Money-saving tips! What helps you cut costs?

Cher_Alumni

This week (21-27 September 2020) is officially National Recycle Week and this Moneysavingexpert.com guide explains how you can get paid to recycle your old clothes and shoes.  I had no idea you could do this 

With this in mind and the financial squeeze many of us are facing, I wondered what helps you save money?

Could we use this thread to compile a list of handy hints for saving the pennies?  Let's have a go - share your tips below.

Here's another goodie: Scope's webpage about free and discounted events with your friend or personal assistant.

66Mustang

I’m really into saving money

Here are a few things that me or my family do...

- Let go of brand loyalty and buy whatever brand of a certain product is on offer. I always buy whatever brand happens to be on offer that week. I hardly ever buy a product that is full price as I regard that as a failure of sorts . It is also a good way to try out lots of different brands.

- Negotiate over the final bill with people like tradesmen and mechanics. Often their price is not firm and there is room for movement.

- Look at fuel prices whenever you pass a filling station and only fill up at the cheaper garages. That said do not drive more than a few miles SOLELY to get cheaper fuel, as this is a false economy, try to fill up as and when you pass a reasonably priced garage.

I will post more if I think of them!

Cher_Alumni

@66Mustang Some great money-saving inspiration there.  I have only recently started to 'haggle' bills and have had success with renewing mobile phone contacts and Sky bills.  It's definitely worth a go.

66Mustang

Yes those are good ones to haggle over too, well done for getting a discount.

Socially I am not very good but I have no issue asking for a discount (well no more than speaking to them for any other reason haha) if I think it is possible, I’m not sure why more people don’t do it!

janer1967

Few tips from me 

Use blankets and warm clothes to avoid having the heating on and make use of the warmth from the oven when it is on

Turn off radiators in rooms you dont need them on eg I never have heating on in the bedrooms 

Make meals from scratch using basic ingredients, like pasta, tomatoes, beans, rice , veg, Cook in bulk an d freeze

Use your smart meter to review power usage

Get rif of any un necessary expenses like sky, subscriptions, prime etc 

Cher_Alumni

Lots of wisdom there @janer1967

I'd add stop buying take-away coffees too, I'm a glutton for a fancy latte when I'm out but they are expensive! 

leeCal

In the winter I tend to wear jumpers in the house instead of turning on the heating. I realise not everyone can do this especially if they are sedentary and I do turn it on if it’s really cold. 

You can save quite a bit when driving by not over using the brakes and accelerator and by ensuring correct tyre pressure and oil level. 

Knowing roughly what time of day food is marked marked down at the local supermarket is helpful. Most of our food comes with a yellow or red reduction sticker on it!

baking your own cakes is far far cheaper than buying made ones, depending on what kind it is. Ie a sponge cake for a pound in a supermarket is hard to beat I’d guess when you add everything up. 

I also only ever buy coffee when it’s on offer, you can save quite a bit that way if you’re a big coffee drinker. 

Diy skills are well worth gaining and you can save a lot of labour costs that way. There are lots of diy skills on show on YouTube these days and plenty of solutions to common problems.

Cher_Alumni

@leeCal My boyfriend tells me off about the brake and accelerator thing a lot  Lots more good ideas, thank you!

Tori_Scope

I also love a fancy coffee @Cher_Scope. The best way I've found of stopping me buying one when I'm out is to invest in some nicer coffee, and a milk frother. This means that I can make myself a really nice coffee at home, and take one out with me in a keep cup if I want. My goal is to have a nice coffee machine, but I'm not there yet!

Tori_Scope

Some really great tips here!

Charity shops and other second hand stores are a good way of getting items more cheaply, and it's a more sustainable way of shopping too. Scope charity shops are the best choice, of course.

Cher_Alumni

@Tori_Scope Sound advice and I agree charity shops are mini treasure troves.  I try to buy all my books from them and donate back afterwards.  There's nothing like the thrill of getting a total bargain!

66Mustang

leeCal said:

You can save quite a bit when driving by not over using the brakes and accelerator and by ensuring correct tyre pressure and oil level.

Indeed driving smoothly saves a lot in petrol and general wear and tear. 

Braking is basically wasted energy, when I press the brake I imagine the money going away, haha.

66Mustang

Tori_Scope said:

Some really great tips here!

Charity shops and other second hand stores are a good way of getting items more cheaply, and it's a more sustainable way of shopping too. Scope charity shops are the best choice, of course.

Do charity shops pay VAT?

I was just thinking that it would maybe be a good move both for the environment and peoples pockets if there were tax incentives to buying used items, such as no VAT or something?

Tori_Scope

Great question @66Mustang.

According to the Charity Tax Group website:

charity shops benefit from exemption from corporation tax, zero rated VAT on the sale of donated goods, and business rates relief. Money raised by selling donated goods like clothes does not qualify for Gift Aid. However, by concession charities can act as the donor’s ‘agent’ to sell goods on their behalf if the owner will give the sale proceeds (minus any commission charged) to the charity as Gift Aid donation.

66Mustang

That’s interesting and really good @Tori_Scope thanks!

Chloe_Alumni

Tori_Scope said:

I also love a fancy coffee @Cher_Scope. The best way I've found of stopping me buying one when I'm out is to invest in some nicer coffee, and a milk frother. This means that I can make myself a really nice coffee at home, and take one out with me in a keep cup if I want. My goal is to have a nice coffee machine, but I'm not there yet!

I agree with you there @Tori_Scope! 

Ross_Alumni

It would help me save money if Terry's Chocolate Oranges weren't always on sale for £1

chiarieds

You might guess my biggest saving is growing vegetables & flowers from seed. This year I've grown lettuce, onions, leeks, miniature cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes (some of which escaped into being marrows!), squash, beetroot, green beans, purple beans, runner beans, achochas, & a solitary watermelon, nasturtiums, livingstone daisies, & some perennials. I've also already got rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon mint, bay leaves, chives & garlic.

Like Jane, I make extra to freeze away, & I make my own soup.

In the winter, I snuggle up with a hot water bottle under a fleece, or my cat, who doesn't seem to like the feel of a fleece. My cat doesn't save me money....her latest escapade has been to bite nearly through the flex of my kettle, so have had to order a new one! Which reminds me, only fill a kettle with the amount you need.

I've also haggled 'politely' since I was 17, as the saying goes, 'if you don't ask, you don't get.'

Cher_Alumni

@chiarieds Do you have an allotment or is that growing in your garden?  We stayed at a smallholding last weekend and had fresh eggs and veg they had grown, it tasted so much nicer than shop bought too.

66Mustang

Ross_Scope said:

It would help me save money if Terry's Chocolate Oranges weren't always on sale for £1

Haha I am the same with snacks, they are always on offer, they should cost £25 each then I couldn’t afford any and I’d lose weight.

chiarieds

Just what I grow in my small garden in raised beds & containers, & in my equally small greenhouse @Cher_Scope