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 :)

Can I recommend the regular "Tips for Meanies" column in the Oldie magazine. You can see it online - no need to buy it.

A couple that stick in the mind:

Budget Cola is an excellent toilet cleaner and cheaper than normal cleanser.

Items in the infants' section of supermarkets are often better and/or cheaper than elsewhere e.g. cotton wool, wipes, baby oil etc.

Lemon curd buttercream.......drools - I am officially on mat leave I can do stuff!!!!

We had a budget downsize recently and a couple of things I find useful:
Meal plan and stick to that when shopping, but add one cupboard essential onto the list each week, even if you don't need it immediately - means you don't run out of everything all at once
When relatives/friends ask for suggestions for presents for DCs, think more broadly than toys to things they need, are extra expense to you and they will enjoy having as presents/being able to think of who gave it to them, eg sports equipment (leotard, swimming costume, ballet shoes, tennis racket, football), stuff for school (lunch box, school bag, winter coat), stuff for their rooms (new bedding set, lamp), paying for extra curricular activities (lessons, musical instrument hire)

I have started breaking my dishwasher tablets - it actually works just as well! Shame I can't easily get cheapo white vinegar... malt just doesnt look like it will clean so well!

Agree with presents, often relatives are keen to give soemthing they will like. I politely send a letter to Santa from our little one to close family. It has sugestions of things she likes including 'every day' things that she enjoys receiving in perhaps an 'upgraded' version.... such as Dora Explorer pants and socks when i would usually get shops own etc..... Good idea about stuff for activities and schools - will remeber than in next few years.

Also, DD got lovely stuff /accesories for her bedroom which we prob wouldn;t have afforded for a little while.

Agree with dishwasher tabs.... seems to work as well.

Porbably been mentioned but our present drawer saves us money and spreads out the cost of Xmas and Birthdays throughout the years. We have a drawer underneath the bed and when ever I see bits and bobs suitable for kids DDs age, Xmas, relatives etc at a good price i get them and pop them in the drawer. We had DD's birthday today and last week we opened the drawer. We had just about everything we wanted to give her: books/dvds, second hand from ebay but in good condition, craft bits that i found reduced, few toys bought in jan sales etc.

Freeze every scrap of clean leftovers = free meals.

Will enjoy reading this thread...

When we had two dogs and a cat, I kept a bag in freezer compartment of fridge for meat and cheese bits, cooked fish skin, leftovers etc which when full provided a "Scraps" meal now and again which was real favourite, and free, without risk of over-feeding pets on extras.

Showtime - I do something similar with scraps for the dog, but I take pleasure in reducing his normal dog food to compensate. Win win.

Those talking about dark chocolate for baking- go to Aldi, theirs is amazing. Think the 70% Moser Roth one is 99p a bar, 50% Dairyfine one is 30p. (Adding this because it is a frugal thread!)

ok. i'm trying aldi today for a midweek top up. what usually puts me off are the queues at the checkouts, but i think i'll have enough to justify the wait. Can anyone recommend an instant coffee from them that's good? i'll get some of that chocolate too!

Sell old toys/clothes on ebay or do car boot sale
Sign up to Money Saving Expert email/voucher code sites
Shop in Aldi and buy any 'must have' brands when on offer elsewhere
Meal plan for week and stick to it when shopping
Walk where you can, don't use the car
Charity shops
Use toy libraries
Phone Sky etc and haggle over prices (I got my monthly Sky sub down from £60 a month to £40 a month when dh lost his job)
ANd finally, good luck x

I think also remember that you don't have to do all these things at once. Start with one money-saver and when you've got the hang of it, add another.

Heading into single parenthood is a big change and you need to allow yourself time to make the transition.

