Extreme penny pinching tips

[PennyPincher64]

Hello,

I need to reduce my outgoings and save as much as possible over the next 12 months or so I'm looking for every possible way to save money, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. I've looked at money saving expert and know about meal planning etc. and will be trying to buy second hand if we need anything but I'm really looking for the less obvious ways of making savings. Even if I won't be saving a massive amount I'd still be interested. Some of the less obvious ways I've come up with so far are unplugging all electrical appliances from the wall when not in use, shower with cold water and use the toilet before leaving work so I don't need it when I get home.

Also willing to hear about anything with a bit of an inital outlay that will save money longer term.

Forage. Seasonal produce that may be available for free local to me are elderflower (now - make cordial with it) cherries (cooking cherries on trees in many quieter roads), blackberries (August - loads in the parks and hedges, but don’t pick from anywhere too polluted), sloes (October - make aloe gin with it, a great present if it’s not your tipple. Buy the cheapest gin you can to make it).

Charge your phone at work, if you’re allowed and able to.

Have you looked at the Olio app? It is aimed at reducing food waste in a local level. People and businesses give away what they don’t need or can’t sell rather than it go to waste.

Try and use as much as possible of what u have excellent! Sorry I forgot it earlier. Turn toiletries bottles upside down so you’re getting the most out of them, cut open containers before binning to get last out.

Cut your own hair - I’ve been doing this for years no problem at all.

Generally speaking I find skin care the cheaper products are actually better as they’re less likely to be strongly scented (I have sensitive skin).

Live by the mantra 'use what you have'. Our house is full of MacGyver'd solutions to things we would have run out to but the 'proper' version of.

If you drink alcohol, stop or brew your own.

Travel through all of your direct debits and standing orders to check you aren't paying for any luxuries you don't really need.

Good luck!

I also just thought that I can use baby's dirty bath water to flush the toilet rather than just pouring it down the drain.

Use the baby’s bath water for a strip wash for yourself first before chucking it!

Can I ask a daft question about soap powder in boxes. I used tablets but want to buy loose powder. Do they come with a measure inside or do you have to guess (or use a tablespoon!)

Splitting a dishwasher tablet in half won't give you a proper clean either

That isn't true. It makes no difference at all

Most supermarkets now sell what they call Cooking Bacon. Usually about £1.25 for a kilo. Can be a lottery but you can usually see what you're getting - some times big chunks like gammon steaks (serve with potatoes and veg), or lots of little scraps (pasta sauce, omelette, quiche) or like today's lots of nice big fat rashers. Split and freeze

Watered down milk and cold showers sounds truly miserable.

It's a balance. Trying to save some cash and having some in reserve is sensible. But you've tipped the scales far too far the other way into miserdom and over-frugality. By all means cut your dishwasher tablets in half but the rest of it.... just no.

PineappleDanish

Watered down milk equals skimmed or semi skimmed depending on how much water is added.
Thats not miserable.

It's about mindset. Being frugal and saving money can be fun and quickly becomes normal. Just choose what works for you and stick to it. Consistency is the key.

Watered down full fat milk does not make skimmed milk! It makes diluted milk, or watery milk. It won’t have the same flavour or nutritional value

No, skimmed milk or semi skimmed has the fat removed. It's not a watered down version of full fat milk.

Once paid, put money into a regular saver account. A year later you will have an amount to spend or save

Some bank accounts provide cash back on utilities or purchases or vouchers

Visit food store to buy the reduced goods & freeze

Never auto renew insurance, utilities, shop around

Insulate your home, roof insulation, thick curtains, curtain across front door, draft excluders

If you have cheaper electrify at night, utilize the cheaper rate for washing machine etc
Change to a cheaper supplier

make your own oat milk with a decent blender, cheesecloth, oats and water - costs pence.

electric blanket instead of radiators - 1p an hour

use a tiny scoop of laundry powder - I use one that's the same size as the stain remover scoops - makes no difference

wash clothes less often

cut wire wool cleaners in half

have a look at the Mr Money Mustache blog and the FIRE movement for some inspiration

amazon warehouse is good for knocked down goods that are returns but as good as new

Alternate day fasting (if you have weight to lose). you end up eating half the amount or less, losing weight, less cooking, cleaning and time spent with all that stuff and the bonus of feeling great. It's amazing and actually very healthy (a bit like 5/2 only more full on). I find it really easy now after working up to the first couple of fasts. I do 36hrs fast then have a day eating normally then another fast from bedtime to the morning after the next day. Really cheap and loads of good benefits (and I am doing it very safely - google Dr Jason Fung if you are interested in the science around the health, safety and benefits)

Make your own moisturiser - I use plain avocado oil (great for the skin), with a toner underneath that's just made from rosewater and glycerine mixed together to help lock moisture in (so much cheaper - and no bad chemicals).

Drink water! Ditch the booze.

We do lots of the above. Bar soap and shampoo bars cheaper and better for environment. Buy refill pods for cleaning sprays or make your own with white vinegar, citrus peel and essential oil. Keep all wrapping paper, brown paper and gift bags to reuse. Wash clothes less often,people on MN do obscene amounts of laundry.

Stop drinking anything but tea and water.

Make your own yoghurt for summer breakfasts and puddings. You don’t need any fancy kit, a covered bowl and some live yoghurt will get you going.

Instead of dishwasher tablets, buy boxes of dishwasher powder. Use the scoop from stain remover powder or similar, and experiment a couple of times to see how much powder you need to use for a sparkling wash!

Have a six month moratorium on clothes buying, extend it to a year if possible. Obviously, you can’t do this for a growing child.

@Sarcelle
No they don’t provide a scoop but most branded soap powders have a freephone number on the back to call and they will send you one. However, as we now know not to use their huge scoop, find something smaller to use & save some extra money

White vinegar and bicarbonate of soda are the only house cleaning stuff you need imo (and used lemons when you have them)

wash clothes less often

Definitely. It also means they last longer. Only if I’ve got hot and sweaty would I chuck a top in the wash after one wear. I work in an air conditioned office so it doesn’t happen.

If you air clothes they definitely benefit

I also change into ‘work clothes’ around the house, older stuff that’s not ‘best’ and then wear an apron to cook in so I never ruin good things.