Have you got any tips for saving money other than the ones below:

[2015mom]

Saving on expenses:

MORTGAGE:
• Change mortgage before the fixed term expires by using a comparison site

• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Check whether paying fees you are getting a cheaper deal
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase mortgage bundle via the cashback website
• Put a diary date to remind you a few weeks before the fixed term of mortgage will expire to shop around again

GAS & ELECTRICITY:
• Change your tariff when it expires by using a comparison website
• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase gas & electricity bundle via the cashback website
• Put a diary date to remind you a few weeks before the tariff will expire to shop around again
• Switch lights off when not in use
• Use low energy lightbulbs
• Switch TV off rather than put it on standby
• Don't charge your mobile or any devices at night because you are paying to charge when not required
• Switch off plug sockets if not in use
• Don't leave gas running
• Put boiler on timer
• Bulk cook and freeze
• Put diswasher on when full
• Put washing load on when full
• Dry clothes outside rather than using tumble dryer

WATER:
• Look at whether a water metre will save you money
• Don't leave taps running when you don't require water
• Keep a jug of water in the fridge rather than let cold tap run
• Get children to have bath together
• Don't use a power shower as it uses more water
• Put diswasher on when full
• Put washing load on when full

HOME INSURANCE:
• Shop around for cheaper home insurance before it expires
• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Check you renewal quote and call them to see if they can do insurance for cheaper
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase insurance via the cashback website
• Make sure the quote includes emergency breakdown
• Put a diary date to remind you a few weeks before the insurance will expire to shop around again

TELEPHONE & BROADBAND:
• Change your telephone & broadband when it expires by using a comparison website or check renewal quote
• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase bundle via the cashback website
• Put a diary date to remind you a few weeks before the tariff will expire to shop around
• No need for Netflix subscription

TV LICENCE:
• Pay by direct debit instalments to ease the pressure of payment

COUNCIL TAX:
• Challenge Council tax band if you think it is incorrect
• Pay by direct debit instalments to ease the pressure of paying

GROCERY SHOPPING:
• Shop late at night for reduction
• Don't go shopping whilst you are hungry
• Do a meal plan before you go shopping so you know what to buy however, be flexible of anything is on offer
• Do a shopping list
• Bulk cook and freeze
• Take tea or coffee from home whilst travelling to work or out and about
• Take soft drinks in a bottle
• Take snacks when out of house to avoid spending money
• Make sandwiches for work
• Check out website www.approvedfood.com for snacks that are close to their sell by date
• Check out prices per 100 ml via mysupermarket.co.uk for branded products including cleaning products
• Only buy toiletries when you are nearly finishing old product, don't bulk buy
• Finish old toiletry products before you buy stuff you don't need
• Try and find voucher codes if shopping online
• Use coupons if you have any

CAR:
• Check petrol prices website for the cheapest petrol/diesel
• Don't use car if you are going less than a mile up the road
• Let the car cruise and don't put your foot on the gas pedal a lot to optimise mpg
• Don't brake much, let the car coast instead
• Don't fill the boot with stuff because this will make you burn more fuel
• Don't open the windows when driving because it uses more fuel
• Try not to use air com because it uses fuel
• Do get a car which is efficient and has high mpg
• Shop around for cheaper car insurance before it expires
• Check you renewal quote and call them to see if they can do insurance for cheaper
• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase car insurance via the cashback website
• Put a diary date to remind you a few weeks before the insurance will expire to shop around again
• Get MOT/Service done from a reputable garage or a Council garage because they will not fail your MOT and they don't make profit from doing work
• Clean car outside and inside yourself

CHILDREN:
• Borrow second hand things
• Buy second hand things I.e. Mum2mum market
• If family want to help with childcare let them as it will save you money
• Sell clothes that have gone small
• Sell old toys
• Breastfeed rather than formula feed
• Use reusable nappies if possible instead of disposable
• Use cotton buds and water instead of wipes
• Batch cook baby food and freeze

LIFE INSURANCE:
• Shop around for cheaper car insurance before it expires
• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase insurance via the cashback website

