# money saving tips



## zacknzena

I thought it would be good to share some money saving tips as xmas has probably made everyone a bit skint .

mine are: I dont use washing powder or softner i use soap nuts .
I dont use dishwasher tabs i use reuseable dishwasher balls .
After i have used the soapnuts to wash my clothes i boil them upto a liquid and use them for washing up liquid and dog shampoo .
I use an arier to dry all five peoples clothes as my tumble dryer broke and im not buying a new one .
i no longer eat meat, smoke or drink . I mostly buy second hand or cheap clothing furniture etc.
I only buy what food i need for that day .

probably loads more but cannot think


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## kathryn773

*goes to websurf to see what soapnuts are*


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## sequeena

The only cleaning supplies I have now are white vinegar, bicarb and bleach. It cleans everything.

I use only half of the recommended washing powder and fabric softener. Everything comes out smelling fresh and stain free.

I also use airers but will put clothes on the radiator if the heating is on.

I water down bubble bath, washing up liquid, hand soap etc. It's still the same quality and lasts longer.

I've changed all light bulbs, switch things off by the socket, recycle, boil one cup of water in the kettle if I'm making tea just for me.

I've bought a slow cooker. I will be able to make meals with minimal effort and it will cut down the use of my electric cooker.

I only do clothes washing when I have enough clothes to fill (but not overfill!) the washing machine.

Erm, I do loads of things. I probably sound sad but I'm noticing the difference....


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## Cat_Crazy

Good idea!

I buy all my pet food and litter in bulk and have it delivered, makes it easier for me to go shopping and saves a fortune!

For a cheap and healthy (ish) treat for the kids I cut up an apple, dip it in melted chocolate and freeze it. They love it and it costs very little to do loads. They never really get sweets as they love this so much.

I never buy dvd'd and books unless I KNOW for a fact I will use them again, instead I borrow them.

I also 'split my shopping with my mum. We go together and look for the buy one get one free deals or 2 for 3 etc. and then we split it and pay half each.
Means that you get full use of the offer without having too much food that you will never use.

I repair clothes rather than throwing them away, unless of course they are ruined. I also have a clothing exhange running with a friend of mine. She has an 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son whereas I have a 7 year old daughter and 5 year old son. We have an agreement running whereas she gives me all her daughters out grown clothes and I give her all my son's. Means I save a fortune on clothes and we have very similar tastes so works well.


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## zacknzena

I also use freegle and ebay for most thing too , i use energy saving light bulbs and old clothes for rags sometimes to clean with .


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## Cat_Crazy

sequeena said:


> The only cleaning supplies I have now are white vinegar, bicarb and bleach. It cleans everything.
> 
> I use only half of the recommended washing powder and fabric softener. Everything comes out smelling fresh and stain free.
> 
> I also use airers but will put clothes on the radiator if the heating is on.
> 
> I water down bubble bath, washing up liquid, hand soap etc. It's still the same quality and lasts longer.
> 
> I've changed all light bulbs, switch things off by the socket, recycle, boil one cup of water in the kettle if I'm making tea just for me.
> 
> I've bought a slow cooker. I will be able to make meals with minimal effort and it will cut down the use of my electric cooker.
> 
> I only do clothes washing when I have enough clothes to fill (but not overfill!) the washing machine.
> 
> Erm, I do loads of things. I probably sound sad but I'm noticing the difference....


I do that with washpowder as well  I buy tablets and only ever use one unless i'm washing something filthy.


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## zacknzena

Cat_Crazy said:


> Good idea!
> 
> I buy all my pet food and litter in bulk and have it delivered, makes it easier for me to go shopping and saves a fortune!
> 
> For a cheap and healthy (ish) treat for the kids I cut up an apple, dip it in melted chocolate and freeze it. They love it and it costs very little to do loads. They never really get sweets as they love this so much.
> 
> I never buy dvd'd and books unless I KNOW for a fact I will use them again, instead I borrow them.
> 
> I also 'split my shopping with my mum. We go together and look for the buy one get one free deals or 2 for 3 etc. and then we split it and pay half each.
> Means that you get full use of the offer without having too much food that you will never use.
> 
> I repair clothes rather than throwing them away, unless of course they are ruined. I also have a clothing exhange running with a friend of mine. She has an 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son whereas I have a 7 year old daughter and 5 year old son. We have an agreement running whereas she gives me all her daughters out grown clothes and I give her all my son's. Means I save a fortune on clothes and we have very similar tastes so works well.


i have to buy new for my kids as my ex wont let me put them in secondhand clothes  but i still only buy them cheap stuff .

good idea for the apples i will try that.

I am also buying our dog food in bulk from now on because if i buy one 15 kg bag the postage is 6 pound but if i buy two the postage is the same , so im gonna order two on saturday .


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## owieprone

we aren't skint cos of crimbo, we didn't spend much on each other this year and the one big present i got was bought on a win from a bet! lol husband doesn't usually bet but did this time for a laugh  bonus.
the only reason i bought parents gifts this year is because both of them are having hard times (2 sets of parents) and thought they could use a lift early. everyone else waits till we see each other throughout the year to get a present. 

i've saved money by not spending it on ****, new clothes (apart from work clothes when i absolutely had to, literally had nothing to go to work in due to weight loss, damn diets), by going on a diet (cuppasoups, drinking water and couscous for me at work saves about £3-5 a day) and eating everything we have in the cupboards at home before restocking non-essentials.

i've gained money by getting a second job. 
husband saves money by not going to work (redundant) and therefore saves alot on fuel and food.

i almost always use supermarket own brand stuff to keep shopping bills low, unless i know that i don't like the taste of their version. luckily i've found out i'm intolerant of many things so have dropped about £10 off our food bill as i can no longer eat them i don't see the point in buying them. bogof's are great as far as i'm concerned as they are usually on things we buy and if they arent then they merely add diversity to our diet as we get them INSTEAD of something we normally get.

i've never owned a tumble drier, why bother when the heating or the sun will do the job? i don't iron either..hang it up to dry properly and you dont need to.
we don't own a dishwasher as our kitchen is too small for one and i hate them. we'd also run out of plates to eat off of if we had one! we reuse teacups and plates throughout the day rather than new ones each time

we cook from scratch 90% of the time, i make my own soups, scones, breakfast bars and treats. we eat meat, it's not that expensive and is definately a dietary requirement in my house.

i've taken up knitting to make my own scarf, hat and gloves for the cold weather.. they're ace if i do say so myself.. will be making a cardi next.

i'm a member of the gym as i love it, it's my only splurge, but also because it reduces our water bills as i have showers there  gotta get my moneys worth! 

if we're cold we put a jumper on, cuddle a cat, do some house work or go outside for a few mins and come back in.. instantly warmer.

we NEVER open the curtains, retaining heat. we've put a curtain up over the front door so that the tornado that used to howl through the gaps and the cat flap doesn't get further than a foot into the hall way and therefore our heating bill has gone down dramatically despite the chill, it's on 14c just now, goes up to 16 max when it gets abit nippier outside.

my best money saving tip: DON'T HAVE KIDS.


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## Lulu's owner

I just bought 300 nappy sacks for 68p from Wilkinsons instead of poo bags for cleaning up dog poo and taking solids out of the cat litter tray. I couldn't believe how cheap they were and they're pretty much the same as poo bags so long as you don't mind them being pink and a bit see through. They have a nice talcum powder type perfume. This is a tip I read on this forum, otherwise it would never have occurred to me.


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## zacknzena

kathryn773 said:


> *goes to websurf to see what soapnuts are*


500g Original Indian Soap Nuts, Soapnuts, soap pods on eBay (end time 10-Jan-10 13:54:35 GMT)


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## zacknzena

owieprone said:


> we aren't skint cos of crimbo, we didn't spend much on each other this year and the one big present i got was bought on a win from a bet! lol husband doesn't usually bet but did this time for a laugh  bonus.
> the only reason i bought parents gifts this year is because both of them are having hard times (2 sets of parents) and thought they could use a lift early. everyone else waits till we see each other throughout the year to get a present.
> 
> i've saved money by not spending it on ****, new clothes (apart from work clothes when i absolutely had to, literally had nothing to go to work in due to weight loss, damn diets), by going on a diet (cuppasoups, drinking water and couscous for me at work saves about £3-5 a day) and eating everything we have in the cupboards at home before restocking non-essentials.
> 
> i've gained money by getting a second job.
> husband saves money by not going to work (redundant) and therefore saves alot on fuel and food.
> 
> i almost always use supermarket own brand stuff to keep shopping bills low, unless i know that i don't like the taste of their version. luckily i've found out i'm intolerant of many things so have dropped about £10 off our food bill as i can no longer eat them i don't see the point in buying them. bogof's are great as far as i'm concerned as they are usually on things we buy and if they arent then they merely add diversity to our diet as we get them INSTEAD of something we normally get.
> 
> i've never owned a tumble drier, why bother when the heating or the sun will do the job? i don't iron either..hang it up to dry properly and you dont need to.
> we don't own a dishwasher as our kitchen is too small for one and i hate them. we'd also run out of plates to eat off of if we had one! we reuse teacups and plates throughout the day rather than new ones each time
> 
> we cook from scratch 90% of the time, i make my own soups, scones, breakfast bars and treats. we eat meat, it's not that expensive and is definately a dietary requirement in my house.
> 
> i've taken up knitting to make my own scarf, hat and gloves for the cold weather.. they're ace if i do say so myself.. will be making a cardi next.
> 
> i'm a member of the gym as i love it, it's my only splurge, but also because it reduces our water bills as i have showers there  gotta get my moneys worth!
> 
> if we're cold we put a jumper on, cuddle a cat, do some house work or go outside for a few mins and come back in.. instantly warmer.
> 
> we NEVER open the curtains, retaining heat. we've put a curtain up over the front door so that the tornado that used to howl through the gaps and the cat flap doesn't get further than a foot into the hall way and therefore our heating bill has gone down dramatically despite the chill, it's on 14c just now, goes up to 16 max when it gets abit nippier outside.
> 
> my best money saving tip: DON'T HAVE KIDS.


I only iron school uniform for kids thats it . We also have curtains over door dont open them etc.


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## sequeena

I too use nappy sacks as poop bags.

I put foil behind the radiators to reflect the heat and I too keep my curtains closed.

I just started cutting my soap scourers in half, they last longer and once that half is done I use it to do a quick clean of the toilet then bin it 

I will have to keep thinking lol....


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## welshdoglover

sequeena said:


> I use only half of the recommended washing powder and fabric softener. Everything comes out smelling fresh and stain free.
> 
> .


I cut my amount of washing powder down by 3/4 and use about just under a tablespoon in my dispenser drawer.

Do you know what? I haven't noticed any difference in my clothes and they just seem as good as when I chucked loads in 

A friend of mine swears by using smartprice washing powder, then adding a bit of surf (or other well known make) into it. She's been doing it for years, her clothes look alright to me.


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## staceydawlz

i would never buy charity shop clothes...thats just me tho i dont see the need you can go primark and asda for cheap sale stuff no need for second hand or hand me downs i do look for offers on food and stuff!! dog gets the best of the best wash powder not expensive i get a big box for 2 pound erm dog beds wel im gona buy a cheap duvet and double it up but same with my daughter she is never without and never has second hand stuff(got a thing about second hand clothes u can get really cheap things nowadays without needing to go to the charity shop)xxx


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## sequeena

welshdoglover said:


> I cut my amount of washing powder down by 3/4 and use about just under a tablespoon in my dispenser drawer.
> 
> Do you know what? I haven't noticed any difference in my clothes and they just seem as good as when I chucked loads in
> 
> A friend of mine swears by using smartprice washing powder, then adding a bit of surf (or other well known make) into it. She's been doing it for years, her clothes look alright to me.


Oh wow that's amazing!!

I'm using surf at the minute but only because it was on offer. I will give it a go!


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## zacknzena

staceydawlz said:


> i would never buy charity shop clothes...thats just me tho i dont see the need you can go primark and asda for cheap sale stuff no need for second hand or hand me downs i do look for offers on food and stuff!! dog gets the best of the best wash powder not expensive i get a big box for 2 pound erm dog beds wel im gona buy a cheap duvet and double it up but same with my daughter she is never without and never has second hand stuff(got a thing about second hand clothes u can get really cheap things nowadays without needing to go to the charity shop)xxx


I dont buy secondhand for my kids as there dad wont let me , he see,s no wrong in buying a child an 80 pound phone or 65 pound trainners  . yes primark and asda are great use them all the time . i dont just buy secondhand but if i see something that is secondhand and i like it i will buy it .


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## zacknzena

sequeena said:


> Oh wow that's amazing!!
> 
> I'm using surf at the minute but only because it was on offer. I will give it a go!


try your normal washing powder and a teaspoon of soda crystals


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## Katie&Cody

I agree Stacey, I don't blame people for doing it - your helping charity at the end of the day but I honestly don't think there is a need when you can good, cheap clothes from Primark.



staceydawlz said:


> i would never buy charity shop clothes...thats just me tho i dont see the need you can go primark and asda for cheap sale stuff no need for second hand or hand me downs i do look for offers on food and stuff!! dog gets the best of the best wash powder not expensive i get a big box for 2 pound erm dog beds wel im gona buy a cheap duvet and double it up but same with my daughter she is never without and never has second hand stuff(got a thing about second hand clothes u can get really cheap things nowadays without needing to go to the charity shop)xxx


I used to think I was really good at this money saving marlarky but now Im not so sure...great idea to write about it though, things I never even thought about have popped up - such as the nappy bags - will defo use that...!!

Well we don't have a tumbe dryer - air all our clothes
I only do a dishwash once a day (And dont generally wash up - plus i have loooots of dishies so never run out) =)

We turn everything off - at the switches too!!

Turn lights off and we are usually just in the office so shut the door to keep the heat in and use a single lamp.

I try and reuse/recycle whereever possible...

Also water down washing up liquid and simular products...

Make my own cleaning sprays...vinegar, washing up liquid and bleech...the odd squirt of lemon doesn't go a miss...

I used to be fussy with loo rolls and only get the highend ones, but Sainsburys have got a grat basics range 4 for 0.60 odd p!! And they are good =)

BOGOF's are great!! Always do it...and food share with family and friends, if we are short of the odd thing we use the other persons (if they have enough)and that saves a trip to the shops!

Also the basic range in the supermarkets is good!! =) Save money for the same product..

Will keep thinking, lol!!


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## Katie&Cody

I also dont tend to buy Cody lots of treats, I rotate the couple he has!! =)
And I wait till the sales to buy things I need.

Also check out: Discount codes online before buying anything x


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## Katie&Cody

zacknzena said:


> I dont buy secondhand for my kids as there dad wont let me , he see,s no wrong in buying a child an 80 pound phone or 65 pound trainners  . yes primark and asda are great use them all the time . i dont just buy secondhand but if i see something that is secondhand and i like it i will buy it .


I think he needs to find the happy medium - there is no need to spoil children.

Funny, when I was a kid it was always mummmmm or dadddd can i have this? And I will happily admit that now because I realise that materialistic things are not the bee all and end all, having your family around you is much nicer...

This is probably why I think christmas is soo overated now... bring back the orange in the stocking and the one special gift =)


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## zacknzena

Katie&Cody said:


> I agree Stacey, I don't blame people for doing it - your helping charity at the end of the day but I honestly don't think there is a need when you can good, cheap clothes from Primark.
> 
> I used to think I was really good at this money saving marlarky but now Im not so sure...great idea to write about it though, things I never even thought about have popped up - such as the nappy bags - will defo use that...!!
> 
> Well we don't have a tumbe dryer - air all our clothes
> I only do a dishwash once a day (And dont generally wash up - plus i have loooots of dishies so never run out) =)
> 
> We turn everything off - at the switches too!!
> 
> Turn lights off and we are usually just in the office so shut the door to keep the heat in and use a single lamp.
> 
> I try and reuse/recycle whereever possible...
> 
> Also water down washing up liquid and simular products...
> 
> Make my own cleaning sprays...vinegar, washing up liquid and bleech...the odd squirt of lemon doesn't go a miss...
> 
> I used to be fussy with loo rolls and only get the highend ones, but Sainsburys have got a grat basics range 4 for 0.60 odd p!! And they are good =)
> 
> BOGOF's are great!! Always do it...and food share with family and friends, if we are short of the odd thing we use the other persons (if they have enough)and that saves a trip to the shops!
> 
> Also the basic range in the supermarkets is good!! =) Save money for the same product..
> 
> Will keep thinking, lol!!


I buy the cheapest toilet roll as u only wipping your **** with it anyway , and i dont like throwing money down the loo

Also forgot to say alot of charitys rely on people to buy from them for there cause,s my way of doing my little bit .


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## Katie&Cody

zacknzena said:


> I buy the cheapest toilet roll as u only wipping your **** with it anyway , and i dont like throwing money down the loo


Hehe I agree, unfortunetly though I am very infection prone (Urine) *Sorry not pleasant I know* but that is why I used to use the high end products... :blush2: Now I just can't afford them and for £5.00 I'd rather get a basket full then a pack of loo roll...


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## zacknzena

Katie&Cody said:


> Hehe I agree, unfortunetly though I am very infection prone (Urine) *Sorry not pleasant I know* but that is why I used to use the high end products... :blush2: Now I just can't afford them and for £5.00 I'd rather get a basket full then a pack of loo roll...


lol its true its only loo roll


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## staceydawlz

i know what you mean i think my mum used to have a wee look in the charity shops EVERY time i was down town and to me it was afronting because she didnt need to and i was a teen at the time i dont buy the best of best its whats on offer is for me lol same with when i decorate anything on offer and i wil have it (as long as it gones with the colour scheme and moderness) lol but no need to be a complete cheap skate like i never buy myself or oh anything but when its xmas i get loads of clothes and money same for birthday so no need to buy myself things not really birthday in july so half year i get something and same as the next half if u get what i mean?! xx


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## zacknzena

staceydawlz said:


> i know what you mean i think my mum used to have a wee look in the charity shops EVERY time i was down town and to me it was afronting because she didnt need to and i was a teen at the time i dont buy the best of best its whats on offer is for me lol same with when i decorate anything on offer and i wil have it (as long as it gones with the colour scheme and moderness) lol but no need to be a complete cheap skate like i never buy myself or oh anything but when its xmas i get loads of clothes and money same for birthday so no need to buy myself things not really birthday in july so half year i get something and same as the next half if u get what i mean?! xx


I know exactly what u mean


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## Katie&Cody

staceydawlz said:


> i know what you mean i think my mum used to have a wee look in the charity shops EVERY time i was down town and to me it was afronting because she didnt need to and i was a teen at the time i dont buy the best of best its whats on offer is for me lol same with when i decorate anything on offer and i wil have it (as long as it gones with the colour scheme and moderness) lol but no need to be a complete cheap skate like i never buy myself or oh anything but when its xmas i get loads of clothes and money same for birthday so no need to buy myself things not really birthday in july so half year i get something and same as the next half if u get what i mean?! xx


I cut back loads this xmas, just got for OH mum, dad, SIL and Bro! My Mum, Dad, 2 bro's and Bro's gf, Aunty and grandad (Small) and my nana (small) Usually but for 6 other aunts and unc, cousins and cousins children... but that would have been an extra £150.00 and I just couldt afford it! Lucky that i told them so they didnt have to stress about getting us anything, so hopefully they saved a bit too :smile5:


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## zacknzena

Katie&Cody said:


> I cut back loads this xmas, just got for OH mum, dad, SIL and Bro! My Mum, Dad, 2 bro's and Bro's gf, Aunty and grandad (Small) and my nana (small) Usually but for 6 other aunts and unc, cousins and cousins children... but that would have been an extra £150.00 and I just couldt afford it! Lucky that i told them so they didnt have to stress about getting us anything, so hopefully they saved a bit too :smile5:


I got my son a ps3 but it was secondhand and hes not bothered one bit and i saved money too


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## hawksport

I've run my dog van on 50% diesel 50% used vegatable oil for the last 4 years.


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## momentofmadness

I work in asda so see all the bargaisn and have my discout.. Last night they had daz washing powder on offer I grabbed one.. it will last me ages I grabbed one last time it was on offer.. 

