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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what small cheeky things you do to save money?

803 replies

monroeagogo · 05/03/2022 19:17

DH routinely reuses stamps. His excitement when an envelope arrives and the stamp isn't marked is a wonder to behold.

Franking is the enemy.

What cheeky things do you do to save the pennies?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Eileen101 · 07/03/2022 21:05

I'm surprised by the people who think out and out stealing is okay 😳

I reuse parcel boxes that arrive here. I sell the kids outgrown clothes on vinted so save any boxes in a big pile in the pantry.

Use old butter tubs for freezing my batch cooked things in the freezer. MIL always rolls her eyes, but they're the perfect size for 2 portions of things like Bolognese! Why would I throw away perfectly good plastic tubs to buy extra tupperware or foil trays Confused

Have started buying clothes on vinted. Going camping mostly this summer so stocked up on some warm clothes for a fraction of what I'd have spent in the shops, all good brands and great condition.

DD has food allergies and has recently realised that when my eldest has treat night, that her banana is not quite the same as his piece of cake. DH brought some free from cakes for her but given that a pack of 5 cake slices is £2, I am definitely going to be baking before weekend treats Grin

I always used to wonder about colleagues who buy coffee on their way into work when our company provides it for free. Not even just Nescafé granules but an actual proper machine Grin

Gwenhwyfar · 07/03/2022 21:12

"I always used to wonder about colleagues who buy coffee on their way into work when our company provides it for free. Not even just Nescafé granules but an actual proper machine grin"

Do they buy it to keep warm on the way to work? I used to occasionally do that as a kind of portable hot water bottle.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 07/03/2022 21:12

"I'm just saying that I don't pay for them and couldn't actually imagine someone picking up on it and marching me right back to the till!"

Why should they just let you steal?

Exactly. Why do you suppose they have security guards in supermarkets, then? They aren't there just to say a cheery hello and/or to record all goods stolen as they watch them disappear unchallenged out of the door.

I find that a lot of middle class people have a firm idea that the security people are there for 'that sort of people' and never dream that could include them. On the contrary, the 'lower classes' who pay honestly for their purchases won't be stopped and the 'betters' who do steal, will be stopped. It's not who you are that they care about but what you do.

user1471541711 · 07/03/2022 21:56

Work in supermarket.
Staff do monitor if you paid for your carrier bags and will chase you for payment if you don’t.
Also shop lifters are taken out the back. Spent my tea break with a couple of ladies and their children after being abandoned by their husbands when they got caught shoplifting.
Remember staff are bored and are watching.

Kite22 · 07/03/2022 22:03

@Gwenhwyfar

"Why not only boil the amount you need, when you need it. By only boiling that one mug full in the first place rather than a full kettle, you will have saved enough money to boil the other 4 mug fulls you need during the day, surely ? confused"

There's a minimum amount you have to put in the kettle or you damage it.

Yes, but it is a darn sight less than a full kettle. I fill to fractionally over the 'min' line, not waste electricity boiling a whole kettle.
VelvetChairGirl · 08/03/2022 07:37

@TatianaBis

I am insanely mean about mobile phones. I love my ipads and have 2 but I just don't care about phones so I have a £160 jobbie with a £7 a month 8GB SIM only contract.

Everyone else I know has top of the range iphones @ £30-40 a month

I have a pay as you go sim from Three and a £170 xiaomi, I dont know anyone with an Iphone they are not considered in a good light.
VelvetChairGirl · 08/03/2022 07:40

@Gwenhwyfar

"god i hate him, its his fault i had to pay for packed lunch in primary even tho my son gets free school meals, kids would rather starve then eat plain baked potatoes and sweet potato fries."

He didn't tell schools to give children crap food.

yes he did, they served fish and chips and pizza before, proper fish in batter.
HoldingTheDoor · 08/03/2022 07:52

I'm just saying that I don't pay for them and couldn't actually imagine someone picking up on it and marching me right back to the till!"

I saw exactly this happen in a local Tesco store, just a few months back. He was stopped by a member of staff, not security, and made to pay for his bag. Rightly so. What makes you so important that means that you shouldn't pay for them when everyone else does?

MistyGreenAndBlue · 08/03/2022 11:31

I feel as if I pay more than enough for broadband and refuse to pay any more for Netflix or Amazon etc when the internet is awash with FREE streaming sites that show ALL the shows and films.
Current shows are usually available a day after live transmission but I don't mind that.
I usually use a Google chrome add on to download to an external hard drive and watch on tv later with no annoying buffering.
I'll never pay for Netflix and the like and don't understand why anyone does.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/03/2022 11:43

"I fill to fractionally over the 'min' line, not waste electricity boiling a whole kettle."

