The Thrifty 50
1. Dump your television – and therefore your license fee – and watch online. Laptops play DVDs and the BBC now puts up episodes of shows such as The Mighty Boosh on its website for a few days after it’s shown on terrestrial.
2. If you missed buying tickets for a then sold-out gig, swerve the ticket touts and check out the website Scarlet Mist. Fans sell on unwanted tickets at cost price rather than putting them on eBay to make a profit. The site does not charge but encourages buyers to make a small donation to charity instead with the money they have saved.
3. Buy Nintendo DS and other games at a second-hand games shop. Saving, accounting for one game per month: £200-plus a year. Even if you buy them new at a supermarket, you'll still save up to £10 per game.
4. For film buffs, the Orange 2 for 1 Wednesday cinema tickets are a must. However, according to Martin Lewis, of MoneySavingExpert.com, you don’t need to be on an Orange contract to take advantage. Simply buy an Orange SIM card. Also, take your own drinks and snacks. Cinemas do not encourage this but they have yet to employ stop and search tactics so it’s a good way to reduce costs.
5. Join your local library, not only can you borrow books for free, often it will have music and films to rent at a reduced rate to the local video store or online supplier.
6. Broaden the way you socialise. Instead of going for the obvious, and potentially pricey, entertainment check out your local council’s website to find out what events it’s organising. Also museums and art galleries often organise free events and talks that can be a lot more fun than you think and a way to meet new people.
Beauty & Fitness
7. It sounds like a bathroom disaster waiting to happen but making your own beauty treatments can actually work and be a lot more fun. First, make sure the ingredients needed for the treatments work out cheaper than shop bought products. Good examples are using coffee sediment as a body scrub and milk as a cleanser – the model Marie Helvin swears by it. The Spa Index website has plenty of recipes.
8. Get free cosmetics. Ayton Online Research recruits volunteers to trial new ranges before they hit the shops. The products have already been declared safe, and are not tested on animals; the companies just want consumer feedback before launch.
9. Make lipstick go further by using a lip brush - not only does it last longer because you apply thinner and more even layers, but also you can get right down to the bottom of the lipstick containers.
10. Don’t throw away nail varnish just because it’s got a bit clotted, simply immerse the bottle up to its neck in a cup full of nearly boiling water for a few minutes, this will make the varnish runny again. And nail varnish is very handy if you get a run in your tights. If the run has not reached the knee yet, then paint over the very top of it and that will stop it ripping any further.
11. People tend to throw away bottles and tubes of expensive products because they think they can’t squeeze any more out. However, if you cut open the bottom with a clean Stanley knife there’s normally enough left for a few more applications.
12. Instead of buying chapsticks, the lanolin normally used for cracked nipples is a good substitute and costs £9.95 for a 56-gram tube. Put it on at night before going to bed and wake up with lovely smooth lips, but you can also decant small amounts into re-usable, travel size containers for use instead of lip balm.
13. Get over your vanity and stop using contact lenses. Wearing glasses saves money on solutions for permanent lenses, but also prevents big bills for disposable ones – a year’s supply of lenses can cost up to £300. Get in one month’s supply of disposable lenses for those special occasions when you don’t want to wear specs.
14. Chuck the gym subscription and get outdoors by joining the Ramblers, or volunteering for environmental projects.
Clothing
15. Before throwing away what at first appear to be worn or broken shoes, take them to a cobblers and see if they can be rescued. A good quality pair of leather shoes can often be re-soled for under £10.
16. Don’t buy clothes that can only be dry cleaned, check the label before you purchase as it’s a waste of money buying a £50 dress that will cost £8 each time it needs cleaning. Also, check that the clothes you are sending to the dry cleaners really do need that service.
17. Get a free wardrobe by organising clothes swap parties, or if you do not fancy the idea of hosting a party go online to the website What’s Mine is Yours. There’s a good mix of vintage items, designer and high street brands that the owner is bored of, as well as plenty of accessories.
18. When it comes to trainers, if your feet are size five or below check the children’s section of sportswear shops. Often they have the same designs, but VAT free, making them cheaper. For the smaller framed, children’s sections are also good for basics including plain t-shirts, socks and tights.
