Looking after the pennies (Saving tips)

Member Name: azana

Product:	Saving tips
Date:	26/01/09 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Save money

Disadvantages: not very bling

We've cut our outgoings considerably over the last couple of years here are a few of my top tips:

1) Cut the money you waste on food;
Sounds obvious but many people throw away lots of food. Menu planning will help - if you can't manage that time/organisation wise then buy for 3 days a time and don't buy extra stuff that you don't need - only buy BOGOF if actually already use the product.
Use a slowcooker - it makes cheaper cuts taste nicer.
Take packed lunches or picnics on days out.
If you go out more rarely for a restaurant meal you will enjoy it more!
Finally look past the packaging - for example Sainsbury's value salmon is just the same salmon cut in a different shape!
I cook mainly from scratch as I find ready meals horribly expensive and not very nice - if pressed for time it doesn't take long to stir fry or make a pasta sauce, if you don't know how to cook think about learning!
Eat less meat, I would rather make small amounts of very good meat or fish go a long way than buy larger less good cuts or products with added water.
Switch to frozen for some things - frozen kidney beans, mini corn cobs, broad beans, chick peas are all great and stacks cheaper!

2) The small things you don't need really add up - when you are buying something ask yourself if you NEED it. I have tried to stop buying magazines for example and to get subscriptions with club card points.

3) If you like reading use the library rather than having those 2 for £7 deals as you supermarket shop. Now and then I order a few books from www.thebookpeople.co.uk but I no longer buy full price books and find school fairs and the like a great source of 10p books!

4) Pay off the credit card by direct debit in full every month if you can.

5) Take out a fixed amount of cash at the start of the week for things other than food etc - when it is gone it is gone!

6) When buying something online always google for a discount voucher! This goes for food shopping too - sometimes shopping at www.tesco.com can be cheaper than going in store if you find the right code.

7) Ignore pester power if you are a mum as best you can!

8) Only boil as much water as you need for a cup of tea, put lids on saucepans and turn out unneeded lights.

9) Research prices - if buying something major shop around, John Lewis will price match most things, it is almost always worth looking around and recently if I think something is too expensive then I haggle ever so slightly!

10) Keep the rev counter down when driving and keep the tryres pumped up.

11) Make do and mend - think before you throw something away.

12) freecycle/swish - swapping something with a friend (books, children's clothes) is great for both of you and www.freecycle.org is also a great resource and good way of passing things on.

13) Don't buy stuff in the sales you don't need just because it is on sale or a good deal.

14) Presents - at Christmas etc consider doing a secret santa amongst groups of friend's children - you can all get together and have a few drinks and each child gets one present. In our family we also decided a while ago that we would all only buy for the children - it makes sense as we all never knew what to buy each other anyway!


I was brought up by post war (just) parents who had learnt the art of frugality and never wasted anything - it seems that that way of life is coming back, it doesn't have to be grim and it does make you appreciate the things you have.

Summary: A few ways we have cut back