I turn all lights off and don't turn them on unless I am going to be in a room and really need a light! My mates well moan.. reckon I am well weird...

When I cook say a spag bol or chilli or curry any left over I freeze then I can have them for tea one night.. I don't buy biscuits and chocs and cakes.. the odd treat.. for the kids.. they like fruit anyway..

I keep the right ammount of air in my tyres on my car so not to waste fuel..

I use SP nappy sacks instead of poo bags.. they are well dear or I get them off the warden. Everything is switched off in my house unless I am using it!


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## classixuk

When I was younger and saving for a business, I really had to get my thinking hat on in order to save money as I came from a single parent family and we used to scrimp and save just to eat.

Here's some of the "tips" I learned (either from others or by my own discovery)...some of them are quite shocking, but hey, they worked and I had no other way of saving enough to get me out of poverty.


When you get paid (either your wages, or dole money) take 10% of it and put in the bank or a savings account. Live off the rest. If you cannot live off the rest, cut your costs so that you can. NEVER break into that 10%...it is your ticket out of hand to mouth living.
As the 10% builds up each week (or month), start looking for ways to turn it into more money. For instance, because I was living frugally, I used to visit the 50p shop quite often. Occasionally they would get items in that I knew were worth much more in other shops, so I would use my "10% money" to buy as much as they had in stock, and then sell it to friends and family who would never dream of being seen in such a place as the 50p shop. One good purchase was jars of Nescafe, which I bought for 50p and sold for £2. Put the money from your "10% projects" straight back into the bank. I guess that nowadays with eBay and stuff it is probably a lot easier to sell stuff that you find.
Get a second job. Mine was as a waiter. I got £10 a night plus tips. It soon adds up for your "kitty".
_
Now for the "dodgy stuff" I did. hmy:_


I never answered my door to anyone unless I was expecting a visitor. Why? I learned back then (and still believe actually) that people never knock at your door unexpectedly to give you something...it's always to take something from you. Either the TV license man, the charity collector or a "friend" who's come to bum a tenner till payday next week. Not in my 32 years on this earth have I answered the door to find a kind soul saying to me, "Here's £100 for being such a nice guy".
Same thing goes for the telephone. I stopped answering it without screening the calls (the effects of which are still felt today as I refuse to carry a mobile phone with me, although I do answer my landline).
Argos offer a 16 day money back guarantee on many items. I used to take full advantage of that (not that I am condoning that now mind you).
I moved into a rented flat and found that the electricity was still connected. I didn't call to object until it was cut off about 8 months later, when I explained that I had just moved in and needed electricity. :blush2: This is going back some 15 years mind you!
I didn't eat ANYTHING unless it was reduced at the supermarket as shortdated - i.e. in the "reduced" section at the end of the night, and my main supplies came from Netto or KwikSave (black and white bread was 20p, beans were 4p etc.)
When I did go out to town clubbing, it was always midweek when entry was free and I used to take a bottle in with me hidden in my coat, which I would use to top up the one coke can I bought ALL night. Eventually, I cottoned onto the fact that the barstaff were making quite a bit of money, so I swapped my waiting job for a job in the nightclub on the bar. I was being paid an hourly wage, plus tips, and still got to see the nightlife.

I think that my biggest realisation (looking back) is that it's no good simply saving money if you don't do something with it to make you more money, as inflation simply erodes all your hard work. 

LOL. What a trip down memory lane!


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## momentofmadness

And just to let you know in our cluster.. are for Asda its pet week..lol so plenty of saving there..lol


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## Starlite

I am so for charity shops!
Im always in and out, found some gorjus clothes and shoes, and i get all my books from there, I beleive the celebs call it "vintage" 

Also use Freecycle and EBay for alot of stuff x


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## sequeena

Welshdoglover just to let you know it worked!  1 tablespoon of washing powder is really all you need ... but it was a 1 hour wash. Got a 2 hour wash on now so have put 2 tablespoons in lol and 1 tablespoon of fabric softener 

It cleans your clothes and will probs make your washing machine last longer too


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## lifeizsweet

We bake all our bread and rolls and don't buy shop made anymore

We buy value food mostly now. 

I (tried to) quit drinking


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## zacknzena

sequeena said:


> Welshdoglover just to let you know it worked!  1 tablespoon of washing powder is really all you need ... but it was a 1 hour wash. Got a 2 hour wash on now so have put 2 tablespoons in lol and 1 tablespoon of fabric softener
> 
> It cleans your clothes and will probs make your washing machine last longer too


Did you know that a 30 min wash in 30 degree's temp washes just aswell as a 2 hour wash .


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## sequeena

zacknzena said:


> Did you know that a 30 min wash in 30 degree's temp washes just aswell as a 2 hour wash .


I have a 30 min wash but only use it for light things as it's not long enough for really dirty things plus pet bedding and normal bedding is put on a very high temp wash to kill anything lurking 
Mind you it says 30 mins on the dial but think it's actually around an hour long 

I don't know how to use my washing machine really. It's either a 1 hour wash or 2 hour wash but my longer washes are mostly on 30 degrees


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## lifeizsweet

I s'pose i better go put some washing on......


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## rebenda

I have no saving tips what so ever! so these lot are great as im in need of learning! 19 and have a car to pay off before i move to uni in sept! 

i get paid on friday and am completely cutting out anything unnecc which will save me a FORTUNE!!! 

oh the only couple of savings i make is the pets food/bedding etc i get from batleys or work as i have the code from work

and i will only buy hair products/makeup etc when they are on offers so can buy in bulk and save next time. 

also (from parents) dont have dishwasher or dryer anymore, clothes get hung up or on radiators if there on.

heating is on thermostat so unless its freezing we wrap up, it never comes on during day as we probly aint here!

both me and my dad go to the gym so make the most of it and use the showers there near enough everyday

god i need to save BIG TIME!


----------



## Lulu's owner

Actually, apart from the cost of heating, this snow and ice is saving me a fortune as I'm hardly leaving the house unless I'm forced to, so no squandering money in the shops just to pass the time.


----------



## Badger's Mum

Someone should make this a sticky.
You can make a stew last a week by keep adding to it if you saving money or not. it get's better by the day I do it a lot in this weather


----------



## rebenda

Yea it deff should be a sticky!!


----------



## lifeizsweet

Oh another money saving thing i do is buy cheap cuts of meat and slow cook them, and always go to the supermarkets at lunch and just before closing so i can get stuff thats been reduced, then i freeze them till i need to use them .


----------



## sequeena

Ok another bunch of tips I remembered 

- Turn oven off for the last 5-10 mins of cooking
- Turn iron off for the last few clothes
- 1 teabag for 2 cups of tea. Depending on the quality I can make 4 cups with 1 teabag 
- I squeeze my loo roll into an oval shape. If you have a roll holder (I don't just put it on top of the toilet lol) you will notice it doesn't unroll as easy thus you use less. Perfect for those of you with kids and men who insist on using half a roll for a wee 
- My OH buys a body spray from poundland which is actually Lynx (it's only called Lynx in the UK). It used to be called Axe but I can't remember what it is now. You'll notice it as soon as you see it though!
- I use dry wipe pens on my fridge to remember stuff - no need for a board!
- I put bicarb on my carpets instead of shake and vac. Does the same thing
- If you use cloths etc and they're looking grubby don't put them in the bin put them through a wash. I always do it and a single duster has lasted me almost 2 years now 
- Every few weeks I put my washing machine through a 90 degree wash to get rid of any residue blocking the pipes - stops my washing machine from breaking down
- I don't use those limescale tablet things for the kettle. I boil a full kettle of water mixed with 2 tablespoons of any vinegar. I allow it to cool then discard (usually use it to clean the loo pmsl). Then I fill the kettle with water, boil and use it as a weed killer (boiling water really does work!)
- I always cover my pots with a lid when cooking. You keep the heat inside so it cooks faster and saves you energy
- I once put almond essence in a glass of coke (because I refuse to pay for Dr Pepper) and it tastes exactly like Dr P. Don't think the brand of coke matters, I use value 
- I put a few drops of vinegar in washing up liquid and water it down a little. Makes it go that much further
- In the summer I started freezing squash in ice cube trays then whenever I wanted a drink I would put one ice cube into a glass of water


----------



## westie~ma

I've put this thread as a sticky seeing as some of you have asked.

When we all win the lottery it can be removed


----------



## sequeena

westie~ma said:


> I've put this thread as a sticky seeing as some of you have asked.
> 
> When we all win the lottery it can be removed


Thanks


----------



## zacknzena

sequeena said:


> Ok another bunch of tips I remembered
> 
> - Turn oven off for the last 5-10 mins of cooking
> - Turn iron off for the last few clothes
> - 1 teabag for 2 cups of tea. Depending on the quality I can make 4 cups with 1 teabag
> - I squeeze my loo roll into an oval shape. If you have a roll holder (I don't just put it on top of the toilet lol) you will notice it doesn't unroll as easy thus you use less. Perfect for those of you with kids and men who insist on using half a roll for a wee
> - My OH buys a body spray from poundland which is actually Lynx (it's only called Lynx in the UK). It used to be called Axe but I can't remember what it is now. You'll notice it as soon as you see it though!
> - I use dry wipe pens on my fridge to remember stuff - no need for a board!
> - I put bicarb on my carpets instead of shake and vac. Does the same thing
> - If you use cloths etc and they're looking grubby don't put them in the bin put them through a wash. I always do it and a single duster has lasted me almost 2 years now
> - Every few weeks I put my washing machine through a 90 degree wash to get rid of any residue blocking the pipes - stops my washing machine from breaking down
> - I don't use those limescale tablet things for the kettle. I boil a full kettle of water mixed with 2 tablespoons of any vinegar. I allow it to cool then discard (usually use it to clean the loo pmsl). Then I fill the kettle with water, boil and use it as a weed killer (boiling water really does work!)
> - I always cover my pots with a lid when cooking. You keep the heat inside so it cooks faster and saves you energy
> - I once put almond essence in a glass of coke (because I refuse to pay for Dr Pepper) and it tastes exactly like Dr P. Don't think the brand of coke matters, I use value
> - I put a few drops of vinegar in washing up liquid and water it down a little. Makes it go that much further
> - In the summer I started freezing squash in ice cube trays then whenever I wanted a drink I would put one ice cube into a glass of water


my bf buys his bodyspray from poundland too  Did u know u can use coke to clean ur toilet thats how bad it is for ya  lol


----------



## zacknzena

westie~ma said:


> I've put this thread as a sticky seeing as some of you have asked.
> 
> When we all win the lottery it can be removed [/QUOTE
> 
> yeah thankyou


----------



## sequeena

zacknzena said:


> my bf buys his bodyspray from poundland too  Did u know u can use coke to clean ur toilet thats how bad it is for ya  lol


Oh yeah  I do that, only use flat coke though.

The acid in our stomach is probably much worse than what's in coke! Just drink it through a straw :laugh:


----------



## Maiisiku

put money regulary into a saving account, that is not easy to access ie: you have to go into the bank to access it. 

Buy store brand stuff ie, bread, rice pudding is 18p rather than 56p etc. Buy cat food in bulk online £15 instead of £30 for the month and that is high quality instead of crap. 

I buy all my kids clothes from primark instead of brand name stores as she grows out of them really fast and my mum buys the expensive stuff anyway for christmas and birthdays.

I buy cleaning products in bulk or on special offer.

I buy store brand snacks 46p for 12 bags of tesco crisps.


----------



## rebenda

westie~ma said:


> I've put this thread as a sticky seeing as some of you have asked.
> 
> When we all win the lottery it can be removed


THANKYOU


----------



## lifeizsweet

OOooo i have a piggy bank where i put all my silver change in, it's one you have to smash to break, thats going towards our food and drink for christmas this year - so hopefully we have lots of money! It's all part of my attempt to take the strain off christmas. 

I'm starting my christmas and birthday shopping with my next pay slip too. spreading it through out the year.


----------



## sequeena

I am doing the sealed pot challenge  Any loose change (5p and under with the odd 10p or 20p) goes in there. Think it's up to £2.50 now since the beginning of the year


----------



## lifeizsweet

sequeena said:


> I am doing the sealed pot challenge  Any loose change (5p and under with the odd 10p or 20p) goes in there. Think it's up to £2.50 now since the beginning of the year


I have no idea how much is in ours, will have to wait till december to open it! Hope there's lots and lots though


----------



## sequeena

lifeizsweet said:


> I have no idea how much is in ours, will have to wait till december to open it! Hope there's lots and lots though


LOL I made sure my piggy bank opens so I can check every so often


----------



## lifeizsweet

sequeena said:


> LOL I made sure my piggy bank opens so I can check every so often


I'd spend it if it opened it, i have NO will power!


----------



## rachy86xx

great thread! some good ideas on here which will deffo come in handy!

I've taken to leaving my bank card at home 95% of the time, especially when i'm going shopping lol. That way I can only spend what cash I have on me, so it makes me much more aware of what I am spending, and makes me really think 'do I need this?'. Its so easy to stick your card in the machine and not really pay attention to the total, so I've found using cash definately helps me.

food shopping wise:
- make a list!! look in your cupboards to see what you have and only buy what you need. plan meals ahead for the week and buy that stuff first (if your anything like me and the OH we get sidetracked by 'snacky' foods that aren't really enough for a meal. 
- try the value products of something new everyweek, if you like them keep using them! if not, then use a 'discount' or own brand product next etc. even making small changes you'll save a few quid which always adds ups
- if possible check the shop's website or use mysupermarket before you leave, and go to the place you'll get the most for your money - I go to lidl first for tinned goods, milk, break and fruit/veg and then swap between morrisons and tescos for things like meat and some frozen goods depending what's on offer where and also what we need. 
and lastly...
- *Leave the kids and OH behind!! *lol I shop much better without the OH with me as he'll decide he wants random food like turkey dinosaurs or chicken nuggets (hes 25, whats wrong with a burger or fillet or something lol). If I'm on my own I can take my time and check for the best value product without him nagging me to hurry up lol.

I also save our shrapnel - OH is a taxi driver so every week I clear his bag out of change and bag it up till I have a full money bag to pay into the bank- used to pay the bags into my current account as I'd wait until we had a fair bit to deposit, but from now on these will all be going into our savings account towards house improvements.

Sign up to all the clubcard type schemes you can, as 'every little helps' 

If your very good with your money, then get yourselves a credit card with a reward scheme. My parents use theirs for all their spending each month (shopping, petrol etc) with theirs but pay it off in FULL every month and then every year they get a nice wad of M+S vouchers  When me and the OH are in a better situation financially then we'll be doing this too. Obviously, only spend on the card what you know you will pay back - I know my parents keep a close eye on their money so they only spend what they know they can afford to.

In an effort to get fit AND save money, i'm trying to walk a LOT more that I used to. one of my friends has moved to about a 10min walk away from me, so whenever I want to see her now I shall be walking (unless I have a very good reason not too). Also live within walking distance of the town centre so I'm going to start walking up to there whenever I need to go. Figured its a win win situation 

Edited to add:
when buying value meat (esp frozen stuff) always check the ingredients. OH looked at some frozen chicken burgers, then I realised they were only 46% chicken......


----------



## sequeena

Rachy I'll have to come shopping with you one day. My OH is the type to just put stuff in the trolley without looking 

The only thing I don't compromise on is meat. I try my best to get the best meat I can. It's not always organic or free range but I do the best with the money I have.


----------



## zacknzena

sequeena said:


> Rachy I'll have to come shopping with you one day. My OH is the type to just put stuff in the trolley without looking
> 
> The only thing I don't compromise on is meat. I try my best to get the best meat I can. It's not always organic or free range but I do the best with the money I have.


i dont eat meat nor does my daughter but my two boys and bf do


----------



## sequeena

zacknzena said:


> i dont eat meat nor does my daughter but my two boys and bf do


I think being a veg would probably be brilliant for us :laugh: but we do like our meat  I don't eat a lot of it though only chicken or turkey.

The best thing to do if you eat meat is to have a few days where you don't have it, that in itself will cut down your bill.


----------



## zacknzena

sequeena said:


> I think being a veg would probably be brilliant for us :laugh: but we do like our meat  I don't eat a lot of it though only chicken or turkey.
> 
> The best thing to do if you eat meat is to have a few days where you don't have it, that in itself will cut down your bill.


 yes good idea and there are lots of vegatarian sites for recipies too .


----------



## lifeizsweet

sequeena said:


> I think being a veg would probably be brilliant for us :laugh: but we do like our meat  I don't eat a lot of it though only chicken or turkey.
> 
> The best thing to do if you eat meat is to have a few days where you don't have it, that in itself will cut down your bill.


I could easily be vegetarian just to get out of debt, OH on the other hand refuses to eat a meal if there is no meat involved...


----------



## zacknzena

lifeizsweet said:


> I could easily be vegetarian just to get out of debt, OH on the other hand refuses to eat a meal if there is no meat involved...


 try buying some quorn sausages and dont tell him see if he notices lol


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> Rachy I'll have to come shopping with you one day. My OH is the type to just put stuff in the trolley without looking
> 
> The only thing I don't compromise on is meat. I try my best to get the best meat I can. It's not always organic or free range but I do the best with the money I have.


Lol, well ur always welcome!

Yeah we try and buy 'better meat too if we can. I normaly buy free range eggs too-especially when morrisons do their 15 for £2 boxes. I don't eat a great deal of meat though, only with a roast or ham, etc in a sandwhich. the OH loves his meat though, dont half push up the price of my shopping lol.


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> Lol, well ur always welcome!
> 
> Yeah we try and buy 'better meat too if we can. I normaly buy free range eggs too-especially when morrisons do their 15 for £2 boxes. I don't eat a great deal of meat though, only with a roast or ham, etc in a sandwhich. the OH loves his meat though, dont half push up the price of my shopping lol.


Mines always buying those stuffed belly pork things and eats them in one go!! I always go for a smalled minted turkey steak


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> Mines always buying those stuffed belly pork things and eats them in one go!! I always go for a smalled minted turkey steak


AH mike doesn't really like pork so it usually ends up goin to the dog if i buy one lol. i love a roast lamb dinner mmmmm rarely buy lamb though cos its so expensive! hate minted stuff tho yuk yuk lol.


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> AH mike doesn't really like pork so it usually ends up goin to the dog if i buy one lol. i love a roast lamb dinner mmmmm rarely buy lamb though cos its so expensive! hate minted stuff tho yuk yuk lol.


I hate lamb so ewwwww!!


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> I hate lamb so ewwwww!!


lol, loads of people say that when i say I like lamb! I used to be really fussy when I was younger, I didn't use to eat any meat apart from sausages lol. then i moved on to bacon, gammon and ham. then lamb (and only because my mothers lamb gravy was my favourite lol). so I think thats partly why I like it, cos i used to get it the most often as It was the only proper meat i would eat lol.


----------



## Badger's Mum

Not much but for some of you every penny count's, I've made a shepard's pie today just reminded me when mine were younger and thing's were tight, I used to cook enough mince and have shepard's pie and enough left over for chillie or spagg bol. If you grate cheese it goes further, Don't no if that's any help to anyone or not


----------



## sequeena

Badger's Mum said:


> Not much but for some of you every penny count's, I've made a shepard's pie today just reminded me when mine were younger and thing's were tight, I used to cook enough mince and have shepard's pie and enough left over for chillie or spagg bol. If you grate cheese it goes further, Don't no if that's any help to anyone or not


Thanks BM 

Also you can put oats and grated carrots in with mince to bulk it out and no-one will notice


----------



## lifeizsweet

zacknzena said:


> try buying some quorn sausages and dont tell him see if he notices lol


Haha he'd notice! He's a farmer and knows what his meat should look like!


----------



## rachy86xx

lifeizsweet said:


> Haha he'd notice! He's a farmer and knows what his meat should look like!


Lol, he deffo needs his grub then! One of my housemates in Uni lived on a farm, I loved going home with her cos her mum made lush food!


----------



## Ratdog

Do the soap nuts really work? I am tempted to buy some but I'm a bit sceptical.


