"Credit Crunch"

[Jhutch]

Cycle to work if at all viable. Saves me £36 quid a month anyway.

and can save you the time and money you may spend at the gym

[~*~Saligal~*~]

*snip*I assume you mean a tumble dryer? you and your strange Australian terms A clothes dryer is just another term for a clothes horse, which uses no power at all (but does not get towels soft).


I've got one of those wireless electric displays that shows exactly how much electricity you are using. So if you turn on your lights you'll see exactly how much that costs. We are replacing our 50w halogen lights with the LED equivalent that use 0.9w - yes the light is less, but who needs bright lights in a hallway ? *snip*

Yep - I meant the appliance used to dry your clothes with hot air... we call a clothes horse a clothes horse..
They had one of those kind of devices on a TV show here and it was quite scary to see how much energy boiling a kettle takes up. The product was called "cent-a-meter" http://cacms.clipsal.com/consumer/products/cent-a-meter

[Rachel]

On a slightly lighter note (than my usual!), how about links to some of our favourite cheap websites? Is this allowed? My favourites, in no particular order, include

Toiletries:

http://www.pharmacy2u.co.uk

http://www.jolair.com/

www.fragrancedirect.co.uk

http://www.beautyrocket.co.uk/

http://www.buycosmetics.com/Default.aspx

http://www.reachpharmacy.com/

Many of these are also featured on the cashback sites, thereby earning you extra discounts.

Of course, look out for p&p costs. Bulk order items, so as not to pay postage or to make the postage costs worthwhile - I'll often buy a year's worth of shampoo in one go, for example.

I always use sites like the above to order things which are really expensive in the shops - e.g. for fake tan I buy Cyclax, which is dirt cheap; and Buddies tit tape, which is by far the best (i.e. strongest).

And, if you're a real skinflint like me, you can make your toiletries last longer - e.g. mixing fake tan with cheap moisturser, diluting face toner with 50% water (or just using cold water instead, which I'm sure works just as well).

Never be induced to buy expensive face creams - Vaseline is all you need! Though, if you like to indulge, Yves Rocher and Pierre Ricaud so frequently give away lovely face creams as freebies that you never need to buy any (again, bulk order their cheap items, such as lip balm, to cover the postage).

http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/

http://www.ricaud.com


Vitamins:

http://www.zipvit.com/


Prescription glasses:

http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/release_000/index.php


Gadgets/computer/camera paraphernalia:

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777


Furniture/office supplies:

www.euroffice.co.uk


Dance shoes & shoe sales:

http://danceshoes2u.com/catalog/specials.php

http://flashdancewear.co.uk/products.php?cat=FA#FAU

http://www.dance-shop.com/


Home:

http://www.healthhome.co.uk/Catalogu...CategoryId=200

http://www.underfivepounds.com/index.asp?cat=4

http://www.bargaincrazy.com/epages/BargainCrazy.sf


Bargain hunting:

http://www.madaboutbargains.co.uk/

[Easily Led]

Rachel - so lovely. generous and so economical ! No wonder Marc is always grinning ! Thanks for all the sites - I have already visited one or two ... just to look !

[Rachel]

Rachel - so lovely. generous and so economical ! No wonder Marc is always grinning !

Well, one of us has to be economical!! (It's ok, I jest!).

Now you can see where I got all the latest toiletries & cosmetics for the ladies 'boudoir' at the next Rugby freestyle.

Oh, and I got a few more things for the guys, as well, just so they wouldn't be left out ... manicure set, shoe shine, aftershave samples, and more deodorant!

R. x

[Whitebeard]

You can get two cups of tea out of every bag if you squeeze hard with a spoon.

What !!!! Washupwater tea ?? No, no, no, it takes two bags of strong Assam to make a decently coloured mugga. And three spoons of sugar, with just a dash of semi-skimmed.

Give up chocolate instead !!!

[Twirlie Bird]

But we don't tend to spend money on anything much else (apart from Marc's lighting and my wine addiction) - no holidays, meals out, cinema, expensive cars, small house & mortgage.

This is something that is going to change soon though......

Rachel that was a brilliant post. You sound so like me. I bet you write lists of lists too.

