To ask for your tips on frugal living?

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First time poster. Reading some posts earlier prompted me to start a thread for us to share our tips on frugality and budgeting. Most of us are feeling the pinch and I thought it would be helpful to hear all the different ways we can save some money that perhaps we hadn’t thought of.

Would love this to be a friendly, judgment free thread. Hit me with your top tips, no matter how big or small - I want to hear them all!

The library is fantastic. I can order almost any book I want to read. Free magazines, eBooks and audiobooks via an app. It definitely saves me hundreds of pounds a year and I love going in and collecting my reservations.

It's also about spreading the costs.
If you pay council tax over 10 months then ask if you can pay over 12 (you usually can if you aren't in arrears).
Likewise with water, if you're on water rates rather than a meter. RV billing is usually over 10 months but ask the water company if a 12 month plan can be done.
Still on the theme of water look at going on a meter. Then once on a meter use every water saving device your water company offers. If it's not possible to have a meter look at the criteria for Watersure, Assessed Measured Charges, and Non Return to Sewer allowances.
Finally set your water to only heat up to a maximum of 59°c. Any higher and limescale precipitates out of solution and furs up your central heating thus reducing its efficiency.

Identify the difference between "WANT " and "NEED ".

If your on benefits you could look at broadband deals that are discounted- I saved £10 a month doing this.
Water companies also have schemes for those on benefits/ bigger families/ disabilities needing extra water etc.
I online shop because I'm disabled but it actually can save me money as I don't impulse buy, meal plan all meals, then go through basket and see what I can remove. Tesco are changing their delivery plan so my new plan is after 3pm any day of the week I'm now doing a shop every 8 days to eek out my food bill.
I do online surveys life points, atta poll, Appino, panel base and onepoll. None make lots of money but between them help.

'Can I get it second-hand?' Equally 'Can I sell it on if I don't use it?'

Be careful of false economy. My DM is terrible for this. She will buy fruit, vegetables to preserve then leave them mouldering on the side until she bins them.

use the lids on your saucepans and you can turn down the power/gas for the same amount of heat and with less steam not have to put the kitchen extract on.

Plan a weekly menu and shop accordingly - we shop at Aldi/Lidl and local markets. As others have said, batch cook, watch out for deals and use your freezer.
I buy my clothes in charity shops and on eBay - you can find amazing stuff if you have the time and inclination to sort through the tat. Learn how to sew/mend from YouTube tutorials.
I also mainly buy second hand books.
I have grown my hair and wear it up all the time. I cut my own fringe.
I buy make-up in Poundland. I have sensitive skin and was initially dubious about the quality, but it's absolutely fine - also not tested on animals.
Shampoo, conditioner and other hair products come from Lidl, Home Bargains etc. Not very luxurious but they work perfectly well.
Lidl's Cien skincare range is very cheap indeed and very good.
We wear layers in winter (including scarves) and only have the heating on for an hour in the morning and 3 hours in the evening. Snuggly blankets on the sofa.
Don't use the car for short journeys - walk, cycle, or get a bus ( if there is one, obviously)
We've lived on a fairly low income for several years and have done this for a long time. I don't feel deprived but admit to feeling a bit worried about energy bills.

Another Gusto free box code

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So these are what my mum did when my dad was in prison and she couldn't work because of childcare costs (no universal credit back then):

• Take in lodgers (she moved us children in w her and rented out our bedrooms). That covered the mortgage.

• Took the car off the road and walked/took the bus/didn't go. We were young enough to travel free on the buses which helped.

• Pressure cooker and lots of beans/rice/ vegetable based meals. Free school meals for us kids.

• Very quick showers (my standard shower is still 90 seconds, 3 min if hair washing).

• Central heating only morning and evening to "take the edge off".

• No luxuries except for birthday/Christmas. We ate out maybe once a year, take aways were unheard of, days out were to free stuff that could be accessed cheaply. No holidays.

I think it was very hard on her but honestly, as a child, I noticed nothing and never felt we were missing out. I do think people had much less back then though (70s) s, other than the lodgers, our lives weren't notably different to most of my friends.

Thank you for the station cake recipe @dotty12345 I shall be trying this at the weekend as we have been buying in muffins and this will be a far better and more cost effective option!

We are cutting back here too. No more alcohol, vouchers for days out (Kelloggs is my latest for two for one tickets) I also use period pants and am using up all my old toiletries before I buy any new.

Freegle is often worth a look and I get shrubs for the garden this way and also give away things I don’t have any need or space for.

Finally, Topcashback for any purchases. I have used for years now and have got over £1k in cash back.

I changed my TV viewing habits! Cancelled Sky, bought a Roku box and now only watch On-demand stuff (no live TV or BBC). I've saved £25 a month on Sky and I've cancelled my TV licence (£13 a month).

