Little things you do because actually you are a bit tight

[nappyaddict]

Just noticed this thread I just posted on is a zombie thread, so I am starting a new one because I thought it was a good thread.

Buy value wrapping paper

Walk instead of using the car or bus.

Walk or get the bus instead of getting a taxi if we want to have a drink out.

Reuse wee-free night pants.

Changed wet nappies every 6 hours (reusuable)

Only buy clothes out of necessity and only 2nd hand or discounted. Same for shoes and accessories.

Buy presents for the year in the sales.

Ignore use by dates and eat it anyway if it looks, smells and tastes ok.

On days out in the summer, will try to find a supermarket nearby where I can buy boxes of ice creams instead of buying them singularly or from the ice cream van.

I use a mobile hair dresser.

Occasionally get nails/tan done as a treat but again use a mobile lady (£15 for nails, £8 for tan if I go to her, £10 if she comes to me)

Take my own food and drink to the cinema. My favourite is hot dogs cooked just before we leave the house and wrapped up in foil and a plastic glass of wine

Essential oils and water for air/fabric freshener. Also spray onto vacuum filters and dab neat essential oil on radiators.

Only put the washer on between 10pm and 8:30am because it's cheaper.

Reuse gift bags.

Ask for nice Neals Yard stuff for birthdays and Christmas as could never justify buying it myself.

Rehome people's shower gel/shampoo at the swimming pool when they have left it behind.

I buy big bottles of castile liquid soap and dilute for hand wash, shower gel, bath soak, washing up liquid.

I only wash my hair once a week. I use coconut oil (the stuff you cook with) the night before as a conditioning treatment and shampoo out the next day.

limit non-hair washing showers to 5 mins. brush my teeth in the shower.

I don't buy fancy face cleansers. I use the oil cleansing method. (google if you haven't heard of it)

I use 1 tablespoon of laundry liquid for all loads and wash colours and darks on a 30 minute fast wash. wear things more than once until they are dirty.

I always try and park for free or hunt out the cheapest car parks.

I take a quick packed lunch for us if we are going out for the day. try and go out after mealtimes and eat at home first.

hand wash, wax and valet the car.

keep a list of products I buy regularly on my phone, the cheapest price I have seen them and where. update the list if I see it cheaper elsewhere not on an offer.

refuse to buy a tumbledryer because of energy costs.

turn lights off and all plugs off at switch. I want to get one of those things that tell you how much electricity you are using.

have an indoor thermometer and only turn heating off if it goes below 17 degrees c.

don't have heating on a timer. turn heating on when we come in/go out.

don't buy fancy cleaning products. everything gets cleaned with white wine vinegar, bleach, bicarbonate of soda, lemon/lime, microfibre cloths.

dp has switched to smoking an e cigarette type thing and is trying to quit.

dp and ds both take packed lunches to school and drink the free water available from the dispensers there.

dp drives to train station and gets the train into work. a monthly train pass was cheaper than driving and he parks there for free.

meal plan and try to batch cook and freeze so using energy costs to cook only once. buy cheap joints to coo in slow cooker which is mores energy efficient too. get 2 or 3 types of meals out of a joint for example a roast, a soup and a curry. I also look in the reduced section and freeze things from there. I only have 3 drawers in my freezer so don't buy much from the freezer section, freeing up the space for meat and batch cooked things.

slow cook a gammon joint, a beef brisket, a lamb breast, a whole chicken and slice/freeze for sandwich meat.

buy big pots of natural yoghurt instead of individual pots.

buy spices, veg, flours, rice etc from world cuisine shops.

snacks are hard boiled eggs, cheese, salad, cold meats, homemade meatballs, leftovers, yoghurt, fruit, breadsticks/crackers/rice cakes. i buy mr kipling cakes for lunchboxes from heron foods when they are 65p for 6. I stock up on lindt dark choc when its on offer and I buy a pudding and ice cream once a week. I find fresh fruit goes off and gets wasted so buy a mixture of fresh and frozen fruit and the little pots of pineapple from aldi.

we have fakeaway (homemade) curry/chinese/kebab nights and fake gastro pub lunches as a treat. we buy more expensive better quality food and drink than what we would normally have for example brie and crusty bread, matured steak and asparagus, a posh pudding, a bottle of chateau neuf de pape, a cheese platter, liquer coffees and chocolates. we make an afternoon of it, take our time between courses chatting perhaps playing a game. we take perhaps 3 or 4 hours over lunch.

cut flowers out of the garden instead of buying them.

grow our own herbs.

I want to plant some fruit trees and have a veg patch but that's on my to do list.

got a phone contract with unlimited texts and unlimited minutes and cancel house phone contract.

I know people who have cancelled their tv license and watch tv via online catch up.

I would cancel virgin/sky tv and get a freeview+ box and netflix but dp won't.

I save loads by having two freezers. I can take advantage of offers on things (being canny of course!) and batch cook. Because I'm usually only cooking for me and DS, it easier (and more economical) to cook a big batch. I freeze odds and ends of bread that would otherwise be wasted and when I have enough, make a bread pudding. I bought two big caulis from the local ethnic supermarket yesterday for £1.20 and blanched and froze them. I also cook up any fruit and veg that's on the turn and freeze it.

