Alternative money tips...lot's of 'em

[Buddy80]

I was searching for more money saving tips and came across this mega list 55 Money Saving Tips you've probably never heard of

It prompted me and I thought it would be fun to start our own thread

Read your electricity and gas meters at least once a month and input them online to your energy suppliers.

It will prevent estimated bills which are either you, making an interest-free loan to the energy company, or building up a big debt which will be hard to pay in future.

Also it tells you if your usage is unusually high, and you can work out why.

Just moaning about the ££ on the payment is no good if you don't know how it was worked out (or guessed).

Soda crystals instead of washing powder.

Vinegar instead of fabric conditioner.

Drop of essential oil or food flavouring instead of any other dryer 'smellies'.

Buy veggie mince instead of meat.

If your house is cold, get an electric blanket. A warm, dry bed can save a fortune on heating bills and will make you very comfortable. Supermarket own-brands will be cheaper.

Electric blankets are reduced to half-price at the end of the winter, then halved again to clear the stock. Get a bigger size than the label suggests or it will not reach the sides and the end of the bed. If you and your partner squabble about warmth, buy a dual-control one.

Sandwich before shopping = ace idea! Also getting some fruit and nut mix in a nice pot for work snacks is a goody... but even have a pack of orange trios uniteds or viscount biscuits in case chocolate cravin f s get too much.. stops the 70p vender chock

If you have central heating, use the timer and the thermostat. If you don't have any, get them. Don't heat the house more than about 12-15C when you are out or in bed. A modern house will not get that cold if it is warm morning and evening.

One degree lower on the thermostat will save about 10% off your fuel bill (because it is usually not very cold)

aha, we have the old ' it isn't theft if it is from a business' here. Love those elastic morals.

may everyone get what they deserve.

Make sure you have energy-saving bulbs in lights that are on for long periods, such as hall, landing and living room. Modern ones warm up quite quickly. Choose a wattage about 25% of the old incandescent bulb and nobody will moan that they are dim (e.g. 24W CFL matches a 100W incandescent for light output).

Don't buy LED lamps if they are expensive, they will be half the price next year so they are no investment.

If you have spotlights or downlights, get something more sensible.

Insulate your loft, your hot water cylinder, and your pipes.

Draught-strip your doors and windows

If you have single-glazed windows, use plastic film.

The payback on investment will be a thousand times better than buying new plastic windows.

Choose a busy restaurant, and after a slap-up meal, leg it whilst the waiting staff aren't looking.

Pretend to deliver some Xmas cards, and liberate a few porches of parcels left there.

If you're handy, run a cable into the lamp post in the street - saves thousands in electricity!

Can't believe sparklecrates hasn't posted these.

I agree with the waiting an hour before you buy something. I know you can always take unwanted purchases back but putting a stop to spontaneous buying is very good.

This year I am stopping buying magazines, coffees out and clothes. I have a terrible clothes buying habit, so for a year I am buying everything from charity shops unless they are cheaper in the real shops !

I have downgraded my makeup routine and hairdresser. No more highlights and the household bills are down to the bare minimum. Aldi shopping from scratch. I am determined to save and have money aside each week instead of spending exactly what we earn every week.

Pretty best of luck to you. I am hoping next year will be a big saver for us too.

Here is the link for growing flowers at home for bouquets flowers for home

Don't buy liquid soap; buy the cheapest bubble bath and decant that into the dispensers instead.

menu plan.

Ooh buddy80 that's a great link, sweet peas are very cheap and flower continuously, they also do better if you pick them so are probably the best out of the bunch. Gypsophila is also a good one as it will benefit from the cutting.

I will tell you a secret from my business. I buy my plants and bulbs at the local farmers auction. This year for Christmas pressies I bought a huge bag of bulbs, 150 at £15.00 of tete a tete daffodil's and some pots from the range and am planting them up for Christmas. Next year I will probably sell them to customers too.

For your own garden go to the auction after the nursery so you know the going retail rate, super easy to bid at auction and things like trees are much cheaper think £5 instead of £30. Massive bags of bulbs far far cheaper than the nursery.

Just don't bid against me !

Thank you , I appreciate that pretty I am really getting into my gardening. Please feel free to PM me, perhaps we can share more gardening tips.

Ceelo oh yes to menu planning, it really does help!

Also if you fancy a sit down and a read of the paper in costa or starbucks there's no need to buy a coffee.. Just keep looking at the queue if you feel embarrassed!

or more seriously. . The san pelligrino is only 1.50 and I drink espresso.. That saves over £1 a visit. . so you can ponce AND save

And the cheapest thing I have found for liquid soap is to get an old dispenser or a new one from muji or smth and get own brand baby shampoo. mix 60:40 with water and perhaps some Milton tcp or tea treeif you feel anti-bac. and you are well away

Also a family thing get a bulk supply of cheap generic deodorants and some labels. . The lazy bods will end up just using them. . but they are always there to fill the gap

My tip.

If you spent all the time you spend price comparing, making your own sandwiches, cutting your own hair, shopping around at markets and instead put it into career development and searching a better paid job, you'd be a lot happier and you'd contribute more to the economy.

Seriously, austerity is sometimes necessary and it's always crucial to conserve energy and the environment but it's a rubbish long-term strategy for living.

What we could do is ask MN for a proportion of its ad revenue as content providers haha .. er .. nervous haha..

Anyway austerity is also cool.. Whilst it might commodify some partz of economy..it can also free up funds for higher gdp relevant purchases.. so ner.

But its true over adapting to poverty is dangerous.. I think it is MNs austerity threads that caused the second dip. Lets get those property and make-over shows back to get the bubble back!

ha ha ha - what has this thread started

It is just a tips thread...maybe to help someone get to where they are going in life (save for uni, a house on maternity leave) or as a lifestyle change. Or, ignore it

I think schwattzcroft works for the tesco finer range.. 'if you buy convenience food you will be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams!