Follow on from the old thread
This is a space / long running thread for people wanting tips on making life cheaper for what ever reason and support who have to make living less expensive. If you are new here just post away everyone is welcome.
Frugal tips from the hive mind so far....
Check your outgoing-are they essential, are you on the best deal
Loyalty cards for stores you regularly shop at
Meal plan
Annual budget rather than monthly for those, well annual, expenses
Second hand is fine for 90% of stuff
Sign up to money saving expert emails
Insulation at home.
Close curtains at dark and tuck behind rads
Foil behind external wall rad
Turn the heating down . Tropical houses are not necessary
Use the washing line when you can
Look out for food recycling scheme- bread and butter thing, company shop, too good to go type things
Do you have to buy that Christmas/ birthday present. Can you give time instead
Eat less meat (tho I’m rubbish at this)
Have a on toast day. Or baked potato weekly
Double up while the oven is on for a reheat meal or a bake. Save electric running the oven less.
Branded goods are not always the best
-Walk those short trips if possible, instead of using the car (I am the worst for doing this). Saves petrol, good exercise too.
-Combine car trips better too eg dropped DD off at an activity tonight, which is next to the supermarket.
Cancel sky, if you still want the programmes switch to Now Tv for a fraction of the price
Cancel any subscriptions you don't need. Check direct debits to make sure you're not paying for anything you no longer need by accident
Check all your bills, insurances etc are the cheapest you can get for the cover you need (the last bit is important)
If you can get a voucher, use a cash back site or have some sort of work discount (nhs, bluelight, Tesco, student etc) check before paying
Meal plan before you shop. Make extra to freeze for another day as it's often cheaper per kg to buy bigger packs of meat
Go veggie a couple of times a week
Aldi and Lidl are great but not if you're going to get sidetracked by the aisle of doom
An annual budget is essential but pay yourself first each month so money into the annual pot, into savings, off debt before anything else happens. Make sure there's a line in your budget for fun money even if it's a tiny amount, budgeting can be a grind otherwise
You will have patches of spendiness and demotivation, don't give up just start again from wherever you end up
Take your own drinks, snacks, food, picnic - Invariably cheaper and nicer
Make your own if you have a stocked baking cupboard and spice cupboard. Cheaper and nicer, tho building said cupboard can be ££ (costs can be reduced by a visit to your local international supermarket)
Aldi for baking stuff it’s fine.
Work out of season for clothes as it’s usually cheaper
i switched to a coffee subscription (coffee is my weakness) - so our local shop delivers me a 250g bag of ground coffee every 2 weeks (i have 4 in the cupboard currently) and i make my own morning coffee. the subscription is for 6 months and costs me £58 i think. a takeaway from the same shop is £2.80 a pop. so it is a money saver. I bought a Contigo cup (spendy but worth every penny). so take my coffee hot to work with me.
I'm also a fan of using it up. so tings like toiletries, stationary (i am also a notebook hoarder) food etc. not replacing until it's all gone (or all of one thing gone).
my Lloyds account does "save the change" so it rounds up a purchase and then moves the pence to my savings account.
I also pay myself first on payday and am trying to use the things we have- zoo membership - use it loads so worth the £160 a year cost. same with my gym membership i use it so get my moneys worth.
Also what you can save/be frugal on can be inversely related to your means. If you have more "spare" money per month it's easier to buy in bulk and choose things that are cheapest per kg. If you have less or no spare money this isn't possible to do and then you're looking at cheapest price per item rather than per kg.
Agree re taking own stuff although I do often forget but a good coffee cup and water bottle is a good investment if you can afford it
If you have a dog use something like all about dog food to work out what the best food is you can buy based on what you can afford to spend per day
I also give the clothes an extra spin in the washing machine before they go in the dryer, and dry outside whenever i can - currently not living at home, so limited to a washer dryer (which is crap) and an airer next to a rad which i hate.
im a big fan of using the freezer and freeze anything i can. we buy reduced items (like bread and keep it in the freezer as it saves it going off - we maybe get through a loaf every couple of weeks).
I know that credit cards are sometimes seen here as the work of the devil (on MN specifically not this thread) but if you have one use to to your advantage. Mine gives me money back in the form of M&S or amazon vouchers every quarter depending on how much I've spent. and as long as you pay it off every month it works.
Top Cashback for all internet purchases.
Join the library - many have free access to Audible, Libby (for magazines and newspapers) as well as having an amazing selection of books.
Consider how you cook things - residual heat cooking works really well for rice and any slow cooker recipe.
Grow herbs and salad leaves on a window sill
Grow soft fruit - your local allotment / neighbours with a raspberry cane/ strawberry / current / gooseberry will be more than happy to give you a cutting.
Look for local food pantries
If you need credit use a Credit Union. If you are saving support your local credit union by becoming one of their savers.
Useful websites
Money Saving Expert especially the 90 ways to survive the cost of living crisis
Independent Foodbank Network There are some things that I wish we did not need
CAB
step change
cooking on a bootstrap
Thrifty Lesley