I think aldi choc is excellent too - I buy the big bags of small choc bars for dd lunch box etc and they last us months - dd is only 2.10
If you like after 8's they do a slab of dark choc with mint cream filling that I think is v yummy.
Probably an obvious one but I have a cupboard I fill with recycling junk - plastic tubs and kitchen roll tubes etc then I just use it for craft stuff with dd - time to get ready for Xmas crafts so saving it all up - I get excited he he

Tesco cheapo chocolate is really nasty
Sainsbos toffees are yummy. I got them to top a sticky apple cake and ate them all!

Talking of cheap chocolate, the Sainsbury's basic dark stuff is good (I use it for baking, and eating) - 32p for 100g I think.

I've been really impressed with sainsburys basics recently.
Bread 50p a loaf - if you go through a lot of bread can't go wrong IMO.
Tea cakes again 50p
Baguettes for the oven- lovely!
Bacon- great for a carbonara
Parmesan- can't fault it
feta cheese again good
Chocolate-like mentioned already great for making cookies
Salad- I find it great for making up Jamie Oliver salads
Peppers- great
Apples- great
Bananas- great
Tinned toms (these are in cartons though) great for sauces
Other sauces ie mint etc I find ok too.

So.
I drew £100 out of the bank this morning for the weeks food...and after a trp to aldi and asda there is £12 left :(
Got some stuff I won't neediest week I guess like loo rolls and bin bags and dishwasher tablets but all other stuff was things that we will need to replace next week...salad, veg, etc
So...come on...how do I make £12 last the rest of the week?
(will need salad, veg, bread, milk etc)

How essential is the salad?

Round lettuce... I have avoided it for years and now realise that sliced thinly it is rather nice and foes further than a cos!

Quite essential..dh and I are on a diet! :)
I am not keen on iceberg lettuce at all :(
Oh dear....

Am going to make flapjacks and choc chip muffins tomorrow.
That should last til end of next week...
Will do pancakes for breakfasts next week and omelettes and beans on toast.
Ds2 has porridge and fruit usually.
I will not have breakfast - am on a diet.
Will try and stick to potatoes, veg/salad and meat, pasta etc
I think £100 should feed 4...it's £25 a week each.
Bought asda own brand condensed milk and smart price oats for the flapjacks..hope they are ok....also bought aldi own brand butter (am a our pack girl) hope ds1 likes their pizzas! Only 90p each!!

I'm just surprised you managed to spend a £100 nearly in Aldi, I had a voucher for £5 off a £35 spend and had to buy an extra chicken, pack of mince and cat food to qualify.

I think our actual shop for the two of us is £24 this week.

Have you tried approved foods for snacky stuff? Smart price packet batter mix is actually nice, I've used it on DH who is very vocal if he dosent like something and it passed with flying colours. You can do pancakes or yorkshire pudding with it.

I spent £60 in aldi and £27 in asda.
I was shocked too!

I suppose I got some things I won't need next week...dw tablets, loo rolls, scourers etc
But still...
Also treated dh to a breaded Camembert thing.
Bought myself some plain choc.
Boys got some biscuits.
That's it, really, can't think of anything I bought that was fancy or unnecessary.
Did buy a couple of once monthly things in asda too so will probably only be £10 next week there...

I've found out today that Sainsburys basic bubble bath is 40p a litre and BUAV approved (cruelty free).

So I can refill the hand soap pumps with this instead of buying aldi hand wash at 55p.

Perhaps if you have spent more than you wanted try to eek out what you have in.

If I'm wanting to wait a few more days or even a week before I do another shop I write down everything I have in. I then write down meals from the ingredients, crossing the ingredients off my stock take list as I put them in meals I have written down. I always come up with a surprising number of meals! If I've run out of salad I will do meals that are ok with frozen veg, or tinned sweetcorn (or I take out some coins but not my purse and card so I can only buy salad stuff).

Do you have any independent fruit and veg shops instead of supermarkets? I have one nearby that is soo cheap. 2 for £1 on stuff like tomatoes and mushrooms that would be 80p+ each in asda, and cheap strawberries, cherries and blueberries, usually 2 for £1.50 rather than 2 for £3 in asda. Always worth checking little shops out to see what their prices are like.