Frugal Tips

I am away from tomorrow until next Friday, visiting my dad in Scotland, really looking forward to going but I will miss the husband loads, he will miss because there will be no one to wake up at 6am to make his pack lunches. I am trying to do a on-line food shop but I was reading a few tips on being frugal, here are some of my favourites:

• Old Christmas cards often cut down into nice gift tags for the following year


• Save old wrapping paper if it hasn't been torn of course


• Use freecycle (I don't know they do this in the USA but in the UK it is like a swap shop and you sign up to the one in your area, got some great free items)


• Using a dishwasher, funny enough it saves time, water and energy than it would do to hand wash dishes. (Run a dishwasher only when it’s full, and don’t rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher! Also don't use a dry cycle as if you leave the door open after washes it will dry just as quickly).


• Energy saving light bulbs


• Have showers than baths


• Add cheaper brands to old rinsed out brands bottles, tastes the same and no one will know the difference


• Buy the value products/shop at value supermarkets or pound shops


• Slow cookers (I want one!)


• Washed out the main filter on your tumble drier so that it works more efficiently


• Mend clothes instead of throwing them away


• Make home made presents like bath bombs or soap


• Growing your own food


• Make your own shampoo


• Pack lunches


• Switch off the oven for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time


• Make contact with friends and family abroad almost exclusively by email, saving money on phone calls and postage


• Wash clothing 30 degrees, except bed linens which are 60 degrees


• Making own cleaning products from basic ingredients such as white vinegar and lemon juice


• Charity Shops

• Meal plan


• Use up the store cupboard


• Stop habitually shopping


• List the food you throw out for a couple of weeks


• Make a shopping list and stick to it


• Grow your own veg/fruit and swap with neighbours


• Use on-line shopping if you are vulnerable to the shopping psychology tricks


• Ditch the ready meals


• Keep your meter readings up to date so you don't get nasty surprises


• Put on socks and an extra layer if you are chilly, rather than turning up the heat


• Don't use credit if you can't afford to pay it off at the end of the month


• Put soap/fairy liquid into a pump dispenser


• Cut my Brillo pads into quarters


• Use cash only


• Bulk buy

Okay I'd better get on as I have been writing this for a while now... and I need to go and tidy the house before I go away :)