Saving Money

So what tips does everyone have for saving money? I love talking about this subject, especially with the rise in prices for everything recently. My main ones are:

- Compare prices for groceries in different shops - I don't do all my shopping in one place, I split it between Asda, Lidl and local shops for Indian food stuffs, whichever's cheapest. It pays to shop around as I've found that no one shop is ever the cheapest for everything. While we're on this subject - be very careful in pound shops. Yes, everything in there is £1 but often you can buy some of the stuff in there elsewhere for less than a pound!

- Only use the car when absolutely necessary. When I'm not going to work, I try to ask myself every time I'm going somewhere "do I really need the car for this?". We go into town on the bus because as my hubby's a bus driver, we get free bus passes

- Shop around for quotes for house and car insurance etc. I do this every year, it's so much easier now with the internet. When the renewal quote for something comes through (usually a month in advance), I try to get a couple of quotes a week, that way I know I'm getting a good deal

- Use charity shops and the library as much as possible. We use our local charity shops for books mainly - for the girls and for me. But we also donate quite a lot too - you declutter and help a good cause at the same time

- Look for cheap or free family days out. There are lots of websites dedicated to just this subject, including Goodtoknow! Or use the local park. You get exercise at the same time too

- Forget takeaways or use them as little as possible. I've never understood the difference between getting a takeaway and bunging something in the oven (fish and chips for example). It takes about the same amount of time and it's cheaper and healthier to do it at home! Yes, you do have to wash up, or you could just use paper plates!

Does anyone have any more ideas? What are your favourite ways to save?

Don't sweat the small stuff. It will make you stinky.

Re: Saving Money

I this tryin to watch your money is hard work, what we could buy last week we cant buy this week as everythings went up. our moneys just like an elastic band it can only stretch so far!!!!  My daughter was eating an apple yesterday & i dont no how it happened but she came through with tooth ache which turned out to be a loose tooth, she kept wobbling it as you do & all i kept thinking was dont fall out just now or tonight ive no money for the tooth fairy. Its sad when it comes down to buying milk which has went up 14p in last 6weeks, its a big leap!!!! whatare we goin to be able to live on, its so hard to make meals that are cheap filling and that every1 likes or will eat. like we dont have enough as ppl or parents to worry bout. we used to be able to treat ourselves every 2wks or 4wks to a take away, chineese etc but thats all in the distant past, a treat now is having bread and milk at the same time lol lol. were not as bad as that yet but how long will it be till we are????? its quite depressing your trying to save and cut back but it never seems enough. paper plates my man says we should get them but the amount wed go through wed need our paper bin emptyd every 2/3 days!! lol lol. on the transport side of things we dont drive and im happy to walk to and from town, bout 45mins walk there and back wouldnt do it wae loads of shopping but a few bits is ok, plus i grudge payin the bus fares i could get bread and milk for the price wed pay goin into town on bus. but it is a good idea to look and shop around if and when you can. with all this walkin and cutting down on what we eat cause were skint lol we'll all be fightin fit in no time!!!!! lol lol. take care. xxx

Re: Saving Money

LMAO Fee Fee, I never thought about all this making us lose some weight and get fitter! Mind you, we could learn a lot about previous generations who did all this, couldn't we?

We've just been to a wedding today and - oh my god - I know Indian weddings are lavish by defintion but this was AMAZING. It just made us wonder how we'll foot the bill for our kids' weddings! I don't know about all this competitiveness when it comes to weddings - it doesn't guarantee a long and loving relationship so it makes you wonder what they're doing it for? The wedding is about the commitment surely, not how spectacular the event was?!

I don't know, we have less money than ever but it seems that every day they find more and more ways of spending money. I'm not quite sure who "they" are, but you know what I mean!

Don't sweat the small stuff. It will make you stinky.

Re: Saving Money

We've really started watching the amount of petrol we use in the car. We never have the air-con on any more, because it uses up too much petrol.

We also drive a lot slower than we used to on the motorway. I realised that driving at 65mph still gets you somewhere pretty quickly and uses far less petrol!

Re: Saving Money

Hello everyone, i find it hardest to save money when I'm dieting!!!! You read a magazine and they give you some great ideas but they suggest so many different menus that I find I end up wasting more money and time!!!! lol. Well that's my diet excuse, rotfl. 

 IS there a diet that's not really really expensive and that might avtually shift the weight? I need to do something cheap and cheerful, one that works and also something that will keep hubby happy - he doesn't really like my diets as I usually end up grumpy or his meals get boring as well, lol xx

ps I find the best way to save money is to buy in bulk on stuff you know you always use but this isn't so good for the biet lol!! 

Re: Saving Money

My mum always used to say 'watch the pennies and the pounds look after themselves' and it took me years to figure out what she meant!! Me and my husband spend so much time fretting about the big bills (mortgage, gas, electricity) and actually those are the bills we can't do too much about!! Last month we went round the house and checked all the light bulbs and half of them werent low energy - even worse we had some unused ones in the cupboard that we got free when we switched energy suppliers!!

im terrible for using my credit card but there are some really good deals around at the moment. barclaycard are doing 6 months interest free, so ive switched to them too.

ive also started using uswitch web site because you can find out if youve got the cheapest gas, telephone, broadband and its really easy to use. ive become obsessed!! 

everyone needs a monkey cake!

Re: Saving Money

I heard that you shouldn't fill up your car tank with petrol because the car is heavier with a full tank and you end up using more fuel that way! I don't know about anyone else but this actually made a lot of sense to me!

Shopping around for stuff (from mortgages to milk) is definitely a good idea. A little time spent researching definitely pays off and with internet access and all the cool websites on this subject - do we really have an excuse not to?

Don't sweat the small stuff. It will make you stinky.