What Little Things Do You Do to save Money?
Money Saving
One of my little cheats is to top up my liquid soap dispensers with washing up liquid or cheap shampoo.
Please let us know your best money saving cheats.
My tips:
- Fix old stuff instead of buying a new one (not necessary a little thing 
)
- Don't buy branded food products unless they're reduced
- Learn to do basic car maintenance
- Don't buy ready-mixed screenwash (dilute the concentrate)
- Don't buy soap just because it says 'antibacterial'
- Reuse boxes and envelopes if you sell online
- If you see a good offer, sleep on it & you probably don't need it the next day
- Get all your furniture either secondhand or from Freecycle etc
- Look online for ideas on how to spruce up existing furniture (I made an office chair from a car seat)
- Make ice cubes with the water you're already paying for (don't buy them)
I'll add more if I can think of any.
Great list. I don’t know anyone who’s ever bought ice cubes. I’ve painted lots of furniture or should I be honest, supervised my husband doing it.
I've never understood people buying ice cubes! Plus I love the silicone ice cube trays with nice shapes, I've got star ones!
Pjran Ah, you do that then? I thought of doing that the other day. Does a frozen slice have the same effect in a drink? I assume it must defrost and add flavour fast enough but have never done it before. I did not know about the no citrus thing on compost either. This is an education.
At the moment not being able to visit cafes is saving me a lot of money, but I do miss it 
When you think you've just about got all you can out of tubes of toothpaste, face creams etc cut across the tube about an inch up and you'll be surprised just how much is left there to use 
.
I do this too, it's great in so many ways - not least because if they were going to shrink then it will have shrunk already... 
I buy my sons clothes second hand (I also sometimes get them free from a friend when her son grows out of his and from a friend of his granny), we buy value or own brand items and only buy branded when on offer and costs the same as the own brand, fix clothes when they get a hole in them or a button falls off, I buy my sons nappies in bulk when on offer and his wipes in bulk too, buy clothes for me and husband in the sales and even then only when we need something, buy toys second hand too, use reusable bags so I don't have to buy them, use a reuse water bottle so don't have to buy water when out, cut the ends off items like toothpaste to get the rest of it out the tube, add water to the last of the shampoo and washing up liquid to use it all, use slightly less laundry detergent than the box says as you don't need as much as it says and it lasts longer, any leftovers are for lunch the next day, use our loyalty card points, do surveys, use a shower puff as it makes shower gel go further, we only buy what we actually need and I sell stuff when we no longer need it.
I buy things from the supermarket in bulk when on offer. Can’t do that at the moment as I rarely go shopping since coronavirus. I also shop for clothes online during the sales. I keep my orchids in a spare room when they’ve finished flowering and often another spike grows. Then I bring them back downstairs once in flower.
Pjran I haven't been buying anything in bulk either recently as my husband goes shopping as little as possible and we were lucky to get a Tesco delivery yesterday! I am awful at growing plants, my mum bought me an orchid and despite doing what it said on the instructions, it died.
MrsCraig maybe you over watered the orchid. They really don’t like standing in water. In fact it seems best to only dribble a few drops once or twice a week.
My husband does the shopping at the moment and only buys what’s on the list except for cream cakes. He came home with fresh cream slices and they definitely weren’t on the list but devoured quickly.
In the supermarket I always compare prices of the products on the shelf - own brand / big brand/ bigger pack / offers etc, by referring to the Price per 100g (or KG) info on the shelf label, to make sure I’m getting the best deal. What look like good offers sometimes aren’t quite as good as they seem.
In general I'll buy bigger to get the best price.
We do that too. It might seem like a good deal but when you look into it the deal isn't as good as it seems.
Yep, and if you ask, also Google prices at any nearby shops or shops you'll soon visit.
I compare prices/supermarkets.I also like to shop when foods are reduced,had some right results in Sainsbury's or M&S..love bargain hunting.
I do plan my weekly meals and save money that way.
Superdrug has some crazy deals in store sometimes,could be anything(hair products,protein shakes...)..reduced to next to nothing.
I love free trials,there's always something on offer online,I enjoyed the free Disney trial(kept it for the kids though,my son is star wars mad 
)
Peloton is offering a free trial for three months,it's fitness,you don't need the bike,enjoying it so far x
Same here. Only yesterday I placed an online order with Superdrug for some reduced Easter chocolates. Just keeping my fingers crossed that get delivered.
I always fill a bucket from the shower (with the initial cold water before it warms up) and use it to water the garden.
That's a brilliant idea, I've never thought of that! What a fantastic idea, thank you for sharing this!
I sometimes fill my watering can up (only if I remember to take it up the day before) with the cold water before the hot comes through to water my upstairs plants. I keep my old orchids out of sight up there.
tumblespots I’ve too many indoor plants but have cut down planting with pots outside. The watering takes me too long these days.
Pjran It is always a laborious task - watering the plants. I am waiting for a veg plant delivery so, for me, there is a lot of watering ahead!
Good luck with your veg tumblespots I assume you have a green house to grown them on bit. Since being on a water meter I don’t grow my runner beans and courgettes any more.
I do use water butts, but allow for a higher metered water bill during the spring/summer.
I save us so much money by meal planning, I prefer to do our food shop online when possible otherwise I write a list & stick to it. I will also buy alot of store cupboard ingredients & certain items from Home bargains instead of Supermarket as they are alot cheaper usually. Iv bought a few bits of good quality furniture from the British Heart Foundation & upcycled it. For instance my sons have a chest of drawers I painted with Blackboard paint similar to this:
That's a good idea with the drawers! Though I'd argue that the shirts should be hanging up 
Love the drawers, do they remember which drawer their clothes came out of instead of putting everything in the laundry bin?
Great little chat here love the amazing ideas I think I shall start some. Thanks for sharing x stay safe all
A friend gave me some nasturtium seeds last autumn. I actually got round to putting them in a pot a few ago, at last one is peeping out. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for more to sprout up - can’t beat totally free plants.
I also enter competitions and apply for freebies. Obviously comps aren't guaranteed but the ones that I have won have saved us money and some I've been able to sell on when my son is finished with them so earns some money too.
Congratulations, you’ve obviously won a few competitions. It’s lovely to hear when someone wins. I too enjoy this site for the links to the various competitions.
Pjran I've been comping for nearly 5 years now and have been lucky to win quite a few things. I did stop entering them for a while when our son was ill as had other things to occupy my time but I have started again and been lucky to win things for our son, like his tommee tippee steamer blender, which I sold when no longer needed. So it is worth doing. I enter the comps on here too.
Not going food shopping until all the random food in the fridge and cupboard is finished
Harvey Nichols have free delivery and you can send an item with a gift message free. I’ve just sent a little face mask to my daughter, it’s cheaper than sending a card just to say I’m missing her.
This one is probably one everyone here does, and includes spending money to save. Buy presents will in advance, whenever you see something you think someone will like - save it, don't buy last minute.
Yes it’s sensible to be prepared, I do buy gifts when on offer and keep them in a safe place. Good job I did now we’re on lockdown. Unfortunately I didn’t buy cards.
Pjran I have a stash of cards, but bought a few more recently from ebay - all handmade and cheaper than expensive card shops - delivered quickly too!
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