Money saving tips for the new year

[MushyPeace]

New year, new start and all that... Anyone have any fab money saving tips?

Just due to everyday costs I have somehow managed to run up £5k debt and am so embarrassed. I don't budget well. DP and I have been taking about having a baby soon (not getting any younger) and I just can't go into it knowing I have this debt. AF was three days late until today and while i would be so happy to be preg I am also relieved I am not.

So what's your top tip?

I am so far trying the budget supermarkets and it will be packed lunches from now on. I will also eBay anything and everything!

[APartridgeAmongThePigeons]

Bump

[Mrsprudence]

Hello: I not only wanted to save money, but wanted to make money. i joined www.retaileyes.co.uk and have had 2 assignments from them. One was to do mystery shopping on hotel receptionists and give feedback. 90 minutes got me £90.


i also went through www.sarosresearch.com/home.html and that questionnaire took 2 minutes and I've just done 4 surveys @ Stansted for £78 in total. They choose who they want to take on, after you fill out a questionnaire for every market research assignment. I try and be as open to suggestion as possible ;) I had to go Pet's Corner & buy dog food. I got to keep the dog food, and got a rennet for taking part. The questionnaire afterward was LONG! Not quite worth doing that one. But, it gives me about £1,000 extra a year, which I whack into premium bonds.

[Breadandwine]

Meant to include a link to the current Mumsnet 5:2 diet thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/big_slim_whatever_weight_loss_club/a1663998-5-2-Diet-Thread-Perfect-number-10

Check it out, there are scores of posters losing weight on there - and saving money into the bargain!

[Breadandwine]

Pancake day is fast approaching - but did you know you could make an excellent pancake with just flour and water?

These will cost you approx 1p each - as against 9-10p for those using traditional ingredients - and they taste just as good:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/pancakes-using-just-flour-and-water.html

And, I don't know why I didn't mention this earlier, but, if you practice the 5:2 diet, you'll save 20% of your adult food bill - and you can lose weight at the same time!

Cheers, B&W

[SilentMammoth]

This is just me being anorak_y, but when we had dd1 I very carefully "filed" clothes in age range (three to six months etc) in labelled pillow cases before vacuum packing away.

Expecting dc5 and recently moved dd4 up an age range and it felt sooo good to just reach in, grab bag, and re file other clothing for next one!

Sorry, slightly smug post but I really felt proud of myself!

[1stMrsFrugal]

Thanks for some great tips . i have applied for a myWaitrose card and made a playdate with a friend to go to storytime at the library tomorrow!

[13Iggis]

Bluelightsandsirens - heavens you wouldn't want my meal plans - baked potatoes, omelettes, stir fry and pasta pasta pasta is the order of the day! (We are vegetarians) (and crap cooks).

[Breadandwine]

Hi folks

Been watching this thread with interest, and thought I'd add my two pennyworth.

My passion is breadmaking! And there's no doubt at all that you can save quite a bit of money by making your own loaves and other bread products - pizzas, Chelsea buns, that sort of thing.

I've put together a post on my blog:

nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/on-tight-budget-make-your-own-bread.html

where I've gathered together some ideas, especially with a view to saving money.

If you have any questions or suggestions about other breads you don't see on my blog, please feel free to come back to me.

ATB! B&W

[AudrinaAdare]

Tesco Everyday Shampoo

40p per litre as opposed to £1 for 400ml alberto balsam

I bought some on Friday and it isn't strongly perfumed (good, because I don't like my body / scent and hair to clash), doesn't lather up as well, but it got my hair clean using the same amount. It was fine.

Then again I wash mine every day as it tends towards greasy so I don't need TLC from my shampoo. Even so, t would be great for the DC / DH who don't have coloured or damaged hair.

[BluelightsAndSirens]

Feel free to post your meal plans, mine has gone to pot due t a sneaky Chinese take away last night and chips beside the sea tonight although. Dd do the lulled pork ready for tomorrow and it smells lovely with so much meat from a £6 shoulder of pork.

[13Iggis]

I wrote a menu plan for next ten days or so and shopped strictly to it today - went to Aldi's for first time, and bought what I couldn't get there in Asda's. Spent £80 - would normally be about £100 with loads of top-up shops, so we'll see how it goes!

[HellesBelles396]

just loaded slow cooker pot with a beef stew to put on in the morning

[HellesBelles396]

Inconspicuous areas of the freezer are tucked into the wall so I think I'll find a less ricky option

Re-organised freezer yesterday into:
Top Drawer: accompaniments - oven chips, steam fresh veg (I know but I love them), frozen yorkshires (I know but I hate making them), crusty bread rolls.
Middle drawer: ingredients - frozen meat, onions, garlic, chilli, veg, fruit
Bottom drawer: leftovers, and, now, frozen sandwiches!!!!

Also stacked meat in the fridge into date order so the meat that needs using on Monday is at the top ready for cutting up and putting into the pot tomorrow ready for the slow cooker being switched on on Monday morning! Quite excited

Not excited that I may then only be on mumsnet once a day....

[Piemother]

With the cards I buy plain ones from tesco I think it's 3.50 for 50 or thereabouts. I give them to dc to decorate with stamps/stickers they love it and it makes the cards special stickers v easy but using paint stamps is probably the cheapest option. Which reminds me I must find some new ones as crowns/Xmas trees don't quite cover all occasions!

[Fluffycloudland77]

You can also use green lentils in spaghetti Bol if you use tinned.

Frozen sandwiches don't go soggy. Promise. Unless you add salad.

[mathanxiety]

'Test in an inconspicuous area first' HellesBelles.

Mayo separates when you thaw it out after freezing and is pretty much impossible to re-emulsify. You live and learn..

[LilyVonSchtupp]

I just add red lentils with the stock / passata. No soaking, no pre-cooking. They take 20 mins to cook and IMO make it taste better.

Tip: I went to Oxfam today - bought a load of random and varied birthday cards for sending to friends & family through the year. All 49p each. All some quite nice. Saves me both money and hours agonising in Paperchase over whether to go Humorous or Sincere.

Also money goes to Oxfam.

[BoffinMum]

Red, but you didn't hear it from me.

[Pan]

Lentils. Bolognese.




You've been reported, Olivia.

[OliviaPeaceOnMumsnet]

lentils
Will someone tell me about the lentils? Which ones (tinned please?) for bolognese??

[BoffinMum]

Don't sandwiches go soggy if frozen?

[HellesBelles396]

good point 13iggis not going to write on the freezer!

[littlemonkeychops]

Thanks mathanxiety -lentils on the shopping list! :-)

[13Iggis]

Thanks Jenduck, lots of good advice on that site!
The tips on cooking/freezing food that's about to go off are great, ashamed to say I throw a lot away.
I often write a list of what's in the freezer, but never thought of a whiteboard. I don't know if freezers would be like school whiteboards, the pen tends to show through after a while.

[HellesBelles396]

Ten sandwiches in freezer for next week:
ham
tuna (no mayo)
cheese
chicken

It only took 20 minutes which is how long it takes on a morning when I'm trying to do 20 things at once!