Frugal Living top 50 Freebies and ways to save money

Welcome to our frugal living hints

If you would like to start living more frugally and saving cash, getting free stuff and finding out about the best ways of saving money then we hope this site will help you.

Our Frugal Shopping Hints

• When shopping check out the BOGOFs and if its something you use then consider buying more than you need for a couple of weeks. Check the dates though to make sure you'll eat the product before it expires
• If you buy bargain reduced stuff make sure you'll have enough room in your freezer if you're not going to use it straight away.
• Only food shop when you're not hungry. You'll not be as tempted by the yummy sweets stuff you don't need.
• Take the vouchers you've been cutting out of the paper and magazines. Always give them to the checkout person too - some supermarkets will take vouchers even if you've not bought the item. Well worth asking!
  
• Check out frozen veg. Frozen spinach, sweetcorn, and some others are great value and help you always have veggies. These are often much cheaper than canned or fresh.
  
• When there's a good value BOGOF on things that don't have expiry dates, toiletries, loo paper, then stock up.
  
• Try own brand products. Sometimes they're made by big name brands!
  
• Look at the price of a whole chicken and learn how to joint one and then you'll see that they can be really cheap and give you loads of meals. Sometimes chicken breasts can be on offer - worth stocking up for the freezer, but separate out the breasts so you don't have to defrost a full packet.
  
• Look on the cut price shelves - my local supermarket has bargain veg, but it'll usually need eating that day, but it's worth a look for the exotic fruit that's on offer quite often!
• Carrots, potatoes and onions are the basis for loads of stews and soups - keep these in and you'll always be able to put together meals.
• Get a few good cook books with practical recipes in - like how to make batter, crumble and how to make a pie!

Our Frugal Beauty Hints

• Try your local higher education college for cheap hair cuts. They often need models for hair and nail treatments. Well worth checking out.
• High street hairdressers sometimes have trainees who need practice. Sometimes this is more a case of being in at the right time though. We have had a free haircut at a posh Manchester salon as someone was having an interview!

Our Frugal travel hints

• Work out if its dearer to take the car into town when you add in petrol and car parking than going on the bus. If you've not got to carry anything back, or take anyone with you it is often loads cheaper to get the bus or tram.
• If you're really skint get off at the previous fare stage and walk. The exercise is good for you too

Eating Out frugal hints

• Eat out less
• Don't have dessert
• Don't drink alcohol - drink plain water
• Why not have a dinner party at home with friends who'll precriprocate. It'll be cheaper
• Look for special deals and discounts at your favourite restaurants.
• Pre-theatre meals are often loads cheaper
• Go dutch - or split up bills according to what you've had. Eating out with a table full of people drinking wine and scoffing puddings will do your bank balance no good if you're not drinking!

Frugal Kitchen

• Use white vinegar instead of expensive cleaning products. It works! A dash in water helps clean windows.
• Don't use dishwasher tablets. They force you to use a set amount. Use a powder. Use as little as possible. Actually you don't need much unless something is very grotty, and even then soak things first
• Always fill the dishwasher completely.
• Use lids on pans
• Why not pop plates on top of pans for a few minutes (be careful as it'll get hot quickly) and you'll not need the oven on to warm plates. Check your microwave settings as some have plate warming settings.
  
• Get a slow cooker.
• Don't keep the fridge door open for too long.
• Take a packed lunch to work. This can save you loads.
• Don't buy bags of ready mixed salad unless you always eat them all. This is one of the most commonly thrown away things. A whole lettuce costs less and keeps longer.
• Check out your local market for veggies.
• Grow a few herbs if nothing else. They can save you loads of money and they look nice too!
• If the oven is on, cook more than one thing in it. Freeze extra meals.
• Brew your own beer! My mum used to do this for my dad and he used to start drinking it before it was done and it'd give him a headache! Follow the instructions and it's delicious! Ask friends if they have any old brewing equipment rather than buying it from scratch. You'll find uncles and grandads always have the full set up somewhere in the attic!
  
• Fill the kettle only with enough water for your brews. If you're making one brew you don't need a litre of water!
• Cut down on the amount of processed food you buy. It's dearer for the most part and with additives in!
• Use that bread machine you got. bread is loads cheaper when you make your own!
• Avoid using the oven. Use one of those grilling machines for really nice food. Chicken breasts don't take very long in them, and you can do lovely roast parsnips on them!

We'll add more hints as often as we can. Send us your hints and we'll publish them!

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