But you have to find out what works for you, I can totally understand why you wouldn't have a freezer if you found yourself filling it with things you don't need.

I use Quidco a lot and I'm also signed up with a few product testing things, like Tesco's Orchard and BzzAgent where you get vouchers to try out products if you give reviews on them.

My hairdresser will charge me less for a wet cut. It actually suits me fine as I always hate the way they dry/style it anyway! And they do stick me under the drier for a bit so I'm not walking out with sopping hair.

I'm also a bit at leaving a child in a wet nappy for 6 hours. Even a disposable would be minging after that amount of time but a resuable would be totally grim.

I used to be convinced mine needed washing every day, but I cut it down gradually and now do it every three days. When I was pregnant, though, it never got greasy and I could probably have gone a week without washing it. It looked the same, too.

I agree with you on some things but I would never leave a child in a cloth nappy for 6 hours! Do they not leak/make their bottoms sore? 3 hours was the absolute maximum I would ever leave a standard cloth day nappy on.

I would also never re-use pull ups even if they hadn't been peed in. It's just not nice is it?

Could you cancel the Sky subscription and have Freeview? That would save a significant amount each month.

We used cloth nappies and had to change AT LEAST every 3hrs (usually 2) I loved using cloth on the dc but 6 hours and their asses would have been bright red and very sore.

We go to the cinema very rarely but when we do we go after we've eaten and just take a bottle of drink and a bag of popcorn we've made at home with us, or treat ourselves to some sweets from the supermarket first.

We have sky but it was a joint treat to ourselves for both giving up smoking. The cost of it is only 1/4 of that we were spending on cigarettes so still a huge saving there.

We clean everything using bi-carb, white vinegar & lemon/lavender/tea tree essential oils.

We're only just starting on our credit crunch journey so there's a lot more we can do but baby steps and all that.

I'm currently in the process of cutting down our shopping bill by $50-$75 dollars a week (food here is expensive

We've reduced our meat intake, particularly red meat and I'm playing around with bulking certain meals up with lots of veg. We've really cut down on snacks. The dc are 3 & 4 years old an really don't need them. We have a big healthy breakfast and good lunch and a proper dinner sometimes with fruit/natural yoghurt or something homemade for desert. If they are particularly hungry they'll have a small snack of a small biscuit/rice cake with peanut butter/some cubes of cheese/bits of raw veg but tbh they never really ask anymore.

I cut dp's hair, I rarely have mine done and when I do it's part of a birthday or Christmas present. I trim the ends occasionally myself. The boys have long hair and have it trimmed when it starts to look scruffy.

Most of our clothes are 2nd hand or sale items (but we do buy new shoes) the boys very rarely wear shoes however as they settled into the kiwi life rather well. ;)

We take pack lunches everywhere if we go out and we have thermos flask/travel mugs for coffee & tea.

So we're slowly getting there.

I get my hair cut every 2 years (and donate the cut hair to a charity that makes wigs for cancer patients)

Watch only freeview (on my free YouView box -thanks MN for the product test)

Car picnics on days out.

Homemade popcorn for our rare cinema trips

Grow our own fruit, veg, herbs, flowers, and save seeds for replanting (and gifts)

Regifting, especially stuff my DCs got new (eg from relatives) that wasn't to their taste.

I don't get into rounds on nights out as it takes me hours to drink a glass of wine. I also alternate with glasses of water, so a night out rarely involves more than two drinks.

If I'm making more than two cups of tea, I use a teapot but still only two teabags for up to five cups.

I make my own flatbreads, it's massively cheaper than buying them.

I buy my clothes from charity shops and use my sewing machine to adapt them if necessary.

I run appliances during the day where possible as we have solar PV panels so the power is free!

Hoping I haven't yet crossed the line from frugal to tight.

I'm a bit speechless, tbh.

I add water to the last little bit in my washing up liquid/shampoo bottles so that I can be sure I've completely used every drop (thanks for the tip Nanny Smith rip).

I line the kitchen food caddy with newspaper instead of buying compostable bags.

I buy bars of soap instead of shower gel or handwash.

I reuse jiffy bags.

And I think that's about it ...

I cannot for the life of me imagine what is pleasurable about taking a hot dog and a plastic glass of wine to the cinema .

And the nappy thing is definitely nothing to be proud of.

Agree that sky and fags are hardly a necessity. I cancelled my TV licence and watch things on catch up on the laptop. Stealing shampoo and conditioner would cut costs though, I can see that

So you'd stay dirty, leave your child in their own puss for 6 hours, steak from the am swimming baths, so you can smoke? I'm actually disgusted by this. No doubt you'll be on Kyle soon, giving out all these 'tips'.

A lot of the above, and I water down fruit juice.
Always have drinks and snacks on me when out.
Park 10 mins walk from work rather than pay to park next door.
Joined a private gym with lovely pools - £40 per month got me, £10 a year for the dc, we go at least once a week, much cheaper than us all going to public pool.

