To ask for your tips on frugal living?

[SeeClearNow]

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!

Look at the price per kilo on veg and fruit. We only buy strawberries in season when they are local and cheaper.

Eat less meat. (There is a reason some of us can magic chicken) (good for the environment too)

Turn off the shower while you soap up. (Not so great in winter)

Wash instead of bath or shower. (1970s habit) (bits and pits)

Wash clothes less often. Rewear if clean.

Cook with the cheapest veg as the main ingredient and add other veg more sparingly.

Make a shopping list and meal plan.

Ease back gradually if you can. It's easier to adjust. Live within your means, try to save for emergencies.

Wear layers. Wool is good. Try charity shops. Buy large socks that can fit over small socks. If you sit at home to work, a rug under the feet and slippers help.

One from student days: wear a hat to bed.

Look up jack Monroe recipes.

If you use spices get them from world foods aisle.

Beans on wholemeal toast is sufficient meal.

Turn off lights you don't need.

Claim your tax for working at home.

Businesses aren't subject to the price cap and are paying around 38ppkwh.

10 employees charging a smartphone at
3kwh would be £11.40 per day. Over 4K a year.

For a small business that's quite a lot of money.

Ignore me. I'm a muppet!!!' 3kwh per year!!!' Few companies would grumble at
11.40 a year!!!!

I’m disabled so for me, at least some of these just aren’t possible, eg showering in three minutes. Neither can I reach plugs to turn on and off. However it’s worth getting someone to fit smart plugs so that you can turn things off.
I cannot manage without a tumble dryer, due to stoma issues, but I will try to turn it off before the cool setting so that I don’t need to run it as long, everything stays warm and continues to dry.

That's fine @flowerycurtain . Happens to all of us!
Yeah, devices take way less than many people think. Standby or working. I think some if the numbers still come from older technogy mixed with some myths in.

Oh and re the meat costs. Experiment. Visit your local asian/me butcher, usually in a back if the ahop. Grab some cheaper cuts. Or if you are into it some beef liver or kidney. Massive!
And check the freezers too. You can get great bargains on fish etc.
Also, I am going to kick myself if prices rise there😁, but their pulses tinned or dried are cheaper than supermarket

Buy your potatoes at a farm shop if you have one locally.
I buy a huge sack for £7 ish and they're fab and so versatile.
I kick myself that I used to spend £2 for enough potatoes for a meal for 5 previously
The sacks last ages.

I have a few hellofresh codes for free meals (just pay postage) if anyone would like one.

Following

Hi your

Thanks so much!
I've decided to pause mine that way if I wanted to use any 30% off or any referral credit I can but in the meantime won't be charged. I think because I've done this I can't see the cancel option but I'm assuming it's under "Subscription settings ".

Very excited about getting our box next week!

Dry shampoo is a must so you can wash your hair less often. If you can, let your hair dry naturally as hairdryers use a lot of electricity.

Keep showers to less than 4 minutes.

Buy Febreeze (or a less pricey version) and wear clothes for a day longer than you normally would.

Use the "quick wash" setting sometimes (not always) for clothes that are not visibly soiled, maybe on alternate washes.

Buy a carpet sweeper and use that on alternate days instead of the vacuum cleaner. Use a dustpan and brush on hard floors sometimes instead of vacuuming.

If you have a greenhouse, hang your washing in it in the summer. It dries REALLY quickly on a hot day.

Leave your breakfast dishes and wash them with the lunch dishes.

Aldi, Lidl and Home Bargains are MUCH cheaper for most products (but watch out for brand names, they can be pricey). In fact forget brand names you don't need them.

Buy Febreeze (or a less pricey version) and wear clothes for a day longer than you normally would.
You can mix bit of your softener with water..aame thing BUT complimenting the original amell of clothes since it waa used in a wash

Be careful with assuming the quick wash cycle uses the least energy. Often this isn't the case as they are cleaning via lots of energy intensive agitation, where as longer cycles use more soaking to get clothes clean. My least energy intensive cycle is almost 4 hours long.

If you're unsure you can google your machine or check the manual.

We have had one of these for years and it is brilliant. Definitely no gimmick.

cut up kitchen roll into smaller bits, use what’s needed. Use old clothes for cloths- never ending supply from old school shirts, and I usually them to reuse.

Second eating dal.

using only a little bit of meat in curries etc, and adding veg and pulses.

We've never actually used kitchen roll - just use (washable) dishcloths to mop up spills etc.
Actually thinking about what cleaning products you really need is a good tip - we used to buy loads of different ones that claimed they did specialist things, but not really necessary!

Wash all your blankets, throws, duvets, cushions, curtains, coats and other heavy winter items now so that you can dry outside rather than using a dryer or having large wet items hanging around inside during the winter.
Wear fleeces rather than heavy jumpers or sweatshirts as they dry much quicker. Check your local charity shops and sales for them and buy one size bigger so that you can put another layer underneath.
Joggers rather than jeans again as they are easier to dry and wear tights or thermals underneath. Keep an eye on charity shops for any or look on everything five pounds.com as I got 4 pairs in their half price sale for £2.50.
line curtains with old fleece.
make draft excluders for doors and windows out of any old clothing or bedding.
if you are on Facebook join your local free up and reuse sites and any local selling pages. I have received and offered quite a few useful items this year and there is often bundles of both adult and children’s clothes offered.

I used to not really bother taking a pack lunch to work etc. Ive always known this would save me money but had the budget spare to pay for convenience and have a cheap canteen at work.

since Christmas I’ve had nursery fee increase, the tax raise (now decreased) and a pension increment in addition to cost of living and petrol (have a 40 minute drive and no bus working work hours). So I really have felt it since January.

