This site is an archive of the OneSpace Forums. Return to forum index.
This site is an archive of the OneSpace Forums. Return to forum index.
You will have seen that One Space has now launched the Money Survival Kit. You can find it on the One Space homepage or go straight to it - The Money Survival Kit
I wanted us to share our top money saving tips or questions here, so we can all learn from each other.
We look forward to hearing from you. :D
Hi Alison
I think what you are currently doing sounds really sensible. I think weekly buying makes more sense as you can plan your meals for the week and bulk buy and cook and eat the same thing or left overs during the week which does create a saving.
Good to hear from others what they think too.
C-L
I sit down and plan the week's menu in advance with my kids (so there's a fighting chance they'll eat it - LOL!) and work out what I need to make it all and then do my Tesco online shop accordingly, the idea being that I don't waste as much food that way. Planning like that also helps me cut down on work - eg, last night we had bolognaise and I cooked double the 'mince' amount (we're all veggies so it was meat-free mince) in order to turn the rest into a cottage pie for tonight. Fi
I do mine day to day as I don't have a fridge or freezer and I've seen a noticeable saving compared with when I used to have a car, fridge and freezer and did weekly shopping. Apart from a huge near enough one third drop in electricity I waste hardly any food now, I pop into my local CooP just before getting the kids from school and just get what I need to make for the evening meal, this evening I did parsnip and tomato soup which tasted a lot nicer than it sounds.
Also my planing meals generally goes on what happens to be reduced at CooP, or if it's two for one or stuff like that then I make something based on what ever that is. I know that my CooP reduces stuff in the morning and in the evening so I try to pop in at those times too if I can, fruit particularly is always being reduced, I got raspberries this evening for 49p which I just put with yoghurt for them.
Later.
Simon.
I suppose one measure of how economical you are being is how much do you throw away? whether you shop daily or weekly, online or in person. The other thing that can dictate what you choose is how near the shops are, how much time you have and , like Bubblegum, whether you have a freezer etc
I do think one of the keys to it all is having a budget and sticking to it. When I was a child my Mum had an Elastoplast tin which had different compartments, every week she put amounts in the different compartments, which were labelled eg. Milkman, school dinners, electricity, and that was her budgeting tool!
I'm a switcher-offer. Switch things off at the wall (don't leave on stand-by), don't overfill the kettle, turn lights off in all the rooms I'm not using, turn the fridge down, wash everything on economy-low-temp-quickwash. If it can be turned off, turned down or run for less time, I'm there!
:)
My brother in law is an electrician and he reckons that one of the biggest wastes of electricity is the kettle, he said only put in the amount of water you need and only boil it when you need it. Made me realise that when I go into the kitchen to prepare the main meal, the first thing I do is wash my hands and the second thing is fill the kettle up to max and boil it, almost a reflex action, I have stopped doing this now!
Also... Freecycle.
It's brilliant - when you've got stuff you don't want you advertise it, and someone else comes to the house and takes it away. And when you've got stuff you need you look out for it, and someone gives it to you for free.
I got a free lawnmower the other week. How good's that? :)
My brother in law is an electrician and he reckons that one of the biggest wastes of electricity is the kettle, he said only put in the amount of water you need and only boil it when you need it. Made me realise that when I go into the kitchen to prepare the main meal, the first thing I do is wash my hands and the second thing is fill the kettle up to max and boil it, almost a reflex action, I have stopped doing this now!
I'm not a tea or coffee drinker. Two of my boys will have the odd panad (cup of tea), but they're well trained as to not putting much water in the kettle.
Most if not all my appliances are A rated, and I do the cheapest of washing setting.