Food
19. Learn how to cook in bulk, therefore cutting out expensive ready meals. A Thai chicken curry with at least four servings can cost as little as £5 to make. Freeze the other three servings for later use. The same goes for stews, chillies and pasta sauces, all cheap to make in bulk quantities that can then be frozen in individual portions.
20. The obvious one, but worth repeating, is to bring your own sandwiches to work. Even a plain cheese sandwich from a supermarket can cost £1.50, for 50p more you can make a week’s worth.
21. Don’t be afraid of the money off shelf in supermarkets - buy fresh food, meat or fish near it's expiry date at a reduced price, then freeze it.
22. For basic food items, such as tinned tomatoes, kidney beans, rice, pasta etc, buy non-branded. There’s very little in the taste when mixed into a curry or chilli.
23. Watch out for Buy One Get One Free deals on non-perishable goods like toothpaste, toilet rolls and stock up as much as you can, budget permitting. This is especially cost effective for the average family who will get through many of these items in one month.
24. Get a teapot! When making a round of tea instead of putting a tea bag into each cup put two in a pot and let it brew for five minutes. The tea will be just as strong as if you had used one bag per cup.
25. Grow your own food. You don’t need an allotment to grow a few staple vegetables and herbs, just enough outside space to house some reasonably sized planters.
26. If you do buy fresh herbs and find it hard to get through a whole bunch, instead of throwing what’s left away make frozen stock cubes. Finely chop the herbs, put them in an ice cube tray and cover with oil. Put the tray in the freezer. When frozen, pop out the cubes and place them in a freezer bag for easier storage. Next time you need herbs for soups; pastas, etc. add a cube to your recipe and warm.
27. Last night’s meal can make a great tomorrow’s lunch by using the left over vegetables as ingredients. The Frugal Cook and Teri’s Kitchen both provide some excellent recipes.
28. Shoppers are often dismissive of money off coupons, but even if they wipe just £2 off the weekly shop, over a few months you will have saved enough to pay a bill.
29. Make the effort to find a green grocers or market to buy fruit and vegetables from rather than supermarkets - it can be up to 50 per cent cheaper and it doesn’t come in loads of unnecessary packaging.
30. Using pans with lids reduces cooking time, therefore reduces energy consumption. Also, turn the gas/electricity off ten minutes before you normally would, the heat from the stovetop will finish off cooking the food.
31. Instead of buying special freezer bags – simply re-use the plastic bags that bread or fruit come in. The same goes for Tupperware – just wash out the plastic pots that formerly housed soup, yogurt etc.
Transport & holidays
32. The most economical, and environmentally friendly, form of transport is a bike. But, if you can’t or are unwilling to give up your car then learn the basics about engines, so you don’t waste money taking it to the garage to have sparkplugs changed. Also, keep the tyres in good condition as this helps reduce fuel consumption.
33. When taking your car for an MOT use a local council test centre rather than a private garage. The council centres do not offer repairs and therefore have no vested interest in failing your motor. Contact your local council for details of your nearest centre.
34. If you use public transport to travel to work check if you’re employer runs a season ticket loan scheme. Often you can borrow the lump sum needed for a season ticket, with repayments coming out of your salary with no interest charged.
35. Making your own sandwiches and flasks of hot drinks for train journeys is the best way to save money when travelling, but should you forget or not have time then the next best thing is to apply for a Bite card which gives a 20 per cent discount on food bought at stations.
36. Be a bit more adventurous with your holidays and save money at the same time. Instead of booking a hotel, sign up to a hospitality exchange websites, such as CouchSurfing.com and HospitalityClub.org, that allow members to offer a few nights accommodation on a spare bed or sofa. All users have a profile page stating what they can offer and when, with information on themselves and comments – de facto references – from other members.
37. See if upgrading your bank account can help cancel out the cost of travel insurance. Many of the big banks encourage customers to upgrade, at a small charge, by offering incentives such as free holiday and mobile phone insurance, as well as discounts on theatre and gig tickets. For example, Royal Bank of Scotland’s Royalties Gold account costs £12 per month but included is free annual travel insurance for customers and their partners, mobile phone insurance, ticket discounts, holiday and flight discounts and id theft cover.
