Little things you do because actually you're a bit tight...

[theevildead2]

I put a bit of milk in creamy dressings to get the last bit out.

I will cut toothpaste tubes to squeese last bit out.

By bannana that are on death's door for 50p to chop and freeze for smoothies and make in to loads of bananna bread to freeze for snacks.

We like meat in this household but rarely buy it if it's not in the whoopsie aisle!

Do most of above. Re: the putting something in the cistern, no need to "buy" something - a housebrick will do.

Bog-roll/washing liquid/fab cond/tinned chopped toms/puree/nappies - all from Aldi/Lidl. "Philadelphia" is 50 cents in Aldi, 2.50 in the supermarket. That's 2 quid a week in the ski fund. :)

We don't have a thermostat so over cold periods like this we leave the heating on permanently on one (out of 5). We didn't have the heating on at all until mid November and have only been using it properly since the cold snap started. Our gas bill is about £200 a year for a 4 bed house :) I have a rule that you can't put the heating on until you're fully clothed plus wearing a dressing gown and still cold. We also have spare duvets on the sofas for snuggling under which must save us a fortune.

I've shared houses with people who think it's their god given right to wear a t shirt around the house in the middle of winter and then expect me to pay towards their massive heating bill even though I found it uncomfortably hot in the house and had to have my radiator off and my window open when it was about zero degrees outside - makes me angry just thinking about it!

As for other thrifty behaviour. I never throw out shampoo, washing up liquid etc bottles until after I've added water to get the last dregs out. I only ever buy toothpaste, shampoo etc when it's on bogof or something. When non-perishable food is on a good offer I'll stock up on loads (4 tins of beans for a quid type things). And I only ever buy smartprice/basics/value on things like peppers, onions, carrots etc. The peppers are just the same but not perfectly pepper shaped, I can see no difference in the carrots and the onions are just a bit smaller.

I am very thrifty green. I have learnt a thing or two on here and recognise some too! Here's a couple from me ... bread bags and cereal bags are (obviously) airtight and the cereal bags particularly are very strong - re-use in place of sandwich or freezer bags.

I chuck all the old veg in to a soup. I have the heating at 16, heat the room I am in and rotate the others (don't want to get damp). I also only dry washing on radiators when I'm in and available to whizz around rotating it as it drys. I too try to remember to take a drink with me and look out for offers on toilet roll and dish washer tablets! And I never throw fabric away - stuff that's gone beyond charity shop is used to clean the bathroom so no guilt about throwing a rag that's been used once to clean the toilet. Ooh - I also buy whole canned tomatoes not chopped as they are generaly a few p. cheaper .... this last one was a tip from an old man in an Islington supermarket circa 1994 who physically restrained me from purchasing the latter!

Have also had some disasters too - logs from newspaper trying to make my own sparkling fire lighters (though they did look pretty) and purchasing cheap cleaning products that don't work then clutter the cupboard making me feel guilty, same with some styling products too

a conffession,i really begrudge buying black bin bags so either pick the biggest bag in shop when shopping or local charity shop has huge bin full of the bags you get through your door for donations,yes i take a handful each time

water full fat milk down also,friend usually cuts and colours may hair anyway her dad is ill so didnt want to bother her bought dye from wilkos £1.60 other friend gave free cut so will now save myself £30 every 6wks and had a couple of compliments on colour

buy peppers,leeks etc when on offer at lidl etc and freeze,make huge batches of cauliflower cheese and freeze in silver trays

bag of potatoes 30p last week par cooked made sliced in cheese sauce with onions,silver trayed again 2 portions per tray 6 trays freeze,would be £2.00 each in supermarket

keep them coming

oooh forgot to add that I freeze any wine left over to use in sauces. This one shows that I am old as there never used to be any wine left!

And here's a cheeky one ... nick a few tips from here and send to 'take a break' or the like to win whatever the going rate is

Lozster: I also make soup with veg that are just about to go off. I'll also cut the good bits off veg that are half mouldy and use them. All of my tightness is really just being eco friendly.

