Money saving tips

HOS 1997

Right folks I need to start saving money as my job isn't too secure in the new year. I have cut down on how much money I spend on CDs, books, clothes etc. and claimed tax back for rent paid over the last few years.

Any other money saving tips fellow boards members would like to share? I have been working since I left school and always had enough money to get by without having to worry. I'm not used to saving and having to watch what I spend so any advice would be welcome.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Homeless people are a valuable and non-threatening source of food.

AnonoBoy

Don't eat.

Fishooks12

Save a €5 and don't subscribe to boards for a month

The Sex and Sexuality forum was a big let down

ThePower11

Become a rent boy

Mr.Crinklewood

Become a rent boy and get ThePower11 to be one of your clients.

Temptamperu

Dont drink, you would be surprised how much you save.

ThePower11

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

Become a rent boy and get ThePower11 to be one of your clients.

Too late I have one.

Mr.Crinklewood

ThePower11 wrote: »

Too late I have one.

I know, sure you are the reason I got my username.

X x

Misty Chaos

Read through this topic, your bound to find some tips in it:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055454434

:pac:

pragmatic1

Who the hell buys cds these days. Its not the 90s.

HOS 1997

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Who the hell buys cds these days. Its not the 90s.

I'd much prefer to buy a CD than download an album.

Taco Corp

Set up savings account with s/o each week/month. And one that you get access on line.

Bring your lunch to work each day instead of going out.

Start making a list of everything you buy each day. After the first week review it and cut out the stuff you don't need. Repeat this every week even if you think you can't cut out any more.

Melion

HOS 1997 wrote: »

I'd much prefer to buy a CD than download an album.

Wont save much money with that attitude.

CatFromHue

Bash your head in so you go into a coma. Then you save on food, books, nights out, CD's, and spending money in general. Just make sure you've health insurance first.

Sky King

Don't buy bottle water, premade sandwiches or take away coffee.

Shop in Aldi, make a list of essentials and stick to it rigidly. Shop once a week. Never EVER buy things like breakfast cereal or firelighters in a small shop or petrol station. You will pay double. You need to plan properly to avoid this.

In fact, don't buy firelighters at all, one sheet of a tabloid newspaper will ignite a correctly prepared fire. And don't buy the newspaper, get a free one.

If you must have luxuiries, choose them wisely... a lucozade in a shop is 2 quid - you can guy a 20 pack of it in my local market for 8 quid. Buy second hand stuff - people desperately need cash so take advantage of them, and shift items you have around the house yourself that you're not using.

nicechick!

HOS 1997 wrote: »

Right folks I need to start saving money as my job isn't too secure in the new year. I have cut down on how much money I spend on CDs, books, clothes etc. and claimed tax back for rent paid over the last few years.

Any other money saving tips fellow boards members would like to share? I have been working since I left school and always had enough money to get by without having to worry. I'm not used to saving and having to watch what I spend so any advice would be welcome.

Figure out how much do you actually need! cost of moving, flights, accommodation etc much easier to achieve if you have a set figure to strive for also its worth your while to write down your costs on a average day/week! you'd be surprised how much we spend on the little habits like daily coffees/paper etc make sure you have enough to cover at least six months or so not easy but you need to be prepared to cover costs until you gain an income for a period of time!

Drive down any needless debt you have! i.e anything outstanding on credit cards, overdrafts if you don't have those lucky you!

If you could moving back with parents if you can saving on rent of course the bills that come with it not ideal for your parents if you don't contribute much to the house but I'm sure they'd understand and it is only short term!

HOS 1997

I've just realised how much I spend every day/week on lunches out, newspapers, coffees etc. They are going to be cut out this week.

I only have a current account so I will look at opening a savings account as well.

The idea of a expenses diary as well is quite good.

Broads.ie

Don't buy bottle water, premade sandwiches or take away coffee.

Fair enough about the bottled water and sanguidges, but not buying take away coffe is a bit extreme. Sometimes you just need a fucking coffee.



Also HOS, start using rice, it's fecking great and goes with everything hot or cold.

Bring lunchboxes to work, make the lunch before you go to bed and throw the lunchbox in the fridge, ready for the morning.

Check the recession fridge in Tesco and Lidl where they have discounts on all the stuff that's going off. Nothing ever wrong with it.

If you're a fan of Indian food and usually buy a jar of sauce, learn how to make curry sauce from scratch. Surprisingly easy and yum. Same with pasta sauce.

You know you can actually skip dinner one day a week, you won't die. Just make a lovely sangidge or two, eat some cereal, snack, beans on toast, whatever.

CDs, Books and DVDs can be bought online.

HOS 1997

I never do a big weekly shop which in hindsight is a bad idea when trying to save money. I just go to the local shop a few times a week and buy what I need there. Again, that is changing this week.

With books and CDs, most of the time I buy them out of habit as I usually find it hard leaving a record shop or bookshop with out buying. Same goes for clothes, was having a clean out recently and was shocked with how much stuff I have only wore a few times.

