What are your top tips for being thrifty?

Download a budget app. They are so useful and you can project into the future with it so there is an incentive to save for stuff.

Do not buy any new clothes until you have worn out the clothes you have at the moment and then only buy as much as you need, not as much as you want.

It is amazing how much money you save by stopping working. No more big chunks of Tax & NI, no travel to work, working wardrobe, contributing to birthdays, leaving presents, sponsorship and social lunches. Also gives you time to search thrift shops or shop in the sales, grow our own fruit and veg, even flowers suitable to give to friends, knit and sew, DIY, research cheaper deals for fuel, phones, etc.

On the other hand you have additional heating costs by virtue of being 'at home' all day and if you are not careful, you can find yourself spending a fortune on unnecessary but cute things for the Grand Child/ren.

You are doing the right thing by having a review of finances now. I recommend 'Martin's Money Tips' website for hundreds of money saving ideas.

Make soup! When we were younger it was a meal, not a starter. If you have a market, a proper one not the artisan ones we have, but from there at the end of the day. I love the one near DS and recently bought 6 avocados for £1! Only had to throw one away.

We no longer need to be thrifty but it is an old habit we continue. We still buy reduced items and freeze them, you can learn what time of day your local shop does its reductions. We love liver so that is another thrifty meal.

When cooking stews etc, make a huge amount and freeze the rest for future meals, it saves on fuel.

Turn off radiators in rooms you don't use then close the doors. Wear layers instead of having the heating too high. Turn the heating down an hour before going to bed, your house will hold the heat for a while. Fit a heavy curtain over outside doors or draught stopper strips.

Didn't realise we did all that until I wrote it down!

Don't worry too much, you will be surprised at how much going to work cost you and you will soon adjust.

Link for Martin's Money Tips =

[email protected]

We wrote down all monthly outgoings - gas\electic\food\insurances etc. Then your monthly income. Take one away from the other and divide by four, this gives a rough idea of weekly disposable income. Me-i allow myself £x pocket money a week - spend it\ its gone till next weeks allowance.
I save\do not spend £3 a week by reading my newspaper online on my tablet.

Thanks - some great ideas here and I will check out Martins Money Tips. I worked in a bank many years ago and have always kept a household budget and we thought we did pretty well anyway. But golly, you are right about it costing money to work! I will have to work again, but on a lower income, but then less tax and NI as has been said.

We haven't been married for very long and have just decided to combine our bank accounts and review DDs - we are going to save a hundred pounds a month just doing that!

Have to chuckle as I have just been to the shops and bought an outfit for my new GS - it is a winter one, ready for next Sept- Dec and was a bargain at half price ... and I used my nectar rewards so you could argue it cost me £1.50. My DD and SIL will be watching the pennies too so it is good to find a bargain.

This has really cheered me up!

I pay all utilities, insurance, TV licence, council tax, etc by Direct Debit so I don't get any bills.

You save only a bit of money this way on the utilities but at least you won't get any nasty surprises with a large bill coming out of the blue!

Don't buy pre bagged fruit and veg in supermarkets. They can cost you twice as much per kg.

Don't waste food by being over fussy about sell by dates, but that is more one for the younger generation.

Off to make soup with my now "tired" christmas parsnips. While I warm up the soup I made last week ago with the tired mushrooms.

Make sure that your home is well insulated- cavity wall insulation if appropriate, decent double glazing. I have recently renewed mine and they are now A+ grade. The cavity wall insulation keeps the heat in for longer and the heat hits me when I walk indoors from a frosty day outside and there is no heating on. I also have lined curtains at most of the windows and also a door curtain to keep the draughts out from the cat flap.

Try to plan meals in advance, I do on line shopping and usually only order items on offer. I can store loo rolls or washing capsules. I choose the cheapest time and paid £1 for midday on a Wednesday. It would cost a lot more in petrol and heavy, awkward items are delivered to my door.

Don't leave tv etc on standby. Use slow cooker for casseroles.

I never buy something for myself like clothes or accessories the first time I see them. I always walk away and go back later. If it's still there, I buy it, if not, then it wasn't meant to be. Silly I know, but it does stop me buying because sometimes I don't go back at all.