----------



## lifeizsweet

I've just signed up to quidco....you get cash back when you do internet shopping visiting the sites through them...not realllly sure how it works, but worth a try!


----------



## sequeena

lifeizsweet said:


> I've just signed up to quidco....you get cash back when you do internet shopping visiting the sites through them...not realllly sure how it works, but worth a try!


A lot of people on MSE rave about it so I assume it's good


----------



## lifeizsweet

I think you need to do alot of online shopping to really make the most of it, i need to start that


----------



## Jowan

lifeizsweet said:


> We bake all our bread and rolls and don't buy shop made anymore
> 
> We buy value food mostly now.
> 
> I (tried to) quit drinking


I love to do home baking but as regards to saving money this can often cost more to home bake than it can to buy. With the cost of the ingredients and the heating of the oven. .....Plus the real butter you need to spread on the fresh baked still warm crusty .....mmmmmmmmmmm lol


----------



## sequeena

Apparently it's worth investing in a bread maker.


----------



## Jowan

There are some great web site to help you save money too like Martins Money hes a guy from radio 2 and other progs. Plus a site called free stuff. They give you a list and you chose which you want to get for free. Sometimes it can be a pack of Pampers other times it can be a cook book.


----------



## lifeizsweet

Jowan said:


> I love to do home baking but as regards to saving money this can often cost more to home bake than it can to buy. With the cost of the ingredients and the heating of the oven. .....Plus the real butter you need to spread on the fresh baked still warm crusty .....mmmmmmmmmmm lol


We don't have to pay the bills at the moment but we have to buy our own food so for the time being it's cheaper 

Not quite got the recipe down to a tee yet though...


----------



## Badger's Mum

sequeena said:


> Apparently it's worth investing in a bread maker.


Waste of money hun


----------



## sequeena

Badger's Mum said:


> Waste of money hun


Seriously? I know a lot of people have raved about it.
Lucky for me I don't bake


----------



## Jowan

lifeizsweet said:


> We don't have to pay the bills at the moment but we have to buy our own food so for the time being it's cheaper
> 
> Not quite got the recipe down to a tee yet though...


Sometimes it can be the yeast that is too strong if it is the taste. Particularly if you use fresh

White bread: Recipes: Good Food Channel

I have found a few nice ones on here.


----------



## lifeizsweet

Jowan said:


> Sometimes it can be the yeast that is too strong if it is the taste. Particularly if you use fresh
> 
> White bread: Recipes: Good Food Channel
> 
> I have found a few nice ones on here.


The taste is fine, and the loaves rise in the airing cupboard then sink when we put them in the oven, they're always a bit too doughy too.


----------



## Badger's Mum

sequeena said:


> Seriously? I know a lot of people have raved about it.
> Lucky for me I don't bake


Haha they're fine if you've got the money, I got one a couple of year's ago, It look's good on the side. Not often but if i do make bread, it's nicer in the oven. you've made me hungry now


----------



## sequeena

Badger's Mum said:


> Haha they're fine if you've got the money, I got one a couple of year's ago, It look's good on the side. Not often but if i do make bread, it's nicer in the oven. you've made me hungry now


Oh yeah they cost a bomb!! Looked one up and almost sh*t myself :laugh: I think it would be worth it in the end though as my electric oven is the one before you get a range cooker ... so it's quite bit lmao


----------



## Badger's Mum

sequeena said:


> Oh yeah they cost a bomb!! Looked one up and almost sh*t myself :laugh: I think it would be worth it in the end though as my electric oven is the one before you get a range cooker ... so it's quite bit lmao


Oh yeah or do a loaf when you have a roast,


----------



## sequeena

Badger's Mum said:


> Oh yeah or do a loaf when you have a roast,


Yeah that's an idea they always say to fill your oven don't they x


----------



## rachy86xx

oh just remembered, if your looking to buy anything from currys/comet check out their auction sites. a lot of the items are returns due to scratches etc, but they often have ex display stock on there. my oven should have cost £400 new, but I had it for about £250 including postage (it was ex display) and there's nothing wrong with it at all! oh i lie, one of the buttons was cracked so you couldnt turn it very easily, but they sent out a new one no questions asked. I'm currently keeping an eye out for a dishwasher on there!


----------



## JANICE199

rachy86xx said:


> oh just remembered, if your looking to buy anything from currys/comet check out their auction sites. a lot of the items are returns due to scratches etc, but they often have ex display stock on there. my oven should have cost £400 new, but I had it for about £250 including postage (it was ex display) and there's nothing wrong with it at all! oh i lie, one of the buttons was cracked so you couldnt turn it very easily, but they sent out a new one no questions asked. I'm currently keeping an eye out for a dishwasher on there!


*oh i didn't know they had auction sites.good tip.*


----------



## rachy86xx

JANICE199 said:


> *oh i didn't know they had auction sites.good tip.*


yeah i didn't know till I was trying to find the cheapest place to buy my oven! had it off the comet site in the end, think that one has more on than the currys one. If any item has scratches they are listed at the bottom of the page for each item.


----------



## zacknzena

Ratdog said:


> Do the soap nuts really work? I am tempted to buy some but I'm a bit sceptical.


If you go on ebay they sell them on there or if you type soapnuts in ur search bar some websites should come up most seller give out samples for you to try them before buying bigger bags .

I use them and think they are great


----------



## Maiisiku

zacknzena said:


> If you go on ebay they sell them on there or if you type soapnuts in ur search bar some websites should come up most seller give out samples for you to try them before buying bigger bags .
> 
> I use them and think they are great


I'm just wondering if they are ok for people with skin allergies. I would think they'd be better than normal detergant right? Are they good with kids mess stains?


----------



## zacknzena

Maiisiku said:


> I'm just wondering if they are ok for people with skin allergies. I would think they'd be better than normal detergant right? Are they good with kids mess stains?


They are the best to use for people with allergies as soapnuts are completely natural . I have found they are good with kids stains but u could also put a bit of ecover laundry bleach in with your whites for a bit of a boost you can buy these two items of ebay for cheap .

Direct from mother nature to your home, 
100% natural eco- friendly soap,
nothing cleaner nothing fresher

The Soap That Grows On Trees

The natural chemical free detergent for your washing machine

A mild and gentle cleanser
Suitable for washing coloreds
Environmentally friendly and biodegradable
Suitable for sensitive skins and people suffering from allergies
From renewable sources it grows on trees
Economical 
Excellent for easy-care washes as well as cotton and linens from

30 - 90ºC.

Suitable for wool and silk. As a rule a softener is not required as the

Soapnuts leave your washing pleasantly soft smelling clean & fresh.

You will receive a cotton bag with 500grams of

Original Indian Soapnut Shells (sapindus mukorrosi)

enough for approx 150+ washes. Washing & how to make soapnut liquid instructions are printed on the outer bag

(saving on printed paper instructions all helps)

Plus a small wash bag that is used in your washing machine.

So how does a Soapnut thats really a Berry & more like a lychee or rambutan than a nut get your clothes clean ??

( They are not part of the nut family and shouldnt cause any nut allergy.)

Its all in the shell. Soapnuts have been used in Asia for 1000 of year's
& come from the fruit of the trees of the sapindus genus, from the family Sapindacea known simply as the Soap Nut Tree or Chinese Soapberry.
They contains a natural substance called saponin approx 12% which are a natural detergent. Similar to soap, when the shells of the soapnut come in contact with water the saponin is released and suds are produced these work as a surfactant (Surfactant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), this makes the water "wetter" and allows greater penetration of the fibres, working out the dirt and grime and human oils that make clothes dirty. The dirt is then trapped by the surfactant and holds on to the dirt. This keeps it in suspension until the water is drained away, leaving you with a lovely naturally clean washwith no harmful residue of chemicals to dry into your clothes which are then released when your clothes absorb moisture from your body. This makes soap nuts wonderfully safe for sensitive skin, eczema, psoriasis, ideal for children and senior members of your family.

Soapnuts can also be used as a Hand soap, Shampoo which can help to rid the scalp of dandruff lice and other problems, Body wash, House hold cleaner, Cleaning jewelery, Car wash, Natural pesticide, Pet shampoo animals have sensitive skin to & it can help to removed Parasites from pets fur and skin ( We do not recommend putting Fido, Felix or any other family pet in the washing machine on a cool wash slow spin!!). The list goes on.

How do you use these?

well it simple instead of putting soap powder & conditioner in to your washing machine you just place 4 to 8 Soapnut shell ( the amount will depend on how dirty the clothes are for every day wash 4-6 etc) into the small cotton wash bag provided pop them into the drum with the clothes & turn the machine on & thats it.

Once the machine has finished take the clothes out & the cotton bag put it to oneside & when you do your next wash put the same wash bag in with the same soapnuts & away you go again simple. you can use the same soapnuts for up to 4-6 times or until they darken in colour & lose there shine then either throw them on the compost heap or hang onto them & once you have about 10 or so you can add a few new nuts & make Liquid soap for Hand wash, Shampoo etc .


----------



## lifeizsweet

I would recommend getting a nectar for saving money too.

I only shop in sainsburys and the nectar card has been a life saver for us. We have £20 till our cheque clears onn Friday and no food. Luckily because we collect nectar points we've got £30 to spend in sainsburys so i can buy food tomorrow and we dont have to go hungry! 

We saved up £60 last year and did a free shop on it.


----------



## lifeizsweet

ALSO!

The mirror this week is doing free food at gregs - theres a coupon inside each day for the following

MONDAY 18th FREE Chicken & Bacon Lattice 
TUESDAY 19th FREE Tuna Mayo Sandwich 
WEDNESDAY 20th FREE Drink (Coke, Diet Coke or Oasis)
THURSDAY 21st FREE Cheese & Onion Pasty
FRIDAY 22nd FREE Small White Bloomer Loaf
SATURDAY 23rd FREE Muffin

I will making the most of this offer!


----------



## sequeena

lifeizsweet said:


> ALSO!
> 
> The mirror this week is doing free food at gregs - theres a coupon inside each day for the following
> 
> MONDAY 18th FREE Chicken & Bacon Lattice
> TUESDAY 19th FREE Tuna Mayo Sandwich
> WEDNESDAY 20th FREE Drink (Coke, Diet Coke or Oasis)
> THURSDAY 21st FREE Cheese & Onion Pasty
> FRIDAY 22nd FREE Small White Bloomer Loaf
> SATURDAY 23rd FREE Muffin
> 
> I will making the most of this offer!


Saw this advertised on tv looks great 

I get loads of stuff free from Greggs because my best friend works there (she's a uni student) :laugh:


----------



## lifeizsweet

sequeena said:


> Saw this advertised on tv looks great
> 
> I get loads of stuff free from Greggs because my best friend works there (she's a uni student) :laugh:


lucky duck! Greggs is the nearest store to my work. i love their yum yums! But i've not been there this year what with trying to save and lose weight. will make an exception this week though, need all the free stuff i can get!


----------



## sequeena

lifeizsweet said:


> lucky duck! Greggs is the nearest store to my work. i love their yum yums! But i've not been there this year what with trying to save and lose weight. will make an exception this week though, need all the free stuff i can get!


Oh yum yums :001_tt1:
And their coffee choux buns


----------



## lifeizsweet

sequeena said:


> Oh yum yums :001_tt1:
> And their coffee choux buns


aww man im getting hungry now!!


----------



## rachy86xx

ooh fab! i love greggs and their sausage and bean melts mmm. shame they aren't in the offer or i'd be there like a shot lol.


----------



## Debs61

Wow, some great money saving ideas here

Im on a gluten free diet..I have an allergy to all cereals apart from corn and rice.
I have to buy "proper meat"..cant eat anything in breadcrumbs or batter..or sausages with rusk in...nightmare!!!!
If anyone has any ideas on how to make my shopping bill cheaper regarding this..please help.
For OH and daughter Ive started buying SP biscuits to put in packed lunches. She suffers from eczema quite badly and Ive used Bold for years..its the only one thats doesnt make it flare up!!, but I will be getting some soap nuts thats for sure...
only ever wash on 30/40 degrees and only for a 30min wash..except bedding and dogs beds.
Always wash and reuse cloths and dusters, at the mo ASDA have their own brand of washup on bogof..always buy the biggest pack of loo roll..it does last longer.
for doggy poo bags, our council gives them out free..i get 2 packs aweek..got a huge stash of them..i get them even if I dont need them.
We used to pay £70 a month DD on the electric..got a key meter in and now pay £10 a week...brilliant. Gas needs to come down abit but working on that.:nonod:
The whole house has energy saving bulbs. I do have a tumble dryer, but if the heating is on hang stuff like jeans, joggers,sweat tops etc on hangers on the curtain rails..soon drys thems. Ive stopped using my dishwasher and wash by hand, once a day. I dont use furniture polish..I use SP baby wipes..


----------



## sequeena

Where do you buy your meat from? If you get it from the supermarket or a butcher you may want to try your local market  They're amazing, great quality meat and at my one you can get massive barbeque packs (about 48 pieces of meat) for £5!


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> Where do you buy your meat from? If you get it from the supermarket or a butcher you may want to try your local market  They're amazing, great quality meat and at my one you can get massive barbeque packs (about 48 pieces of meat) for £5!


which one do you go to?


----------



## rachy86xx

Debs61 said:


> Wow, some great money saving ideas here
> 
> Im on a gluten free diet..I have an allergy to all cereals apart from corn and rice.
> I have to buy "proper meat"..cant eat anything in breadcrumbs or batter..or sausages with rusk in...nightmare!!!!
> If anyone has any ideas on how to make my shopping bill cheaper regarding this..please help.
> For OH and daughter Ive started buying SP biscuits to put in packed lunches. She suffers from eczema quite badly and Ive used Bold for years..its the only one thats doesnt make it flare up!!, but I will be getting some soap nuts thats for sure...
> only ever wash on 30/40 degrees and only for a 30min wash..except bedding and dogs beds.
> Always wash and reuse cloths and dusters, at the mo ASDA have their own brand of washup on bogof..always buy the biggest pack of loo roll..it does last longer.
> for doggy poo bags, our council gives them out free..i get 2 packs aweek..got a huge stash of them..i get them even if I dont need them.
> We used to pay £70 a month DD on the electric..got a key meter in and now pay £10 a week...brilliant. Gas needs to come down abit but working on that.:nonod:
> The whole house has energy saving bulbs. I do have a tumble dryer, but if the heating is on hang stuff like jeans, joggers,sweat tops etc on hangers on the curtain rails..soon drys thems. Ive stopped using my dishwasher and wash by hand, once a day. I dont use furniture polish..I use SP baby wipes..


I picked up the morrisons magazine the other day and they have a recipe in there for sausage and mash, where you make your own sausages. It looked and sounded really yummy! you buy sausagemeat to make the sausages so perhaps look at that instead of precooked sausages, you might have more luck finding rusk free meat. If you want the recipe I can bring it into work 2moro to scan.

I think I read that using a dishwasher CAN be more 'moneysaving' than hand washing, as you might only use a dishwasher say once a week wheras you'd be doing hand washing everyday. I think it depends on the energy saving rating the dishwasher has.

On a seperate moneysaving note, if you are cooking in the oven, leave it open afterwards to heat the kitchen for free


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> which one do you go to?


Town  Pick my fruit and veg too when I feel like some x


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> Town  Pick my fruit and veg too when I feel like some x


what the one by nationwide is it? mike went to one in sandfields last summer to get meat for our BBQ, had loads but not as good value as the pack you had! might have to check that out if we get any BBQ weather this summer! have you been to the one on sandown road? mike said its supposed to be good, but haven't been there yet, might check it out to get the hound a bone if he's a good boy this week


----------



## Dylan & Daisy

Gosh....this made some interesting reading!

I used to wash clothes etc, every other day (even though it's only hubs and me) but since the building work here began and i've had to move my washing machine til it's finished, i've only been doing it once a week so i guess that's a good thing.

I wouldn't buy from charity shops personally but i do give all my unwanted clothes, books etc to them.

I have Underfloor Heating which only comes on when the air temperature outside falls below a set temp. and Air Conditioning (HPS) which is more energy saving that other forms of heating. We had someone come out and check the house over to see how energy efficient/saving it was and it was pretty good 

I do buy BOGOF's on products we use frequently but i don't buy cheap value pack/brand foods, i don't believe it's very good quality (just my opinion). I waste very little as i only buy what we need when it comes to groceries.

I don't carry any coins except £1.00 coins in my purse, all loose change i throw into a pot which when full, i bag up and stick back in the bank.


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> what the one by nationwide is it? mike went to one in sandfields last summer to get meat for our BBQ, had loads but not as good value as the pack you had! might have to check that out if we get any BBQ weather this summer! have you been to the one on sandown road? mike said its supposed to be good, but haven't been there yet, might check it out to get the hound a bone if he's a good boy this week


I think the market in town varies with it's deals x

I've been to the butcher by the spar on the beach and they do the most wonderful burgers. They're really thin but don't fall apart like you think it would.


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> I think the market in town varies with it's deals x
> 
> I've been to the butcher by the spar on the beach and they do the most wonderful burgers. They're really thin but don't fall apart like you think it would.


ah yeah thats where i meant dalton road not sandown road dohhhhhhh lol.

ooh i'll check that one out then, i love a good BBQ'd burger hehe


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> ah yeah thats where i meant dalton road not sandown road dohhhhhhh lol.
> 
> ooh i'll check that one out then, i love a good BBQ'd burger hehe


I was just about to say, didn't know there was a market in Sandown road lol!!

That's the only meat I've tried though. Candy used to get her breakfast there every morning  and they always give you bones


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> I was just about to say, didn't know there was a market in Sandown road lol!!
> 
> That's the only meat I've tried though. Candy used to get her breakfast there every morning  and they always give you bones


Lol, yeah i'm not thinking straight this morning. Deffo going to check that out on saturday  going to go to gammonds to get some nice fruit too to encourage me to actually stick to my diet for a change, and not by donuts and chocolate croissants when they are reduced in morrisons


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> Lol, yeah i'm not thinking straight this morning. Deffo going to check that out on saturday  going to go to gammonds to get some nice fruit too to encourage me to actually stick to my diet for a change, and not by donuts and chocolate croissants when they are reduced in morrisons


I've not been to Gammonds for years, think my mum gets her spuds from them though lol

I would just go to the market I love getting fruit and veg from there 

... but the only problem is I can't walk past the burger stand without having one pmsl!!


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> I've not been to Gammonds for years, think my mum gets her spuds from them though lol
> 
> I would just go to the market I love getting fruit and veg from there
> 
> ... but the only problem is I can't walk past the burger stand without having one pmsl!!


Lol I havent been to the market for years!! might give it a try on saturday if i can squeeze enough money out of Mike hehe. I know he bought some really yummy, juicy strawberrys from gammonds last summer, much nicer than even the 'finest' supermarket ones!


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> Lol I havent been to the market for years!! might give it a try on saturday if i can squeeze enough money out of Mike hehe. I know he bought some really yummy, juicy strawberrys from gammonds last summer, much nicer than even the 'finest' supermarket ones!


I hate the fruit from supermarkets, don't know why I just don't like it :huh: :laugh:


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> I hate the fruit from supermarkets, don't know why I just don't like it :huh: :laugh:


yeah its not the best is it! i find the stuff in morrisons goes off real quick too, lidl stuff is ok tho.


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> yeah its not the best is it! i find the stuff in morrisons goes off real quick too, lidl stuff is ok tho.


Yeah morrisons stuff goes off pretty fast, no idea why :huh: From what I remember everything (that needs to be on the day) comes in in the morning and is put out before the shop opens.

God the mornings in there killed me, 6am starts!!


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> Yeah morrisons stuff goes off pretty fast, no idea why :huh: From what I remember everything (that needs to be on the day) comes in in the morning and is put out before the shop opens.
> 
> God the mornings in there killed me, 6am starts!!


i'd never cope there, i struggle getting up at 8 LOL


----------



## sequeena

rachy86xx said:


> i'd never cope there, i struggle getting up at 8 LOL


It's not too bad once you get into the swing of things but if you were going from a 9pm finish (hahaha I never clocked out until at least half past!) to a 6am start you'd be paying for it.


