Lots of blogs I follow have been doing the "30 ways to save a pound challenge" from Money supermarket so I thought I'd give it a go (although I've no idea if I'm too late to enter).
So here are mine (no order to them):
1. Install a clothes airier in the wasted space over the stairs to save using the tumble dryer - we've hardly used the dryer all winter.
2. Install a clothes airier outside in the garden to dry your clothes in the summer.
3. Don't buy the ready bagged bags of veg from the supermarket, it normally works out more expensive per kg than bagging up your own and you only buy what you need, so none goes to waste.
4. If you've got a mortgage and savings then pay more off on your mortgage (if you can). The interest you get on your savings is normally nowhere near what it costs you to have it on your mortgage.
5. If you have children join parenting clubs (like Boots) as they have lots of money off vouchers and deals.
6. Bulk buy sundry items for your car, like bulbs and screen wash, etc off eBay. It works out much cheaper than if you have to buy one when you need it from Halfords, in fact you can normally buy a pack of 10 for the same money as a pair!
7. Plant some fruit trees - it may take a couple of years to get your money back but if you buy a fruit tree from Aldi for £5 you only need to grow a few bags of apples and you're in profit.
8. Learn to take cuttings from plants so you can propagate from plants that friends and family have rather than buying your own.
9. Start eating nettles! Cooked they taste like spinach and they're free!
10. Learn about other wild food, it's free, grown naturally and some of it tastes amazing (be safe though).
11. Buy unbranded paracetamol and aspirin, it has the same active ingredients and costs a fraction of the price.
12. If you read a lot start buying books from car boots - they normally cost anywhere between 20p and £2.
13. Never buy the latest best seller, you will always find it at a fraction of the price at a car boot the next summer!
14. If you have a young child or baby make a list of the items you need and start shopping at the car boot sales. We've brought some of our baby's clothes at a fraction of the price they cost in the shops and some haven't even been used.
15. Always have a bottle of water with you so it saves you having to buy a drink.
16. Check your oil and water on your car every week. It's not difficult to do and it might save an expensive repair if either of these run out.
17. If you have a baby then freeze any leftover mash or veg in ice cube trays to make a healthy meal for them letter in the week.
18. Grow your own herbs - this is the cheapest way to make a simple meal taste amazing.
19. Buy Christmas presents throughout the year, that way you spread the cost and you can buy when things are on offer.
20. Have a meat free meal a week. this always works out cheaper than a meal with meat.
21. Start keeping chickens! After the set up costs you can normally make a small profit by selling your spare eggs (or at least break even) and have fresh eggs for yourself.
22. Take a picnic on days out.
23. Stop buying magazines. The information you want to read is normally on the internet for free and failing that books work out cheaper for the sheer about of reading time in them.
24. Bake a cake. Much cheaper than buying a nice one and they normally taste better (also a great way to entertain a child on a rainy afternoon).
25. Grow tomatoes and cucumbers. You don't need much room and it's so much cheaper than buying them (you can freeze any you have left, or make a chutney).
26. Make your own sandwiches for work
27. Don't buy sliced ham for sandwiches. A joint of ham works out cheaper - normally you can have a meal and all your sandwiches and it will taste much better.
28. Grow your own salad in a grow bag. When we plant one up it normally keeps us with plenty of salad for a month or more.
29. Don't be governed by the sell by date on food. Always smell and taste it to see if its gone off before you throw it away, normally most things lasts much longer than it says on the packet or tin.
30. Shop around. Use the internet to find the lowest price of any items you want. Also don't impulse buy
I'm sure now I've written this I'll think of loads more tips to save money but this is a good start!
Good list kev....I prefer the VIZ handy hint which says keep your dead gran's teeth after she died
ReplyDeleteThey make excellent pastry cutters!
I use the library for my reading needs. If I fall in love with a book and absolutely must have it then I will buy it. I am putting a library together for my grandchildren from flea market and garage sales(like a boot sale only in your garage). We freeze our left overs and when there is enough put it in chicken broth for a hearty soup. With some whole grain bread makes a good supper. I must see if I can find out more about the 30 ways etc.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this list. I am chuffed with myself because I do most of these things already :) There are some things here I can improve on though, especially the Christmas presents...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas, I already do a lot of them but there are a few I can add to my list! Have a great evening!
ReplyDeleteI had a great rambling comment written and blogger ate it when I tried to login! :(
ReplyDeleteI've gone back to the first post of your 'roots' blog and read right throu the archives to here. Planning to carry on to current date, but had to pause and write a comment here as I love these tips (and pretty much your whole blog).
I follow a blog called http://www.mortgagefreeinthree.com where Elaine has loads of great tips for living frugally. One of the best tips I ever got from there was to build up a store cupboard of staples such as rice, pasta, etc (amongst so much more) of long-shelf-life or bulk foods, so that you can save by bulk buying and also have some times where you cut back on buying groceries and eat from your store. I've managed to go weeks without spending more than a couple of pounds, avoiding the supermarket except to just buy milk.
One of the best links I ever got from her was to a site called Approved Food, where they sell near-dated and past-dated (best before dates, not use by) food at a fraction of the RRP. Here's a link (although, full disclosure, this is a referral link that will earn me store credit but not cost you anything) http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/?afid=b603ca.
As I said, loving the blog and looking forward to getting some of my own salad planting done (although I might be leaving it a bit late!)
Sorry for typos, blogger on the iPad is a bit funny about going back to correct mistakes.
ReplyDeleteKath