The dryer, for me, though is essential. Sadly, its stuck in a plastic box outside as I've no room indoors for it - so I don't benefit from the warmth. I'm trying to see if I can work something out though to bring it indoors. I've seen these boxes for the condensation, but hard to know if they work.
hello sparkling lime, I got one of those boxes for my drier and it did not work, I just ended up with a steamy kitchen :x
Re heating, I have heard two different opinions on that: some people seem to have heating on morning and night and others think that it is more economical to have it on all day but at a lower temperature, does anyone have any views on that? I dont know which is the cheaper
hello sparkling lime, I got one of those boxes for my drier and it did not work, I just ended up with a steamy kitchen :x
Re heating, I have heard two different opinions on that: some people seem to have heating on morning and night and others think that it is more economical to have it on all day but at a lower temperature, does anyone have any views on that? I dont know which is the cheaper
I had a feeling that would happen. It'll have to stay outside then, as I can't put holes in the wall for a vent to go out, unfortunately. All that wasted heat! I should move the rabbit and guinea pig hutches closer so they can benefit from it!
...or you could set up a little hatch for a home beauty salon and people could pop round and steam their complexions.... :shock:
Yes, I was really annoyed about the box, I am not saying that all would not work but I would say you need to get someone to tell you a brand that does.
Hi there
I have heard that keeping the heating on all day is more economical too, as it doesn't use so much energy to turn on and off.
I have a de-humidifier, in my bedroom because of all the condensation and it is great, I am not sure if that is what you are talking about though!
It would depend on the kind of heating system, and (assuming a thermostat) what temperature you have it set to, how good your insulation was and what size house you were heating.
If you just switch on the boiler for half an hour in the morning, then for a few hours in the evening, that will be cheaper than running it all day.
But if you have a thermostat then the heating will run up till it hits that temp, so it would depend what it was set to. With a well insulated home (and not unless it was) I can see that keeping it on very low all day then turning it up when you were in *might* work out cheaper.
Yes lindsaygii I can see that there are loads of factors to be taken into consideration.
Anna we were talking about if you have a tumble drier and it is not vented, then an alternative to having the window open and the tube trailing out is to have the tube attached to a platic box on the floor, which is "supposed" to retain the mosture, but doesn't, in my experience.
ooooOOOOOOOoooooooh! :roll:
If you are planning to buy stuff for christmas, then it is always good to shop around first and now with the internet, we can do that shopping around from the comfort of our own home which is great and saves the tired feet!
Two good sites I can recommend for price comparisons are:
http://www.kelkoo.com
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/shopping/
Quite a lot of shops seem to be having some good reductions in the run up to xmas due to the recession I think so it is worth shopping around before buying.
Good luck!
C-L
Hi
My friend and I always shop together and then share the cooking of meals for the week/fortnight, it has worked really well for us over the last 7 years and it does make a difference to our budgets, it also means that you get a break from cooking all the meals.
Another tip, when your children start school and you make friends with other mums, dont be afraid to ask what they do when they have a clear out of their childs clothes/toys, very often you will find that lots of parents dont actually do anything with the things they no longer need and bin them so are glad to have someone to pass them on to.
I get stuff given to me by some of the mums that I stand about with at pickup time, they are always very apologetic for asking me, but I really don't mind, I've thought about it and maybe it's because they keep seeing my kids in their clothes that they have donated to the one and only village charity shop, and they think might as well just cut out the middle man : )
My kids are dressed entirely in stuff from the charity shop and ebay (and the stuff people give me)
Hi Bubblegum
Yes I used to have that as well when my girls were little, one mum had twins and was so good to us, my girls always loved to look through the bags when they arrived.
I have also been fortunate in that my friends daughter is always buying things and puting them away for later, later doesnt come and she always sends them here for me, I got 2 huge bin bags last week, some that fit me and some for my son who is 9. I have another friend who only buys from next and as they are good quality they are always in good condition when they arrive here, her son is 9 months older than mine.
I have always appreciated peoples kindness to us and it became part of the reason we set up the school uniform thing that we do here, it a way of giving something back 
Mine love looking through the bags too, We have one friend who brings us stuff every few months, It's nice to watch them getting all excited.
Bubblegum, when I see pictures of your children I always think they wear some great outfits so it obviously works for you!
When mine were smaller, I used to clean the house of a lady round the corner who is a full time teacher. She had one son who was two years older than my eldest and she always bought good quality stuff for him, M&S etc, so both my boys benefited from the hand-downs. Also, my friend is a cleaner for various people including a lady who buys all sorts of nice stuff from the USA and then wears it twice, and wants to get rid of it, so my friend says oh I will take them and out the rest out for charity and brings it home, and we rifle through the bin bags and have had all sorts of nice tops and scarves!
