your top tips for money-saving and a more frugal life..

[amigoingmadhere]

Right - having until now led a relatively good lifestyle, am about to be single with 3 young dcs and very little money (not going to go into background here as it's depressing and will only get me down on this sunny morning).

Rather than sit here terrified, I would like to gather the collective wisdom of MN to see how I can immediately live a more frugal life and preserve any little money we have for a house and the dcs' future.

So, here's what I can think of to start with:

• get a new Boots card (old one is connected to my stbxh's email account)
• get Tesco clubcard
• get Nectar card
• always scour the internet etc. for vouchers / codes etc. (do this anyway but in a more random way)
• only ever buy presents in sales
• when moving house, try to get as much as possible from charity shops / freecycle etc.
• use library more
• see if Surestart still exists (a while since I used their services)
• start looking for any local free/cheap gym / sports facilities

There must be more that I'm not thinking of.. would be grateful for your ideas! - shopping / cooking / kids' activities / house furnishing etc.

I'm starting afresh on a new and wonderful life.. but it's going to be hard.

thanks :)

If your kids and transport arrangements will allow it, go to the supermarket ASAP before closing time in the evening. Lots of fruit, veg, bread etc gets discounted...

Right you are - maybe I will give soap nuts a try then. Where did you buy them? Seen any small samples?

When I was little washing up liquid was used for baths on a regular basis.

My mother denies this.

Meanwhile....any ideas about printer ink? I used to use a refil service but the shop has closed down. It's a HP photosmart fecking ink guzzler!
Anyone know where it online you can buy it cheaper?

Is the 25% off st sainsburys still in tomorrow??

Crackcrackcrak, I know this sounds expensive but I got a laser printer off amazon for about a £100, BUT, toner only costs me £40 a year and I print out loads of business stuff and money off coupons whereas the HP would run out of ink in 3 months costing me a fortune.

Depends on type of printer Crackcrackcrak, Tesco's agrees with my Epson, have used cheaper on-line but had problems with it, sorry no experience with HP printers (and been talked-out of doing own refills).

Fluffy.... That reminds me! I suggested to exp years ago that we bought a black and white only big standard printer to use got all our uni/business stuff which would be much more cost effective wrt ink. He wouldn't allow it and scoffed. I may do just that since I am contemplating a phd - thanks for digging that out of my frazzled brain

Well thanks to the tips on here I am proud to say I have made some changes already (newly single parent).

No more kitchen roll - use a cloth
Snapped a dishwasher tablet in half, and used the eco cycle - no difference in cleanliness at all.
Set clothes washing to cooler, shorter wash with less powder - again, no difference in cleanliness.
Turned down the thermostat on the hot water, and have reduced the time the hot water is on during the day.

I can't believe how much product and energy I have been wasting!

Crack, you were right!. Toner seems so expensive but it does 1200 copies, I always change mine to 300dpi everytime I press print so I might get more than that. I have the predecessor to this one, I checked the cost of toner out before I bought it and brother send you a prepay label so you can send the empty toner back for refilling.

Blue, If it's a small tank eg not a big 5' tall one you only need 20 mins or so. Thats my new discovery this week. Turning my stat down saved me £30 straightaway.

Always, always check your washing machine manuals. Mine uses more electric for 30 than 40.

Try tesco daisy powder for the dishwasher, I've been using the same box since last November. One tablespoon per wash.

I have yet another boiler with no thermostat that I can find. I can turn the heating down but not the water temp! Will give turning the time down instead.
Thanks forte printer info. I don't printing ATM but I will be

I need to work on cutting food down now. I was ok working but now I'm on leave and eating at home more suddenly bills are shooting up.

Set budget, have excel spreadsheet with different tabs for each category (bus / housekeeping / pressies etc) and stick to it rigidly.

Keep every receipt and log in excel spreadsheet. Helps with tweaking of budget.

Explain to friends you can't afford b'day pressies for them for a while.
Explain to family the same or, if nec, tell them you have a reduced budget (ours is currently max. £5 for a niece/nephew, £10 for sibling/parent incl. postage and b'day card).
They should understand.

Take calculator if you go food shopping so you can work out best value easily.

Get rid of telly (save at least £12 per month on license fee) - you can watch iplayer etc online without license (as long as you aren't watching live telly).

Get rid of credit card(s).

Aldi / Lidl / Home Bargains.

Buy clothes on ebay (if you can resist bidding wars).

Good luck!xxx

Crack, the water thermostat is usually on top of the hot water tank if you have one under a plastic round cover about 2" deep with a screw fastening it to the tank.

If you havent got a water tank download your boiler manual and see what it says.

Nope can't find anything will have to find the manual - thanks though

Badvoc Yes 25% off TU at Sainsbo's is on til END of tomorrow

Buy everything on eBay.

Hello! I live in New York and have a 9 week old little boy. My husband and I are going to be in Enfield for two weeks to visit my husband's family and introduce the little one to his British family! I don't want to bring our carseat (I have heard they get really damaged from being checked on an airplane and are no longer safe to use). We will need a carseat for the couple weeks we will be in the UK, but I was hoping to find a used one! I know in New York there are websites where people pass along their used baby things. Is there something similar in the Enfield/Southgate area? My husband's family could come and pick it up anytime in the next month. Any advice on where to find one would be so appreciated! - Jacqueline Taylor

They could try freecycle or their local facebook selling page.
Have a nice trip!
You can buy new ones from places like asda for £30 also.

Asda or Argos then you could sell it again afterward? Facebook baby selling page locally best though

Boots "Natural Collection" make up is really good and are £1.79 each or £5 for 3 items. They really are all excellent products (especially the mascara). I know make up is probably way down on your list of things to buy, but, sometimes we all need a treat and these are good value :)

Oooh, the MUA range from Superdrug is really good too, especially the eyeliner. Most of the things are only £1 too.

So...have ordered a lush shampoo bar for my hair. Will order some astonish cleaner and soap nuts for the laundry.
Anything else?
Which sort of astonish should I get?
Any tips for cheap face care?
I have very sensitive skin...
Have any of you got a Lakeland heated aired? Are they good/worth it?

Went to sainsbos btw and got dc some nice clothes - stuff they really needed.
Hat, scarf and glove sets for £2.50 instead of £10!!
pj sets too.
Can I have some recommendations of stuff to get from aldi btw?

Poundshop/savers/homebargains for astonish stuff, it's more expensive online.

Most things are good in aldi tbh. Even the foundations and powder.

What's this astonish stuff?