General Expenses
38. Get cashback on your internet purchases through the website Quidco. It gives between 5 and 20 per cent back on every transaction you make through its site, and if you’re making big purchases like car insurance, it does add up.
39. Check whether it’s cheaper to buy medicine over the counter rather than putting in a prescription. Many commonly prescribed medications, including painkillers, allergy tablets and dermatology creams, are also available over the counter without prescription. Often it's much cheaper just to buy them this way, rather than paying the £6.85 flat prescription charge.
40. Cut down on the number of magazines you buy by organising a magazine share with work colleagues. Everyone agrees to buy one favourite title each month, and when finished with brought in for others to read. This also works with books.
41. Get a piggy bank for all your 1, 2 and 5p pieces. If ever you get any in your change, when you empty out your pockets automatically put the shrapnel in there. Amazing how quickly they add up and many supermarkets have change machines that will swap the coins for notes for a small charge.
42. Re-gifting is a good way to pass on an unwanted present and save cash. Next time you’re given a gift that is not to your taste, simply smile, say thank you and store it in a cupboard. It may seem mean, but it’s better to hand the item to someone else (obviously not in the same friendship group or family) then leave it gathering dust.
43. Trade your skills. Need a bit of plastering done but don’t want to pay out large amounts of cash? Well find out if there’s a plasterer who needs your skills and swap jobs. The website Team Up Here is a good way to network.
44. The idea of swapping skills is a good one to apply to weddings. Instead of asking for presents, ask friends and family to contribute their time or talent by helping to organise elements of the wedding. For example, instead of ordering expensive table decorations and party favourites, get friends to assemble them. Are any of your friends in a band, or can DJ? Then get them to be the entertainment. It can even be as simple as asking people to bring a cake with them so that you don’t have to provide desert.
45. Use common sense when using a credit card – would it be cheaper to pay for the item with cash? Credit cards can be useful for big purchases that you can’t afford to pay for in one go, but do you really need to put a £20 pair of shoes on a card? By putting many smallish items on a card, soon it amounts to a big bill for which you are then charged interest.
Home
46. When it comes to energy bills, you can save a surprising amount by insulating your loft, using energy saving lightbulbs and putting down draught excluders. Look at the Energy Saving Trust's website.
47. Before buying a new sofa or bed frame, check out the second-hand options. There’s the free cycle website but also seek out charity shops that sell furniture and salvage yards for building materials.
48. Think about where you’re renting. These days many homeowners are looking to rent a spare room to help with the mortgage and it can work out cheaper than going through an agency. Also, consider the different types of accommodation on offer. Going for the popular Victorian conversion will mean you pay a premium price. However, if you are more flexible, renting a room on a canal boat, in a former council property or accommodation above a shop, can help reduce costs.
49. If you do have a spare room, want some spare cash but don’t want a lodger under your feet then take a look at the Monday to Friday renting agency. The agency specialises in matching homeowners with lodgers who only need a bed during the week.
50. Save money on computer software by going through the OpenOffice website rather than purchasing Microsoft’s version. Open Office is a free, professional open-source downloadable office suite of programs, including writer, calc, impress, draw and base, which are the equivalents of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Paint and Access. And it is all compatible with documents written and drawn up with the main Microsoft Office programs.
List compiled by Samantha Lyster.
Can you beat our list? Post your money-saving suggestions below?
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Ten easy ways to drive down petrol costs
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The 10 craziest parking tickets ever
The 10 most extravagant weddings ever
50 reasons not to buy an iPhone
The 10 most infamous heists ever
Are house prices heading for a 1990s style crash?
The 10 most ridiculous fines of all time
The 50 wierdest terms of financial jargon - and what they actually mean
The 10 most audacious swindles ever
Save money on newspapers by reading them online instead...
Posted by: SimpleFool | 15 Feb 2008 18:26:53
Very helpful I`ll be searching for the deal
of the week
Posted by: Mark Best | 16 Feb 2008 10:12:52
Despite the best of green intentions use the carrier bags you may get as bin liners. If you clean windows with kitchen roll & a spirit based window spray let the kitchen paper dry out & reuse on the next set of windows. Invest in a clothes airer to dry garments overnight instead of using the tumble drier. Don't buy soap filled wire wool scouring pads - get an ordinary metal scrunchy type - they don't rust & you don't get bits of wire under your nails.
