Credit Crunch Tips - save money

[greannancrafts]

Hi

I know many of us recycle etc, but I thought if we could all add one tip for saving money/being greener we could build up a quite a list for saving money.

My tip today is - The washing Machine

When doing a hot wash - say towels, don't use any detergent, there is enough build up in the pipes for a hot wash to not only clean the pipes and your wash load. Average saving based on 1 wash per week - £6 per year ish

Jane

[sunrise]

if you have an electric oven you can turn it off 10 minutes before the end of cooking as it stays hot for a while
I've been doing this for years , no idea how much money it would save but it must save something !!

[xrheax]

Freeze food that approaching it's use by date. For example, those yoghurts could be chucked in the freezer and eaten from frozen. Saves money and waste. After eating, keep the pots to sow seeds

[beckyboo]

If you need to go to the supermarket try to wait till the end of the day or just before they close , most of the fresh bread,rolls and cakes are reduced to pennies , eat the cakes and freeze the bread

A full freezer is cheaper to run than a half empty one

[krafty1]

Bicarb & white vinegar instead of all those fancy cleaners

I use it to clean my oven, cooker, fridge,round the taps and pour it down the plug holes to stop any gunge build up.

Also instead of all the household cleaners ie jif, ajax, window cleaners etc I use stardrops for everything including cleaning the windows, mirrors, kitchen worktops, woodwork and even the car. You get a brilliant sparkly shine and no nasty bleachy smell and no smears. To give you an idea of the price I got a 1lt bottle in Asda last week for 50p and you only need to use a tiny drop. A bottle lasts for months.

[Moonbeam Angel]

Bicarb & white vinegar instead of all those fancy cleaners

I use it to clean my oven, cooker, fridge,round the taps and pour it down the plug holes to stop any gunge build up.

Also instead of all the household cleaners ie jif, ajax, window cleaners etc I use stardrops for everything including cleaning the windows, mirrors, kitchen worktops, woodwork and even the car. You get a brilliant sparkly shine and no nasty bleachy smell and no smears. To give you an idea of the price I got a 1lt bottle in Asda last week for 50p and you only need to use a tiny drop. A bottle lasts for months.

Thanks for that, I have seen Stardrops in Asda but wasn't sure if it was as good as it says.

[Madly Creating]

Find a foreign recipe to use up left-overs. Makes it more interesting and you get to try something new instead of making a take-away

[greannancrafts]

Find a foreign recipe to use up left-overs. Makes it more interesting and you get to try something new instead of making a take-away

Like my famous "chuck it in soup/casserole?"

[Louise88]

Ooh great thread.

We're currently experimenting with our heating, we've got it on as low as it goes but constant so the house is always toasty I'll let you know if it's worth doing it when we get the bill

[sunrise]

Bicarb & white vinegar instead of all those fancy cleaners

I use it to clean my oven, cooker, fridge,round the taps and pour it down the plug holes to stop any gunge build up.

Also instead of all the household cleaners ie jif, ajax, window cleaners etc I use stardrops for everything including cleaning the windows, mirrors, kitchen worktops, woodwork and even the car. You get a brilliant sparkly shine and no nasty bleachy smell and no smears. To give you an idea of the price I got a 1lt bottle in Asda last week for 50p and you only need to use a tiny drop. A bottle lasts for months.

I go on a money saving website and they all swear by stardrops
where abouts is it in Asda is it with all the cleaning stuff ??
also I couldn't find it in Tescos when I looked

[Ger]

Instead of buying expencive soap powder try Soap Nuts, you put 5/6 of the sticky little blighters in a mini sack and toss in with your washing-SIMPLE!

They can be used5/6 times, it may take a while to get used to the smell its a faint vingar sent but they really do work great, we've been using them for a couple of years and best of all you are saving the environment as well as your pocket

This site has great info on all that they can do

http://www.gogreen.cellande.co.uk/sh...s/soapnuts.php

[beckyboo]

on the laundry theme...

invest in a good old clothes airer to dry your clothes and some radiator airers as well ( I got some in asda for just over £1 for 2 ), saves using all that expensive electric using your tumble drier.

I pop my familys clothes on over night in the lounge and they are dry by morning

I know its saved me loads so far this winter

[kazzells]

Recycle your socks!!! you know the ones that the washing machine monster eats!!

I use my odd socks as dusters place over your hands and voila dust away!
kazxx

[krafty1]

I go on a money saving website and they all swear by stardrops
where abouts is it in Asda is it with all the cleaning stuff ??
also I couldn't find it in Tescos when I looked

In Asda it's in the same aisle as the washing up liquid, in fact that's exactly what it looks llike - kinda yellowy in colour.
Have never seen it in Tesco. The other place I get it is Morrisons but Asda is by far the cheapest. Remember you only need a tiny drop and I also use a micro fibre cloth to wipe off and get no smears or streaks.

[krafty1]

Ooh great thread.

We're currently experimenting with our heating, we've got it on as low as it goes but constant so the house is always toasty I'll let you know if it's worth doing it when we get the bill

We've had to turn ours right down too as the last bill we got in almost gave us a heart attack - £430