I was thinking about selling stuff on Ebay and putting the money I earn into a 'redundancy' fund so to speak.

Sky King

Broads.ie wrote: »

Sometimes you just need a fucking coffee.

But of course. However don't buy it as part of a daily routine if you want to save money.

One take away coffee every day for a month is €60+. If you buy filter coffee in Aldi amd make it at home you'd get a month out of maybe €6 - €8

Gummy Panda

Get a piece of cardboard. Use this to wave at the Dublin Bus driver while exclaiming "Me pass.. me pass" when getting on. The driver will think you are an unfortunate addict with a free bus pass.

MLH1

Cancel your Sky or NTL subscription and switch to Freesat, you have a once off installation charge of 200-300 euro, you get all BBC 1,2,3,4 , ITV1,2,3,4, E4, FILM 3e ect.

John Doe1

Take the family of a wealthy individual hostage and ask for 12 million pesetas
or

Dont eat or travel

UglyBolloxFace

MLH1 wrote: »

Cancel your Sky or NTL subscription and switch to Freesat, you have a once off installation charge of 200-300 euro, you get all BBC 1,2,3,4 , ITV1,2,3,4, E4, FILM 3e ect.

I don't understand why people bother getting Sky/UPC packages. Who has the time these days to actually watch any of it?

To be honest, RTE and TV3 do me.

Eve_Dublin

Get a rubber glove, fill fingers of glove with milk, tie string around the base of the fingers of rubber glove and cut a finger every time you want milk for your tea to prevent you from using too much.

RonMexico

Use breast milk instead of avonmore. If you haven't got a breast to milk then you are **** out of luck and will probably be homeless in a week.

William_Hicley

If you have internet connection in your home, then get rid of the mobile phone. Its costing you a fortune and you will be fine without it.

Teyla Emmagan

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Get a rubber glove, fill fingers of glove with milk, tie string around the base of the fingers of rubber glove and cut a finger every time you want milk for your tea to prevent you from using too much.

Gross Eve! Rubbery milk!

HOS 1997

William_Hicley wrote: »

If you have internet connection in your home, then get rid of the mobile phone. Its costing you a fortune and you will be fine without it.

My mobile is pay as you go and I don't spend much every month on it. Not a huge expense for me even if my income is reduced.

Robdude

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Who the hell buys cds these days. Its not the 90s.

Honest folk?

I'm assuming you mean 'paying for music' and not the purchase of the physical disk instead of a purchased electronic download.

Tomk1

If you have Sky, drop it and go free-sat, one step further sell the TV (use internet instead) save the wasted money from the TV-licence-tax.
[sky 30*12=360 + 160 = €520
sky 50*12=600 + 160 = €760] ... Thats nearly enough for a top of the range PC

- setup a new email account and subscribe to companies such as Dell, will get 10% or more off the top of discounted price.

Note: buying cheap brands/products does not equate to saving money long term, 2 'crap' advents will cost more than a top-spec, top of the range somewhat 5yr + future proof PC. (note untill recently nearly all retail laptops sold didn't even have enough ram to run Vista relying on virtual memory, ''brand new'' & in 2 years going obsolete) basically cost over lifespan taking into account upgradabillity. ie six months ago after well over a year of saving, & constant price monitoring, waiting for new chips and price drop hitting my €1K-ish budget, got a Dell i7 with single 8gig memory, upgradable to 32gig with the 3 empty slots. So expected cost/lifespan is €100/yr over hopefully 10+ yrs apart from upgrade in 5ish yrs

Open a credit-union account, throw a few euro in now and again, never take money out of it, keep it as a backup safety account, set a minimum target to reach, save more money than you can afford for 3 weeks a month, taking one week off as reward, to buy sale-priced CD's or whatever (make sure you get at least 3 prices before buying anything) example recently I saw a DVD-boxset for €20 in a discount clearout sale, saw the same boxset in HMV for €10, on the web over €20 before P&P.

johngalway

Tomk1 wrote: »

- setup a new email account and subscribe to companies such as Dell, will get 10% or more off the top of discounted price

I wish I'd known that 3 weeks ago.

Kojak

Don't bother buying any jackspaper - just take it from your place of work....

HOS 1997

Kojak wrote: »

Don't bother buying any jackspaper - just take it from your place of work....

I don't think so..

Eve_Dublin

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Gross Eve! Rubbery milk!

Mmmm...rubbery milk.....

RichT

Only date women named Holly, Noelle, Natalie and Carol from January. Chances are they were born at Christmas time and you wont have to buy them expensive birthday presents for the whole of the year, by which time they will have surely dumped you.

Snowie

I think you gotta have a focus :cool:

Like I've got a specific set of goals in mind mine are This and a few other bitsA at the moment i can bye the body but i need other bits to.. I nearly went out and bought a smart tv a few weeks back but i stopped my self and buaght a beanie instead and I'm just being a tight and saving my wages not drinking not going out living as cheep as a can while i get my cash together

Im nearly there after christmas

Satts

HOS 1997 wrote: »

I have cut down on how much money I spend on CDs, books, clothes etc.