I empty dds's pooey nappy onto the roses.
Wash towels quarterly.
Make the first cuppa of the morning with water from my hot water bottle (winter only).
Buy one cut-price chicken from Aldi and feed EVERYONE in the cinema.
Borrow nextdoor's wifi.
'Liberate' shampoo that looks lost and forlorn from the supermarket.
I've never washed my bum.

• my maternal grandmother did actually make tea with hot water bottle water and drown kittens

Wash towels quarterly!

I stop the kids smiling so that don't use up too much air

Good grief

Hot water bottle tea?! That must have been vile!

Yes BorntoFolk made with water from the well. I can't imagine how awful it must've tasted.

I hope people realise my list was a wind-up, perhaps i should have added a silly face/biscuit emoticon?

Honestly, the grin face wasn't needed. They were hilarious!

Wow I change my ds reusable nappy every 2 hours unless it's wet or dirty before then. Could never leave it 6 hours!

Like I said in the title I don't do these things because we are skint, I am just a bit tight I was brought up like this, because money was tight and it's hard to shake off those ways. Hence still enjoying treat food, spray tans, nails, takeaways, trips to the pub etc. My DP is trying hard to quit with the e-cigarette. I have told him that when he manages it he can get a rugby season ticket which actually works out at £1.50 extra a week but it's a good incentive and something he would really enjoy. It's a good incentive and a lot more worthwhile.

I think Virgin TV is a waste cos I don't really watch it. DP does watch it and he pays for it out of his own personal money. (We have a joint account which he pays in all the money for our household budget, I keep my own wages and he keeps the rest of his) Has anyone got a NowTV box? I think they look quite good.

We prefer to spend money on a fake pub lunch, cooked just how we like, with treat foods we wouldn't normally have and stretch it over a whole afternoon. The alternative is to spend the same amount on substandard food, pushed to the limit restaurant staff and be in and out in less than 2 hours.

I normally lather up, then brush teeth whilst the shower is rinsing off the soap.

Perhaps my DS just didn't wee much but even in 6 hours his nappies were never that wet and he was never sore. If they were too wet he would have leaked onto his clothes but he didn't. I think maybe he held his wees longer than most kids and then did one big one? Like someone else said you don't bat an eyelid at keeping a nappy on at night time and my DS used to sleep 14 hours solid at night.

The hotdogs aren't luke warm when we eat them as we live 5-10 mins from the cinema. Sometimes I preassemble and wrap in foil, other times I put the sausages in a flask and take cut rolls and assemble there.

We have Economy 7 so it is cheaper at night time. It's on a timer to finish so I can get it straight out of the washer when it's finished.

I don't buy secondhand shoes but I will only buy them when they are discounted unless absolutely desperate for new ones.

With the shower gel I am pretty sure they have intentionally left it. There's normally a third or less left in the bottle and I only rehome it if no one comes back after we're all dry, changed and ready to go.

I've thought of a few more.

Regifting

I only take DS to kids club film showings unless it's something we really want to see.

I also take flasks of hot drinks out with me and bottles of water. I always carry snacks around for DS instead of buying them out.

I try to only put in enough water for what we need for the kettle. Annoyingly though sometimes I don't put quite enough in and then have to boil it a second time.

I only get my hair cut about twice a year and try to time it around special occasions if possible. If a wedding, christening or special party pops up I might get it done an extra time. DS has longish hair. I get it cut to the top of his collar and then get it cut when it passes the bottom of his collar. I used to wash my hair more but my hairdresser told me if you gradually cut down how often you wash it, your hair balances itself out and starts producing less oil and it's better for it. I also alternate one week with a coconut oil treatment and shampoo wash, the next week with a conditioner only wash, otherwise it gets too dry. I rarely use the hairdryer, straighteners or curling wand on my hair - only if we are going out somewhere nice and even then a lot of the time I do an up do rather than curl or straighten it.

I maintain that brushing teeth in the shower is a waste of water and energy. You either have a huge amount of skin to rinse or you're not brushing your teeth for long enough (which is an expensive mistake to make). It takes me ten seconds to rinse all the suds off my body, just by rotating once, very slowly.

I'd be so fascinated by someone assembling hot, smelly snacks in a cinema that I'd happily miss the film just to watch them.

I spend about 5 mins in the shower, 2 of those are spent brushing my teeth. I would still spend 5 mins in the shower if I didn't brush my teeth in there so for me it is both a time and energy saver.

Think the OP is getting a bit of a hard time here!

I do the following;

Water down juice

Water down full fat milk

Only put small amount of water in kettle

I buy value snacks for home and decent brands fo r our packed lunch

We buy snacks in supermarket before going to the cinema/theatre- not willing to spend double the amount.

We bring snacks and drinks wherever we go- shopping centre, long drive to see family. This way we never get caught out.

Walk rather than take the bus.

Use tea bags twice
Use a mooncup
Darn socks

If you wear your clothes until they are properly dirty and then only wash them on a quick wash with a spoon full of washing stuff how do they ever get clean?

I am going to admit I don't really understand this thread. If you have to cut down because you can't afford to live any other way then ok, but why live like this if you don't have to?

I was brought up to think being that tight with money when you don't need to is a bad thing