I agree 100% that the MSE forum is a goldmine of information - about almost anything actually, not just about money. I've used it for all sorts of advice from stain removal to recommendations for pet insurance. There's a subforum just for sharing money saving tips here -

Old Style Money Saving

But beware! You can spend hours on MSE because of the wide range of subjects people talk about.

Fit thermal linings to all curtains- even with double glazing I'm amazed at how effective this is.
Use a slow cooker - there are literally hundreds of meals you can cook in it (not just casseroles)
Cook one/freeze one when making meals
Definitely shop at Lidl (I reckon I save £30/week), their veg/fruit/meat/fish is excellent value and higher quality than the big 4 in my opinion.
I put a fleece blanket under my bottom sheet and no longer need an electric blanket!

Bank on line, check bank every day,check what can be spent on shopping,cook from scratch,buy reduced and freeze then buy what is needed to make meal. Direct debits,and pay by debit card so you only spend what you need,never have cash indoors except about a tenner for few activities.Dont go out unless I have too,shop in lidl once a week xx

If you're on Facebook search for any buy and sell pages in your local area. I have joined about 3 and have sold a few items I no longer need. No costs involved either because people come and collect! I have bought one or two items that way for my GC too - usually at great savings!

I agree with granny23's comments about the cost of going to work.
I found that instead of filling my car up with petrol once a week or every 10 days, it's now more like once every 6 weeks. I use my bike to go to the local shops instead of driving.
I used to plan meals a week at a time, but now prefer to be more flexible, use leftovers and what happens to be there in the fridge, and make stock for soup etc.
Shopping every 2 to 3 days instead of once a week makes me less prone to buying things because I fancy them and then not actually getting round to using them up.

oh and stop buying books and use the library instead..

I always plan my meals and shop with a list. I add green lentils, mushrooms and other vegetables to many meat dishes and put in less meat. Some days we just have beans or scrambled eggs on toast for dinner to save money and calories.

We have meat free days, several days a week.

Your local butcher can be cheaper for meat than any supermarket.

Frozen fish can be cheaper than fresh. I buy frozen basic fish for fish pies.

I never throw food away. I feel I've let myself down if I throw any food away, so everything gets used. I check my fridge regularly and rearrange my meal plans if necessary.

All my bread goes into the freezer sliced, so I can get out only what's needed.

Aldi is cheaper for washing up liquid and washing machine powder.

Are you on a water meter? This can save money, depending on how many of you live in the house.

Shop around as much as possible for insurance. Warning, Saga are now very expensive.

I use a credit card for cover and convenience but I always pay if off.

Look out for money saving vouchers. Groupon is very good.

We got rid of the landline, to save money and now have a very cheap mobile tariff.

I never buy Nurofen or other expensive branded medicines. The generic cheap ones are just as good.

I hope this helps.

I like shopping bit by bit to fill in the gaps. We switched to Lidl for a main shop each week about a year ago and yes, we reckon we save £30 and the quality of goods is lovely.

I am really pleased with all the advice - I have had a massive baking session today - some for now, some for the freezer and the oven has kept me warm - no central heating. I wear my chunky dressing gown in the day if it is chilly.

I love soup, but have rarely made my own - I know there are some parsnips lurking in the fridge. This is so exciting!!!!! (Simple pleasures )

I absolutely love parsnip soup. I always add some curry paste right at the beginning. The curry flavour enhances the soup and makes it taste even more parsnippy.

Shop at Aldi but still use other supermarkets as most have good bargains around 5pm. M&S seem to have reduced items with yellow stickers all day long. I once ended up with my backpack weighing 20lb and could hardly get to the bus with all my M&S food bargains! That's another way I economise, I don't drive and used to do a big shop and get a taxi home. Now I do small amounts of shopping most times I go out.
Nonnie - I was once surprised in the market to get 9 avocados for £1 at the end of trading! There is always good value there.m

What a useful thread! Thanks, Imperfect!

I do that too imperfect - usually shop daily, just buy what I need, but keep my eyes open for any good buys. If I want one carrot, I just buy one.

I'm lucky as I live only half a mile from good shops so I can combine daily steps with my shopping. My nearest food shops are Sainsburys and M&S Food so as Eirel says I can watch for yellow stickers.

must remind my self NOT to buy Mcoys in multipack ,hide them and eat all the salt and vinegar, they where for packed lunches as they where on offer.