[Lynn]

On a slightly lighter note (than my usual!), how about links to some of our favourite cheap websites? Is this allowed? My favourites, in no particular order, include...

Lots of useful stuff there, and in your previous post. I remember one time when you were over we went out for tea and you had vouchers for that restaurant.

I'm not as good as that, but I rarely buy clothes full price and look for offers in shops. Went shopping yesterday afternoon - got two new tops and two pairs of shoes - total cost £15.50. Charity shops and sales (New Look have summer shoes down to £5).

I think its about more than just saving money - there is some fun to the challenge of getting a bit more discount or getting a bargain!

[Easily Led]

One of my biggest expenses seems to be my cat's food - she only likes real chicken, tinned tuna or the really expensive cat food (Sheba/ Gourmet and tins with sparkle on etc.) If I buy her anything cheaper she just leaves it. She came from the RSPCA and was born in the wild so it isn't nature but she has certainly been nurtured into a princess .! Any ideas? Should I get a load of really cheap tuna (she doesn't like it in oil BTW) or should I just be firmer ! ( I just had to use these new icons!!!)

[TurboTomato]

This probably doesn't apply to many people but...

If like me you were filling your car up with Shell V-Power or any other super unleaded (Total Excellium, BP Ultimate etc) then don't bother. I've switched from V-Power to normal fuel and had no noticeable loss in performance (I have a reasonably high performance car) and no loss in mpg either.

[Stuart M]

Cycle to work if at all viable. Saves me £36 quid a month anyway.

and can save you the time and money you may spend at the gym

Well, allows you to ease off on lower body work, at least. I went indoor rock climbing on Tuesday for the first time in 2 years, and was struggling to pull doors open the next day, such was the pain in my arm muscles

[Chicklet]

This probably doesn't apply to many people but...

If like me you were filling your car up with Shell V-Power or any other super unleaded (Total Excellium, BP Ultimate etc) then don't bother. I've switched from V-Power to normal fuel and had no noticeable loss in performance (I have a reasonably high performance car) and no loss in mpg either.

Interesting, I nearly posted the exact opposite, I get ~10% more miles out of the super so will always buy it if the price differential is <10%, must be car specific? Mine is quite old ('95) and a bigish engine. Is your car young?

[Gojive]

One of the best money saving tips (and dancewise even more so), was given to me by Minnie

For one reason or another, I've had a huge drop down in 'salary' (more like 'wages now ), and I was struggling to afford to go dancing. Minnie suggested looking to become a Taxi Dancer at my local venue...so I did just that. It took a while, and a bit of patience while things were being organised etc, but it's been so worthwhile! Not only can I dance at least once a week free of charge, but I've discovered a few 'by-products' too!:-

I've made many more friends than I think I would have otherwise, due to the fact that I spend a lot more time with small groups of beginners, rather than large groups of intermediates/advanced etc.

The above has led to more car sharing organisation, and so enables me to get to more more freestyle events than I could otherwise afford.

And finally, I've had the thrill in being part of nurturing some dancers from absolute beginners, to quite accomplished intermediates!

All in all, a 'win win' solution for me

Thanks Min!

[TurboTomato]

Interesting, I nearly posted the exact opposite, I get ~10% more miles out of the super so will always buy it if the price differential is <10%, must be car specific? Mine is quite old ('95) and a bigish engine. Is your car young?

Yep, 2004. But being more modern I thought it would be able to better take advantage of the higher octane etc. Looks like it varies from car to car - so probably the best advice is to try your car on both and see which one works out cheaper for you.

[~*~Saligal~*~]

One of my biggest expenses seems to be my cat's food - she only likes real chicken, tinned tuna or the really expensive cat food (Sheba/ Gourmet and tins with sparkle on etc.) If I buy her anything cheaper she just leaves it. She came from the RSPCA and was born in the wild so it isn't nature but she has certainly been nurtured into a princess .! Any ideas? Should I get a load of really cheap tuna (she doesn't like it in oil BTW) or should I just be firmer ! ( I just had to use these new icons!!!)