----------



## rachy86xx

sequeena said:


> It's not too bad once you get into the swing of things but if you were going from a 9pm finish (hahaha I never clocked out until at least half past!) to a 6am start you'd be paying for it.


god i'd never cope I need my 8+ hours or i'm a right cranky bi*ch lol.


----------



## zacknzena

vodafone friends and family pay five pound a mnth and you can add 4 friends who can phone you and you can phone them free for a mnth. I do this so my partner and daughter can keep intouch with me


----------



## sequeena

zacknzena said:


> vodafone friends and family pay five pound a mnth and you can add 4 friends who can phone you and you can phone them free for a mnth. I do this so my partner and daughter can keep intouch with me


I think O2 do something similar too  My sister does it with my niece.


----------



## cutekitten123

good tips everyone


----------



## Maiisiku

Bake your own cookies (it's cheap!!) 

Tesco club card vouchers I swear I get so much money off! I use Eon so I get lots of points from them and then i get the ones from my shopping. I have £22 this time, I userally spend them on nappys on special offer and buy in bulk.

Don't buy any food outside of your regular shopping (I spend too much otherwise).

Buy pet food in bulk online as well as other pet things. 

Sell annoying father in law on ebay.


----------



## Dirky47

Spend your money wisely. Give the things that is not essentially needed.


----------



## Ally-Kats

Hi everyone. If it's of any help, we found that we save a lot of money by using a water meter. Our bill (under water rates) was £43 a month, we now have a water meter and only pay £27 a month although we are much more careful abour our usage. Interestingly our water company tried to talk us out of having a meter, insisting that as there are for of us in the house it would cost us more, the only downside is that we shower now instead of taking a long luxurious bath. Switching all electrical items 'off' instead of into standby makes a real difference as well (family of four we pay around £15 a month for electricity), even the microwave is turned off at the socket after each use, after all we don't need its clock running, as we have a lovely Cat clock on the kitchen wall


----------



## rachy86xx

Ally-Kats said:


> Hi everyone. If it's of any help, we found that we save a lot of money by using a water meter. Our bill (under water rates) was £43 a month, we now have a water meter and only pay £27 a month although we are much more careful abour our usage. Interestingly our water company tried to talk us out of having a meter, insisting that as there are for of us in the house it would cost us more, the only downside is that we shower now instead of taking a long luxurious bath. Switching all electrical items 'off' instead of into standby makes a real difference as well (family of four we pay around £15 a month for electricity), even the microwave is turned off at the socket after each use, after all we don't need its clock running, as we have a lovely Cat clock on the kitchen wall


We've got a water meter too - it was there when we bought the house, so we had no choice but to have one. We are currently paying about £12 a month on average - infact, our bills were coming in so small that we cancelled the direct debit and just pay it off in full when we get the bills.

I think the general rule is if there are less people than bedrooms in the house then it will be cheaper - you can have a meter put it, and if you find you don't like it/it isn't cheaper etc then you can have it taken out so long as its been in less than a year. more than a year, or once the house changes hands then its there for life.

if you live in a flat, then you normally can't have a meter i believe, but can be requested to go onto a different tarrif that would give you lower bills as it woul dbe based on your estimated usage i believe. can't remember the term though sorry!


----------



## Inca's Mum

Don't spend it! That's my tip! I can't say anything mind, I don't manage my money :wink:


----------



## lifeizsweet

Inca's Mum said:


> Don't spend it! That's my tip! I can't say anything mind, I don't manage my money :wink:


hehe if only it was that easy!!!


----------



## sequeena

lmao ok Jess you can tell my landlord he's not allowed his £515 rent because I'm saving money


----------



## lifeizsweet

I just bought a perfume that i love for £4 from Fragrence Direct It's usually £20 in the shops. BARGAIN


----------



## Inca's Mum

lifeizsweet said:


> hehe if only it was that easy!!!





sequeena said:


> lmao ok Jess you can tell my landlord he's not allowed his £515 rent because I'm saving money


Lmao it's that easy for me at the minute. Plus my mum's started giving me pocket money since I help a lot around the house not like my brother and sister and it really helps her. I got 2 pound last night and 11p today (I went to shops and asked if I could keep that change) and it's all going into my Terramundi (sp?) pot and I'm saving! I don't need anything, so I won't spend it though friends at school on non-uniform said 'Jess, you wore that top last time...and those jeans...and those shoes.' I was like well I don't urgently need clothes I have better things to spend my money on!


----------



## Dirky47

Sacrifice your personal desires and go for the priority one.


----------



## towndentals

nice thread, hundred of money saving ideas, this might be helpful for all of us .


----------



## patidarnilesh

You can invest in share market or in mutual funds.
These are the best options. The most best option is depositing in
BANKS.
----------------
contemporary furniture
getting rid of rats


----------



## tordis

If you live in London and eat out a lot, get a TasteLondon card - it's totally worth it!


----------



## ava

Usually I don't spend a lot of money in hair salon. I do 4 times a year hair cut for $45(no blow dry) and color my roots in light natural blond color 3 times a year for $50. It works for natural blond hair, unfortunately not for dark hair. Sometimes I color my roots myself (I have short hair cut and it is easy to do).


----------



## ava

Once (about 8 years ago) I tried to put $20 aside five days a week, I didn't have any goal. It was interesting for me how much I will have in two years and how could I keep that money aside. It was very easy to reach $10,400. My husband didn't know about it and was very surprised when I opened infront of his nose the box with money. He jumped to the ceiling.
So everybody can make a surprise for her(him)self.


----------



## classixuk

If you're an existing customer of Abbey National, they are currently offering a 1 year fixed term bond that pays 10% interest on maturity.

Worth thinking about as an alternative to an ISA for those with a bit stashed away!


----------



## lauz_1982

I buy books and toys from the local charity shop and donate. I buy clothes sometimes on ebay if they look in good condition and are well priced. I donate to charity and sell old books on ebay or donate them. I sell old clothes that have hardly been worn on ebay too.

I knit and crochet baby items and buy crochet and knitting needles in the charity shop and wool that is on offer on ebay (only new baby wool though but I look for cheaper). I sell the items I make on eay too. Not a huge amount but keeps me busy at night and makes a few pennies!

For Mac I buy lots of old kids toys at the charity shop. He has a bumble bee activity toy that would have been £20 from the ELC and it cost me £1.50. He loves it and sleeps curled up with it. Rattles, High chair toys that suction to the floor etc keep him busy for ages and cost about £1. He loves it when I bring a bag home from shops and he gets all excited that it's for him!

We use a Spree book:

https://spreesecure.com/

It has loads and loads of vouchers for KFC, McDonalds, Frankie & Benny's, Bowling, Cinema and all sorts in our area - paid for itself after 2 uses. Fab idea! Great if you have kids. Hundereds of pounds saved if you go out a lot. Only certain areas though but more being added by the looks of it.

I write a list of what I need shopping wise (I literally plan what we are eating for breakfast, lunch, dinner and put it on my list and then write household stuff sown too) and order online. The delivery from Asda can be as little as £3.50 - cheaper at certain days and times - I live outside town so taxi's would cost a lot more as I don't have a car. I only buy what is on my list. I don't search the shop. I type in what I need and check for offers. I now don't but anything I don't need. Saves a fortune.

I am going to try the soapnuts and dishwasher balls so thanks for posting about them! Will let you all know how it goes!

Laura


----------



## k9lover

Great thread, some good tips even if I don't have some of the shops mentioned remotely near where we live:crying:. We've cut down a lot on meat, even OH (who loves meat) happy now he's used to it. Instead we buy good quality meat off a local farm shop, slightly dearer than the supermarket but soooo much tastier, and only have meat about twice a week, so still cheaper.
Have used soap nuts and they're great, found them at the annual continental market, Belfast.
Think some washing powders, expensive loo rolls and fabric conditioners a rip off, but appreciate it's down to personal taste. My two girls have senstive skin so I've never used fabric conditioner..don't need it.
Do use a dishwasher as I think it saves on water (great tip in previous post about saving in dishwasher tabs, thanx) ...prefer to dry clothes naturally but use tumble drier in the winter otherwise we'd be climbing over the wet clothes:blush2:. Have drastically cut down on rubbish food, although do give in at the weekends. OH loves crisps and has discovered that Tesco's cheapest brand are good. Collect Tesco's points and buy fuel there too, so all adds up.

Am more than happy to buy books, CD's, anything useful from a charity shop and recycle to them what I don't need - wash and wear, have found some great bargains I couldn't otherwise afford. Most of dogs toys come from charity shop, always check they're sturdy, and safe for the darlings.
Growing our own veg this year after a few year's break and have eggs from our hens..yum!
Love to bake but agree it isn't cost effective - nice treat though.
A bit of imagination goes a long way to create inexpensive, healthy food and you can pad out so many dishes with extra veg, beans etc....
Info on 02 is good - we're a family of five and all use 02. We get free 02 to 02calls and texts so can keep in regular contact with each other.
Breadmaker is great if you really enjoy bread. My OH loves bread from the breadmaker - says it fills him for the day when shop bread leaves him starving. The machine itself can be expensive but well worth it if you use it regularly, otherwise it is a waste tbh. I wouldn't use it if it weren't for OH.
Wish the car wasn't such a fuel guzzler and/or we had a decent bus service around here


----------



## tordis

I get my haircuts free by modeling for trainee stylists in various salons across London. It takes a bit longer than usual, but if you have the time, go for it. The trainees are usually people who are working in salons, but need to practice some extra skills or a specific cut. You will first have a consultation to find out what hairstyle you'd like and the final effect will be checked by a senior stylist, so don't worry, you won't end up looking weird.
You can find adverts for hair modeling on Gumtree.


----------



## k9lover

tordis said:


> I get my haircuts free by modeling for trainee stylists in various salons across London. It takes a bit longer than usual, but if you have the time, go for it. The trainees are usually people who are working in salons, but need to practice some extra skills or a specific cut. You will first have a consultation to find out what hairstyle you'd like and the final effect will be checked by a senior stylist, so don't worry, you won't end up looking weird.
> You can find adverts for hair modeling on Gumtree.


This sounds great - must check it out in our local town.Thanks


----------



## silly gilly

If Im making a roast dinner, I put another 2 up for the next day, cuts down on oven time and washing up. I go to charity shops and buy clothes for doing outdoor work, such as my ponies, you only have to wash them first and Ive had some real bargains, I used to be snobbish about them but no more. I go to the charitys I support like animal welfare. Also today I got an old fashioned airer which i will put in my conservatory to dry and air clothes. I got out my water purifying jug and use that instead of buying water. I also started going to Lidls and was pleasantly suprised i must say. Am taking on board washing tips!!!


----------



## herrry.orason

Look on ebay for small electrical products, you'll find brand new products that were returned to the shops because of damaged boxes or a slight fault that will ahve been repaird etc. also check your local free paper for bigger items. You can get a decent fridge freezer for under £100. Look around, you don't always need to buy new.


----------



## Guest

-only use one square of toilet paper,
-do this to clean your loo -http://imagechan.com/images/ad32f1f4157e21294dcc56ada21f8acb.jpg
-wear these to clean your floor instead of wasting hoover engery








-wear your underwear for 3 days at a time inorder to save water
-move your elderly relatives to a slighly less decent care home. the ones that are on panorama and dispatches
- tie a rag to your dogs tail so it can dust as it wags- saving electricity

in all seriousness though,
i dont know because iv never been wasteful- never stingey either


----------



## marysmith

I mostly buy everything but in less quantity and if possible the ones that are cheaper. What concerns clothing I buy a shirt this month, something else next month and so on if I really have to save money.


----------



## pacey63

kathryn773 said:


> *goes to websurf to see what soapnuts are*


me to haha


----------



## Maiisiku

I'm seriously going to give soapnuts a try as I'm fed up of paying £6 for Fairy every 2 months. I'll let you know how I find them. I'm also going to start using vinagar to clean with because we are cutting back now and we really want to save money.


----------



## lifeizsweet

Waitrose reduce their fresh rolls to 11p each at the end of the day so i buy them for mine and OH's lunch much nicer than basics bread but still dead cheap!


----------



## Lex87

I bought a second hand bread-maker and now I make my own bread. That saves quite a bit per week and I eat healthier bread too because I make quality whole wheat. Also, making pasta with my own pasta machine saves money when I have the time to make spaghetti.


----------



## Rick

Those who know me will know that I make lenses and glaze specs for a living.

I have recently taken over the site Home | Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses and spectacles | One Stop Glasses

Already a cheaper option for buying specs, save even more, forum members can use code *pf15pc* for a 15% discount.

Any questions just ask!


----------



## Maiisiku

Soapnuts: They are brilliant I am still on my first bag. 4 nuts last about 3 or 4 washes and 150 nuts cost £6. I also use vanish stain remover which is about £2 a bottle and I've been using it for 2 months now and am only just half way though the bottle. Essentual oils for £2 and they last ages too.

£10 for everything and I'd say those soapnuts will last me a year. The vanish needs replacing every 3 months (I recon) £2 a year and the esentual oils every 3-6 months depending on how much you use £4 a year. £14 a year!! I was spending £40+ a year on detergant alone. I don't use softner anymore that helps save money too.


----------



## zacknzena

Maiisiku said:


> Soapnuts: They are brilliant I am still on my first bag. 4 nuts last about 3 or 4 washes and 150 nuts cost £6. I also use vanish stain remover which is about £2 a bottle and I've been using it for 2 months now and am only just half way though the bottle. Essentual oils for £2 and they last ages too.
> 
> £10 for everything and I'd say those soapnuts will last me a year. The vanish needs replacing every 3 months (I recon) £2 a year and the esentual oils every 3-6 months depending on how much you use £4 a year. £14 a year!! I was spending £40+ a year on detergant alone. I don't use softner anymore that helps save money too.


glad you like them i am going back on them when my detergent runs out :thumbup:


----------



## Maiisiku

zacknzena said:


> glad you like them i am going back on them when my detergent runs out :thumbup:


Alot cheaper! I have really bad allergies so they work perfectly for me. I resented paying £6 for a box of fairy.


----------



## Tink82

Do they smell of anything?? or make the washing smell?


----------



## zacknzena

Tink82 said:


> Do they smell of anything?? or make the washing smell?


nope no smell :thumbup:


----------



## Tink82

zacknzena said:


> nope no smell :thumbup:


so I could use a fabric conditioner? I hate it when the powder smell doesn't go with the conditioner smell


----------



## zacknzena

Tink82 said:


> so I could use a fabric conditioner? I hate it when the powder smell doesn't go with the conditioner smell


yes you can :thumbup:


----------



## angelblue

lex87 said:


> i bought a second hand bread-maker and now i make my own bread. That saves quite a bit per week and i eat healthier bread too because i make quality whole wheat. Also, making pasta with my own pasta machine saves money when i have the time to make spaghetti.


hi lex are they easy to use ,ive been wanting one for ages but dont want to pay alot ,will have a look on ebay me thinks ,also do you get that homemade bread smell in the kitchen ,.


----------



## macrylinda1

kathryn773 said:


> *goes to websurf to see what soapnuts are*


The only cleaning supplies I have now are white vinegar, bicarb and bleach. It cleans everything.

I use only half of the recommended washing powder and fabric softener. Everything comes out smelling fresh and stain free.

I also use airers but will put clothes on the radiator if the heating is on.

I water down bubble bath, washing up liquid, hand soap etc. It's still the same quality and lasts longer.

I've changed all light bulbs, switch things off by the socket, recycle, boil one cup of water in the kettle if I'm making tea just for me.

I've bought a slow cooker. I will be able to make meals with minimal effort and it will cut down the use of my electric cooker.

I only do clothes washing when I have enough clothes to fill (but not overfill!) the washing machine.

Erm, I do loads of things. I probably sound sad but I'm noticing the difference.


----------



## lifeizsweet

I have a question!! We have a mini oven, which you plug in the wall... is it cheaper to use this than our real oven? bearing in mind i usually cook for one i guess it must be?


----------



## Maiisiku

Can you find out how many volts it runs on? 

I have another one: stay away from pet shops, and advertisements as you will end up bringing home more pets/pet toys etc  Make as many of your own and buy reduced to go items as they are only going to get killed anyway (especially cat toys). pound shop is good for cat teasers mine never last long anyway.


----------



## CanIgoHome

Rick said:


> Those who know me will know that I make lenses and glaze specs for a living.
> 
> I have recently taken over the site Home | Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses and spectacles | One Stop Glasses
> 
> Already a cheaper option for buying specs, save even more, forum members can use code *pf15pc* for a 15% discount.
> 
> Any questions just ask!


not time I have my eyes tested I think I will give it a go


----------



## NicoleW

Hmm money saving.... I must admit I am absolutely shocking with money. I REALLY want to start saving some money, for our house deposit in a few years when we buy. I'm struggling to live on a £100 a week budget.

Bearing in mind, that's food for a family of four for a week, a cat, a dog, two gerbils, plus a bit of money to take my daughter out during the week, farm, swimming and such.


----------



## yyl111

What do you reccomand as the best litter box send which is not that expensive? i can't find the right one.

Thanks,
Joe
Sigma's blog - catbedsonline.com/index.php/my-cat-blog.html


----------



## westie~ma

Always check your supermaket receipts 

Yesterday in Tesco I bought DS some polypockets for his school folders, they were marked £1 for 80 which is a bargain in itself  anyway, when I got home skimmed over the receipt to find that I'd been charged £2 per pack ... I'd bought 3 packs so was a bit miffed at being charged £6 instead of £3 

Went back to Tesco today, if they make a mistake they give you back double what you paid ... plus the goods  So I had 3 packs of polypockets for free today plus £6 in cash :thumbup:


----------



## Mum2Heidi

Organic Olive Oil as a night-time moisturiser/weekly treatment:thumbup:


----------



## lifeizsweet

Sainsburys have buy 1 get 2 free on homepride sauces at the moment. I stocked up today!!


----------



## daviidwilson

zacknzena said:


> i have to buy new for my kids as my ex wont let me put them in secondhand clothes  but i still only buy them cheap stuff .
> 
> good idea for the apples i will try that.
> 
> I am also buying our dog food in bulk from now on because if i buy one 15 kg bag the postage is 6 pound but if i buy two the postage is the same , so im gonna order two on saturday .


we NEVER open the curtains, retaining heat. we've put a curtain up over the front door so that the tornado that used to howl through the gaps and the cat flap doesn't get further than a foot into the hall way and therefore our heating bill has gone down dramatically despite the chill, it's on 14c just now, goes up to 16 max when it gets abit nippier outside.


----------



## NicoleW

Tesco are doing buy 1 get 2 free on lots of items to those who didn't know


----------



## rachy86xx

westie~ma said:


> Always check your supermaket receipts
> 
> Yesterday in Tesco I bought DS some polypockets for his school folders, they were marked £1 for 80 which is a bargain in itself  anyway, when I got home skimmed over the receipt to find that I'd been charged £2 per pack ... I'd bought 3 packs so was a bit miffed at being charged £6 instead of £3
> 
> Went back to Tesco today, if they make a mistake they give you back double what you paid ... plus the goods  So I had 3 packs of polypockets for free today plus £6 in cash :thumbup:


I ALWAYS check the receipt. So many times i've been charged incorrectly. OH tested me on Lidl prices to check the receipt the other day and i'm proud - or should that be embarrassed?!! - to say that I knew the prics of 99% of the items we bought! lol.


----------



## CatLover89

Wow, I learned lots of cool stuff just from reading! The wife and I live the lifestyle that being Happy is more important than being Rich. Because, to use being Rich means always being Busy. So, we do lots of little things to save money. 
--Plan our meals in advance. That way we aren't tempted to go out.
--Repair clothes. Especially stuff like jeans, coats, etc.
--Check the weight / size of food vs. the dollar amount. You save more money buying in bulk.
--Buy cat food, dog food, and cat litter in bulk. 
--Using half the normal amount of dishing washing liquid, tooth paste, hand soap, etc. 
--Don't buy DVDs or books until we really want them and will enjoy them over and over.


