calling any scrimpers (cheapskates)

[shocker]

That my friend is rather pre-supposing that we all have those options. Many of us are on fixed incomes for various reasons and do not have the luxury of playing the job market. Especially in less developed and rural areas. But each to their own.

[izzy_mack]

I never go as far as "make your own washing powder", "flush toilet once a day" or "let whole family wash in same water"

I agree that flushing the loo is something I would hesitate to ban, although we did lessen the frequency when we lived for 6months in a caravan with no electric or running water, as we had to collect the water and fill the cistern by hand you'll understand why. For many the saving of £200 a year is not to be sneezed at, just think how much pasta, rice and beans you can get for that! It could make the difference between having a food store or not and I tend to disagree that they'd be making fools of themselves - a trifle eccentric maybe but I love nice eccentrics, life would be boring without them.

Many of us are on fixed incomes for various reasons and do not have the luxury of playing the job market. Especially in less developed and rural areas. But each to their own.

Took the words right out of my mouth as well as the fact that a high powered job in the city is my idea of hell.

f you want to have more you need to push your career rather than sitting for 10 years in dead end job and moaning how much you hate it.

Sorry if I came across as moany, that was not my intention, indeed I would not swap my low key lifestyle but that does not stop me from trying to make it even more low key by being even less reliant on money. Someone here (sorry can't remember who) used a quote, I've been broke. I've been penniless but I've never been poor. Yeah.

[shocker]

^^^as the youth say, "Word!!" ^^^

[Lurkio]

This shopping for bargains concept suddenly became one of my favorite ways of making that weekly mobilisation, with my partner and two kids down to the local shops, more fun trying to outdo each other with our bargain hunting! skills, you can often find me standing in the teabag aisle with a blank look on my face, whilst my 4 year old plays hide the action figure in my ear, usually punctuated with a giggle fom myself when I realise thats 60p less for 26 teabags more!! Oh Joy!! Washing and re-using freezer bags has always been a way to save on a little cash as taking food to work uses a lot of these, large margarine containers can come in handy, washing dishes in a large plastic bowl and using the water in the garden filter it through newspaper into your watering can and compost the paper, most toilets come with an economy setting, drive sensible stay on top of tyre pressure it works wonders on your fuel bill, kids dont have them get a dog instead teach it to hunt, you'll be rich!!

[grenfell]

We don't flush every time and the downstairs toilet is commonly flushed with the water previously used for washing up , garden watering is done largely via rainwater butts. Does it save much in the way of money ? As said not really , it does of course save a little ( and saves water consumption although that's more of an envoiromental issue rather than financial) but the biggest part of the water bill is down to service charges , drainage etc rather than actual litres used.
We also reuse as much stuff as possible , "posher" clothes get downgraded to workwear and patched when torn. We always look out for bargains and clearance items and buy in bulk. We grow our own , not enough to be self sufficient but it all helps.
One tip I heard years and years ago was to keep a notebook and put down every penny you spend , then at the end of the week or month it's very clear where the outgoings are. It's very common to hear people say "I don't know where it goes " but with a notebook it becomes very obvious and the idea of watching every penny soon becomes second nature. I recently heard this idea suggested again on a radio 4 programme and the reactions of someone who tried it. He had been used to picking up a coffee on the way into work , another at lunchtime and sometimes one on the way home. At the end of the month he found it a little shocking to see that he had spent over £300 on coffee alone in that month.

[izzy_mack]

with my partner and two kids down to the local shops, more fun trying to outdo each other with our bargain hunting! skills,

Love it! Great skill to pass down Maybe we should have another thread on the best buys we find and where, would be of limited use for me as I only have 2 supermarkets close and I think prices vary across the country for the sane store but might give plenty of us a heads up on great deals.

One tip I heard years and years ago was to keep a notebook and put down every penny you spend

I have done this several times and it works, even on my modest expenditure it showed up things I'd spent more on over a month than I thought, also showed up one or two areas I could feel proud of! Makes planning how to make your funds last for a longer period and still be solvent at the end of it a lot easier.

One tip I found on driving as well as avoiding braking hard, reverse into your parking space and leave forwards, apparently it uses more fuel to reverse a cold engine than a warm one and you get more fuel in a litre on a warm day, so buy then if possible.

Yes Grenfell, your clothes regime sounds like ours, I seem to spend forever patching work jeans, mending holes on jumpers and muttering about damn barbed wire fencing. Then use them as cleaning rags, haven't bought a j cloth in years. Use cotton fabrics for patchwork and make dog beds out of old bedding.