I now make egg mayonnaise sandwiches with cheap store own bread (hens eggs kindly donated by a neighbour who’s hens let so many ( I’ve offered cash but they won’t take it. So I get them whiskey at Xmas)). Between that and not going aimlessly to Tesco on my lunch break and buying treats or cute kids clothes for daughter just because, I’ve saved a lot. I treat myself to late morning breakfast roll at works canteen once a week, so then I don’t need lunch. If I do buy a sandwich or something I try to make sure it’s veggie as it’s usually cheaper. I’ve lost a wee bit weight too which is helpful. I’d often eat dinner food at lunch from the canteen which made me feel heavy and bloated.

1. Sit down and go through everything that goes out of your account and daily spends. Do you really need netflix and disney plus together for example? We do not subscribe to any TV other than netflix etc. We cancel it every few months and change to something else. Watch BBC etc on free view or player.

Divide everything that comes out weekly and ensure it goes somewhere that can't be touched. So for example every pay day I put 30 out into a savings account that will eventually be for my car insurance and heating oil. Paying car insurance in one go saves money but also gets it off your back for a year. I use revolut banking for sinking funds as they have vaults. In there I have vaults for pet bills, back to school and anything else coming up including hair cut. So when anything comes up the money is there. This does take a while to get going and isn't instant but boy is it worth it.

1. Before your food shop, look in fridge and shop your home first. So you may have curry powder and mango chutney and rice so all you need to buy is chicken or veg and coconut milk to make a curry. Meal plan, meal plan, meal plan. I've actually shaved between 10 and 20 off my shopping every week by doing this. When shopping don't be afraid of yellow stickers or reductions most things can be frozen.

1. We don't bother with heating water generally unless there is going to be a big wash up or bath. Tumble dryer only for emergencies and use clothes horse. I'm going to get one of those heated clothes horses this winter. Try to be strict with lights. I'm not so good with things being on standby. Will try this winter!

1. Heating doesn't need to be on all day. Feeling a chill? Put a jumper on is what they get told here. I bought the family fake oodies in primark last year. Game changer. I also am home a lot during day as work nights, I use the oil plug in if feeling v cold. Heating on for when kids come home from school. Don't need heating on during night you are under a duvet!! Also check for draughts, I found quite a large one near my bath strangely so have filled hole with cotton wool.

1. Being frugal also means not being miserable. Make sure that you have some money for fun. Whether that's a takeaway, lunch out or a day out.

Actually when you start doing all these things it becomes like a game. I got a lot of the tips from the Irish debt free community. There are lots of accounts on Instagram- mrs smart money, carribbean dub to name just two. Eye opening really on what I used to waste. Why it isn't taught in schools I'll never know.
Sorry this turned out to be an essay!

This thread is useful about the real cost of leaving things on standby. Not quite as high as some believe but enough to make switching off worthwhile.

Don't buy wipes or kitchen towels. Use old fashioned dishclothes and cut up old tee shirts for dusters. Throw in wash daily.
Use a spray bottle full of water with just a dash of disinfectant for dusting.

Never buy food on the go. That doesn't mean don't eat out but don't do it because you are hungry or late home. Take packed lunches. Then when you do eat out it's a real treat.

Shop online for groceries. It massively reduces impulse buying (admittedly you don't get yellow stickers but not everyone can do that anyway).

Get the biggest freezer you can. Or two. I have a chest freezer in the garage from when we had DC at home but it's still always full.

If not vegetarian then use less meat. Meals with mince are even cheaper if you mix in lentils.
Make soup. Keep all vegetable leftovers and stalky bits for soup. Bag up in freezer if not using straight away. Add lots of spices for flavour but don't be put off by green soup😆. Soup can be made more filling and nutriotious if you add a handful of beans or noodles.
Beans and pulses. The cheapest is to buy dried and soak them, but even if you buy tinned they are cheap and useful to add bulk to casseroles and soups. If you don't use the whole tin you can freeze the remainder.

If you have a garden grow fruit and veg. Grow the stuff that costs a lot but is easy such as salads and fruit. Fruit bushes need no attention other than picking and freezing the crop.

@tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz you can go to account details and disable your account. Maybe pausing would be a better idea though. I'm also very excited about my box coming on 8th August. I have a Hello Fresh box coming tomorrow which only cost me £6.49 for 6 meals so I've got two weeks worth of evening meals for less than £7 - bargain. I usually have porridge with a chopped up banana in for breakfast and something like a sandwich or something on toast for lunch so will probably only buy some fruit and milk this week. I do have tons of chocolate at home too as I'm a teacher and was very lucky to receive lots as end of year presents!

I thought pausing gives a bit of flexibility too.

Oooh enjoy all those lovely teas and for such little-£ too! Bargain

I always collect water in a little bucket when running the tap to get hot water goes on the garden
switch oven off earlier than recommended time
be prepared to eat hotch potch meals
wash clothes when you need to not just because you wore something for a day
get a water meter

Washing up water waters my garden. I am also adding extra barrels to collect rain water

We've put the butler onto part time hours as we've decided we can pour our own champagne in the evening. He can now finish at 8pm once he's served supper. In the interests of saving energy we don't employ a laundry maid anymore but we throw our clothes out once we've worn them once. Much better for the economy to buy more too. 😆

Unplug things like phone charger/TV when not in use. Turn thermostat down, lights off when not using a room, short shower most days.

Someone has probably mentioned batch coming cooking. Use lentils and finely chopped veg to bulk out meals. Meat options, chop once cooked and use cheaper cuts, chicken thigh is cheaper than chicken breast etc.

Cancel subscriptions.