Up until a couple of years ago (I was almost 35 when I finally moved out of home and got a flat with a mate) I did as I have just mentioned lived at home with my parents. I had moved out and lived there on and off through the years but this time decided I had to make the break and be a grown up!

Up until this point in my life money wasn't a problem and had never been an issue at all. I never had a lot of money but lets face it I never got truly stuck and I had no real bills to pay. If I spent up on a lipstick it didn't matter, food was in cupboards and Mum paid the bills and I could cadge money if need be! I had it so goooood.......

However as soon as I got a flat share and had to pay my way properly I was a bit shocked. Gas, electric, water....well the bills never end do they? lol. I carried on ordering like I had done from the catalogues and suddenly I couldn't pay them and then I fell behind with the general bills too. My flatmate moved out as we no longer could tolerate each other and I ended up staying in the flat we shared until I find a one bedroomed just for me which is proving really difficult. Not only am I struggling to pay half the bills we ran up together, I of course have new ones now and I have to make up the £179.00 a month for her share of the rent as well!

However I'm not in debt. Once again my parents came to the rescue and paid off all the debts I owed but I have had to learn to cope since and try to keep my head above water!

So here are my money saving tips and I hope they may help you!

In no particular order:

1) Service providers. Check through all your services, gas, electric and internet and so on and make sure your getting a fair deal. Moneysavingexpert.com is a good site to get this sort of information from and its an easy to navigate site too. You do need to be very careful doing all this though and really read the small print on deals! I personally have 02 Sim and an old deal of unlimited texts to any mobile and a whole host of other things and won't be changing from that!

2) My food bill was really, really high! I love food. I swapped to instead of buying premium brands to buying shops own and stuff on offer or reduced cos of shorter use by dates and so on. Ok some stuff isn't as good and some is and it is hit and miss and trial and error. I freeze leftovers and allsorts now and I never used to! I shop online to avoid taxi bills and get it delivered and all. I also love make up and toiletries and now invest in cheaper brands such as make up from elf.com or 'MUA' from Superdrug and any of that is usually priced between £1.00-£1.50 an item! I like luxury toiletries too but swapped Lush for Marks & Spencers toiletries which can cost as little as a pound for bath foam, shower gels and allsorts so cos its Marks stuff I still feel like I'm still treating myself and they really do have a fantastic, large range of products to choose from!

Of course join loyalty schemes too and shop about. I shop in Boots and tescos alot and get plenty of free stuff from Boots with my card there and often recieve money off vouchers from Tesco which really helps!

3) Cleaning products

Once again I have converted to buying shops own brands and save myself a fortune! I buy multi purpose cleaners instead of specific products now too! I clean less, using less electric and having more fun time too!

4) Smoking:

Ok I am a smoker and you should quit! However I try and try and then I smoke again however I now smoke only roll ups which have dramatically reduced the money I was spending weekly however a 50g pouch that lasts me a week still costs me a little under £14.00! If you can't quit cut down and if you want to quit there are quit smoking groups and allsorts out there an you can get so much free help with this now and products to help!

5) Charity Shops:

I love clothes too! I can't go a week without treating myself to something to wear however I always shopped in Primark and the likes anyway which never really cost too much. Now though I have no Primark nearby and only rather expensive shops so now I am really pleased to say that I go to charity shops alot. I like to call the clothes Vintage rather than second hand mind you but always think once I've washed them they are as good as new and I never buy tat anyway! I've had such bargains and alot of the stuff in their isn't whats in stores right this minute and so the stuff is rather unique!

Not only do I get clothes I also get dvds and books etc, I mean we all need some luxuries in life and I'm no different! Of course for dvds and books cheap I also buy from Amazon and thats mega cheap too but shop about and you can get some right bargains even from Blockbusters that sell there older dvs off at a song!

6) Selling Things:

I am not one for selling my possessions though recently I was looking through my dvd collection and about to throw some of them in the bin because I wasn't impressed with them. Musicmagpie.com buys dvds and cds from you. Ok you don't get a fortune but its a straightforward and easy to use website and you basically type in the bar codes for all you want to sell, you get a total of how much you will get, print of a label and post them off and wait for a cheque! Of course there are loads of shops and sites that do this though I have never and never want to walk around with my wares trying to sell them! You can of course part with mobiles and the likes online to your hearts content! Of course there is also Ebay.com to buy and sell and days with free listing days on from time to time so you don't even have to pay a fee!

7) Review And Fill In Surveys:

You are never gonna be rich reviewing on websites such as this. However from Ciao.com you earn only money and I claim it every few months for a lump sum and then on here I get vouchers or whatever for Amazon for bits and pieces for my home. I do Ciao surveys and a few others, Google if interested. Not only can make a couple of quid here and there but think of it this way whilst you on here keeping busy your probably not spending anything! lol.

8) Claim What Your Entitled To:

Most of us have no idea what benefits or extras we are entitled to. Until recently my Stepfather had worked all of his life earning decent money and was made redundant. He's bored stiff and looking hard for a job but at 62 years old, sadly its just not happening but he assumed he was entitled to no money from the state at all and was embarrassed to go and find out. Turns out he is entitled to money that he's paid into the system and whilst it really isn't much its HIS money and he should have it. Citizens advice bureau offer free advice on this sort of stuff and of course you can Google if interested.

9) Bits And Bobs Info:

There are other things that I do to save money so I thought I would list them here randomly! Instead of using my big oven to cook just for me I now use my George Foreman Grill. I barely use my tumble drier now and got myself a cheap airer (I live in a flat). I hand wash some things instead of doing washing in the washing machine and I tear up old clothes to use as dusters and things like that. If I'm cooking dinner for me and my mate downstairs is in I'll do her dinner too and then she does it back another time and we do this often lol (we are close friends though and it a bit like meals on wheels lol).

There are many ways of making cut backs of course. Stop driving so much and get some air you car drivers and course if you have a spare room and can rent it out...well do that but just be careful who you have in for heavens sake! The only thing that hasn't been cut down money wise is my hamsters...they still and always will cost me a fortune as they are my pure joy!