purchases. I have pretty much stopped. And even when I buy something now I keep the receipt and tags so I can change my mind

Be ruthless about taking things back.

Always keep some bread and milk in the freezer (or cartons of long life milk) so you avoid those emergency trips to the shops. We all know you can never do an emergency supermarket trip for bread without spending at least £30!

Along the same lines, try to keep a bit of a store of things like beans & eggs, so you can always have a quick easy meal available, rather than getting a take-away.

@AchillesPoirot cupboard audit is a great idea. I reckon I could easily live off tins and long life groceries for two or three weeks. I built them up ready for short notice covid isolation or bad winter weather, but using them up now is sensible. @abigailsnan I'm in my very early 60s but retirement is 5 years away, so I'm still in full time work😁

Learn to stop keeping up with the latest trends. We don't always need a new outifit, if it isn't broken why do you need a new one etc. I think we waste an incredible amount on consuming stuff we don't need and the older I get the tighter I am becoming.

Also learn to enjoy free activities and take a packed lunch.

Make up weird recipes with whatever is languishing at the back of your cupboards.

@madmomma

Make up weird recipes with whatever is languishing at the back of your cupboards.

I'm on board with this one. Cupboard audit then invent recipes actually counts as a fun afternoon for me. I am an old codger though😂

I’m always a bit when people say put all the spare kettle water into a thermos. I tend to just fill as much as I need.

I’m a mn chicken aficionado and make lots of meals from it, stick the bones in the slow cooker and make broth etc.

Buy natural fibres which air out rather than needing washing.

Hot water bottles. Haven’t heated the bedrooms in years.

Fluffy bedding - like sleeping in the arms of a teddy.

Don’t buy a baby grand piano, even if it seems like a good idea at the time.

Throw another dog on the bed.

Although tbf, baby grand doesn’t use electricity and can be used for firewood in extremes.

If you have a mortgage, set up an overpayment with your bank that goes towards the capital only. Most mortgages should allow you to do that. Even if it's just £50/month, it will add up and you'll pay it off much earlier. If you can go up to £100/month, that's even better. Do it by direct debit so you don't even have to think about it.