Me too, but that is more than one cupful so we're probably boiling more water than someone who fills a thermos in the morning.
For me making a cup of tea is a pleasure in itself though so I wouldn't swap methods unless I really had to.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/03/2022 11:43

"yes he did, they served fish and chips and pizza before, proper fish in batter."

I'm sure he told them to serve healthy food, not chips with no sauce or salt.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/03/2022 11:45

"I'll never pay for Netflix and the like and don't understand why anyone does."

It's much less than the TV licence. It's the only 'TV' I pay for.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/03/2022 11:45

"FREE streaming sites that show ALL the shows and films."

Do you mean illegal ones though?

Nemorth · 08/03/2022 11:47

@MistyGreenAndBlue

I feel as if I pay more than enough for broadband and refuse to pay any more for Netflix or Amazon etc when the internet is awash with FREE streaming sites that show ALL the shows and films. Current shows are usually available a day after live transmission but I don't mind that. I usually use a Google chrome add on to download to an external hard drive and watch on tv later with no annoying buffering. I'll never pay for Netflix and the like and don't understand why anyone does.
Somebody has to pay for these services otherwise there'd be no profit in it and nothing would be made.

My DH works in an aligned industry. We pay for these things because we want the service and to support the people that work in the industry.

Fimofriend · 08/03/2022 11:48

Hi @Eileen101 If it is eggs she is allergic to I have a tip for you.

Instead of using eggs in meatloaf, cakes, and things like that you can boil a deciliter of linseeds in 2 deciliters of water. The water gets the same consistency as egg whites. You run it through a strainer to get rid of the seeds. I actually found that the cakes got a bit more moist using this liquid instead of eggs.

MistyGreenAndBlue · 08/03/2022 11:51

@Gwenhwyfar

"I'll never pay for Netflix and the like and don't understand why anyone does."

It's much less than the TV licence. It's the only 'TV' I pay for.

I don't pay for that either as I never watch live tv.
MistyGreenAndBlue · 08/03/2022 11:53

@Gwenhwyfar

"FREE streaming sites that show ALL the shows and films."

Do you mean illegal ones though?

No. It's not illegal.
crochetmonkey74 · 08/03/2022 11:54

I buy those big blue J cloths and cut them into 4 rather than use a big one. I collect serviettes from cafes etc and use them at home - and the same with sugar/ salt / pepper as I use them at work
I always snaffle a free pen if I can and the odd toilet roll has found it's way into my handbag. I grew up very poor so loads of my everyday ways are very frugal- save all plastic trays (the sort that berries come in) for the greenhouse/ very little food waste etc

Gwenhwyfar · 08/03/2022 11:54

Which website is it that allows you to stream everything for free then?

Wolveryeti · 08/03/2022 11:55

I pirate Windows/Office or buy hooky copies when I need a new version. The prices they charge are completely insane and I don't mind declining to line their shareholders' pockets.

MistyGreenAndBlue · 08/03/2022 11:55

Somebody has to pay for these services otherwise there'd be no profit in it and nothing would be made.

My DH works in an aligned industry. We pay for these things because we want the service and to support the people that work in the industry

That's a fair point.

MistyGreenAndBlue · 08/03/2022 11:58

@Gwenhwyfar

Which website is it that allows you to stream everything for free then?
There are quite a few actually. I jump around depending on which ones have what I want and whether they allow downloads or not. I just search the show I want and add "watch free".
MistyGreenAndBlue · 08/03/2022 12:01

@Wolveryeti

I pirate Windows/Office or buy hooky copies when I need a new version. The prices they charge are completely insane and I don't mind declining to line their shareholders' pockets.
I used to do this. Haven't "upgraded" for years though. My old stuff is fine.
AdobeWanKenobi · 08/03/2022 12:02

I had a relative that worked as a security guard, many years ago when grapes came loose and not pre packaged.

Every week a woman would come in, select a bunch and hand them to the child in the trolley who would eat as they shopped. At the end what remained of the grapes were handed to the cashier. As I say, at the time this was on weight so she was stealing weekly.

Relative observed this for about three weeks to be certain. When the fourth week rolled around and the woman got to the till the cashier was handed a full bunch of grapes to weigh. Woman was told in no uncertain terms she was stealing and if observed again would be banned. She paid for the full bunch, took away what remained of the eaten ones and never did it again.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/03/2022 12:04

"There are quite a few actually. I jump around depending on which ones have what I want and whether they allow downloads or not."

I just don't believe that's all legal or that everything is available.