[Plymtom]

We've always been a bit frugal, some of the tips above are good ones which we already use, take out coffee and brand names are on my avoid at all costs and if you can lists depending on what it is, lets use one example - crumpets, my daughter gets me to bring her Warburtons ones for £1 for 9 at Asda, I pick up Asda one's same quantity 50p for the rest of us and couldn't tell 50p worth of difference

The disabled ones here rarely get out so ( and I know this will sound familiar) electricity consumption is high as there can often be a TV each and some form of computer each on the go, plus 2 freezers a large fridge and many other things which draw power like alarms, clocks, dehumidifiers, cordless phones, you name it, it 2017 and our power meter rarely registers below 500W, and when they shower for ages it is shocking What never fails to amaze me is relatives who are tight as a ducks.... and then blow a fortune on holidays, or can't understand how someone spends lots on (mainly second hand DVDs) and has a huge collection, but what can they do if you can't go out, don't (or can't ) drink or smoke) I think we all have priorities and save everywhere we can I looked at the price of cigarettes the other day £7 a pack is a low estimate, so a 20 a day person ( which back in the day I had the habit was a light day) is spending £50 a week at least, drinkers won't do much better, so quit smoking and go shooting a whole family can have a great day out 2 or 3 times a month for between a half and two thirds of what one of them used to burn.
I also walk everywhere I can, and always look for the most economic option on everything, whether we opt for it or not it's always explored.

[katilea]

I'm mostly housebound but don't put telly on until the afternoon when I sit down to eat. My dog keeps me busy in the mornings taking him for a good walk, doing breakfast for us both and any household jobs that need doing before I get too tired. Then have to rest to preserve energy for his second walk later on.

I'm usually watching telly in bed or laid on top of bed when its warm and sunny out so dog can lay in garden (back door is in bedroom) with a chew or bone until it starts getting too cool for me or dark (whichever happens first). I also have big outdoor mobility scooter to charge every night for 12 hrs and a smaller indoor electric chair that gets charged weekly, unless I need to use it to get to a medical appointment).

I sit out more in summer and of course electric is more in winter when house lights need to be on early and for longer as well as heating!

I've started getting into those adult colouring books to have something else to do too that's not dependent on electricity. As I have chronic fatigue though and need to just rest often I'm usually too exhausted after managing a few jobs and looking after the dog to be bored and fall asleep! ..so I don't need to spend huge amounts on staying occupied!

Shopping wise I buy my stuff off ebay or go down the half price offers when doing the supermarket shop and get as much as I can for the amount I have to spend. Dogs stuff I get from zooplus every 4 months or so as they usually send a voucher after I haven't shopped again for a few months and they have a good selection of grain free stuff for him. His toys/puzzles I pick up in pet stores bank holiday sales and put away for his xmas/birthday presents so never pay full price!

Xmas decorations I get just after xmas when people are getting rid of last years stock and put it away for the following year (if I need anything). Other things I pick up cheap if I see them on special offer and put away for xmas presents for family etc. I never xmas shop in Nov/Dec when prices are going back up for people starting their xmas shopping. Buy winter clothes in summer etc where I spot them at a good price. Usually means then if I do need to replace my scooter urgently I can find enough to get one or repairs.

I'm lucky that if I need any kitchen gadgets or things like TV replacing my brother will either buy it for me as a birthday/xmas present or give me some money towards it. (depending how much the item is) which helps alot.

My bargain this week was a load of Quorn stuff 6 items for £10 instead of usually 3 for £10 when buying meat. I go for items such as the chicken style dippers that have like 15 in a pack so that's 3meals (if have 5 nuggets per meal) Quorn mince does 6 meals as I usually cook off half a pack at once and bulk out with mixed beans and veg to make a chilli/bolognaise, usually have one portion that day and freeze the other 2. that's 9 meals out of just 2of the items! ..chicken style pieces too that can go in curries,again bulked out with vegs to get 2-3 meals out of about half the pack. (another 6 meals)...should last me awhile and do still have some meat and fish left in freezer

[Brambles]

One of my favourites is to make breadcrumbs out of any stale bread then pop in the freezer until needed. Whenever you need crumb for coating or a binder for meatloaf or homemade burglers, there it is. Also handy if you like a suet pudding.

[jansman]

One of my favourites is to make breadcrumbs out of any stale bread then pop in the freezer until needed. Whenever you need crumb for coating or a binder for meatloaf or homemade burglers, there it is. Also handy if you like a suet pudding.

I keep all stale bread,dry it thoroughly,grind it and mix it with my homemade fishing groundbait.It saves me a fortune! As an example,a commercial groundbait I like to use on the river has a toffee type flavouring added ( great for Bream and Roach) and it is £4.99 per kilo! I buy 25 kilo of layers mash for £7.95,and mix a kilo with breadcrumbs and an Asda own brand butterscotch 'Angel Delight' and boom! Big saving.