Following on frm another thread, i thought i would post my list. Ive been doingalot of saving and scrimping over the last 5 years as a student. We live in the Countryside and intend to get evn more rural once im earning enough. I have pages of tips given to me over the years so here goes:
Internet Shopping : as long as you watch the postage on everything
Inernet selling: get in the cupboards and get on ebay now!
Speak to all you utility people about dropping you rDirect Debit a bit or changing teh day its paid
Council Tax: speak to them about being assesed for benifits there
Working Family Tax Credit: get it paid direct to you
Look at getting a bus/rail family card
clear out any spare rooms and offer it up as a student let
Sell old school uniforms
Get on Freecycle and off load any junk( makes it easier to see what you need)
Think about ( depending on your locaton) food co-ops/home delivery and internet grocery shopping
Host some Usbourne/Ann Summers/chocolate tasting parties for friends, its like going out without the cost!
Get ino gardening and do a veggie patch, or at least grow your own herbs.
Teach the kids about energy saving/water saving by getting the big utility companies to come round and fit draught exclusion/energy saving bulbs etc, just tell them you are on a low income and need to keep the costs down.
Recycle, it will get you into the habit of checking everything before youthrow it out ( good for collecting vouchers etc)
Swap with friends: do some babysitting/ironing for them and figure out what they can do for you
Movie Nights: get the kids to choose a film, have pop and crisps with the lights off
Swap playstaion/DS games with friends for a week at a time
Library: an untapped source of DVD's. Music and art( picture loans in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, Sculpture loans in some)
Kids Clubs: instead of spending a fortune on childcare after school, get friends to do a rota, one day with you, next day with them (its amazing how a housefull of kids keeps you motivated to tidy up)
Organise birthday parties in local parks, on the beach etc to save on hall hire
go to NCT sales for baby goods