Posted by: Sue Southern | 16 Feb 2008 16:05:12
Another money saving tip: Do not buy newspapers, instead read them online.
Posted by: Paul | 17 Feb 2008 18:42:04
I dont think that point "41. Get a piggy bank " actually saves you any money. Unless of course you would otherwise throw your change in the bin. In fact, if you change it up in one of the machines as suggested, you ll lose 7%. Duhhhh!
Want some Northern Rock shares anyone?
Posted by: Rob | 18 Feb 2008 13:10:58
if you want to save some serious money and i mean thousands of ££££££££, stay single never get married......divorces are very costly,,, use the money saved to go on beer fuelled holiday with your mates instead..
Posted by: Neil | 19 Feb 2008 19:14:15
From the TV licencing website:
"You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, digital box, DVD or video recorder, PC, laptop or mobile phone to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. "
I think the important phrase is "AS they're being shown on TV".. anyone care to enlighten?
Posted by: Richard | 19 Feb 2008 23:34:56
1. Save and freeze ends of bread, then make bread crumbs in the food processor.
2. Save postage by paying all bills online.
3. If you use paper filters for coffee, empty, rinse and dry them afterward for at least one more use.
4. Put soap ends into a nylon knee-high, knot, and use as a body scrub.
5. If you use clear mascara, refill it with hair gel when it runs out instead of buying a new one.
6. Use corn flour instead of talc -- it's healthier as well.
Have fun!
Posted by: Ellen | 20 Feb 2008 03:05:26
Get your children to always read the price on anything they want. Their pester-pressure will be moderated significantly. but of course you have to buy them what they want when the price is right.
Posted by: Penny | 20 Feb 2008 07:55:53
Use cold water to wash the car. Keep your hand warm with a cloth glove inside a rubber glove.
Posted by: Archie Westwood | 20 Feb 2008 09:31:37
do what my mate does always get a more expensive drink in any round so that at the end of the night he has cost everyone else more.
Posted by: james | 20 Feb 2008 10:17:36
You don't need a TV licence to watch TV online so long as it is not a live or simultaneous broadcast. ie, you can download programmes from BBC iplayer without a licence but you could not watch a live broadcast such as a foooty game.
Posted by: TVfool | 20 Feb 2008 12:11:32
In reply to Richard: -
The key phrase to look at is "broadcast television"(not in the bit you quoted). When you are streaming it from bbc, itv or c4 via their respective catchup schemes, you are not watching broadcast tv. Therefore no license required.
If you are watching it at the time it is being transmitted i.e. ITV offer this. Then you are watching broadcast television and therefore need the tv license.
Posted by: Paul Stewart | 20 Feb 2008 12:44:30
Never ever withdraw from a cash machine which charges you for the privalage of doing so. If nobody does it, these rip off merchants will soon dissapear!
Posted by: Mark Baker | 20 Feb 2008 14:35:09
What an unbelievable bunch of cheapskates. Death is much cheaper than being alive. Suicide, the ultimate economy measure. Get a life saddos!
Posted by: BAbaracas | 20 Feb 2008 15:29:34
The biggest secret to money is, dont spend any.
Posted by: Martin | 20 Feb 2008 16:00:51
If you have a friend who is going to get a car tyre replaced, ask him if you can have the old one.
Cut out sections to glue on the soles of your shoes.
Mitchelin are good and you get far more "foot miles" than a Dunlop.
Posted by: Dek | 20 Feb 2008 17:14:51
Item 41 - there is little point saving all your shrapnel only to put it into the moneychanging machines in the supermarket - they cost you. Get free money bags from the banks and abg it up yourself and bank it!
Posted by: June | 20 Feb 2008 18:10:46
Volunteer to be the designated driver on an evening out. You don't have to join in the rounds when you are not drinking, your mates chip in for the petrol, and no hang-overs. (Oh yeah, and my partner loves me coming to bed sober on a Friday night...)
