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Frugal Living Ideas

14 replies

autopilotpeach · 21/06/2020 08:36

So would like to be much more frugal, here are the things i do already and thinking of doing to cut down costs and try and save

  • Less eating out
  • Driving less only when needed
  • Food shopping for cheapest brands, shopping online
  • cutting out shampoo and conditioner (low shampoo)
  • using reusable kitchen roll
  • freezing bread to make it last
  • drying clothes outside
  • Take drinks out and lunches so dont have to buy.
  • Second hand clothes
  • cut own hair
  • reuseable toilet paper

anymore ideas? extreme or not would like to hear them Smile

OP posts:
Peacock14 · 21/06/2020 21:55

May not be relevant to you but here's what I'm changing:

Turning off home electrics overnight (e.g Alexa/google)
Using a relative with dog clippers to groom dog (may not be as neat but saves £30 every other month and that can be put in to savings account)
Use carrots as dog treats instead of buying packets.
Cheapest shower gel/soap/body moisturiser- whatever's on offer.
Meal plan. Use/freeze leftovers.
No nails, lash extensions etc.
Continue to spend to outside with family after lockdown- walks, beaches (limited driving) and take own food and flask of coffee.
Second hand clothes, especially for kids.
Low maintenance hair style.
Baking or supermarket birthday cakes only, whichever is cheaper.
Check broadband prices, it increases after so long.
Comb through current account to check for any subscriptions, direct debits or unnecessary outgoings.
Limit birthday presents to set amount, buy things on offer in advance and store them.
Reuse gift bags and wrap or use brown paper with ribbon etc.
Wash clothes on cold cycle.
Dry clothes outside, no tumble dryer.
eBay whatever we no longer use. If it's sitting untouched, it's going.

autopilotpeach · 22/06/2020 03:32

great list there thanks Daffodil

OP posts:
OhioOhioOhio · 22/06/2020 03:39

Don't go into the shops at all. Literally that's it

Thepigeonsarecoming · 22/06/2020 03:42

Other than reusable toilet paper the list seems to be many people’s normal life! But who really wants reusable toilet paper 🤢

autopilotpeach · 22/06/2020 04:19

people who want to contribute to saving the planet, saving trees

OP posts:
Thepigeonsarecoming · 22/06/2020 04:30

How are you saving trees @autopilotpeach?

Thepigeonsarecoming · 22/06/2020 04:32

I thought this was about saving money?? Nothing about the environment in your original post?

BarbaraofSeville · 22/06/2020 08:43

Saving money and saving the environment often go hand in hand.

For example, consider how much of a product you use. I've seen people on here mention that they use what seems to me like alarmingly high amounts of toiletries, cleaning products and 'sundries' like cling film, toilet paper and kitchen roll.

For example, a whole bottle of shower gel per person per week, bleaching everything in sight daily, the memorable thread where a poster was spending £30 a month on kitchen roll because she used great handfuls of it daily. Daily bleaching simply isn't necessary, most of the shower gel from a great big squirt will just go uselessly down the drain, etc.

Comparitively, we use hardly any of these things, with no noticeable loss in lifestyle, cleanliness etc. Shower gels tend to last a few weeks, we only use a few bottles of bleach a year, we're not deliberately restrictive with cling film and foil, but we've been using the same roll of foil that we brought back from holiday nearly 2 years ago (bought it to wrap up some leftover pizza to take on a day out) and the roll of cling film we have is older than that.

The cost of these items might seem small, but all those shower gels, bleach etc come in plastic bottles and take great big factories using lots of chemicals, water and energy to produce. Reduce the amount you use and you reduce the amount of plastic bottles for a start.

Also cut open tubes of cream etc to get the last bits out. If the face cream I use comes in a squeezy tube, I squeeze it out into a travel container anyway because I find it easier to use and use the right amount that way, but when it is starting to get hard to squeeze the cream out, I cut the tube open and scrape out the remaining amount, at least 10-20% of the product remains in there, so by doing this, over time, you reduce the amount you buy by this amount.