If a cat's hungry enough it will eat it - you just have to let her get hungry enough and not feed her with anything else until she eats it.
Something that can help is to add some sort of "gravy" to the food. If you feed the cat dry cat biscuits anyway, then add some water to those and make them all nice and mushy (maybe heat them a little) and then add them to the food. Make sure you mix it in though, cos cats are good at picking around their food.
Then again, if she won't eat what you offer then she may go looking elsewhere for food that she likes! Cat's do that too...
Goodluck!

[Easily Led]

I have a fun and cheap idea - stay at home and enjoy yourself with a marrow (see marrow thread). (I would get out more but I can't afford to )

[dave the scaffolder]

Turn your central heating off.

I only put mine on when the windows actually have ice on the inside of them.

i walk around with jumpers and hats on in the winter.

Rachael...A gorgeous woman who is also spendthrift.....Perfect.

DTS XXX XXX

[Little Monkey]

Being a Starving Artist, I'm used to having to think about what I spend. However, with the lovely credit crunch (aaargh, people don't spend money on art any more!) and having just bought a ticket to Auckland, I really need to save some money!

I hardly ever have my hot water tank on. I have a power shower, and only have a hot bath as a luxury every now and again. To do my dishes I'll boil the kettle. I'm also allergic (hey, I break out in a sweat just thinking about doing dishes!) to doing dishes, so must admit I don't do them until the sink is actually full..... Which is of course far more economical than using a whole bowl full of hot water every time you've got one dirty mug and plate, surely?

I only put my heating on when it's really getting cold outside, and only in the livingroom. It's got to be EXTREMELY cold before I put heating on in my bedroom! And in the bathroom I tend to put the heater on just ten minutes before I'm having a shower, so the room is nice and cozy, then turn it off as soon as I'm done. No point having a heater on all day in there, complete waste of money!

I have a few energy saving bulbs, but really should replace more.

When buying new appliances like fridges and freezers, check the energy efficiency rating, and never buy one that's not efficient. Better to spend a little bit more initially, as fridges and freezers do gobble up lots of juice, being on constantly.

When I'm shopping, I try to bulk buy despite living on my own. I buy bread late in the day when it's reduced (I sometimes have my freezer full of 10p loaves of bread, rolls and croissants!). I also buy big loaves rather than small ones, as they're cheaper, and put half of it in the freezer.

Buy a whole chicken rather than just chicken breasts! It's amazing how many meals you can get out of a whole chicken - and my doggie loves the chicken skin which I don't, so we're both happy.

I also cook huge portions of things like chilli, bolognaise sauce, curry etc, and then freeze it in portion tubs. Much cheaper, and also provides me with ready meals for when I can't be bothered to cook!

Buy toiletries in cheap shops like 'Bodycare'. I always get stuff like shower gels, shampoos and hair colourants there for about half the price of what Tesco charges for exactly the same thing. And don't buy branded drugs (like ibuprofen, paracetamol and antihistamine), get the shop's cheap brand, which contains exactly the same thing!

Remember not to be blinded by the 'special deals' signs in supermarkets. I was in Tesco's earlier, and they had yogurts for two packs for £3 (or something), and you only saved about 4p. And would you actually eat it all before it goes off? Sometimes they also have multipacks which are actually more expensive than buying smaller packs or singles - at least I've noticed this on dog food!

Oh, and if you're a crazy wee Norwegian person like me, you head for the forest to pick mushrooms, blueberries, brambles etc. Unfortunately I don't think there's going to be many sweet chestnuts in the park this year, as the summer's been too cold and wet, but at least it's been a brilliant summer for mushrooms! Well, you asked for fun ideas, didn't you?

And of course - shop around for things like insurance, mortgages, electricity, savings accounts etc.

Lastly - second hand shopping can be fun!

And I really need to go through my wardrobe and see what I can sell on ebay......... Russian military coat, anyone??

[Dreadful Scathe]

and only have a hot bath as a luxury every now and again.

I think www.littlebathingmonkey.com would cover all those costs. You got a webcam already ? (hmm maybe i should keep my tips to myself )

[dave the scaffolder]

How big is the Russian coat??

Would it fit a fit scaffolder with herculean shoulders and a 32"...YES A 32" waist, and an ar*s like a bag of peaches???????

If I may be interested sweetie.

DTS XXX XX