Join a library, some of the bigger ones have music libraries as well. If you ask nice they will order in new releases for you too.
Just stop buying clothes full stop, bet you would get on fine for at least a year with what you have without buying anything new.

HOS 1997 wrote: »

I've just realised how much I spend every day/week on lunches out, newspapers, coffees etc. They are going to be cut out this week.

Your on the right track. I don't buy newspapers myself any more. Plenty of news on radio/TV/teletext. If you really need to hold a newspaper in your hands, go to the library where you can read them for free, you don't even have to be a member. Or do a paper swap with other family members.

I'll admit I'm a news junkie, so what I did is I bought an internet radio, more news on this than I can handle.

Archeron

A toothpick rammed up the arse of a dead centipede will make an inexpensive new mascara brush for your missus. Likewise a chopstick and a dead hedgehog makes a great new hairbrush.

Broads.ie

William_Hicley wrote: »

If you have internet connection in your home, then get rid of the mobile phone. Its costing you a fortune and you will be fine without it.

WTF?

mattjack

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Mmmm...rubbery milk.....

You,ve tried this ... have'nt you ..

Doc Ruby

Sky King wrote: »

In fact, don't buy firelighters at all, one sheet of a tabloid newspaper will ignite a correctly prepared fire. And don't buy the newspaper, get a free one.

As someone who's lit fires from all sorts of materials and in many varying conditions, I'd love to know how you do this. I got a coal fire started from bits in a waste bin at one stage, but I wouldn't like to have to do it again and it fairly emptied the bin.

Snowie

Doc Ruby wrote: »

As someone who's lit fires from all sorts of materials and in many varying conditions, I'd love to know how you do this. I got a coal fire started from bits in a waste bin at one stage, but I wouldn't like to have to do it again and it fairly emptied the bin.

you can use a dead candle to creat fire with coal, as the wax will help it ignite

Doc Ruby

Snowie wrote: »

you can use a dead candle to creat fire with coal, as the wax will help it ignite

Its the single sheet of a tabloid newspaper I'm wondering about.

Snowie

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Its the single sheet of a tabloid newspaper I'm wondering about.

i heard whispering sweet nothings can work :cool:

admiralofthefleet

shop around.

supermarkets have specials that they call 'loss leaders' these are products on sale at below cost in the hope that when you go to buy them, you will stay and do a full shop

i regularly go between all the major supermarkets and buy the specials i need then i get essentials in supervalu because they sell locally produced fruit and veg and meat

Robdude

Here's what I've done. It sucks....but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Dropped my cell phone plan. Now I'm pay-as-you-go and I don't talk unless I absolutely have to. I use the web interface for sending free texts (something like 250 each month) so I can every penny I can there.

No cable/dish for the TV. It really sucks. I have a stack of DVDs and I've seen them all a million times. I come home and toss one in and let it play while I work on the computer.

Set timers for all the electrical stuff...keep the apartment cold at night, turn off hot water, turn off things if I can, etc, etc...

No beer/no soda. I drink water now. It sucks a lot, but it's cheap.

No car/no taxi/no buss if at all possible. I walk everywhere, all the time. I did break down and pay for a Dublin Bike subscription - 10 euro a year isn't too bad. But yeah - I hate walking. This might not be possible, but if it is, it saves a lot of money.

No eating out. I cook as much as I can from scratch - cheap stuff mostly. It's a pain in the arse, but again, no money.

Before you go shopping for food - check the sale prices online and decide what to buy from each store. I think it helps to plan out each meal so you always buy exactly what you need. 'Monday I'll have x, so I need to buy Y'....etc...etc... some places only have sale prices on certain days so you have to plan for that too. Again, not fun, and it takes a good 15-20 minutes to plan but it helps.

I should cancel the internet - but I think I'd go insane.

Satts

Do you shave ? If so, do you use blades ? If so, have a look at the Facial Hair and Hats forum, where an internet shaving products shop is featured there.
I have recently changed to the old style double edged razor blades. Better shave and the cost of blades is a pittance when you buy the blades in bulk.
Found the blade for me after going through the sample pack. I'm on shave number seven on the particular blade I have in at the moment, will stop at shave number eight( four shaves per edge.)
Eight shaves on a cheap blade, compared to 2/3 shaves on an expensive catridge blade.

Doc Ruby

When you need to have the heat on, just have it on for a half hour then off for a half hour and so on. The house won't be toasty but it will be at a comfortable temperature when you're going to work or whatever, and halves the amout of oil/gas/electricity you use.

James Forde

Snowie wrote: »

you can use a dead candle to creat fire with coal, as the wax will help it ignite

Did this once, wax started leaking out in flames, so stupidly I threw water on it.

Big mistake!

Saving a few quid on firefighters isnt worth it if you burn your house down