Uncommon money saving tips

[Clarelita]

I'm wondering if anyone has any not so common money saving tips that you don't hear about that often. Things have always been tight for us and since COVID I must have read a hundred different articles and threads about saving money but it just seems to be the same tips that get brought out over and over again.

Here are a couple of mine:

I haven't had a haircut in years. When it gets too long I just cut it myself following videos on YouTube. And I always wear my hair up now so if it's a bit wonky no one will notice. Got some ideas for easy up Dos off YouTube too.

I turned down the boiler temperature and keep the showers as cold as I can tolerate to reduce the gas bill. My showers aren't cold but are warm rather than hot and I noticed a significant drop in gas consumption.

Not only those people who are desperately hard up want to save money, you know. These face packs are £2.

I've grown and used soapwort for washing/shampoo. It's a lovely, gentle saponin.

Chop the stems and leaves, seep in cold water overnight, then gently warm. I put it in the slow cooker, often with some lavender flowers.

Strain, and use the liquid for hair washing. I've also used it on old linens. The liquid will keep for a week on the fridge.

Always take a cup of tea with you.

A good backpack allows you to carry said tea and always have snacks. This really helps me cut down buying expenses drinks and snacks.

Castor oil is a super and cheap moisturiser.

Borrowbox is a free audio books library. It's linked to local libraries and is just fab.

Share TV streaming services with friends or families so you aren't all paying for the same ones.

It's ok to have simple things like a scrambled eggs on toast and beans on a baked potato for dinner. It sounds silly but some friends won't entertain it as dinner unless it's meat and two veg

I always check price per KG etc on items, have found that some soap powder is more expensive if you buy the huge giant box and not several small boxes !

I always check price per KG etc on items, have found that some soap powder is more expensive if you buy the huge giant box and not several small boxes !
Cat food is the same price per Kg for 6 tins in my local supermarket as it is for 12 tins.

Hair with no conditioner = straw.

I remember when conditioner became mainstream- the 80s. Hair was ok before. Don’t get me wrong, I use it but just saying.

I recall you washed your hair twice with shampoo. Think I did this until early nineties.

You don't need conditioner. I wash my hair once and very occasionally put in conditioner.

Use plastic bread wrappers, veg wrappers, etc instead of using a poo bags when walking your dog. Saves on poo bags.
Cut wipes in two, makes them half price.

If you have pet rabbits or Guinea pigs this time of year you can pretty much feed them for free if you live near a park. Mine are eating loads of goose grass, rib wort and dandelions. I take a veg bag on dog walks with me and some little snippers and fill it up. Yes I look insane but they love it and it's v good for them.

Whilst there is an outlay, learn to make really great hot drinks at home and buy a good thermal cup/bottle. For me it's a pod machine and or iced coffee made with instant and brown sugar. Loads of coffee recipe videos on tik tok. Figure out what it is yog like so much from Costa or whatever and learn it.

I can't buy an iced cofffee out that's better than what I make myself with the frother.

See also chai latte powder it's called drink me chai it's amazing.

I have bought the dds little dinky thermos from asda they can have a chai latte in their lunch box they love them. Flasks were £5

I remember when conditioner became mainstream- the 80s. Hair was ok before. Don’t get me wrong, I use it but just saying.
Me too. I don't think it really does condition my hair. It detangles it a little and puts moisture in but I still have split ends.

When I make my shopping list I add the maximum I can spend - so Tomatoes 60p, bread 80p etc. This concentrates the mind and stops me buying the products I want instead of what I actually need. For me it always works. Probably better with goods like biscuits, cakes, fruit etc.

I have my tea very weak - a quick dunk in, swirl around then straight out. To save money I put the tea bag I a little tub and keep it for next time. I tend to reuse the teabag about three or four times. I don't know how much this saves but I've not purchased tea bags in ages

For conditioner i use argan oil on wet hair, just the ends. A £4 bottle lasts about a year.

@Jamfirstest absolutely agree. I make nicer coffee at home than most of the places I go - just black coffee. Got a pod machine for my birthday a couple of years ago. Best present ever.

Every time I think of buying a coffee out, I remember that all the high street brands aren't that great. Some lovely local places and I absolutely don't resent spending when out socially at one of those with friends.

I pay for unlimited supermarket deliveries and get a couple of shops in a week. This keeps me out of my nearest supermarket, which is a waitrose where I come out with hardly anything and spend £20.

I have tried loads of money saving tips and none of them saved me any money. Online surveys, made about 3p, vinted, hopeless if you live in the country, use more petrol to get to a parcel drop off shop than I make. Batch cooking, I hate cooking and DH won't eat anything other than meat. Not a fan of a casserole. Library, I forget to take the books back and get a fine. Yellow stickers, yes, but I'm weird about sell by and use but dates. ONLY 2x success, huge and I mean huge, shampoo and conditioner in massive bottles with pump tops, brilliant, lasts for ages and ages. Bleaching my own hair. Takes about three weeks, well that's what it feels like and doing the back is awful but it's much cheaper.

😂

Try digital libraries like Libby and Borrow Box. You won't be fined as your books (e-books or audiobooks) will automatically be returned. Best online surveys are Shoppix and YouGov in my experience. Does your DH like meat based curries? And can he do some of the cooking? Buy yellow sticker stuff that can be frozen. Milk and bread can be frozen.

Make sure you only do that if you don’t have a water tank or you’ll end up with Legionnaires.

🤣🤣🤣

I use aqueous cream as both a cleanser with a hot flannel & moisturiser, a 500ml tub is £7.99 on Amazon & lasts me at least 6 months.