----------



## Blitzgreen

CatLover89 said:


> Wow, I learned lots of cool stuff just from reading! The wife and I live the lifestyle that being Happy is more important than being Rich. Because, to use being Rich means always being Busy. So, we do lots of little things to save money.
> --Plan our meals in advance. That way we aren't tempted to go out.
> --Repair clothes. Especially stuff like jeans, coats, etc.
> --Check the weight / size of food vs. the dollar amount. You save more money buying in bulk.
> --Buy cat food, dog food, and cat litter in bulk.
> --Using half the normal amount of dishing washing liquid, tooth paste, hand soap, etc.
> --Don't buy DVDs or books until we really want them and will enjoy them over and over.


Wow this thread is solid gold ive learnt so much as well thank you all
________
E-Cigarette Store


----------



## pacey63

daviidwilson said:


> we NEVER open the curtains, retaining heat. we've put a curtain up over the front door so that the tornado that used to howl through the gaps and the cat flap doesn't get further than a foot into the hall way and therefore our heating bill has gone down dramatically despite the chill, it's on 14c just now, goes up to 16 max when it gets abit nippier outside.


i did the same, makes a hell of a difference on keeping the house warm


----------



## aliendeni

Some Money saving tips are given below:

1. Spend Less. 
2. Establish a personal budget. 
3. Bulk is good. 
4. Make sure a sale is a sale.
5. Buy used.


----------



## alexis1971

I've not read all this thread so I apologise if this has already been mentioned... But if you make too much pasta or spaghetti the rest can be frozen instead of thrown.. as can most things like mash potatoes.... pasta suace, stewed fruit, rice etc.

Also if you grow tomatoes and have too many of them make your own pasta sauces and soups and portion them off before freezing for later use. 

Celerey can also be frozen, cut into chunks lay flat then freeze then... they will be ideal for homemade broths and soups.


----------



## sumit.dpfoc

Hi,

I want to get a insurance for my car, but I don't want to spend a large amount of money for it. How would I get the insurance and save money?


----------



## Amethyst

I very rarely buy new books, always go to Amazon or ebay, though it's getting harder to find a bargain on ebay 

Have bought quite a few Tarot cards this way too, often for third of the price


----------



## Waterlily

Tony Fox said:


> Are these blank subject emails also appearing in your sent mail? most of the time when stuff like this happens one has one of the following..


----------



## NorthernDan

I have a great money saving tip for Valentines Day! Don't send a card haha, no but seriously, I'm sending my wife a video made up from our photos and videos.

Made it using Masher - create free online video, photo and music mashups!

What you guys doing to save money this Valentines?


----------



## AngieB

zacknzena said:


> i have to buy new for my kids as my ex wont let me put them in secondhand clothes  but i still only buy them cheap stuff .
> QUOTE]
> 
> You should try Ebay for clothes alot of stuff on their is like brand new then your ex wudnt know.


----------



## bigdaddy

if you have a parcel etc to send try these they are very good have used them a few time quick and easy to use and a lot cheaper than the post office

https://www.parcel2go.com/quick-quote.aspx


----------



## Guest

My tip is to never take my husband food shopping with me. He is seriously worse than the kids and will throw loads of stuff that simply is not needed into the trolley. He won't pick up cheap brands as he finds it embarresing and is happy being skint with buying the highest priced products. I now tell him to stay at home with the kids while I do the shopping and the total is a fraction of the price and yet I seem to have alot more food for the money I spend.

I do buy clothes from charity shops. I Have bought many designer items at a bargain price that last for years, Also alot of the items have been brand new and the items that wernt new looked just as good. I find primark clothes dont wash well or last no were near as long so therefor I would be spending more money buying from Primark.


----------



## skyblue

save an old toothbrush.....a great tool for cleaning a clogged up razor


----------



## CanIgoHome

My lil Babies said:


> My tip is to never take my husband food shopping with me. He is seriously worse than the kids and will throw loads of stuff that simply is not needed into the trolley. He won't pick up cheap brands as he finds it embarresing and is happy being skint with buying the highest priced products. I now tell him to stay at home with the kids while I do the shopping and the total is a fraction of the price and yet I seem to have alot more food for the money I spend.


must be a man thing my oh is the same :blink:


----------



## Waterlily

save electricity by watching tv thru your neighbours window


----------



## Bandy

Save your small left overs of bars of soap and mold into one decent sized one.


----------



## Eithne

sequeena said:


> Rachy I'll have to come shopping with you one day. My OH is the type to just put stuff in the trolley without looking
> 
> The only thing I don't compromise on is meat. I try my best to get the best meat I can. It's not always organic or free range but I do the best with the money I have.


My OH is exactly the same, I don't realise he has put it in until its moving past on the belt!

I buy my meat from Costco as we eat alot of chicken, stewing beef for stews, curries and mince for chilli's, pasta's etc. I can spend £30 or £40 and it lasts us ages and much cheaper than buying in supermarkets. Also I find the meat in there is extremely good quality.


----------



## classixuk

Save money on a door bell and the expense of batteries by running to the front door every 2 minutes to check if anyone is there.


----------



## Bandy

classixuk said:


> Save money on a door bell and the expense of batteries by running to the front door every 2 minutes to check if anyone is there.


I've seen people on the show Intervention doing that..


----------



## Poppy2011

Lulu's owner said:


> I just bought 300 nappy sacks for 68p from Wilkinsons instead of poo bags for cleaning up dog poo and taking solids out of the cat litter tray. I couldn't believe how cheap they were and they're pretty much the same as poo bags so long as you don't mind them being pink and a bit see through. They have a nice talcum powder type perfume. This is a tip I read on this forum, otherwise it would never have occurred to me.


We use nappy sacs to  and they smell nicer!


----------



## Pheonix*Ella

I am loving this thread! 

Having just moved house I've shelled out for allsorts. All my furnature has come from auctions and ebay though. We literally paid a few pounds for the nice pieces of solid oak and pine we have. 

The tips on here are loads better than on the programme, super Scrimpers.
"clean silver with banana skins" they said. If I could afford a silver dinner service, I wouldn't need to super scrimp! 

ehhhhhh......


----------



## CharleyRogan

classixuk said:


> Save money on a door bell and the expense of batteries by running to the front door every 2 minutes to check if anyone is there.


Cheaper than a gym too!


----------



## marleyiscute32

Thanks for all the tips x


----------



## 912142

CharleyRogan said:


> Cheaper than a gym too!


Oh that is so so funny!


----------



## Maz3643

Turn off un necesary lights, turn plugs off at the sockets, buy food fresh as you need it, cut down on luxuries..give yourself a budget of cash each week from your monthly salary and put your debit/credit cards away! - Works for me!


----------



## Staceyxxx

About 8/9pm at night all the supermarkets reduce fridge stuff / fresh bread etc, i got a loaf of bread the other week for 1p at tesco x


----------



## Houseofpets

We do a monthly menu list, there are 4 of us in the house (one veggie) and we all get to put food on the list. That way we know what we are having every night and it really does cut down on the wasted money at supermarkets as we can buy the tinned/packet ingredients at the start of the month and know exactly what we will need. 

Only then need to get fresh fruit and veg each week


----------



## Jamie

Deflate all your tyres before putting 50p in the forecourt air-line machine. That way you'll get your money's worth.

Don't waste money on a dog lead. Simply walk your dog backwards holding its tail.

Don't buy expensive 'ribbed' condoms, just buy an ordinary one and slip a handful of frozen peas inside it before you put it on.

Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.

AVOID parking tickets by leaving your windscreen wipers turned to 'fast wipe' whenever you leave your car parked illegally.

Hope I've helped a little bit


----------



## feathered bird lover

hi,

me to also gonna try to find out what soapnuts are????? never heard of them, sounds economical though. 
i just cut down on buying xmas pressies, as no longer have young relations, all older now and understand that things, financially, are not the same as what they were over the past wee while, so iv'e been lucky that way, (not dissapointing little ones).
use natural cleaning commodities, mush cheaper by far.
dog and bird food all bought in bulk, even their treats etc....
anyhoo, maybe some of us might win lotto, ha ha. :smilewinkgrin: 

ttfn


----------



## RaggyAbi

Fantastic thread.......have just made my first purchase of the much-mentioned soap nuts 
A few friends and family have already agreed not to bother with christmas and birthday gifts, really makes a difference and we all still love each other 
Next task- watering down all our handwashes and Fairy liquid.....


----------



## rbon450

Good idea. I really appreciate it. In our religion it says who waste anything he or she is the brother or sister of evil. So we have to remember it always. It may you are not the same religion but all the religion says do not waste anything.


----------



## petsonline

i do believe that " Its just money! It will come and go"


----------



## ashleybrown

Well, cool post. :


----------



## Kittenfostermummy

My money saving tip it use loyalty cards, and I don't just mean the tesco, sainsburys, co-op etc ones. I use the Groom Room groomers at petsathome stores for my collie cross dog and they have a loyalty card buy four grooms get your fifth groom free this recently saved us £32 also each jan-feb they seem to do an offer for 10%-ish off a groom when u counter this in to the 5th one free we have saved loads of money and my dog is a very happy puppy


----------



## petsonline

I you really want to save money you should discipline and buy only the things you need. I mean buy only the Need and not the Wants.


----------



## GreekGerman

Hello people

I am new to the forum. A mate of mine its using an iPhone application called Savings to keep his daily budget low.And from what I have been seeing it really works !


----------



## Abcynthia

This is more helping to make some extra pocket money, but I have got involved with a new text answer service a bit like 118 118. It is up to me when I log into it and it is working out to be great for a little bit of extra cash to help things along. You can even do it while watching TV....I even log on to it while doing my housework  I would be happy to share the details with anyone over PM. Every little helps in this household right now


----------



## stephany23

Open a bank account at a bank or credit union. See if you local credit union has a Christmas club account. They will keep your money in an account that you cannot withdraw from until the Middle or last week of November. Also, remember Black Friday is next week research store opening times and the sales.


----------



## ruff

I have a few:

Put an old ball in a sock for a dog toy.

Fill an old milk bottle with a few stones for a dog toy - ruff loves his but does drive you mad after a bit!

Make a big pan full of mashed potato and freeze in individual portions then just use a steamer for veg n do tatas in microwave saves loads of time and don't have to wash the horrid mashed tata pan!


----------



## bret lee008

its so nice to visit here a nice thread. Am so impressed with your such a good hard work, its definitely a good and diferent idea for others, you guys are doing good work good luck, keep it up..


----------



## duke1

The only tip I can give is not waste which means avoid buying your wants buy only your needs.


----------



## porps

Jamie said:


> Deflate all your tyres before putting 50p in the forecourt air-line machine. That way you'll get your money's worth.
> 
> Don't waste money on a dog lead. Simply walk your dog backwards holding its tail.
> 
> Don't buy expensive 'ribbed' condoms, just buy an ordinary one and slip a handful of frozen peas inside it before you put it on.
> 
> Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
> 
> AVOID parking tickets by leaving your windscreen wipers turned to 'fast wipe' whenever you leave your car parked illegally.
> 
> Hope I've helped a little bit


brilliant :thumbsup:


----------



## troublestrouble

Hi there,
when my dog has slightly broken a tennis ball so the two halfs are starting to open I stuff it full of treats and use it as a treat toy to entertain her so I can mow the lawn in peace, much cheaper than I Kong toy 

She also loves getting holey socks as toys I would otherwise just throw away-is this abuse?? giving her old hand-me-downs as toys?? she loves it, thinks shes getting something special :thumbup:


----------



## bird

Plan all the weeks meals before doing your shop then only buy what you need, but before you do your shopping use the Internet and find out whats on offer in all supermarkets near to you and if possible split your shop between them.


----------



## ebonyblack

This might sound like I'm touting for Business but get rid of your mobile phone contract....for years I was with o2 not needing the amount of minutes and txts but stayed with them because it was easy. Now, I've joined Giffgaff pay as you go and am only playing £10 for 250mins, unlimited txt and internet. £15 gets you 400minutes, unlimited tx and internet.

Keeping my mobile number was so easy....I hate all that stuff but it was easy peasy.

I will be saving £300 a year min by changing to pay as you go.

If you want to help me save even more go to this link and get a sim lol 

http://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/samblackx41

/shameless :arf:


----------



## Cranmer

Instead of using your own money to buy things - use somebody elses money.


----------



## NicoleW

Top CashBack Official Site - The UK's #1 CashBack Site

I also use wowcher, groupon, cut out all coupons from newspapers. also on the products where it says "get your money back if not enjoyable" or whatever, especially on food I'd eat it first then send the info back to the company explaining I wasn't satisfied and they refund you the money back.


----------



## mynameisdomino

zacknzena said:


> I also use freegle and ebay for most thing too , i use energy saving light bulbs and old clothes for rags sometimes to clean with .


I use Gumtree - effective for selling unwanted toys etc. I sold a trampoline 2 2 mins after pressing submit - I couldn't believe it!


----------



## retepwaker

Hope you don't mind this
lover you have a long way to go yet in your saving money to start with have you got a push bike for sort journeys the TV needs to go on walk about has the garden got a vegetable patch and a bowl of porridge can keep me going most of the day and light out like the black out days in the last war get your winter woolies out and bathing once a week at your local sports center is my way of saving on bath water as for the plates when i have finest a meal no washing is needed . And i say bring back the god old days dig for victory and all that . Peter


----------



## Waterlily

philiprambo said:


> the biggest tip is that avoid those things which are not so necessary.


like leather jackets, blazers, bombers etc


----------



## kate_7590

Some very good tips here! We aren't very economical at all unfortunately..but we don't have dishwasher, don't go out a lot, don't drink/smoke so save in those ways I suppose..there is plenty more we could do though!


----------



## philipjames

Thanks for sharing the information about it.


----------



## NillNickson

I also want to save money but I don't do it. I am trying too much for saving money. I have already read few post. Great Thanks.


----------



## Pointermum

Sign up for Top CashBack - The UK's #1 Free CashBack Site - You are not logged in yet or Quidco - The UK&#039;s No.1 Cashback & Voucher Codes Site i have had over £600 back from topcashback, the best earner's are things like £60 for new mobile phone contract's, i got £20 on the dog insurance, £40 odd back on hub's AA cover , well worth doing if you shop online  Topcashback is free , quido cost £5 a year but they take this off the first £5 earning's.


----------



## BlevinsEster

Thanks for the tips! Buying only the food I'm going to actually eat is what I really need to do in addition to avoiding things I don't really need in general 
I've been always spending money this way and it's making my budget shrink.
I'll do my best! Thanks again.


----------



## martybuddy1

Thanks a lot friends for sharing your useful tips and suggestions i really appreciate it..


----------



## thomaswilliam222

These are very informative tips to save money, because these days its very difficult to save money even in banks.


----------



## anextraeye1

Very useful tips and suggestions thanks for sharing friends..


----------



## MeganRose

I live alone, on ESA, so I do okay for money, but I think only because I proper scrimp!
I think the best thing I ever did was decide to use Tesco/Asda delivery! Saves SO much being able to buy the real cheap stuff that not all the local shops have, plus means I can buy cheap heavy stuff that I normally can't carry! I am even guilty of buying Tesco Value pantyliners.. About 10p a pack! haha
And you don't just pick up things you fancy on a whim haha. You can whittle your basket down till it's reasonable!

I also never buy beauty products/hair products unless their on offer. Poundland for shampoo till I can get some decent stuff on offer! 

I also get all my veggies from the local market. My sister in laws dad goes and buys £20's worth of veg, crates and crates of it - and it's enough for his family, my sister in law and my brother, AND me. Save SO much money doing that it's insane!
Also doggy biscuits from the same market! £1 for a huuge bag of Markies!

I'm an aviddd film lover too. I have hundreds of dvds and videos, so CEX is the best, get a couple new dvds a month and never spend more than a tenner on them. Plus charity shops mean new films for pennies!! On a good day I can get 20 new videos for £1. I can't imagine spending a tenner just on one dvd! Plus all my video players I got for free!


----------



## Bluevixen

I am between jobs and have spent years temping

If the commute is 10 miles or less I will use the pushbike - cheaper than PT and the gym put together

I hark back to my student day - big curries and chillies - eat for a couple of days and freeze a portion

Always look in the reduced section I am also lucky enough to be in what I consider to be walking distance of most all of the major supermarkets so i am a supermarket tart. 

I have soap nuts but when I use washing powder its always the basic stuff i figure it the condition that leaves the small the power just has to get the dirt off and conditioner is bought depending on whats cheapest

Going to try and find out about foraging this year - i already use dandelion greens in salads - free and nutritious

Probably some other stuff - my electric bill is about 10 per week in the summer I am going to look at having a water meter as I don't beleive I use as much water as I am currently charged for


----------



## Bluevixen

Travelling - always check the prices of the complete journey against splitting it

Last year I had a contract 30 miles away one train all the way through but it was £7 a week cheaper to buy two weekly passes for two parts of the journey than one straight through

The same goes for one off trips anywhere - see if splitting the journey is cheaper its not like you have to get off just need a valis ticket for the whole time that you are in your seat makes no difference if it happens to be several


----------



## BootBuckle

I'm not sure if someone's already posted this tip here (coz there are about a dozen pages of ideas and I just joined) but I think the best way to save money is to take out a fixed amount as soon as you get your check and put it away. Then you promise you wont dip into the funds unless it's an emergency.


----------



## johnmarshall1

Thanks a for friends for sharing your useful tips and suggestions it would be really helpful for newbies like me.


----------



## maxweber

Think about shopping and buying in bulk. Save money grocery shopping by planning meals in advance and bulk-buying.


----------



## william04

Honestly I prefer online food shopping, rather going directly to the market and choosing the food. I don't know, for some reasons I found this could save the money =). I Think cool Food ordering systems(specially *eatonline.eu*) are really interactive and user friendly which save time and money.


----------



## sparker10

William04 - we too prefer shopping online as when we go to the store we always come away with more stuff than we actually want or need. Walking round the isles you see all these different deals like BOGOF (buy one get one free) and BOGOHP (buy one get one half price). 

Before we actually do the shop we usually write a list of what we need and only buy those items. Also sometimes we use comparison sites and check prices on our top 5 expensive items on our list to try and save money.


----------



## Petnickety

So many posts, Couldn't find this.

We buy large sack potatoes. We then cook 2 or 3 times the amount we need for a family meal and freeze the rest. 
We always have Roast / Mashed / Fried / Diced in freezer.

We do this with vegetables as well. If we get a cabbage we sometimes cook the whole thing and freeze. 

Room in freezer can be a problem.

Gravy made with greens water either for us or for soaking dog food.

If not gravy then the dogs get their food soaked in vegetable water.


----------



## masterhoney

zacknzena said:


> I thought it would be good to share some money saving tips as xmas has probably made everyone a bit skint .
> 
> mine are: I dont use washing powder or softner i use soap nuts .
> I dont use dishwasher tabs i use reuseable dishwasher balls .
> After i have used the soapnuts to wash my clothes i boil them upto a liquid and use them for washing up liquid and dog shampoo .
> I use an arier to dry all five peoples clothes as my tumble dryer broke and im not buying a new one .
> i no longer eat meat, smoke or drink . I mostly buy second hand or cheap clothing furniture etc.
> I only buy what food i need for that day .
> 
> probably loads more but cannot think


Really nice tips shared here in this post.
Thanks for these tips.


----------



## Maxwell3

Hello Every One!! 
There are a lot of tips or way to save your money.A fix account for a year or however long you want. Or join a box or a pardner with people you can trust. How it works: you must have a box holder some one who holds all the money, must be trustworthy.Look on eBay for small electrical products, you'll find brand new products that were returned to the shops because of damaged boxes or a slight fault that will have been repairs etc. also check your local free paper for bigger items.


----------



## Megan345

After reading this thread, I bought some soapnuts and they're fantastic. When I do the washing with them, I put a few drops of essential oil on the muslin bag so my washing smells nice - I'm saving the end of my box of washing powder for really dirty, oily clothes. They're also really good for shampoo, but don't put essential oil in it... It doesn't wash out! I've used the liquid for cleaning too, with tea tree oil in it, and I love the fact they can be used for almost anything - shaving foam, cleaning the bike, body wash, washing up, laundry, mosquito repellent, pet shampoo. I don't know how I never heard of them before! Anyway, enough of extolling the virtues of soapnuts...

