I’ve teamed up with Scottish Friendly and their #ThriftyFamily campaign to bring you today’s post about money saving tips!
With the cost of living increasing all the time and wages staying pretty stagnant here in the UK, it’s safe to say that we could all do with saving money nowadays (debt or no debt).
The good news is that there really is no shortage of ways to do so. Here’s a little video I made about one of my favourite money saving tips! It’s a simple tip, but one that’s very effective and could save you a ton of money…
Yes indeed – turning the thermostat down over the Winter months is one of the best money saving tips I’ve found. Did you know that turning your room thermostat down by just one degree could result in savings of around £75 per year on your heating bills? I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t mind wrapping up in a few more layers to benefit from that kind of saving.
More money saving tips that I use
1. Make your own gift tags and reuse gift bags
If you’re trying to save money, splashing the cash on gifts for friends and family is something that you’re probably cutting back on. Most people do end up buying gifts at some point during the year though, so why not save money on gift accessories? You can recycle old birthday or Christmas cards to make your own gift tags and keep little gift bags in a safe place to reuse at a later date. Going one step further, you can use old wallpaper or craft paper offcuts to wrap presents!
2. Save money by fixing things yourself
Rather than rushing out to buy something new that has just broken, you could try fixing it yourself. The hubby managed to do this with his mobile phone which saved him a fortune. You can learn how to fix just about anything by watching a YouTube tutorial. If you’ve got something that’s broken, you can bet your bottom dollar that someone will have posted a video on how to fix it!
3. Use half your dishwater tablets for each wash
If you use dishwasher tablets, try breaking it in half if you have a small to medium load of dishes that need washing. You can also set your dishwasher cycle to a lower temperature to save water and energy too. If you use washing powder for your washing machine, try using less or better still, make your own!
4. Mix together old tubs of paint for redecorating
Redecorating can really leave a dent in your budget. But if you have half full tubs of interior paints leftover from last time, you could mix a few together and make use of your old paints to give your home a fresh new look. Always make sure you have enough to do a whole room before starting this, otherwise you could end up in a pickle! Also make sure your paint is still good to use and that it hasn’t dried up. Usually giving it a good stir will bring it back to life.
5. Potty train your cat
Ever seen Meet the Fockers with the clever little cat called Jinxy who takes himself off to the toilet? Well, cats can actually be potty trained in real life! Ok, I don’t actually use this one myself seeing as I don’t have cats anymore but this is a really good tip that can save you a huge amount of money in cat litter bills each month. Just do a google search for tons of information and tutorials on how to encourage your cat to use the toilet. Probably won’t be easy but well worth a try!
Do you have a money saving tip to share? By filming your favourite money saving tip for the #ThiftyFamily campaign, you could win a £100 My Rewards card prize! Connect with Scottish Friendly on Twitter for more details.
*Photo courtesy of Flickr – amended by Disease Called Debt
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10 Comments
Hey Hayley and thanks for the thoughtful tips on saving money.
Heating is included in my rent so I’m a little more likely to boost the heat a tad during winter’s chill. But if I was paying for it, I definitely would be turning down the thermostat, especially when I was out of the apartment for a good stretch of time.
Save money by fixing things yourself – This is something I do often…especially with older electronic items like computers and stuff. It’s amazing what a little patience and effort can fix 🙂
As for the cat potty thing…not gonna happen with my cat! It’s a fun and cute idea…but my cat would not take kindly to me changing things up after 8 years of having the “comfort” of a handy litter box. Maybe of we started this at the beginning it would be different.
Thanks again Hayley and take care. My best to all.
Lyle
lyle @ the Joy of Simple recently posted…A Simple Summer 2014 Farewell…For Now!
Hi Lyle, no worries and I totally understand why you wouldn’t want to change things up with your cat after 8 years of doing things in the usual way! That’s great that heating is included in your rent, what a great deal! Is that standard practice to have heating included in your rent in your area?
I’m considered potty training my cats but Kate doesn’t really like the idea of having to wait on the cats or having to check the toilet before she uses it. If we had two bathrooms it would be good. I’m still going to try to convince her.
Aldo @ Million Dollar Ninja recently posted…I Got Two Awards!!!
That’s great that you’ve already thought about this Aldo! I hope you can convince Kate to try it, think of the money you’ll save when the hard stage is over. You could maybe train your cats to flush? 😉
Haha we now save our gift bags – but total dork moment was when we forgot to remove the tag with a note! Good thing it was just given to a family member. Now they keep joking about it!
Ciel Belle recently posted…Debt Breakdown Part I : Credit Cards
Haha! Yes there’s always the risk of forgetting to take the label off – I’ve done that too, doh! 🙂
I love your accent and voice, Hayley! I hope that doesn’t sound too weird, haha. You speak so clearly; you should do voice-overs as a side gig somehow =). Now that our utilities aren’t included in our rent, I micromanage our thermostat in the apartment. It’s been set at 78*F (about 25*C) all summer, and I definitely plan on bundling up this winter. We moved to a warmer area, so hopefully we’ll tolerate winter better down here. It’s about 20 degrees warmer than what we’re used to.
I also re-use gift bags – my mom always kept them in a closet, and they get cycled around our family. I would be really impressed if I could get my cats to use the toilet. Not likely though!
Erin @ Journey to Saving recently posted…September Budget Preview
Haha, thanks Erin! That’s really nice of you to say, I’ll definitely look to see if I can find any gigs! Glad that you’ve moved somewhere warmer, 20 degrees will make a massive difference to you in the Winter, I’m sure. Yeah, I know what you mean about potty training cats. If I’d have known this was possible when I had my cats before, I would have definitely tried it. 🙂
Great tip! We have changed our thermostat by 1 degree every 6 months for a few years now. It’s crazy how you don’t notice the change in small increments.
Kalen Bruce recently posted…How to Set Up Your Own Home Inspection Business
I came across an article a few days ago that suggested that top quality thermostats (aka Honeywell, Nest) can save households up to 33% on energy bills per year.
Imagine how much of a difference that will have on the majority of families, especially with all the struggles and tough times nowadays where we are always looking for ways to cut down on our monthly bills.
Go grab yourselves a Honeywell or Nest thermostat peeps!
Moe @ ThermostatHub recently posted…The Low-Down On Nest’s Auto Away Feature