I also bought long 'sundae' spoons from the pound shop, so I could get the last bit of peanut butter out of the jar easily, because again, about 10% of the peanut butter gets stuck in the curvy bit of the jar, which I found annoyingly wasteful, on both a money and an environmental level.

Also look at the Moneysavingexpert money makeover, for a systematic review and comprehensive list of tips. You should always be on a deal for your gas and electric, broadband etc, and you should always shop around and look for a discount code before buying anything.

For food shopping, either shop in Lidl or Aldi for as much as possible, or if that doesn't suit you, make sure you only buy on special offer for any non perishables that you buy regularly. It makes no sense whatsoever to buy one of an item each week, when you can buy a four pack every four weeks for much less, eg Heinz tomato soup at Tesco is 95 pence a tin, but 4 for £2.50 and if you do this for as many items as possible that you buy, the savings really add up. There is simply no need to pay 'full price' for a whole range of items like pet food, canned goods, toiletries, cleaning products and many other items, because they're always on offer somewhere, so you only buy them at this time, and buy enough to get you through to the next offer.

Margo34 · 25/06/2020 23:43

Turn the boiler/water heater down 1 degree. You'll hardly notice but you'll see it reflected in your bills.

Have a clear out and sell anything you haven't used in 12months on eBay, clothes especially!

Cook from scratch, in batch and freeze.

Reserve veg scraps from food prep: dry our potato peelings in oven on low heat on a baking tray to make own crisps, or save all the veg scraps to make a stock with.

Explore tin can cooking e.g. Jack Monroe cookbook.

Reuseable bees wax wraps instead of clingfilm.

Ditch and switch utilities regularly.

Cut the top off tubes to get all the product out e.g. tubes of face moisturiser.

Only buy what you need, not what you want.

C0ncentrated20 · 26/06/2020 13:53

Live somewhere small, then all your bills are smaller too

It's worked for me in the past

Lurkingforawhile · 26/06/2020 13:57

Agree with checking direct debits / standing orders etc. Always change (or at least check) insurance and utilities every year. I've saved hundreds doing this. Check offers like 2 for 1 on visit or attractions with train tickets. Use Tesco vouchers for RAC or days out.

magicmallow · 26/06/2020 19:15

money saving expert - sign up to the regular email. beware though - it does promote a lot of "bargains" that you don't need - but the saving tips can be good.

have a look on some of the FIRE threads (reddit) and Mr Money Mustache (he has a good youtube video) - it's very inspiring to realise how much money people waste and what good it can do to be saved instead!

For everything I buy, I think "how can I make this cheaper / more econonimical"?

Buy clothes second hand. I am always in charity shops having a browse when I pass (try not to buy unless you are sure you love it though).

Look up minimalism - inspiring to live more basically - buys you more free time and money! And space! And simplicity. Heaven.

bouncydog · 27/06/2020 08:32

Long handled flexible bowl scraper in tiny size to get the last bits out of jars and yoghurt pots!

Notwiththeseknees · 27/06/2020 09:58

Cut down on meat.
Buy fruit & veg at the market if you have one.
Buy fruit and veg in season.
Don't buy prepared veg in packets.
Use leftover or past it veg to make soup and stock.

Use second class stamps
Sell all unwanted stuff on market place.
Don't buy shower gel - soap is much cheaper & lasts longer. Smells nicer too than cheap shower gel (I bought some in Aldi last week and it smells like toilet cleaner)
Use Tupperware, not cling film.
Turn light off if you aren't using the room.
Learn to like enjoy drinking water.
Make your own pizza
Grow veg or buy living salad.
Wine in a box if you like wine as it doesn't go off and you can have one glass a week without wasting or drinking a bottle.
Cancel TV subscriptions & expensive phone subscriptions.

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