We mainly eat mince as it can be bulked up no end with oats and veg, and you can make loads of stuff with it. Pasties (using reduced pastry if you don't want to make it), cottage pie, spag bol, chilli con carne etc. I also freeze the stale ends of loaves of bread (home made and shop bought) to make bread pudding with, using Morrisons Value dried mixed fruit. Their fruit is really good, it doesn't have the stone bits from the raisins in like all the other Value ones I've tried have had. There's loads you can do to save money on everyday things. Never buy things like mixed prepackaged fruit or veg, it's ridiculously expensive, as are shop bought sandwiches etc. If we have a roast I use the leftover meat for my sandwiches for the week, much nicer and cheaper than shop stuff.

If you buy or have got veg that's going off, cook it up and blend it with some gravy for a really nice, filling soup. We spend more on food for Maisy than we do for us!


----------



## jasmine78

These tips really save lot of money for me.
Thanks for these tips.


----------



## Petnickety

Megan345 said:


> After reading this thread, I bought some soapnuts and they're fantastic. When I do the washing with them, I put a few drops of essential oil on the muslin bag so my washing smells nice - I'm saving the end of my box of washing powder for really dirty, oily clothes. They're also really good for shampoo, but don't put essential oil in it... It doesn't wash out! I've used the liquid for cleaning too, with tea tree oil in it, and I love the fact they can be used for almost anything - shaving foam, cleaning the bike, body wash, washing up, laundry, mosquito repellent, pet shampoo. I don't know how I never heard of them before! Anyway, enough of extolling the virtues of soapnuts...
> 
> We mainly eat mince as it can be bulked up no end with oats and veg, and you can make loads of stuff with it. Pasties (using reduced pastry if you don't want to make it), cottage pie, spag bol, chilli con carne etc. I also freeze the stale ends of loaves of bread (home made and shop bought) to make bread pudding with, using Morrisons Value dried mixed fruit. Their fruit is really good, it doesn't have the stone bits from the raisins in like all the other Value ones I've tried have had. There's loads you can do to save money on everyday things. Never buy things like mixed prepackaged fruit or veg, it's ridiculously expensive, as are shop bought sandwiches etc. If we have a roast I use the leftover meat for my sandwiches for the week, much nicer and cheaper than shop stuff.
> 
> If you buy or have got veg that's going off, cook it up and blend it with some gravy for a really nice, filling soup. We spend more on food for Maisy than we do for us!


If you do a little research you may find that your mince recipe is good for dog food. You can bulk up the mince with dry bread as well. If giving to Maisy you must check ingredients are dog friendly.
A huge saucepan(cauldron) a huge wooden spoon and freeze the produce.


----------



## Amy-manycats

Sorry Petnickety but if you do a little research you might find its not really a great diet for a dog, hardly balanced.


----------



## Petnickety

Amy-manycats said:


> Sorry Petnickety but if you do a little research you might find its not really a great diet for a dog, hardly balanced.


Sorry Amy many cats. If you do a little research you can easily make it balanced. I have been researching and the information is out there.


----------



## Amy-manycats

Yes you can, but sugesting you add oats to cooked mince and dry bread is not a balanced diet and I would urge people reading this to be aware of that and not relay on in as a money saving way to feed yor dog. By all means go and look into it but that alone is not sufficient to keep you pet heal.thy.


----------



## smudgiesmummy

anyone wanting to buy gifts for xmas there's a offer going on the clintons (former clinton cards )between now and 16th september you can get 20% off the website by using the code SAV09


----------



## Jaredder

well that's great if you could save money by doing so , but these tips are of no use for me , thanks a lot for sharing .


----------



## manav144

I use only half of the recommended washing powder and fabric softener. Everything comes out smelling fresh and stain free.

I also use airers but will put clothes on the radiator if the heating is on.

I water down bubble bath, washing up liquid, hand soap etc. It's still the same quality and lasts longer.

I've changed all light bulbs, switch things off by the socket, recycle, boil one cup of water in the kettle if I'm making tea just for me.

I've bought a slow cooker. I will be able to make meals with minimal effort and it will cut down the use of my electric cooker.

I only do clothes washing when I have enough clothes to fill (but not overfill!) the washing machine.


----------



## smudgiesmummy

20% off all Halloween (costumes, accessories and partyware)

instore and online 8th - 31st October

to use online the code is SAV11

all at Clintons (Cards & Gifts - Buy Online at Clinton Cards)


----------



## Weird Beard

Know how much you earn and how much you spend, make sure the earning is more than the spending. Stick to that and you really can't go wrong.

That would be my best tip i would suggest for you to go on with :thumbup:


----------



## Sussexplumber

adward said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> If you want saving the money according to me you should get Insurance policy ..Today is the modern era .so we get best away who is the benefited for our.Because money is the Important part of our life .So we can not hand over own money hands .So take care ...


I was just about to say that! lol

Ok if you drive, get a better deal on your car insurance. Start ringing around EARLY, say a month before your premium is due for renewal. Don`t just accept their quote.... haggle with them! It`s saved me hundreds! Same with your garage, ring around, get quotes, haggle with them! Give them a budget and ask them if they will do the work for that sum. If not, keep ringing around. I`ve been quoted double for a service what my usual mechanic charges to service the van. Needless to say I won`t be going with it.


----------



## letitia123

Great!
Thank you the thread maker for your undeniably beneficial tips.


----------



## Sussexplumber

Where you will really save money is on things like getting the best deal on your car insurance, the best rate on your mortgage and getting a second job. 

A lot of other little things, well they help but won`t make anything like as big a difference. I have hardly had the heating on yet and probably won`t until I notice a blue tinge to the lodger.  Theres another one, take in a lodger. You can get £81 a week, tax free from a lodger in your home. I don`t think u need to declare it. Its completely legit. 

Another thing, if you can overpay on your mortgage, you can save yourself thousands off the total amount you pay and sometimes cut years off the mortgage term.

"sits back smugly and waits for the rep points to start rolling in"!


----------



## smudgiesmummy

anyone looking for last minute halloween costumes ect ... Clinton's (formally clinton cards) stores are currently half price


----------



## garmon3869

hallo Guys...
these tips are really nice for every persons to saving money...
thank you every one for this beneficial tips...I thinks money saving is most important for achievement...


----------



## Sussexplumber

Just had two new mid-range tyres supplied and fitted, rang around a bit, haggled a bit, got them done, according to the paperwork, I saved £43. Pretty pleased about that! You only have to ask!  I gave them a budget and asked what they could do for me. 

Also got the spare put on, swapped with a worn back tyre.


----------



## Luz

I buy 'Enrituals' washing liquid -It's only £1 from Tesco and only use a capful in each wash. We wash on 30 and if it's towels, bedding or dog stuff I put a cap of cheap disinfectant in the conditioner drawer. We buy a pack of pork loin steaks for £5 and there's 8 in a pack we then put it them into 4 freezer bags and freeze. We stock up on coffee or other high value items when they are on offer and hope they last till the next offer! At least once a week we try and hit the supermarket at the right time (between 6pm and 8pm) to get the fresh food bargains.


----------



## vicky1972

I only shop online for Maxi! with the dogstrustgifts.com for most things and reemgifts.com for everything else !!


----------



## Sussexplumber

adward said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> If you want saving the money according to me you should get Insurance policy ..Today is the modern era .so we get best away who is the benefited for our.Because money is the Important part of our life .So we can not hand over own money hands .So take care ...


...Anyone?


----------



## smudgiesmummy

Clintons have a few great offers on at the min , spend £10 and get a free teddy worth £9.99 and also if you spend £20 you get the Teddy plus a extra 20% knocked off your bill ... only exclusions are stamps, gift cards ect ... you do however also get the 20% knocked off some offers currently on

*edit* offer now ended ,, but you can still pick up a voucher for 20% during December


----------



## BabyBella

In terms of food shopping, my n1 saving tip is: don't go to the supermarket hungry. You will be surprised how much more you end up buying - especially junk food.

I don't ever take taxis unless necessary - way too expensive


----------



## BunnyGirlz

zacknzena said:


> I thought it would be good to share some money saving tips as xmas has probably made everyone a bit skint .
> 
> mine are: I dont use washing powder or softner i use soap nuts .
> I dont use dishwasher tabs i use reuseable dishwasher balls .
> After i have used the soapnuts to wash my clothes i boil them upto a liquid and use them for washing up liquid and dog shampoo .
> I use an arier to dry all five peoples clothes as my tumble dryer broke and im not buying a new one .
> i no longer eat meat, smoke or drink . I mostly buy second hand or cheap clothing furniture etc.
> I only buy what food i need for that day .
> 
> probably loads more but cannot think


Some of the tips of your is good, but some of the tips are not success like buying second hand goods. Because second hand goods have a low quality and they have damages.


----------



## Sandrasmith765

Hi,

Did anyone see this great value Christmas competition by GJW Titmuss?

They are offering a pet stocking filled with dog friendly treats and products of your choice *up to the value of £200*!

This competition is only for bloggers though. Just thought it could be beneficial for anyone who also blogs. Shame that I don't 

Great money saving there! Good luck x

Sandra


----------



## rajendersingh30

zacknzena said:


> I thought it would be good to share some money saving tips as xmas has probably made everyone a bit skint .
> 
> mine are: I dont use washing powder or softner i use soap nuts .
> I dont use dishwasher tabs i use reuseable dishwasher balls .
> After i have used the soapnuts to wash my clothes i boil them upto a liquid and use them for washing up liquid and dog shampoo .
> I use an arier to dry all five peoples clothes as my tumble dryer broke and im not buying a new one .
> i no longer eat meat, smoke or drink . I mostly buy second hand or cheap clothing furniture etc.
> I only buy what food i need for that day .
> 
> probably loads more but cannot think


I cant comment n most of the things..but I appreciate one thing that in this whole money saving process you are minimizing smoking and drinking..and thats a nice thing...


----------



## Sussexplumber

rajendersingh30 said:


> I cant comment n most of the things..but I appreciate one thing that in this whole money saving process you are minimizing smoking and drinking..and thats a nice thing...


I agree. Leaves more money to gamble with! lol

Just kidding!


----------



## Wiz201

Well, I'm single so only do washing once a week, I usually buy whatever is on offer from the supermarket, but I tend to use liquitabs as they're enough for me on a normal weekly load.
I feed the cats dried food which is much cheaper to buy in bulk and I can store it. Same with cat litter although it clumps so well I don't need to hardly use any and I haven't bought any for a few months now.
I use a car, but then its worth it as the trip to work is 15 miles so its well worth the monthly insurance cost and petrol. I've changed to a newer car this year so it'll be much cheaper on tax when I renew it next year.
I always shop around for items like clothes, and only buy when the sales are on or its really necessary.


----------



## rajendersingh30

Sussexplumber said:


> I agree. Leaves more money to gamble with! lol
> 
> Just kidding!


Loll it was...it depends on her for what purpose is she saving money...


----------



## LesterLey

Cat_Crazy said:


> Good idea!
> 
> I buy all my pet food and litter in bulk and have it delivered, makes it easier for me to go shopping and saves a fortune!
> 
> For a cheap and healthy (ish) treat for the kids I cut up an apple, dip it in melted chocolate and freeze it. They love it and it costs very little to do loads. They never really get sweets as they love this so much.
> 
> I never buy dvd'd and books unless I KNOW for a fact I will use them again, instead I borrow them.
> 
> I also 'split my shopping with my mum. We go together and look for the buy one get one free deals or 2 for 3 etc. and then we split it and pay half each.
> Means that you get full use of the offer without having too much food that you will never use.
> 
> I repair clothes rather than throwing them away, unless of course they are ruined. I also have a clothing exhange running with a friend of mine. She has an 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son whereas I have a 7 year old daughter and 5 year old son. We have an agreement running whereas she gives me all her daughters out grown clothes and I give her all my son's. Means I save a fortune on clothes and we have very similar tastes so works well.


I also do the same. A buy in bulk and I save a lot. Not only in pet food but in all pet supplies. It also saves time and money going to the mall.


----------



## dabas

I don't know if anybody has already posted the following link as I can't be bothered to go through 27 pages to check. I use HotUKDeals - Deals, Discounts & Voucher Codes quite a lot and have saved loads of money on virtually everything


----------



## JettJobson

Thanks for sharing Nice tips according money saving. I will try to follow those tips.


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## mollydog07

SOZ CANT POST LINKS! MARTIN LEWIS!.....go to his website,,,key in gas/electricity details.....this will save you! done this for my daughter...£130....what have you to lose? x


----------



## nutty

zacknzena said:


> i have to buy new for my kids as my ex wont let me put them in secondhand clothes  but i still only buy them cheap .


Will he know? What he doesn't know wont hurt him?! :lol:

I take a list when shopping. I plan meals so Dont end up with too much fresh stuff that needs throwing away. Slow cooker as mentioned, is great. Make cakes instead of buying them. Keep a careful eye on my bank accounts and this really works. My Lloydstsb account has a facility to help you figure out what you a spending most of your money on, and when you go back and review it regularly, you tend to set yourself little challenges to reduce outgoings.Also, dont take cash out.Stop going shopping - I dont mean for food! - Take up a hobby, you eat less! Turn thermostat down on heating. Dont wash clothes on more than 40% temp. Reduce powder as stated. By cheapest powder on offer from Macro or other wholesalers. Bulk buy dog food. Think of something you want to save fir and set up a fund for it and try to see how much you can save.

I am sure people have lots of other tips and ideas!


----------



## william04

Thanks for Sharing money saving ideas, hope this will helps me to save something of my earning


----------



## tia maria

Great tips 

Meat has been mentioned a lot
I would like to mention portion sizes, apparently the right portion size for meat is a deck of cards size

Same with cereal, bet a lot of us ignore the portion size on the box and pour in twice as much
Measure out correct portions and keep in sandwich bags. Saves pennies and lardy pounds lol

I use E45 moisturisers to avoid skin flare ups. Can double up to defrizz the dry ends of hair instead of expensive serums ect

I don't use fabric conditioner, to avoid skin flare ups again...and am def going to try a reduced amount of clothes washing stuff

I use cheap baby wipes to clean surfaces

And when money is tight growing cuttings from plants in your garden are often much appreciated by family and friends


----------



## Tropical Fish Delivered

I buy all my fruit and veg from Aldi saving around £10 per week and as mentioned use half the recommended amount of washing powder. Nobody in the household has complained.... yet lol


----------



## crawfordstuart

working to become debt free or facing income loss, it pays to find little and big ways to save money. Saving money also frees up resources for investing and long-term savings.


----------



## andyf3050

There are loads of ways to save money on everyday things and we are always looking for ways to save a couple of quid here and there.
Getting a water meter fitted was a good decision and we have a 1 litre plastic tub filled with water in the cistern which saves a litre each flush. Our water bill went from £24 per month to less than a tenner!
We buy (and sell) a lot of stuff at boot sales and all my work clothes, t-shirts, jeans etc are all second hand. We have twin boys a daughter and kids clothes sell like there's no tomorrow. Recycling at its best!
Our last plasma tv used to get really hot and we did the electric meter spin test by switching off the tv and it slowed down to a snail pace. It was on quite a lot too with having kids so used to burn power. We sold it on eBay and bought another plasma which doesn't even get slightly warm. 
We also put gaffer tape around all the window gaps in winter and insulated the loft properly. Energy bill reduced by nearly £35 per month.
Someone has already mentioned putting big, thick lined curtains over the front door... This has saved us a fortune on heating. I highly recommend doing it.
I have loads of other tips so I'll add more later when I remember them!


----------



## Eevee

I try harder than the OH does to save money, but it's a constant source of anxiety at the moment! Lots of the tips here we already do but it's a great thread for sure!


----------



## Shiny

I am sort of struggling financially at the moment, everything is so expensive!

Here are some little things I do to save money:

- I have thick curtains in front of all the windows and doors in my place. It really reduces the energy bill. 
- I don't have a TV, or a home computer. I watch tv on my laptop, and do all my work here. 
- Most of my clothes are from the second hand store. I find stuff that looks nice, but that's also cheap. 
- I dilute all of my soaps, shampoos and detergents. It works just as well as non-diluted cleaning products. 
- I only do laundry or dishes when I have a whole bunch ready to be washed.
- If something I have breaks, I try as hard as I can to fix it myself.
- I don't use air conditioning. In the summer, I open all the windows wide to get air circulating. 
- I walk most places. If it's far, I take a bus or the metro. I will not get in a taxi.
- I have a gym membership, and I take most of my showers there. 
- I buy books secondhand.

Biggest one: I go grocery shopping with one of my neighbours. We take three baskets, one for me, on for her and one for the stuff we split. We use this to take advantage of those "2 for 1" deals, or the stuff that's cheap if you buy a certain number of it. Also, when they have stuff like Cabbage or Lettuce on sale, we'll buy one and split it, so it doesn't go to waste. I also try to make stuff from scratch if it's cheaper, pre made stuff and frozen foods really add up fast!


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## Wiz201

You do have to have a TV license for watching on any device, not just a TV. Googled it here TV Licensing - Check if you need a TV Licence I pay for Sky + but it has saved me from buying some DVDs cause I can keep the films I record (I haven't paid for any movie channels BTW)


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## tlewis

What a useful thread, I haven't read everything yet (will be working my way backwards), but I've already picked up some great ideas.

I don't spend much on clothes and shoes, I don't have a dishwasher or microwave (really small kitchen) and only use the washing machine when I've got a decent pile. I've also started making sure I don't leave lights on and turn the TV off rather than leaving it on standby.


----------



## lab

Great tips . thanks you . holidays are always an expensive time...for everyone


----------



## Supasilvfoxy

Always turn the washing-up bottle upside down to drain very last of the liquid when you think there is none left.

Face/foot cream etc that comes in plastic tubes, when you think it is all used up get hold of the bottom end and give the rest of the tube a good whack on your hand - I can make a tube of face cream last another 2 weeks doing this.

Whenever you can find them buy refill bottles of stuff once you have brought the first one, then top up the original from the refill.

Re-use plastic carrier bags as pedal bin liners, you can still get them from most stores, though the quality has deteriorated somewhat to what they used to be. 

Supermarket own brands are not necessarily cheaper than generic brands though they appear to be - i.e baked beans as an example - the contents are usually less and of an inferior quality.


----------



## Indiandpuppy

Not sure if this has been mentioned but there is Channel 4 Superscrimpers the money saving tip show- 
daytime- daily- superscrimpers challenge is very good
then they do an evening show on mondays which is ok
if you go to channel 4 scrapbook you can see online tips

I am not Biased but my sister is on the show as a presenter- Nicolette the entertainment expert

however some of the tips are crap, claires are good but Miss. Money penny is rather annoying xxx


----------



## ajoseph

WITH ONE PET PROTECTOR, YOUR PET IS SAFE FOR 2 YEARS!
Compared with other anti-parasite products that have to be applied over and over every few months, Pet Protector is your pet's guardian for a 2 year period. If you compare how much money you would have to spend for another product in a 2 year period, Pet Protector costs 5 times less!


----------



## moggiemum

zacknzena said:


> i
> have to buy new for my
> kids as my ex wont let me put them in secondhand clothes  but i
> still only buy them cheap stuff .
> 
> good idea for the apples i will try that.
> 
> I am also buying our dog food in bulk from now on because if i buy one
> 15 kg bag the postage is 6 pound but if i buy two the postage is the
> same , so im gonna order two on saturday .


dont let em know save tags from new clothes and reuse,...bit sneaky but 
needs must some 2nd hand stuff has never even worn, airtight bins to 
keep dust mites outa pet food, they cause allergies
also i make my cats fav mouse with catnep i grow myself,
u can grow your own veg from seeds taken from food u buy.....kids will love doing that
i reuse envelopes,greetings cards,and packaging as stamps r expensive now
i use old newspaper shredded 4 cat litter sometimes


----------



## moggiemum

just stay in bed, great way of saving money,......well unless you happen to be in one of those spare bedrooms that everyones talkin about!