If you can afford to invest in saving money, get your petrol engined car converted to use LPG gas, and pay around fifty pence per litre, less than half the cost of petrol. It took me six months to get my conversion money back in fuel savings, but now I am better off every time I go to the pump.
(You don't have to tell anyone if you are embarrassed about being "green".)
Posted by: Picolo | 21 Feb 2008 14:31:55
Also, in regard to the TV License, if you do want to watch live TV on your computer you can do without a TV License as long as the device you are watching it on is 'powered by its own means'. So, basically you can on your laptop as long as it isn't charging. Check out their website for more details on this amazing loophole.
Posted by: Palminder | 5 Mar 2008 16:37:46
Gas bills have rocketed more than almost anything.In winter tuck the thinnest, cheapest rectangular sleeping bags over cutain rails. Even with the latest double glazing this will make bedrooms cozier and save heating bills.
Posted by: Gavin | 9 Mar 2008 11:05:18
Don't go to the cinema, just rent dvd's instead and you will save alot over a year. You only delay watching the block busters by a few months at the most.
Posted by: David | 13 Mar 2008 20:33:16
Skill trading to keep the costs of a wedding down is a good idea (the average wedding clocks in at around £20k)- making your own table decorations, flowers, favours, invitations is dead easy, especially if you can google for inspiration. I saved £2000 by making my own dress (the hard way to save money), and we saved around £500 on bridesmaids outfits by hitting TKMaxx in the january sales (a much easier way to save money). But the easiest way of all to save money on a wedding? Avoid anything labeled "wedding" or "bridal", you can always get something just as nice that isn't confetti themed...
Posted by: Victoria | 16 Mar 2008 17:33:34
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Posted by: Ray | 12 May 2008 13:32:39
good Info.
Posted by: Ray | 19 May 2008 01:50:30
I use skype and talk to my girlfriend over the internet for free, it's cut the price of my mobile phone bills considerably. If you do use your mobile talk rather than text, it can be cheaper.
Posted by: Ben | 22 May 2008 10:50:46
On the whole watching live streams online without a TV license: what about live sporting events that are streamed for free worldwide by a foreign broadcaster? Does it matter where the broadcaster is based etc?
That loophole about watching it on your laptop while using it's own power source is brilliant!
We've not had a TV for a couple of years now and just watch what we want on the BBC iplayer and channel 4 equivalent. Saves money...and time otherwise spent aimlessly looking for something decent to watch, because you just watch what you want, when you want.
Posted by: Samuel | 28 May 2008 20:29:58
Shop smart; you can save hundreds of pounds by visiting the codes.co.uk website. www.Codes.co.uk offers exclusive voucher codes for all of your favourite online shops.
Posted by: Matt Gazulis | 3 Jun 2008 15:07:55
As far as I am aware you DO need to pay a TV license fee if you plan to watch DVDs or TV on your laptop...
Posted by: Danielle | 3 Jun 2008 15:38:37
I believe you ONLY need to pay a TV licence fee if it (laptop or portable TV) is watched whilst being directly connected to the mains power source. It's exempt if powered by it's own internal or external battery source.
IMO students are ripped off when they live in student accommodation. The licensing authority rakes it in. So there is a way around it; but be careful because I'm told the TV licence people are likely to check up.
Posted by: Claire | 5 Jun 2008 01:32:07
To quote from Advanced-Television.com
BBC1 is to air live over the Internet, making it the first of the corporation's analogue TV channels to be simulcast online. The channel will be available as a live video stream via bbc.co.uk, which is being relaunched with improved listings and programme information.
Despite the move meaning viewers will not need a television to access BBC1, they will still have to pay the licence fee.
Posted by: Grom | 6 Jun 2008 13:15:19
That's provided they watch whilst connected direct to the mains. They do not need a licence for portable TV, if viewed as already described. Although it's not easy to get clear definition from the licensing authority - they don't want to encourage loss of income - we were able to ascertain this on behalf of our daughter when she went to uni.
The licensing regulations are an anomaly, i.e. use of a portable TV while plugged into the mains does require a licence; a portable TV run off battery power does not. It's up to the individual to find out how to best work this system if that's what they want to do.