MOBILE:
• Shop around for cheaper mobile tariffs before it expires
• See if you can get cashback using Topcashback/Quidco to search via a comparison website
• Call your current provider to see if they can do a tariff for cheaper than what you have found via the comparison site
• Once you have a quote then check Topcashback/Quidco to see if the company offers cashback if so, purchase mobile tariff via the cashback website
• any other incentives to join I.e. Voucher card, gadgets etc

BANK ACCOUNTS:
• Can you change your account to get some money from the bank
• Make sure you don't go into your overdraft causing you to be charged
• Check your direct debits to make sure you don't have any unnecessary expenses
• Does the current account offer any incentives i.e. Breakdown cover, mobile/gadget insurance, extended warranty, travel insurance
• Put a diary reminder before a savings account expires
• Compare savings accounts using comparison websites
• Check Topcashback/quidco if you can get cashback for opening the account

TRAVEL INSURANCE:
• Is it included in your bank account
• Shop around using a comparison site
• Check Topcashback/Quidco if you can get some cashback

CURRENCY EXCHANGE:
• Shop around using a comparison site
• Check Topcashback/Quidco if you can get some cashback

BEAUTY:
• Do threading yourself
• use Groupon of Wahanda for cheap haircuts and colour
• Use Groupon or Wahanda for pampering

GIFTS:
• Re-gift unwanted presents
• Always purchase via Topcashback or Quidco
• Look at voucher codes online

OTHER:
• Don't buy newspapers/magazines
• Record all expenses to see if there is anything you can reduce
• Try not to eat out at restaurants too much

Have you got anymore?

SHOPPING:
• Check internet and shop around
• Check Topcashback/Quidco to see you can get cashback
• Have you found a voucher code or coupons?
• Can you use a loyalty card?
• Can you redeems the loyalty points

Water: Check eligibility for Watersure tariff.

Electricity: Check eligibility for Warm Home Discount.

Thanks Lagirafe

I have never even heard of those but doubt we will be eligible

Hahaha very funny Unlockable lol

Yes they are mainly for those on very low incomes with young children but not very well known.

I'd also say try and eat veggie meals 2/3 times a week as that keeps grocery bill down.

A big one that I've found is to actually mend things that have broken. It's amazing how many people don't sew things that need it or make simple repairs to e.g. white goods such as washing machines - just go and buy new.

Give up the TV

Don't eat meat
Bulk out meals with beans and pulses
Have porridge for breakfast

Have showers rather than baths

Switch off the central heating and wear more layers of clothes
Wrap up in throws, dressing gowns etc in the evenings
Make the beds up with a spare duvet under the bottom sheet in winter.

Cut out the wide variety of cleaning and toiletry items and just use two or three basics

Cut out any gifts other than very close family

Thank you everybody

Very useful tips above

Much appreciated

See if there are any second hand uniform charities nearby. A group of our local churches run one where if they have an item, you can have it. May not have them everywhere but worth a try, our one has a huge room with uniforms in, a lot of it brand new.

That's interesting I will look into that.. Thank you

Our School sells second hand uniforms, in the office. 50p an item.

I go to bed early with a hot water bottle, instead of heating the house.

I find my heated clothes airer, warms the lounge. 5p an hour plus it dries my clothes.

Put washing machine on extra spin.

Value dishwasher tablets work amazingly well.

Make sure you draft proof the house to reduce heating costs
Line heavy curtains and hang over windows and doors.
Close curtains as soon as it starts to get dark to retain heat
Pin a cheap fleece blanket between curtains and linings to further reduce drafts and keep heat in.
Only fill kettle with enough water for whatever you need.

Pretty sure coasting in the car is counted as dangerous and illegal in some circumstances. Definitely not worth a few pence! Drive roperly and safely please.

Wear clothes appropriate for the weather! The number of people I know that moan about fuel bills but wear a vest top, leggings and no socks in winter astounds me! Put a bloody jumper on!

Learn to haggle.

If your heating works through a thermostat reduce temperature by a small amount for a month till you acclimatise, repeat until it is actually too cool to be comfortable bearing in mind health advice for minimum temps (especially if you have vulnerable people to consider).

Thoroughly research your loyalty cards regularly, deals are always changing.

Regularly review your household budget.

Eat more real food fewer snacks - healthier too.