----------



## Wiz201

moggiemum said:


> just stay in bed, great way of saving money,......well unless you happen to be in one of those spare bedrooms that everyones talkin about!


that'll go down well at work


----------



## Waterlily

moggiemum said:


> just stay in bed, great way of saving money,....!


Lmfaoooo  good way to make money too :ihih:


----------



## moggiemum

? sorry whats lmfooo genuinelly dont know ...


----------



## moggiemum

hi whats lmfooooo?


----------



## Staceyxxx

moggiemum said:


> hi whats lmfooooo?


it means "laughing my f'in ass off"


----------



## moggiemum

will prob cancel tv licence,thats ok pf chat is more fun and less addictive.....thankyou for lots of great tips


----------



## DanielRory

I think this was really a tips for saving money.:thumbup1:


----------



## Megan345

I have to admit to soaking stamps off envelopes when the franking machine has missed them.  Blame my mum!


----------



## Wiz201

Megan345 said:


> I have to admit to soaking stamps off envelopes when the franking machine has missed them.  Blame my mum!


So do I :thumbup1:


----------



## sueprice

Some really good money saving tips,but must admit to not reading them all. My tip is bag yourself a good new or secondhand sewing machine. You can revamp, make new and make toy's for next to nothing. I had a long maxi dress in my wardrobe for year's, I made 5 pairs of kid's trouser's and 2 pairs of short's out of it, the button's went on a secondhand blouse and the zip went into a cushion. We all have clothes that are either too old, too big, too small, a horrible mistake or have been damaged. think about a reuse. even if it's just a shopping bag. most material's are reusable. A sewing machine and a bit of imagination, trial and error and who's to know what your fantastic new patchwork quilt is made of???


----------



## tlewis

Ha ha, I've got one of those old Singer pedal machines (circa 1900), I should seriously consider getting it restored.


----------



## LinznMilly

moggiemum said:


> will prob cancel tv licence,thats ok pf chat is more fun and *less addictive*.....thankyou for lots of great tips


I'm not so sure about that  Until last week, I'd went 3 weeks without a telly, but couldn't survive a day without PF :scared: 



sueprice said:


> Some really good money saving tips,but must admit to not reading them all. *My tip is bag yourself a good new or secondhand sewing machine.* You can revamp, make new and make toy's for next to nothing. I had a long maxi dress in my wardrobe for year's, I made 5 pairs of kid's trouser's and 2 pairs of short's out of it, the button's went on a secondhand blouse and the zip went into a cushion. We all have clothes that are either too old, too big, too small, a horrible mistake or have been damaged. think about a reuse. even if it's just a shopping bag. most material's are reusable. A sewing machine and a bit of imagination, trial and error and who's to know what your fantastic new patchwork quilt is made of???


Good idea. Wonder how much I can remember from my textile class at school :idea: :blush: I can just imagine my next post - Goddamnit! I've sewn my fingers together :lol: 

As for my own tips, I think most of them have already been said - I turn electrical stuff off via the wall - telly/DVD player/Sky (which was the reason why I went without telly in the first place) are only turned on when I fancy watching something. I also wait until I have a full load of washing - or washing up - to do. Reuse the same cup for tea/coffee. Turn bottles of washing-up liquid upside down to get every last bit of liquid out. I've been known to water them down, too, but only when they're running out/low anyway. I might invest in a couple of spare bottles and fill them up with watered down stuff.


----------



## moggiemum

ha ha u are right, pf very addictive,and theres always something good on here unlike tv,
i lost weight= saves money on food
dont smoke as much when typing=saves money on tobacco/rizzlas
dont know who my bf is anymore=saves money on pressies:smile5:

quote of the day;dont smoke,just type..........its cheaper

oh ive made curtains outta bedspreads
bedspreads outta curtains
and cushions ouuta everything x


----------



## casde

thnks for sharing these tips!


----------



## moggiemum

change pet food slowly to RAW it will save u money if u go to decent butchers/ some stuff for free and all, and your pets will love it. 

i use my fish tank water to water garden and house plants- dont do this obviously if it got meds of any sort in including salt. i also feed goldfish garden peas, other veg and salad leaves and fruit too they love a grape , i even peel them,,they love spinach always have some dried commercial in if needed, 
pay and go dongle and phone, no landline-no bill 
i got beautiful jumper in charity shop for 50 p the other day
buy one plant and when the time is right take cuttings to make more plants
sow some flower seeds, cultivate and paint the pots pretty and give them as pressies


----------



## casde

that was really helpful!


----------



## Danielmorgan

you have gone one step further in saving some extra bucks for a reuse at some other utilities... but really if someone has to make more utilization of resources .. there are some to follow...


----------



## lostbear

Make a cheap rattle for babies by putting five dead woodlice into a matchbox and sellotaping it to a lolly stick.


----------



## lostbear

Don't waste money on expensive kalashnikovs and bazookas - it the event of a zombie apocalypse, use a Black and Decker dustbuster to suck the eyeballs out of any pursuing zombies, and saunter your way to safety as your neighbours are being devoured.


----------



## moggiemum

lostbear said:


> Don't waste money on expensive kalashnikovs and bazookas - it the event of a zombie apocalypse, use a Black and Decker dustbuster to suck the eyeballs out of any pursuing zombies, and saunter your way to safety as your neighbours are being devoured.


brillant also the one above


----------



## Jet90

probably already all been mentioned, but....

for dog poop and scooping the litter tray, I use nappy bags (can get 200 i think it is for about 70p in wilkos) rather than purpose-bought poo bags - plus they are pretty and pink! bonus 

cleaning cupboard only contains - bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar, bleach, a bottle of lemon juice. I also have a bottle of anigene/trigene/safe4 kicking about too for cleaning around where the furkids eat. I save about £20 a month on cleaning products this way, and everything is just as sparkling 

I bulk buy dog and cat food and cat litter. Save an absolute fortune with this, plus never run out! (well, okay, providing i'm not having a brain-foggy few days! - there's been a few occasions where i've had to nip to the corner shop and pay their ridiculous prices) 

I never pay full price for clothes. For my son I shop in the sales, and for myself i shop out of season for next year, in mid-season sales, or second hand shops. I got 3 lovely pairs of New Look jeans the other week, 2 still with tags on, all in excellent condition and flattering cuts, for £6.  ...this is more tricky atm as i'm 21 weeks pregnant, so ever-expanding! but still manage okay 

With food i always buddy up when shopping, whether it's with my partner (we don't live together), a relative, or a friend. great way to make use of bogof, 3 for 2, and other savings without doing what i used to do and ending up with sooo much food i couldn't even look at it without feeling ill, and loads of it going to waste. I also tend to stick to own brand options in supermarkets.

I mostly cook from scratch too, although admittedly atm the majority of my meals are casseroles, cottage/shepherds pie, jacket pots, or some pasta dish, so not much variety! 


everything gets turned off at the wall, energy saving lightbulbs, heating when in use is turned down and timer is set so it comes on more frequently rather that it being on for longer periods of time. 

i use a frebreeze hack - half cup of fabric conditioner, few drops of matching essential oil ( although i do have to be careful with these as i am hypersensitive to some scents) and a cup of water. mix it up and spritz, and it's lovely. 


laundry is done on a low heat, and only when enough to do a full load at a time. I air dry on the line or airers, or radiators if they're on. 


Also, i refuse to iron. If i need to get the creases out of something, i hang it in the bathroom while i shower and hope for the best. This really did save me money before falling pregnant, as it meant that I didn't have to buy a bottle of wine to get me through the trauma of ironing


----------



## lostbear

Jet90 said:


> probably already all been mentioned, but....
> 
> for dog poop and scooping the litter tray, I use nappy bags (can get 200 i think it is for about 70p in wilkos) rather than purpose-bought poo bags - plus they are pretty and pink! bonus
> This is definately a tip I'll use - 3 dogs including a great dane - you wouldn't believe how we go through bags!
> 
> cleaning cupboard only contains - bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar, bleach, a bottle of lemon juice. I also have a bottle of *anigene/trigene/safe4 *kicking about too for cleaning around where the furkids eat. I save about £20 a month on cleaning products this way, and everything is just as sparkling
> Never heard of these - where would I get them, and what are they, please?
> 
> I bulk buy dog and cat food and cat litter. Save an absolute fortune with this, plus never run out! (well, okay, providing i'm not having a brain-foggy few days! - there's been a few occasions where i've had to nip to the corner shop and pay their ridiculous prices)
> 
> I never pay full price for clothes. For my son I shop in the sales, and for myself i shop out of season for next year, in mid-season sales, or second hand shops. I got 3 lovely pairs of New Look jeans the other week, 2 still with tags on, all in excellent condition and flattering cuts, for £6.  ...this is more tricky atm as i'm 21 weeks pregnant, so ever-expanding! but still manage okay
> 
> With food i always buddy up when shopping, whether it's with my partner (we don't live together), a relative, or a friend. great way to make use of bogof, 3 for 2, and other savings without doing what i used to do and ending up with sooo much food i couldn't even look at it without feeling ill, and loads of it going to waste. I also tend to stick to own brand options in supermarkets.
> 
> I mostly cook from scratch too, although admittedly atm the majority of my meals are casseroles, cottage/shepherds pie, jacket pots, or some pasta dish, so not much variety!
> 
> everything gets turned off at the wall, energy saving lightbulbs, heating when in use is turned down and timer is set so it comes on more frequently rather that it being on for longer periods of time.
> Does turning off at the wall actually save leccy? I thought it was a safety thing
> 
> i use a frebreeze hack - half cup of fabric conditioner, few drops of matching essential oil ( although i do have to be careful with these as i am hypersensitive to some scents) and a cup of water. mix it up and spritz, and it's lovely.
> I'm going to try this NOW! This house honks with the big dog - he's not dirty - just male! You know that reek that hits you when you open your teenage son's bedroom door - a solid wall of sweat, testosterone, acne lotion and Lynx Africa? Well, we have the canine equivalent - cowpat, fox crap, horse sh1t (he WILL eat these delicious morsels) and BIG BOY DOGNESS. He's a bit less hummy since his op, but it's still lurking .
> 
> laundry is done on a low heat, and only when enough to do a full load at a time. I air dry on the line or airers, or radiators if they're on.
> 
> Also, i refuse to iron. If i need to get the creases out of something, i hang it in the bathroom while i shower and hope for the best. This really did save me money before falling pregnant, as it meant that I didn't have to buy a bottle of wine to get me through the trauma of ironing


I haven't ironed for years - I just hate doing it. Even when my son was in the school play I only ironed the trouser leg that faced the audience. But it has actually made me think of another useful tip which may be helpful to those ladies who do iron.
Tuck your shirts/blouses into your skirt and/or trousers, and draw around your waist with a permanent marker. Next time you wash you will know that anything below the line won't be seen, and needn't be ironed, thus saving expensive electricity and reducing wear and tear on your iron.


----------



## Jet90

Hiya lostbear 

I used to spend an absolute fortune on poo bags, the saving is amazing - you won't regret it!! 
anigene ( previously called trigene i believe, though i do get it confused a little lol! - i have real brain fog today...and always.... lol!! ) and safe4 are pet-safe disinfectant cleaners which i absolutely swear by.

I order them online, though it varies where from as there are sometimes good deals elsewhere, but mostly i buy it from here - Anigene HLD4V High Level Apple Scented Disinfectant Cleaner 5L - £22.58

Safe4 Disinfectant

it is quite expensive, but it does last a long time, so is seriously worth it 

my house currently hums of wet dog, and i totally understand what you mean by that doggy smell, particularly with males! lol I LOVE this spray, it's brillant. Depending on your sense of smell, you can fiddle about a little with the quantities too if you want it stronger or more subtle, i just wouldn't add more than a few drops of essential oils regardless of how much water or fab con you put in 

Aaaaand, yep you def save money with turning things off at the wall, some things such as tvs and anything else that runs on standby (including microwave with electronic clock  ) use more but everything that is still plugged in and switched on regardless uses up some energy, which soon adds up.

I also turn the oven off for the last 5-10 mins of use (unless baking) as the oven stays hot, still cooks, but isn't using extra elec  xx


----------



## lostbear

Jet90 said:


> Hiya lostbear
> 
> I used to spend an absolute fortune on poo bags, the saving is amazing - you won't regret it!!
> anigene ( previously called trigene i believe, though i do get it confused a little lol! - i have real brain fog today...and always.... lol!! ) and safe4 are pet-safe disinfectant cleaners which i absolutely swear by.
> 
> I order them online, though it varies where from as there are sometimes good deals elsewhere, but mostly i buy it from here - Anigene HLD4V High Level Apple Scented Disinfectant Cleaner 5L - £22.58
> 
> Safe4 Disinfectant
> 
> it is quite expensive, but it does last a long time, so is seriously worth it
> 
> my house currently hums of wet dog, and i totally understand what you mean by that doggy smell, particularly with males! lol I LOVE this spray, it's brillant. Depending on your sense of smell, you can fiddle about a little with the quantities too if you want it stronger or more subtle, i just wouldn't add more than a few drops of essential oils regardless of how much water or fab con you put in
> 
> Aaaaand, yep you def save money with turning things off at the wall, some things such as tvs and anything else that runs on standby (including microwave with electronic clock  ) use more but everything that is still plugged in and switched on regardless uses up some energy, which soon adds up.
> 
> I also turn the oven off for the last 5-10 mins of use (unless baking) as the oven stays hot, still cooks, but isn't using extra elec  xx


Thanks for the info - I'll look at these when I'm getting low on my present stuff.


----------



## moggiemum

today i repotted my huge cheese plant with homemade compost from a friends compost bin even better is the fact that he dosent want the compost bin anymore and as soon as ive used up all the compost its coming to live in my garden its too heavy presently and he wont bring it in his electric car until its empty hopefully i wont need to buy any compost this year


----------



## Zaros

Wearing tights over your head whilst experiencing the thrill of a rollercoaster ride prevents you from losing your spectacles.:001_smile:


----------



## Guest

Zaros said:


> Wearing tights over your head whilst experiencing the thrill of a rollercoaster ride prevents you from losing your spectacles.:001_smile:


Just remember to take them off your head before you next walk into a grocery store/petrol station/bank/etc...delete as applicable...
:lol:


----------



## Zaros

jon bda said:


> Just remember to take them off your head before you next walk into a grocery store/petrol station/bank/etc...delete as applicable...
> :lol:


My conjoined twin once told me I should wear a stocking because he didn't want any part in my crimes.

I told him two things; To shut his face and run me a little faster!:glare:


----------



## lostbear

A farmer friend passed this one on to me. Save on huge vet bills by performing minor skin grafts on your pet pig yourself by covering any cuts and grazes with a thin strip of bacon.


----------



## moggiemum

^^^^^^^this would also be suitable to repair minor wounds on humans too as the human is simillar in genetics to the pig ,some of us more so than others

lost bear im gonna ring my mum,for free now as its the weekend-hot tip,and tell her what i've just read as she adores pigs and she will be snorting for hours after, well she s more of a chuckler really, i love making my mum laugh,thankyou


----------



## lostbear

My dear friend, Sister Concepta Magdelene of the Squabbling Order of St Tyson, has passed this tip on to me. Apparently half a dozen enraged wasps in a metal cigar tube make a cheap but effective vibrator, whatever that is.

I pass it on for what it's worth.


----------



## Rachel723

Washing clothes with hands and keep the water that you rinse the clothes, and then....you can use the rinse water to clean your floor and water your flowers


----------



## lostbear

Have just come back from a few days away - we had a rainy day, so went to the local swimming baths. I couldn't believe how expensive it is these days - prohibitive, if you have a few kids.

So - why not recreate the swimming baths experience economically at home by filling the bath with cold water, pouring in a bottle of bleach, and then getting everybody to pee in it before jumping in and splashing about? Just as much fun at a tenth of the cost.


----------



## Meezey

lostbear said:


> Have just come back from a few days away - we had a rainy day, so went to the local swimming baths. I couldn't believe how expensive it is these days - prohibitive, if you have a few kids.
> 
> So - why not recreate the swimming baths experience economically at home by filling the bath with cold water, pouring in a bottle of bleach, and then getting everybody to pee in it before jumping in and splashing about? Just as much fun at a tenth of the cost.


Bahahahahahahahahahahah wtf lol


----------



## juliethemuse

lostbear said:


> Have just come back from a few days away - we had a rainy day, so went to the local swimming baths. I couldn't believe how expensive it is these days - prohibitive, if you have a few kids.
> 
> So - why not recreate the swimming baths experience economically at home by filling the bath with cold water, pouring in a bottle of bleach, and then getting everybody to pee in it before jumping in and splashing about? Just as much fun at a tenth of the cost.


Bleach??? :yikes:

Anyoo thought I'd share with the ladies a fab site called everything5pounds.com
A lot of my and daughters clothes comes from there. saves loads of wonga!


----------



## emma4747

Hi,
I am new to this forum and have been reading everyone's tips!!
I have recently been buying all my pet food, treats and pet medication from VIOVET online. its so much cheaper and always has deals going on.
I have a voucher code for £3 off when you spend over £15, the delivery costs are pretty low too!
The code is VRCXSBG8P

:drool::drool:


----------



## lostbear

juliethemuse said:


> Bleach??? :yikes:
> 
> Anyoo thought I'd share with the ladies a fab site called everything5pounds.com
> A lot of my and daughters clothes comes from there. saves loads of wonga!


And yet you don't mind the thought of pee?


----------



## lostbear

Binoculars are expensive. Why not just stand closer to the thing you want to look at, thus saving 100's of pounds!


----------



## GillimaClikz

Don't spend money for unwanted things.

Eat healthy food. If eat instant think, you have to spend money for foods and weakness.

Try to live in charming and happily.

Try to save money daily. (At least one cent).

Save money with bank.


----------



## lostbear

I was shocked at the price of hair gel in boots. Marmalade is just as effective and much cheaper, and in addition has a delightful citrusy scent.

You will also have no difficulty getting a seat on the bus with a barnet full of wasps.


----------



## moggiemum

a good tip is - it aint a bargain unless you NEED it


----------



## ivddog

Some of the things I do to save cash:

-Run the washer only when it is almost a full load.
-Dry my clothes using natural sun and wind.
-Buy less processed foods (sliced bread, cereals, ham, sausages, tin food etc.)
-Buy fresh produce from the local market or grocery store instead of the supermarket.
-I dont eat at expensive places anymore since I cant go out much anyway. I have to be home after work and on weekends for my dog who is currently recuperating from IVDD.


----------



## Firedog

lostbear said:


> I was shocked at the price of hair gel in boots. Marmalade is just as effective and much cheaper, and in addition has a delightful citrusy scent.
> 
> You will also have no difficulty getting a seat on the bus with a barnet full of wasps.


Me thinks some ones starting to take the pee now.


----------



## lostbear

Firedog said:


> Me thinks some ones starting to take the pee now.


I hope you don't mean _moi._


----------



## Firedog

Totally empty and check your freezers on a regular basis.

I admit I can be lazy and not bother to look properly in the freezers and just go and buy it because I can't find it.

We have had a few days struggling up to pay day and not had any sandwich stuff. We went through the freezers today and found 3 packets of ham also several opened bags of mini sausage rolls. Couldn't believe that there was about 6 bags of frozen roast potatoes and 3 bags of Yorkshire puddings plus meat that I didn't know we had.


----------



## lostbear

Sounds like the bottom of my handbag. I emptied it out once and there were 17 pens (possibly one of them was even mine), two of those little plastic jam cartons you get in cafes (well, I don't like jam with my scone, but if I've paid for it . . . ), hundreds of unidentified flowers seeds (I'm always cadging flower heads off people so I can plant the seeds up, but keep forgetting about them)as well as the usual keys, tissues, eyebrow tweezers, rowntrees fruit pastilles, perfume, bible, instant coffee sachets, diary, comb, paracetamal, shark repellent, biscuits, sugar sachets etc


----------



## Staceyxxx

Yorkshire water are giving away free water saving packs, ideal for those on water meters...

