What are your best economising tips?

[Shitemum]

Need to cut back, save money etc as we are sliding into debt and have very low income during the winter months.

we have to follow a tight budget and do the following:

1. buy as much food as we can from the reduced section.
2. accept any invites we can to eat at my mums
3. most of our clothes come from the ebay recyle fund, ie we sell old clothes and use the money to buy new. 4)we have a bill bank from which all our bills come out, a dd comes from our accounts after we have been paid to cover these bills plus 10%.

If I think of anymore I will post them, lots of threads on this topic if you search.

Thanks twinset
unfortunatley we don't have reduced sections in Spain and my mum lives in another country. Am about to start trying to sell on ebay but my clothes tend to get worn out. I buy in charity shops when in UK. Don't understand point 4...?

a bill bank is an account just for bills. Dp and I have worked out what our total bills are every months and what we need to pay each. That ammount plus 10% is paid from each of our bank accounts into the bill account every month the day after we are paid, this is mainly for my benefit as I am crap at budgeting. The 10% builds up as an emergency fund.

Insulate doors & windows as much as possible.
Close doors & only have heating on in rooms that are being used (or that need it)
Shower instead of having a bath
Be out of the house (& therefore not using electrcity/ heat) as much as possible
Meal plan
Always stick to list when grocery shopping (& don't go when hungry)
Grow your own veg
Walk to places as much as possible
Use the library
Don't buy junk food, snacks or anything that isn't needed
Be resourceful and use whatever you have in your cupboards

Use:
A slow cooker
Energy efficient light bulbs
Compost Heap
Water Butt

I love twinset's billbank idea.

Only boil as much water as you need
Dilute washing up liquid
Close curtains at night (even thin ones help keep the heat in)
Lower setting on the Thermostat by a degree or two

Oh yes, soups and stews are good for stretching out cuts of meat. And lentils, beans etc are good for bulking them out too and very nutritious.

I use half the amount of washing powder/tablets in the machine. You simply dont need as much as the manufacturer says (mostly).

I buy own brand stuff mostly when things are tough.