What can I do to help myself? Money saving tips. (Saving tips)

Member Name: GillMN

Product:	Saving tips
Date:	29/01/09 (312 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I save money and get to challenge myself.

Disadvantages: Wearing seventeen tee shirts makes me look like the Michelin Man!

I suppose the thing that helps me most to do anything is to see if I can make it a game or a challenge to myself instead of it being a deathly chore. So before you read my list ask yourself "How can I have a bit of fun with any money saving tasks?" See if you can enjoy it rather than just endure it.

Okay, homily over! Here's my list.

1. Car boot sales.
Last week I went to a car boot sale. I often do. They have got to be one of the biggest money saving innovations of the last decade or so. I bought a juicer for 50p saving me about £12.00 on the Argos price! I bought a halogen heater for £3.50 saving me about £10.00 on the shop price. Both items were secondhand and both work perfectly. So my first tip on saving pennies (or pounds!) is, get yourself down to a car-boot sale and see what you can pick up. Yes! Sometimes you see a lot of rubbish but usually there is something to be picked up that will save your hard earned cash.
The car-boot sales near here are also good for buying plants for the garden, they are much cheaper than the garden centres and as the stall holder has grown them you can pick up some good gardening hints at the same time.

2. Does it need to be perfect?
If you are investing in a large item, like a fridge. Ask in the shop if there are any of the model you want, or similar to it, reduced. I know it sounds odd but twice now I have saved money doing this. I got a fridge with a four inch scratch down one side, reduced by £50.00 . You can't see the side of a fridge once it's installed usually. I covered the scratch with a white car paint pen.
The second time was when I got some money knocked off a Dyson because it was dusty! I asked if there was a dusty George Clooney in the back, but they said there wasn't. (A girl's got to try!)

3. Just ask!
Shops want to sell their goods and will often make a reduction on large items if you simply ask "Is that the best you can do on that?" I have been suprised by the willingness of some shops to knock a few quid off. Phone shops like to give you accessories too, just ask nicely, don't be too proud.

4. You already know about not leaving electrical stuff on standby so I won't bore you with that bit. You can do the sums! (I'm not sure if I can though!)

5. When you boil the kettle for your morning tea, fill the kettle and then get into the habit of putting the left over boiling water into a vacuum flask. You can then either use that for coffee later in the morning or use it for cleaning or washing up. I know it doesn't sound like much of a saving in electricity but it mounts up.

6. Experiment!
Play with the thermostat on your central heating. Turn it down a degree and see if that is still comfortable. If it is, a few days later turn it down another degree. See if that's comfortable. I think we can become habituated to being warmer than we need to be. I don't mean that you should have the house cold but it might be worth your while to experiment a bit!

7. Put another layer on.
An extra tee shirt insulates you better and makes you a lot warmer. If you put too many layers on you will look like Nanook of the North, so don't go mad! (Mind you, laughing is a very warming pastime!)

8. Buy seasonal vegetables in bulk.
Find out which veg is cheaper and when. Buy as much as is feasible and freeze the surplus. The freezer is going to be running anyway and it costs less to run if it's full, so fill it with stuff that is cheaper for you. You can also plan ahead a bit and make double amounts of meals and freeze half for later. This saves time, money and thinking energy whilst you decide what to have for tea. (more time to write reviews too!)

9. Have a change pot!
Throw your pennies and silver into an inviolable change pot! Have a rule that no one touches it until your holiday or Christmas. It's mind boggling how much can accrue just from emptying your pockets at bedtime! Or, if you are getting fed up with scrimping and saving, have a date to aim for that you will use the change pot to buy yourselves a treat! Having a treat to look forward to cushions the boredom of being economical all the time and might help you to stick with it longer.

10. Think about what you like doing that is free but you don't get round to very often. Like walking down by the canal and feeding the ducks. Or visiting the old lady down the road. Look at why you make excuses to yourself not to do it. Then go and do it anyway. At least it won't cost you anything to make the ducks and the old lady happy!

Summary: Just a few ideas to think about.