We were unwilling to pay for a full licence for our daughter who was only going to be at her halls of residence for very short periods. Felt it was exploiting already hard up students to insist on each room having to have a separate licence, so looked into this in great detail.
Would suggest being very careful to get it right though. The halls management confirmed that TV licence people do visit halls and ask for access to students' rooms on occasion.
Posted by: Claire | 6 Jun 2008 15:18:46
Grow your own fruit, veg and herbs - in small quanities and exchange with friends for other goods or plants
Posted by: Lauraine | 12 Jun 2008 14:53:13
Download the free trial versions of anti-virus and firewall protection, some last up to 90 days, which could save to 100's.
Use online film renting sites like blockbuster/iFlim to get your films, they deliver them to your door, saving travel costs, also some trial versions are free for a month.
Buy really old cars, 25+ years, you don't have to pay any road tax. But just make sure you get a reliable one.
Have a car boot sale , you can rake in 100's from your junk and you don't pay posting and packaging costs.
Get a moped instead on a car, 120mpg, yes please.
:-P
Posted by: Shahzad Khokhar | 18 Jun 2008 16:02:44
save money on first class postage
send your letter a couple of days earlier and use a second class stamp
Posted by: Martin | 18 Jun 2008 19:55:18
Swap coppers for Cash:
New HSBC branches have coin counting machines that automatically count and then credit all input coins to your account with HSBC...
Posted by: SAVERTIME | 22 Jun 2008 19:25:22
Is it really oil that is used to freeze herbs, or should it read cover in foil?
Posted by: melanie | 25 Jun 2008 19:34:47
Found your site while searching for ways to save money. The 50 ideas in this list is just marvelous. Example point 21, I never thought about this idea of buying near expire items and freezing them. Great idea/ideas and keep up the good work.
Regards
Posted by: Cornelius | 26 Jun 2008 15:25:42
Further to this, try charging your mobile phone at work.
Same goes for your laptop, but err on the side of caution, my wife once worked for a company that stated this was not allowed in their company handbook!
Also you could charge things in your car, however I think that it might decrease your MPG and seeing that Petrol is still rising, it might not be such an economy!
Posted by: Tristan Hope | 27 Jun 2008 10:48:50
A stainless steel vacuum flask costing roughly $40 will hold roughly six cups of coffee costing roughly $18 "over the counter".
Posted by: Tony MORRIS | 30 Jun 2008 05:18:09
Run your car with the tank half full. This means less weight and more economy. It also means your car is less attractive to fuel thieves. Finally if you should see bargain fuel on your travels you can take advantage.
Posted by: V Cooper | 30 Jun 2008 07:21:39
Cheap mopeds are easy to find today. Considering how expensive gas is today (over $4/gallon as of today) and the trend towards even higher prices, it's critical that Americans shift their thinking from SUVs and other gas guzzlers to alternative methods of transportation. Cheap mopeds, gas scooters and electric scooters must become a part of our lives considering you can get up to 90 mpg, they're easy to park and navigate.
Posted by: Pankaj | 2 Jul 2008 18:58:40
I really love what i am reading. Thank you for sharing, it has been a great read! Cindy Thomas
Posted by: Cindy Thomas | 4 Jul 2008 11:43:23
When driving in the rain, turn your windscreen wipers off when you go under any bridges.
Also turn the gas off when you turn bacon over, and install double-glazing. That way your kids won't hear the ice-cream van.
Posted by: Peter | 9 Jul 2008 23:51:30
End your broadband contract and buy a wireless card for your laptop. Chances are that your neighbour will have a router and you can piggyback on his system for free.
Posted by: Ian Chandler | 10 Jul 2008 01:19:00
The TV licence issue seems to be getting clouded by lots of mis-comments,
THe actual wording on the back of the license is ;
What is a tv licence needed for?
To use any TV equipment such as TV set, digital box, computer or mobile phone to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on television.
Don't forget cable/sky channels do not 'officially' stream content over the internet so you can't save any money there, however the BBC i-player is part of virgin's TV deal, where's the saving?
The internal battery part is interesting because the wording in the licence is;
What does your licence allow?