Save water and money


----------



## Sophiebee

lostbear said:


> Sounds like the bottom of my handbag. I emptied it out once and there were 17 pens (possibly one of them was even mine), two of those little plastic jam cartons you get in cafes (well, I don't like jam with my scone, but if I've paid for it . . . ), hundreds of unidentified flowers seeds (I'm always cadging flower heads off people so I can plant the seeds up, but keep forgetting about them)as well as the usual keys, tissues, eyebrow tweezers, rowntrees fruit pastilles, perfume, bible, instant coffee sachets, diary, comb, paracetamal, shark repellent, biscuits, sugar sachets etc


I cleaned my bag out not too long ago and as well as all the usual stuff i found a spoon, which would have been fine except it wasnt mine (not the same as any of mine so im sure) and i dont know how it got there  so my moneysaving tip- steal spoons!!!


----------



## Hugbug

I troll ebay for lots of bargins some are good some not so good

plus now if you buy from ebay you get nectar points

I selling on ebay i do cash on delivery that paypal wont take their fee

I have also signed up to MySurvey | Discover the Power of Your Opinion i do surveys get points

Example 2300 points = £20 for paypal

YouGov Public Opinion you can also get points that can be turned into money

Every little helps


----------



## moggiemum

love this idea, thought i d share , save money and recycle too


----------



## smudgiesmummy

clinton cards have a 25% online at the moment


----------



## mollydog07

Asda doing 1kg tubs lurpak for £3.


----------



## Oldogsrbest

If you buy any special treat that comes with a plastic lid that has the little nozzle top underneath, wash some and keep them. (eg mayonnaise) You can then buy bulk shampoos, bulk detergents, you can make up flea rinses, homemade cleaning pastes, etc and use the bottles to not pour too much. If it's had something nasty in it, perhaps best to recycle container and wash and keep another.

Very handy for using to scrub out animal containers.

Definitely water down detergent. We tend to use too much. I, too, only use 1/2 the soap powder recommended.

Very cheap, filling soup. BIG POT

LOTS of dried barley, put in pot first, (boil until cooked and soft), packet of the generic no frills, chopped vegies, 1/2 pack of spinach, any tired vegies, fried onion for extra flavour. (Do a frypan full, and freeze in useful amounts, to save cooking and cleaning frypan. Can reuse bags for dog poo), add no frills tin of diced toms, add tom paste, as you like it. Add dried mixed herbs, dried chilli flakes, VEGETA vego powdered flavouring. DON'T use the chicken/beef flavour, they are foul. Solid blue tin. I think called Gourmet mix. Or use your favourite stock flavouring. Before serving, add frozen peas. If freezing this, freeze without peas, add when you heat to eat. This is VERY satisfying, cheap, vegetarian. You can add chick peas or lentils, you can add very cheap mince, but this soup is SO filling, and if you play with the herbs and flavourings, perhaps add garlic, you won't miss meat. Be generous with the barley. 

DON'T buy lentils, chick peas, etc in tins. It is very easy to cook them from dry and you can cook enough to add to salads, bulk out meat dishes, etc, for the following days. FAR CHEAPER to buy dry. Barley very good for you, too.

If you take out some of that mix, with a slotted spoon, you can put it, when cool, on puff pastry, sprinkle sxtra herbs you like and some cheap cheddar, and make some very cheap cheese , veg and barley pies for work lunch, eat with tom sauce of at home, with salad.


----------



## Alesia

Thanks for the tips


----------



## newfiesmum

lostbear said:


> Have just come back from a few days away - we had a rainy day, so went to the local swimming baths. I couldn't believe how expensive it is these days - prohibitive, if you have a few kids.
> 
> So - why not recreate the swimming baths experience economically at home by filling the bath with cold water, pouring in a bottle of bleach, and then getting everybody to pee in it before jumping in and splashing about? Just as much fun at a tenth of the cost.





lostbear said:


> And yet you don't mind the thought of pee?





lostbear said:


> Binoculars are expensive. Why not just stand closer to the thing you want to look at, thus saving 100's of pounds!





lostbear said:


> I was shocked at the price of hair gel in boots. Marmalade is just as effective and much cheaper, and in addition has a delightful citrusy scent.
> 
> You will also have no difficulty getting a seat on the bus with a barnet full of wasps.


When I asked you yesterday if you were loopy before you joined this forum, I was only guessing. Now I am sure


----------



## ScruffyCat

lostbear said:


> I was shocked at the price of hair gel in boots. Marmalade is just as effective and much cheaper, and in addition has a delightful citrusy scent.
> 
> You will also have no difficulty getting a seat on the bus with a barnet full of wasps.


I might try this but I'm not too keen on marmalade. What about marmite? I'm sure that would work just as well.... And cover grey hairs at the same time... Gel and hair dye in one...


----------



## lostbear

ScruffyCat said:


> I might try this but I'm not too keen on marmalade. *What about marmite? I'm sure that would work just as well.... And cover grey hairs at the same time... Gel and hair dye in one*...


Brilliant idea!

This is the sort of thinking outside the box that made this country great!

The wasp problem would be solved - though you may get assaulted in public places. That's the thing with marmite - people love it or hate it. (Mmm - it occurs to me that those people who love it might start offering you flowers etc like on the ads for "impulse". If you get any free cars, holidays, country homes, tiaras etc please don't forget the person whose marmalade-slathered hair was the inspiration for your idea. :wink


----------



## ScruffyCat

lostbear said:


> Brilliant idea!
> 
> This is the sort of thinking outside the box that made this country great!
> 
> The wasp problem would be solved - though you may get assaulted in public places. That's the thing with marmite - people love it or hate it. (Mmm - it occurs to me that those people who love it might start offering you flowers etc like on the ads for "impulse". If you get any free cars, holidays, country homes, tiaras etc please don't forget the person whose marmalade-slathered hair was the inspiration for your idea. :wink


Fantastic, the thought of people coming up to me in the street and giving me tiaras and county homes as the mere sight of my marmite slathered hair has sold it to me.

Also i have another idea.... Hear me out.... Switching fake tan for marmite....
Now we all know how expensive and time consuming fake tan is to apply so whilst styling hair why not smother oneself in marmite too for that natural st tropez tan. 
You will look a peculiar colour and it will rub off all over your clothes but that's no different to most fake tans on the market today... But only a fraction of the cost...


----------



## lostbear

ScruffyCat said:


> Fantastic, the thought of people coming up to me in the street and giving me tiaras and county homes as the mere sight of my marmite slathered hair has sold it to me.
> 
> Also i have another idea.... Hear me out.... Switching fake tan for marmite....
> Now we all know how expensive and time consuming fake tan is to apply so whilst styling hair why not smother oneself in marmite too for that natural st tropez tan.
> You will look a peculiar colour and it will rub off all over your clothes but that's no different to most fake tans on the market today... But only a fraction of the cost...


I see I have a keen rival in the money-saving tips department! I love your idea - but I'm not quite sure what a "natural" St Tropez tan is. Are the terms "natural" and "St Tropez tan" not opposites (or am I thinking of "natural" and "footballers wise tan"? - actually, I think I am. Sorry! I take every syllable of criticism back.)

Though for those who hate Marmite, an equally impressive (and longer lasting) "tan" can be achieved by using Ronseal - available in a variety of shades (including orange), long-lasting and has the advantage of being water repellent. This is in contrast to the Marmite tan - which although very economic to apply, has a tendency to go particularly streaky in the rainy weather we've been having (er - or, so I have been told, wouldn't dream of trying it myself *koff, koff*), and release a curiously savoury 'whiff'.


----------



## moggiemum

you gals are so posh whats wrong with good old fashioned bisto :huh:

so far this week ive made one padded velvet cat bed, one cat tent fleecy winter cover, 3 unusual mice ,one rat, and one cute cat, all stuffed to the tails with fluff and catnip  has saved me a good few quids , just as well as my pet planet £45 order is coming on monday , yipee


----------



## davidc

ScruffyCat said:


> I might try this but I'm not too keen on marmalade. What about marmite? I'm sure that would work just as well.... And cover grey hairs at the same time... Gel and hair dye in one...


Sorry this won't work as well. Half the people on the bus will of course hate it. But the rest will love it.


----------



## Roger Downes

lostbear said:


> I see I have a keen rival in the money-saving tips department! I love your idea - but I'm not quite sure what a "natural" St Tropez tan is. Are the terms "natural" and "St Tropez tan" not opposites (or am I thinking of "natural" and "footballers wise tan"? - actually, I think I am. Sorry! I take every syllable of criticism back.)
> 
> Though for those who hate Marmite, an equally impressive (and longer lasting) "tan" can be achieved by using Ronseal - available in a variety of shades (including orange), long-lasting and has the advantage of being water repellent. This is in contrast to the Marmite tan - which although very economic to apply, has a tendency to go particularly streaky in the rainy weather we've been having (er - or, so I have been told, wouldn't dream of trying it myself *koff, koff*), and release a curiously savoury 'whiff'.


Personally I can recommend old engine oil (the older the better), it gives a superb shiny tan all over in seconds. Not only is it water repellent like Ronseal, it has the advantage that its free with every oil change your car has. The only drawback to using old engine oil is the possibility of being covered head to toe with the skin complaint "Dermatitis". But Im sure you will find that risk well worth taking when you consider how much you are saving on Holidays/sun bed treatment and those "fake sun tan creams"


----------



## lostbear

moggiemum said:


> you gals are so posh whats wrong with good old fashioned bisto :huh:
> 
> so far this week ive made one padded velvet cat bed, one cat tent fleecy winter cover, *3 unusual mice* ,one rat, and one cute cat, all stuffed to the tails with fluff and catnip  has saved me a good few quids , just as well as my pet planet £45 order is coming on monday , yipee


I want to see the 'unusual mice' . . .


----------



## lostbear

Roger Downes said:


> Personally I can recommend old engine oil (the older the better), it gives a superb shiny tan all over in seconds. Not only is it water repellent like Ronseal, it has the advantage that its free with every oil change your car has. *The only drawback to using old engine oil is the possibility of being covered head to toe with the skin complaint "Dermatitis". *But Im sure you will find that risk well worth taking when you consider how much you are saving on Holidays/sun bed treatment and those "fake sun tan creams"


I agree - it is a risk worth taking - the economic benefits are enormous. Plus, if you do develop '`dermatitis', it means that you will:

a) get your money's worth out of the NHS (why should those selfish buggers who are ill constantly get the benefit? YOU are paying your taxes, too. Possibly . . . )

and

b) have the opportunity to get free lunches by going into hospitals for medical students to gawk at so that they can learn to overcome their natural revulsion of unsightly skin ailments.

c) save money on fake snow for the Christmas period by keeping all of your skin flakes in a container in the freezer, and then defrost the lot at the beginning of December. Depending upon the seriousness of your condition, you make be able to supply fake snow for the winter olympics if global warming continues at this rate.

Well done, Roger! You are a worthy contributor to this thread.

And your mentioning your car's oil change reminded me of another great money-saving tip, probably one from that Stig person on the TV.

Save money on petrol by emptying a sack of sand into your petrol tank. It will take up a lot of room in the tank and it will only cost half as much to 'fill 'er up!'


----------



## lostbear

moggiemum said:


> *you gals are so posh whats wrong with good old fashioned bisto* :huh:
> 
> so far this week ive made one padded velvet cat bed, one cat tent fleecy winter cover, 3 unusual mice ,one rat, and one cute cat, all stuffed to the tails with fluff and catnip  has saved me a good few quids , just as well as my pet planet £45 order is coming on monday , yipee


Kids follow you round the street sniffing you. I have enough problems. :crying:


----------



## davidc

Earl Grey tea is expensive. Instead simply boil some water and spritz in some citrusy scented perfume from the pound shop. And when people tell you Earl Grey tastes like perfume, you can smugly reply "That's because it is!"

With the cost of visiting your local swimming baths rising, instead simply find a large puddle and swim in that instead. An added bonus is you also get a free mud pack.

Keeping goldfish can be an expensive hobby. Instead just put pieces of carrot in your fish tank. Feeling peckish? You can simply help yourself to a healthy snack.


----------



## moggiemum

lostbear said:


> Kids follow you round the street sniffing you. I have enough problems. :crying:


ahh but you get the added bonus of cats curling themselves around your legs too


----------



## lostbear

moggiemum said:


> ahh but you get the added bonus of cats curling themselves around your legs too


Ooooooh - delicate balancing act . . . :huh:


----------



## moggiemum

lostbear said:


> I want to see the 'unusual mice' . . .


well i give you Roy first - the chocolate oriental cloth cat (corduroy)

Roy is currently high on a belly stuffed full of catnip

then we have the reprobate mice ,we have jail mouse, alcoholic mouse, and mouse who wants to be a snake and is currently blind as i forgot to give him eyes , they all all catnip users as well  i had to help acholic mouse stand up right as he was very drunk today, and jail mouse kept trying to steal my phone whilst i was trying to photograph him ,snake mouse kept trying to slither off but gladly not hissing atm as he has no tongue, and Ratty well he is nowhere to be seen -probably festering under the sofa i guess


----------



## lostbear

I love them!

I wouldn't trust 'jail mouse' as far as I could spit - I bet he's supplying catnip to all the others. Does he have a tattoo? If not, get that needle out, girl!

'Alky mouse' certainly looks like he would enjoy a snifter or two - but in a very refined sort of way. Is he a Mouse of the Cloth? He looks like an altar wine tippler.

'Snake mouse' - bless him! Blind and speechless - what sort of mouse mother are you?!

No the wonder Roy and his trio of rodent brothers hit the catnip!

(er - what's that white thing in the first two pics? Or would it be better if I didn't ask . . . ?)


----------



## moggiemum

ahhh its a candle , im rather holy too you know  it was a circular ball shaped one but sadly it's seen the light and will now be answering it's calling to become a recycled candle in the near future, 

snakey mouse will be having the op soon to restore eye sight, and hopefully show all the other reprobait's the way to living a true and meaningful life , well if the cat dosent get them first


----------



## Roger Downes

moggiemum said:


> ahhh its a candle , im rather holy too you know  it was a circular ball shaped one but sadly it's seen the light and will now be answering it's calling to become a recycled candle in the near future,
> 
> snakey mouse will be having the op soon to restore eye sight, and hopefully show all the other reprobait's the way to living a true and meaningful life , well if the cat dosent get them first


Please let us know how Snakey Mouse`s operation goes to restore its eye sight. Will it be Needle and Thread surgery or the modern Permanent Marker surgery? Will he have to wear a pair of eye patches for a while?
Also I am very concerned at this Band of Reprobait`s chance of survival after you freely admit to stuffing them with Catnip


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## moggiemum

haha Rodger, i hadnt thought of the p m s, permant marker surgery , im sure its very cost effective and can achieve very good results ,i am feeling an eye patch maybe in order though just for healing thanks for the tip, 

also i fear they are in danger of becoming mules so im not letting them outta my sight with their track record, ratty still hasn't shown his furry face yet i hope he is not making babies :crying:


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## davidc

Just been to my local Tesco. Books from 25p. Some had, predictably, sold out. But there were still some titles available. Bought 3 different ones for 75p. Labels on the shelf were normal white ones not the yellow ones.


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## catzisme

ok so i've read through a lot tonight, and i have to say, those soap things sound amazing! i'm definitely ordering a load for my house 
my tips would be...
-lemon cleans everything. it makes stuff sparkle, and gives a lovely fresh scent.
-if you have a load of old candles, pop them in an old pan, heat them up, and put them in a mould with a wick, brand new candle!
-tin foil behind radiators.
-in terms of the dogs, i always ask the butcher for off cuts of bone etc for them to gnaw on. He usually gives them to me free, and the pups have hours if enjoyment. 
-those terramundi pots are a godsend if you are trying to save. you can also find cheap knockoffs that are exactly the same on amazon.
-sites like approvedfood.com are a godsend if you are trying to save money on your weekly shop. 
-my favourite Facebook page is called, 10 ways to save money as a student without working. Seriously, it is awesome.
check out sites like supersavvyme.co.uk for discount vouchers to use with your weekly shop.
- i buy all my meat, fish , and fruit and veg from my local market. Can save money, especially if the butcher remembers you.
-sites like quidco, and topcashback are fab.
-finally, always google for vouchers for what you are about to buy. i've saved a lot of money this way.


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## Jensams

Coconut oil for moisturiser (it's chemical-free, unlike the expensive stuff and you can eat it).
Foundation - if you have one that's too dark, mix it with a light one.
Face powder, if too dark mix talc into it.
Buy kids clothes a bit big and they'll last 2 summers instead of 1.


Wash black clothes sometimes on 0 temp. It won't wash the dye out. Also add a little bit of salt in the drawer for keeping dyes in.
Stop buying scented stuff like bubblebath, it's bad for you anyway.


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## lostbear

zacknzena said:


> I also use freegle and ebay for most thing too , i use energy saving light bulbs and* old clothes for rags *sometimes to clean with .


I can't do that 'cos I'm wearing them . . .


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## lostbear

catzisme said:


> ok so i've read through a lot tonight, and i have to say, those soap things sound amazing! i'm definitely ordering a load for my house
> my tips would be...
> -lemon cleans everything. it makes stuff sparkle, and gives a lovely fresh scent.
> -if you have a load of old candles, pop them in an old pan, heat them up, and put them in a mould with a wick, brand new candle!
> -tin foil behind radiators.
> -in terms of the dogs, i always ask the butcher for off cuts of bone etc for them to gnaw on. He usually gives them to me free, and the pups have hours if enjoyment.
> -those terramundi pots are a godsend if you are trying to save. you can also find cheap knockoffs that are exactly the same on amazon.
> -sites like approvedfood.com are a godsend if you are trying to save money on your weekly shop.
> -my favourite Facebook page is called, 10 ways to save money as a student without working. Seriously, it is awesome.
> check out sites like supersavvyme.co.uk for discount vouchers to use with your weekly shop.
> - i buy all my meat, fish , and fruit and veg from my local market. Can save money, especially if the butcher remembers you.
> -sites like quidco, and topcashback are fab.
> -finally, always google for vouchers for what you are about to buy. i've saved a lot of money this way.


I have soapnuts*, but hadn't heard of dishwasher balls that someone mentioned - I'll have to try them.

And what's a terramundi pot? ('sokay - I'll google it)

* why does this sound like a nasty infection men might get?


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## Jensams

lostbear said:


> I have soapnuts*, but hadn't heard of dishwasher balls that someone mentioned - I'll have to try them.
> 
> And what's a terramundi pot? ('sokay - I'll google it)
> 
> * why does this sound like a nasty infection men might get?


It's a piggybank you have to pay out £20 for, then smash to get your money back.  :laugh:


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## lostbear

Jensams said:


> It's a piggybank you have to pay out £20 for, then smash to get your money back.  :laugh:


Yes. I see.

That sounds like a good idea . . .


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## lostbear

lostbear said:


> I have *soapnuts**, but hadn't heard of *dishwasher balls *that someone mentioned - I'll have to try them.
> 
> And what's a terramundi pot? ('sokay - I'll google it)
> 
> * why does this sound like a nasty infection men might get?


Just realised that they BOTH sound like 'gentleman's' (*ahem*) illnesses . . .


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## liamajhons

good idea. i think every one should tries to spend their life style accordingly. The most amazing fact is that those who are already spending their life in this way they will feel happy that they are not lonely on this planet..


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## JackMack

I have founded an pet youtube chanel and i would be so grateful if you would see my videos and coment me and say what you thnk and subscribe for more videos every day ty very much
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBQ...80Dxx7fVFves9g
:smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5:


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## Wiz201

JackMack said:


> I have founded an pet youtube chanel and i would be so grateful if you would see my videos and coment me and say what you thnk and subscribe for more videos every day ty very much
> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBQ...80Dxx7fVFves9g
> :smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5::smile5:


Hi best if you start your own thread? You've posted on an existing one


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## davidmartin123

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I will try to practice some of your given tips. Thanks again bro.


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## negative creep

Has anyone ever successfully tired the tin foil behind radiators trick?


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## westie~ma

I've unstuck this, November 2014 was the last post. 

If everyone wants it back up as a sticky let me know.


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