Father christmas only give second hand toys in this house.

I scare the poor whoopsie girl.

We do all of the above and: plastic bags for supermarket veg, one for you - one for me - and reuse the used one for sandwiches; walk extra 1/2 mile to zone 2 tube, take flask of nicely made filter coffee instead of buying from chain, or expensive canteen, on the way to work; check changing room lockers for pound coins (at least 2 quid per visit). Lots of you would think we're rich .

Also decant big bottles of economy things into small bottles that once held good things. Small bottles mean others eke out the contents.

Also put PG Tips tea and Sainsbury's coffee into Fortnums tins. Guests always say, "that was so delicious - it really makes a different to use really good quality stuff" .

Main ones for me:
Aldi for cleaning products, nappies, veg and juice.
Re-use gift bags forever
Make good use of eBay buying and selling

Being tight green like this makes me feel ok about having the odd treat and cherishing it (had a gingerbread latte in Costa today, tasted like Christmas in a glass)

A few things I guess..

Hate waste so will only cook/use the correct amount of food needed for that meal.

Never go by best before dates, apart from maybe chicken. You can tell if it is off/mouldy.

Buy all meat/fish on quick sale and freeze unless we fancy something on a whim, say Steak.

Buy toiletries 3 for 2. Have a stock of face cream, hair dye, hand cream, shampoo etc for about a year

Cut my own and Dh's hair (did train as a hairdresser). Ds hasn't needed a hair cut as yet. Also dye my own hair, that alone must save me hundreds a year!

Buy own brands for things like hand wash, washing powder, fabric conditioner etc and always use less than recommended.

Try to have heating on as less as possible during the day, as soon as it is warm turn it off.

Switch all plugs off after use

Save wrapping paper/bags

The list goes on..

Writing all this down I didn't realise how much I was doing to save money..

lozster What a fab idea, that's one thing I tend to waste. Don't really drink wine so only use in cooking.

I used to get through a tub or tube of intensive conditioner most weeks (i have long hair). What a waste and nothing made too much difference...
Until...I now get a tub of coconut oil (£1.79 at local indian store)scrape a chunk out, rub well into hair, blast with hairdryer so the heat makes the hair absorb it. (not on roots as i do get the greasies).
Apply shampoo BEFORE adding the water then rinse thoroughly. Voila...glossy locks! (even better if leave on overnight)

• if you see anything you do want to buy in high street (electronics stuff, books, cd etc) i photograph it, or the price tag on bigger items on my mobile, then google it later for a better deal. i saved 50% on a laptop case so i can take my computer to mn at college!

lololizzy - i used coconut oil as a conditioner it was fab. didnt think you could get it in the uk, never thought to check indian grocers

re coconut :it's the best (i think!), really works well with the heat blast. think will start using it as body lotion too as have sensitive skin. I cringe when i think how much i spent on hair stuff over the years and the answer was there all along in the indian grocers. Could check 'world foods' in supermarkets too??? In fact am sitting here right now with coconut hair, not very attractive but will look ok washed out for work tomorrow

we have gone back to using soap rather than shower gels,i genuinely don't throw any food away (honest) our freezer is fully stacked with 'povvocounter' bargains-some of which we cook into massively padded out currys and freeze then.
we shove chick peas\lentils\beans\veggies into everything (bought from Rusholme so really really cheap)
i use my supermarket for my supermarket shop (and then go and do the shop so don't pay delivery)
i do aldi\lidl as and when.
use tesco points for meals out\days out\mag subs for presents.
ebay (buying and selling) and lobay (local ebay so no postage costs)
we wear thermals\woolly tights and long sleeved ski undies under everything in the winter. I am wearing a hat now!
doors\curtains shut to keep heat in.
hot water bottles.
bought a flask,take snack packs of food all the time.
i only use chicken thighs in multi packs but use a butcher for meat-it's miles nicer.
we have people round for dinner once every few months (we cook something nice and the whole night probably costs food wise about £30-we then get invites back for dinner five fold!) plus all the lovely treats and stuff for hosting.
we used to be rich,now we aren't-we've cut our cloth...i still like nice stuff though!