Use of TV equipment powered by internal batteries anywhere by you or someone who normally lives with you at the licensed place
Does this mean a TV licensing officer can walk up to you whilst your watching a streamed show on your phone or laptop say in an internet cafe and ask for your address to check your licence?? I think not
It seems that to save money on a TV licence just dumping you TV in favour of the streamed services is not workable for some people but is definitely workable for others, trying to get things cheaply/free usually means there is a cost elsewhere in the transaction, be it monetary, time or effort
I myself spend barely two to three days at home due to my job and when I am home I am not interested in watching bland TV shows trying to recapture the former magic TV had when we were kids or one of the many 'reality' shows that could actually do with a reality check themselves.
Just so you know I didn't dig out my licence to write this, it was already to hand when I came across the blog.
The comment about piggybacking on someone else's wireless broadband; don't do it even if you think you can get away with it, somebody did it to a friend of mine and in a nutshell he didn't dare do it again after we had some words.
Posted by: ithomm | 10 Jul 2008 18:48:23
Sell all your worldy possessions, emigrate to India and become a Sadhu...
Seriously though, declutter your life, and sell all your unwanted gear on ebay.
Also, when it comes to DVDs, CDs and console games, wait a few months then buy them second hand on ebay.
Posted by: Murray Furtado | 14 Jul 2008 15:56:52
extend the time between haircuts by a week and when you do have it cut make it shorter than usual.
Also dont use tea bags buy leaves and use a pot,far more economical and generally tastes better too.
Posted by: peter austin | 23 Jul 2008 10:29:58
If you get made redundant I wonder if you could try to hang onto your e-mail/server accounts, and any passes that can get you into the building. Then you may be able to nip back in at weekends to use the photocopier, surf the net and utilise some of the more expensive software. And if the building has got fridges, tea-making facilities and showers, even better.
Thinking about it, I suspect this is probably illegal, so maybe best not to encourage it.
Posted by: Chingachgook | 3 Aug 2008 12:22:53
Some ace thoughts, though the TV liscence epic is a bit extreme since its a one off fee for a year. I like having a nice tv sitting down with my girlfriend witha mug of tea. Fancy doing that with a shitty laptop? Nah.
Ebay are the devils themselves. After selling tickets at a precieved profit, the fee's they made me pay raped me into loss. Use free or cheaper alternatives. Gumtree are good for selling things, also ebid.
Ebay rose their rates recently which is why those greedy fiends deserve to lose as many customers as possible.
Posted by: Michael | 17 Aug 2008 22:07:29
Buy all items on a credit card.I then have little pots i put the receipt into and add a quarter of it s cost.Each week as i get money from the cashpoint i add a pound or pounds.When the credit bill comes i expect to have only to find a quarter or less in new cash.Also knowing the pots need feeding stops you spending.
Posted by: John L | 1 Sep 2008 10:11:40
1. If you sell goods or services online, instead of asking your customers to use PayPal, which rips you off both coming and going -- especially if the transaction involves a currency conversion -- use Moneybookers (www.moneybookers.com).
The advantages: more realistic exchange rates, and the purchaser, not the seller, pays the money transfer service's fee (which in any case is much lower than that of PayPal).
2. Turning to a more trivial cost-saving tip, you can reuse a coffee filter (without first emptying or washing it) until it is too full to contain any more (at which point you can probably throw it away without suffering pinchpenny pangs). Even leaving the old coffee in the filter overnight is fine. Use just enough water to make the amount you plan to consume and no more.
After the first batch, if you make the same amount of coffee each time you can get away with using just half the quantity of ground coffee you would otherwise have used.
Best of all, the coffee tastes about as good as it does when using a new filter and a full dose of coffee.
3. Music CDs borrowed from a library can easily be copied using your computer.
4. If you plan to remodel your home, try to think several months ahead of your scheduled start about the types of projects you intend to undertake. You may be able to use the interval to learn how to do some things yourself that would otherwise be expensive to have tradesmen do. For instance, tiling is an easy skill to acquire provided you have equipped yourself with the right tools.
Just be realistic about how much you will be able to do, and make sure to practise first!
Children can also help here with simple tasks like fetching things or holding the other end of a tape measure. And it can be fun to involve them, provided you don't overdo it.