Bbc is pissing me off. Every time I decide to take the plunge they put out something I like🙄

My best money saving discovery so far has been buying in bulk. I'm a big Costco fan and will do a quarterly shop for things like loo rolls, washing powder, coffee pods etc. It definitely works out cheaper than buying smaller packets at supermarkets. Obviously this only works if you've got storage space.
But even if I can't get to Costco, I do try to find bulk bargains online.

Don't marry a man who fees it's his duty whenever he's out to buy mountains of crap. He is like a bloody jackdaw.

I do this too - but in reverse. I try to limit spending (other than standard bills, which are all on direct debit anyway), to one or at most two days a week. This might be too difficult for some, but I do think it means you focus in on exactly what you spend and why.

fb.watch/eAJzB7qXxB/ further to earlier about exercising at home.

This is simple but really smart. Thanks!

Clothes washing.
I now use about half of the manufacturer's recommended amount of liquid. I scaled it down gradually - but it might not work if clothes get very dirty.
Also I wash most things @ 30C

Are we sharing a DH? Because it's exactly the same here. Drives me nuts.

I am using half the number of bin bags I used to use. The General waste and the recycling waste bins each have a bag. I empty the general waste and knot up the bag and throw away Then the recycling waste gets emptied straight into the outside recycling bin and the bag goes into the empty general waste bin so I only have to put a new bag into the recycling bin.
I have gone back to soap powder and use half the amount recommended. I don’t use conditioner anymore and if something is extra dirty or smelly I add a cap full of disinfectant. Stopped using the dryer and have bought an airier and over radiator airers for winter when I can’t dry outside.
bought an air fryer which I use rather than the oven. It cooks everything from meat to potatoes. Veg I steam in the microwave.
loo roll I am buying the 6 packs of larger rolls from Aldi for under £2 a pack and I am stocking up on them so buy 2 packs a week. One to use and one to put away.

I have found myself turning into a prepper as I am stock piling anything we use regularly when it is on offer or I can get alternatives cheap.

A small one but get a lamp for your lounge - cheaper than having “the big light” (we have loads of big lights on our lounge) and nicer ambience anyway

I bought a shower sand timer for £3 off eBay! It’s 3 mins long

Or just use the timer in your phone. Leave it just outside the bathroom so you actually have tonget out of the shower to turn it off.

When I moved into my first flat -1994- my mam bought me 3 little porcelain pots for the fireplace. She told me to organise direct debits for the 1st of the month then remove the rest of the money (except £50 for emergencies). Then divide money between the 3 pots.

Pot 1: Food money

Pot 2: Petrol money

Pot 3: Me money! Going out/ clothes/ house buys/ birthdays.

It meant I never ran out of food/ petrol and could physically SEE if I went mental on a night out/ fabulous shoes that I'd need to be careful the next few weeks.

It also taught me to see my wages overall and after a few months could see how much I was able to save comfortably each month.

It was totally invaluable. I'll pass this onto teen DC when they move out. I still do this in a different way- I write down how much I aim to spend that month on petrol/ food and stick to it.

I like this!

Bolognese & stews don't need to be simmered for long. They just need to stay hot for a length of time. So I turn off the gas within a couple of minutes of them simmering and leave the pan on the hob with a lid on tight. By the time the pan has cooled, the food is cooked. Then I just give it a blast of heat to warm through and it's ready.

I always cook mince, tinned tomatoes and onions in a large batch then divide it up into chilli, Bolognese and cottage pie filling. Similar with chicken - make it into casseroles, curries and pie filling with the same base (stock cube in this case instead of tinned tomatoes) . Add the relevant herbs and spice, stir in, pop the lids on to carry on cooking in their own heat so the spices develop and freeze.

If I'm making mash I do loads and freeze the extra. Not great to eat on it's own, as a side dish, as it can be a bit watery but you can use it to top a cottage/shepherds pie or put into fish cakes. I only cook mash for cottage pie etc if I'm making it as a side dish. So the mince may be made and frozen today but the mash may be batch made next week and frozen as that's when I'm planning mash for dinner. Then defrost and put it together when you want it. Defrosted mash is great for bubble and squeak too - just add left over veg (doesn't have to be 'green') and fry it up with loads of salt and pepper and Worcester sauce.

I also use up salad leaves that are going a bit limp by adding them to curries or stir fries. They're exactly the same as spinach or any other leaf veg so they wilt down and add colour and bulk. Better than binning it.

And if you have things like Tesco clubcard vouchers, keep a check on what you can use them for. At the moment, for example, you can use clubcard vouchers to pay for Disney plus, Cineworld, use them to buy English Heritage membership as well as the usual vouchers for restaurants. Our local supermarket is Tesco (Lidl etc is over 15 miles away) and we have their credit card as we may as well get maximum clubcard points on everything.

Check the terms on days out tickets to zoos etc. Some places allow you to make a day ticket into an annual one for nothing. Even if you don't think you'll go back, 'annualise' them. It costs nothing and it's another place to go for a day out again if you find yourself in the area.

Ring places like AA or telephone companies and ask for the retention people. You'll often be offered a deal if you threaten to leave.