Thanx Louise.
I have rich friends with children slightly older than mine and they feel sorry for me as I'm a bloke 'struggling' with two children : )
Aha there you go, it's known as the "hierarchy of sympathy" and for many in our society, male single parents come pretty high in the ranks.
I remember when I had first separated, my boys were eight and three. A few months earlier my friend's wife had left him and his son (17). Guess who was the one who got all the offers of help with meals, ironing, laundry and sympathy? 
That does make me smile, Bubblegum and Louise.
I get a lot of stuff on ebay for my lot now they're older. My sister used to send me a lot of things from her son (8 weeks older than my eldest) for a while, which was brilliant.
It is amazing how clothes last though, as my youngest, when smaller, would wear clothing that was sixth hand, never mind second!!
Yes, I love ebay as well and have had clothes for me from it too.
My eldest went through a phase of wanting 'branded' colthing, so I told him the only way was via ebay, which he didn't mind at all.
I use ebay loads now anyway as it is difficult for me to get out and about so much.
Hi
Not sure if any of you use this site http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/
but I love it, the recipes are really good along with lots of other bits and pieces
I like it!
Thanks for sharing that site, I have had a quick look (must admit to immediately doing the "Which X Factor judge are you? " quiz 
) but there are also some useful things on it to do with health and also recipes so I will look forward to a proper browse tomorrow
That does look good!
Hi everyone
The site I put a link to is really good, I like the way you can pop in and out of different parts its a little like buying a magazine.
I went to the charity shops today with my son, he enjoys that on Saturdays, it costs little and we get to spend some quality time together without the teen girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I picked up what I hope will be a bargain, one of those owl wireless energy monitors, it only cost me £2 brand new in the box, had a quick read of how to install it etc and if it is as good as it says then we could save some money by seeing what is the most expensive item to run etc, has anyone else got one, if so are they good?
I also picked up a copy of Kath Kellys book How I lived on a pound a day!!
I am trying to find ways of cutting back particularly now that the EMA is going to be finishing.
I figure Wales will follow, so I've already spoken to my too. Daughter not impressed as she'd not had hers approved yet!
Hi sparklinglime
I think that it will be fine for this year it appears to be from sept for ours that are in college but April for newcomers
Applications have to be in by the end of this year, I believe
Hi Louise
My daughter tells me that her college has told them that EMA are not accepting any new applications as of now, also if someone needed to change their rate lets say from £10 to £20/£30, they can no longer do that either so it seems like some of our teens will already be being hit by this as their parent/s could lose their job today and the teen will get nothing or id already on EMA nothing extra, seems very harsh this to me and another aspect of this being, if lets say my daughter decided that she could no longer stay at college and did find a job, she potentially cannot leave home till she is 35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see lots of real problems with all of these ill thought out changes none of them for the better.
That is certainly true of the needing to change. Once you have got EMA this year then that's it. A friend of mine and her hubby had a good income last year but even though their income has gone down, when they applied for EMA the answer was no, because in the LAST tax year they had earned too much. Which begs the question: if you had a fab job where you earned £50k but in the last tax year you were on JSA all year, could you then get £30 a week EMA because it is based on last year??
if you sell things on ebay you might like to know about thepackagedeliverycompany.com you can send parcels really cheap
i sold a rabbit hutch on ebay and it cost £6.50 to send it through them and i made profit, just thaught id share with you, might come in handy :)
OOh thanks for that I have never heard of them but will have a look!!
That's marvelous to have! One reason I don't sell is because of the packaging!
Thank you very much.
Hi all
Being on a budget, I spend my money wisely, as we all do. I do a weekly shop, so I know my son has enough to eat through the week. Is it cheaper doing it this way, or would it cheaper just getting the day to day items? Another single Mum I know who has 3 children does her shopping day to day rather than once a week.
I would be interested to hear how others have found the cheapest way.
Take care
Alison
x :)