Posted by: Erik Kowal | 21 Sep 2008 10:52:31
If you don't really need it... don't buy it !!
Posted by: Bill | 21 Sep 2008 16:35:18
Have a bath with the neighbour's wife..
Posted by: Bill | 21 Sep 2008 16:40:08
Mug the queen.
Posted by: dotty cow | 23 Sep 2008 13:26:44
i can't believe that no one mentioned rerouters for telephone calls, i used to use a company called breathe with my ntl(virgin)line, it made my bill less than half of the usual cost with the cable company. i now use 18185.co.uk, its slashed my mobile bill and my home phone bill too. incredible. i dial a lot of 0845 numbers so if you do to find a cheap rerouter company now. onetel is another but there are quite a few on the internet these days. if you ring abroad or would like to you must check out the rerouting of calls today as they are as low as 1p per min and some are free. make sure your rerouting package covers the country (ies) that you want to ring. also, vonage is another excellent option. the more of us that turn our backs on the greedy monopolies the sooner they go bust. its the only way to crush greed and strive for fair trade in all things to all people at all times.
Posted by: mimi | 25 Sep 2008 01:49:29
go to the bookies and back the worste runner the worst horse the worst of everything you bet on, back them to loose and you will win. not totally that simple but its worth looking into.
Posted by: jody | 25 Sep 2008 01:53:02
Grow up in Scotland - darn your socks; rip worn out sheets in half, turn outside to in and restich up the middle; use newspaper to insulate drafty doors and windows; buy veg in season and use any which is past its best to make soup or stocks; if you must throw clothes away cut the buttons and zips off to re-use them; turn your thermostat down a couple of notches and consider wearing an extra jumper before you turn the heating on! (Even a few degrees can save you lots)
Posted by: Cat | 3 Oct 2008 19:08:01
Get coin bags from your bank to save coins such as 1p, 2p, 5p and when they've reached their full amount, pay them into your bank account. Unlke the change machines, there's no charge for this.
Posted by: Dodie Allen | 14 Oct 2008 06:40:48
Check out www.saynoto0870.com for geographical alternative telephone numbers for a lot of well-known companies. Covers 0870, 0845 and several other similar codes.
Posted by: Dodie Allen | 14 Oct 2008 07:01:16
When I was a student in the late 70's all students were covered by the hall of residence license. How mean of the government to change this... just like they changed covenanting where students were able to reclaim tax on the parental contribution to the student grant.
Posted by: V Newton | 24 Oct 2008 15:07:38
Whenever you are planning to buy something on-line, do a web search for the product + discount voucher code. You will often find the product cheaper through another seller, and many codes are posted on line with a discount on the price or free postage. This has saved me thousands of pounds!
Posted by: Henrietta | 19 Nov 2008 10:41:08
-Yes, make sure you use saynoto0870.com as part of your strategy for cheaper calls.
-Get rid of your car and buy a ludicrous European bike-trailer to tow kiddies/shopping about in.
-Stop sticking money into office whip-rounds for unsuitable gifts for unsuitable colleagues. You could always make a potentially tax-deductable donation to charidy on their behalf.
-Don't buy greetings cards. Make your own, or send a seasonal email.
-Buy some clippers to cut your own hair. You'll get the hang of it after a while and you don't have to leave a tip. (I've never understood why you have to tip some folk and not others...)
-Don't boil a whole kettle of water if you don't need it.
-Make a delectable bread 'n' butter pudding with leftover stale (white) bread/brioche.
-Do your defrosting in the fridge overnight as this makes your fridge colder, so less electricity is needed.
-Try going shopping with no money. Then, if you do want to buy something "non-essential", you have time to mull it over without impulse-buying.
-Find the cheapest/best way to buy said "essential" item using Kelkoo or equivalent, choosing the merchant via Rpoints or equivalent, using your moneyback credit card, having found the right promotional code.
-And the big one: use the savings to overpay your mortgage.
Posted by: Big Bobby K | 19 Nov 2008 14:28:25
You can save cash by buying goods and services in the poorer parts of town. Supermarkets charge less for goods in poor areas and other organisations do the same, e.g. car servicing.
Posted by: Paul | 19 Nov 2008 15:08:52