Your number 1 money-saving tip

[PupInAPram]

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

@abigailsnan

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.

Sorry of this has been pointed out already upthread - but washing on a quick setting actually uses more energy than a standard wash or so I have been told.

@PierresPotato

Red lentils is the name I've always seen them sold under in UK shops for the last fifty years traditional in lentil soup. It appears from Dr Weil's website that they aren't as well known in the US.

Yes, I'd call them red lentils even though they're actually orange, but at least not pink! The most common ones are the brown ones aren't they? I made a daal with green lentils this weekend and it's really horrible.

@Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree What hair dye do you use, please? :)

Red lentils are much tastier in dahl than green ones, and in veggie bolognaise than quorn mince. Most things are nicer than quorn mince.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads

Red lentils are much tastier in dahl than green ones, and in veggie bolognaise than quorn mince. Most things are nicer than quorn mince.

Green lentils don't break down enough to make traditional dhal and even though I cook mine in an electric pressure cooker I only use them to make burgers. Quorn is the Devils food.

Agreed @Carpediem15. Texture is what I should have said for “tasty”, which is wrote whilst thinking “it’s nut really just taste..”.

Such great ideas here!

I'd add;

Swap mince for a tin or two of black beans, just drain, rinse and add to your bolognese/ shepherds pie. Approx 70p a tin or less.

Go vegan. It just makes you think more about what you buy and cuts down the impulse buys loads.

I've saved so much money using lentils, beans and veg instead of meat (every bit as delicious and no gristle...) and I'm still a size 10 whereas I'd be the size of a house by now if not! (I have no willpower except in being vegan).

Gwenhwyfar to me red lentils are a staple my UK grandmother would have used. "Lentil soup" was red lentils with a ham bone.
My least favourite pulses have to be dried yellow or green peas. I have a bag of green in the cupboard goodness knows why I bought them.
The red lentils totally break down on cooking so disappear into mince or make a smoother soup or dal. But I think I'd rather have a brown or green lentil as a meat replacement as they'll keep their shape and to me have better flavour.

Lots of posts about having an airfryer - what does people use them for? I have one but only made roast potatoes and chips

@Antarcticant

I do not recommend Finefare yellow pack.

I grew up on Finefare Yellow Label products. They were truly ghastly.

the tea especially was shit even the building that was finefare has been demolished in our town

Can’t remember if it’s beeb mentioned, but don’t buy loads of different cleaning products. You don’t need specific ones for everything.

How do you disappear lentils and beans in mince?

@coodawoodashooda

How do you disappear lentils and beans in mince?

Split lentils soften and disappear, beans, if cooked properly, can be broken up/mashed and stirred in or you can buy already broken ones, such as Toor Dal.

I know this is in 90 days but can I nominate it for classics as many things could be useful for the coming year +

Can’t remember if it’s beeb mentioned, but don’t buy loads of different cleaning products. You don’t need specific ones for everything.

I mentioned using ecloths which use water and get rid of the need of nearly every cleaning product which is good for the environment and for allergy sufferers too. I use a bit of antibacterial kitchen cleaner to occasionally wipe the kitchen surfaces and for the loo seat and that’s it for cleaning products.

Check out your local FE college. I found this accidentally years ago, the college I did day release at put us in a catering room, which meant I discovered a shop in the college, my day matched with the day they baked bread so I would buy a load and freeze it.

Since then I've had massages by students (you pay for the oils) and my hair cut. I booked the cheapest hair cut which is done by a first year student under supervision and they tell you it will be a long appointment.

When I got there they got a bit excited about me being disabled so I ended up with the teacher cutting my hair and about 10 students learning how to make someone comfortable if they have a medical problem / disability.

It can be hit and miss, the campus in town doesn't do great food but the college 15 miles away has three dining rooms, one's a cafeteria, one is more of a café and the third is silver service.

This has probably been said but keep a good check on your bank statement, try to arrange payments to avoid bank charges.
You might see a pattern in spends that you can cut down on.
You can also check there are things on there that you might have agreed to and no longer need those direct debits. I had signed up for an E version of a newspaper. I do like to read it but I don't need it. It has now gone.

Why is this in 90 days only? Isn't this really useful advice?

If I'd known it was going to get such an amazing and incredibly useful response, I would not have gone for 90 days only. Not sure how to get it moved to somewhere more long term.

@PupInAPram report your first post and ask mnhq to move it out of 90 days :)

@JudgeRindersMinder very easily with a mandolin or electric slicer

@ifyouturnonthelight will do and thank you so much. Pup.

I’m old enough to remember my granny in a 2 up 2 down in a poor area. She had no heating, no hot water got washed with a kettle at the kitchen sink. Got dressed at night by the fire then took a hot water bottle up to bed. One light that got turned on when too dark to read. Scullery not fridge, every limitless bit of food was saved- tiny bits of cheese? Cheese on toast. Bit of veg? Soup. Stale bread? Bread pud. Always fill the oven.
The odd bits of worn out soap got put into a pocket made from sponge. My fave thing was a bar of soap, wrapped in a doily so that it looked like a ‘bible’ to scent your drawer.

And she saved all the brown paper, and cut old Xmas card up to make next years gift tags. And washed clothes with a big stick in a copper. And scrubbed her front step!
Lovely lady

Never use a credit card.