Do not auto renew any bills eg car insurance
Put reminder in diary and use comparison sites before the renewal date

Change which supermarket that you shop at.
Look out for BOGOFF deals at Mackro or other bulk retailers

It is often cheaper to pay bills in full rather than monthly eg discount if you pay once a year on BT phone line rental and free calls to other BT customers evenings & weekends

Car boot sales and charity shops are good for finding bargains or selling

Some bank accounts offer money back on some items
eg Santander offer % back on bills like water, council tax, electric

eg Halifax & LLoyds have monthly offers so if you shop at Asda you receive money back, but you have to activate the offer before you shop on your account

Check www.moneysavingexpert.com for best deals and savings including tax free ISA's and current accounts

Generally if you travel via bus, plane or train the earlier that you book, the cheaper the travel. There are also family, student or senior discounts as well eg Trainline.com and Megabus and Easy Jet, Ryanair etc

Foreign travel
Some credit cards like Halifax enable you to take out money from ATM with no currency exchange charge. Ensure you pay the card in full when you return from holiday

You normally receive a better exchange rate if you change your money when you arrive in the country that you are visiting

Ensure you have travel insurance from the day that you book your travel or holiday

Saving money - do not buy things. If you dont need it, dont buy it !

Saving money - get a second job or do overtime, save the extra money

Saving long term - the earlier you start saving for a pension, or an ISA the better it is, due to the compound interest that increases over time

Ensure you and family are in receipt of all benefits and tax credits you might be entitled to, and further things they might open up, eg free school meals, disabled railcards, etc.

Walk instead of using a bus or car, where feasible. Good exercise, too.

Make friends with a similar financial mindset so you can enjoy things together and not feel pressured to spend more than you'd planned. Can then do things like second-hand Christmas presents and similar low-cost but no less fun activities. If possible, live somewhere set up for your budget eg has affordable food shops and markets, free things going on.

Add a friend to car insurance - often makes it go down for you and they can pay you some of the costs of running the car. Also share trips for bulk shopping with a friend.

Consider 'swishing' or clothes swap events - the fat-positive ones in London are great especially if your size fluctuates.

Not sure if you mentioned if but Electricity is cheaper in the evenings ??so washing machine dishwasher and tumble dryer could be switched on after 6pm.

Gifts: buy in advance if you see a good deal on something you'll need. We are going to visit family in March and I have bought all the kiddie clothes and chocs we need at 40% off.

Are you sure, mymilkshake? I always thought that mine (in the UK) was the same price all the time. (Apart from this new deal that they're trying to put forward whereby you can have free electricity on Saturday or Sunday (mornings, I think) if you have a smart meter. I seem to recall, though, that it involves signing up to a deal which ends in 2017 and as I have a fixed price until 2018, I'm giving it a swerve. Who knows what price things might be in 2017.)

Try to sell any unwanted items on local facebook selling page and gumtree, you'll be surprised at how much it can mount up!
love the list OP I think I will try some of your tips as well

Always read the small print to any agreement.

Cozie- I'm on economy 7 tariff (I think that's what it's called)and it charges much less for certain hours of the night.

MyMilk You have to be on economy 7 I think for the cheaper nighttime electricity - if you're on a standard tariff it's not cheaper. And the electricity was more expensive during the day so if you need to use more electricity during the day you can end up paying more.

Plus these days I think the fire service recommend that you don't put washing or tumble drying on overnight as there were a lot of problems with people doing this and the washing machine or drier catching fire and people being asleep so not able to get out so easily or safely.

Remembering to switch as many things off at the mains as possible - some things use a surprising amount when on stand by. Again - good for fire safety!

Getting hold of a smart meter that you can use to see how much energy different appliances and lights use. Particularly effective if you have DC that can suddenly see how much electricity can be wasted when the tv and lights and Xbox and and and whatever all get left on when not in use - can be quite an eye opener.

Sometimes the local council or library or fuel saving charity will have them that you can borrow so you don't need to buy them.

Work out if you have any light bulbs that are expensive to run and see if it would be cheaper to replace them with LED ones (was in a shop recently that sold bulbs and they had price comparisons up - the LED ones cost a penny or two an hour to run, others cost 6 or 7p or more an hour to run. If they are used in places that have the lights on for long periods of time the prices of led bulbs have come down enough to make it worth changing to them. (Eg a bulb that costs 6p/hr to run that's left on for 10 hours a day - switch to an led one and you could save 50p a day).