ARGHHH!!!! stop using baby wipes on your sofa!!!!

The alcohol content will make it crack, maybe not today, or tomorrow but soon!!!! (er or later it will!!!! I promise!!!)

You are supposed to use warm water and a well rung out flanel, works wonders!

Also instead of liquid soap I refill with Asdas own brand bubble bath, 17p for a litre, Add about 50/50 water and put it in the frog dispenser and it foams up lovely!!

Ah, the joys of the "skank counter" as I have always known it. Now moved overseas where they dont have them. V disappointing.

Lots of good tips on this thread- here are a couple more that I genuinely know people do, but wouldn't recommend

• Ex-bf's dad used to resent paying "ridiculous" skank counter prices- "I mean 50p for a family sized lasagne- are they trying to rob me???". Therefore, he used to wait until they were shut, climb over the (locked, ten ft) gate and take it out of the skip when the supermarket had binned it. He had a 75L rucksack for these weekly expeditions.He is the only person I know who was genuinely jealous of my summer job working at the corporation tip.

• Ex bf (another one) used to put the car out of gear going down hill to save petrol (apparently this is actually quite dangerous).

we live off the reduced section, I never pay full price for meat - i buy it and freeze.
thermostat at 14
toys/clothes from charity shops (but only the cheap charity shops - heart foundation and oxfam are expensive imo!)
always buy loose veg - have you seen how much more a piece of brocolli is wrapped in cellophane than the same thing loose?!?!
terry nappies and plastic pants+potty training as early as possible.
no tumble dryer

"heart foundation and oxfam are expensive imo"

Are you my mum? her main topic of conversation atm is a rant about Oxfam's book prices . She does have a point- I'm sure if they were cheaper they'd sell more, and probably get them back again to resell.

Charity shops have totally cottoned on. I remember when I was teenager getting really lovely quality cool stuff for really cheap that nowadays would probably be snapped up by "vintage" shops. Nowadays all that you find in charity shops are Primark clothes that are priced at more expensive than they probably were originally!

I save money by making home made gifts. In the summer I go berry picking (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc) and make little jars of jams and jellies. When it comes to friends' birthdays or such, I bake a couple of loaves of bread, or biscuits, and make up a basket. It always goes over well, and is very low cost.

Thermostat at 16 by day, 15ish by night. We wear layers and plenty of them. They're not there to keep the drawers warm.
Water heater set really, really low.
Freezer full of bruised fruit and veg.
Children wearing neighbours' and friends' castoffs. My nice winter coat from second hand shop.
Old socks and T-shirts used for dusting/ carwash/ floor polishing. Often more hole than sock though..
Never full whack of detergent in washing machine, or dishwasher powder in dishwasher; laundry always done on cold wash and rinse or warm wash cold rinse.
Basic cheap bleach.
Cut all DDs' hair and my own, and dye it myself too; make DS pay for his own haircuts as he won't let me near his hair.. (I am going to do the coconut hair conditioning with the oil at the bottom of the jar I have -- thanks for the tip)
Lots of lentils...

Bulk buy catering sizes of washing up liquid powder food etc
Buy quick sale items
stock up on wrapping paper cards in January
extra layer of clothes
i travel back to work on a sundayevening up to London use the bus after the train as its cheaper than the tube.
Walk
use freebie sights

This PC was dragged off a skip.

As was the stereo.(~£300)

Stuff plastic bag w rolled up newspaper up chimney. No draughts.

Circle like a vulture round the shelf of shame.

Wooly hat, thermals, skiii pants.

What's a thermostat

Buy value tissues, rather than loo roll [did the maths