Money Saving Tips, or How to Live Respectably on a Pittance

Seren_

Thought this thread might come in useful, especially for people living away from home for the first time (as well as me people who have been here years but can't stop spending money and are currently extremely broke >.>).

So has anyone good advice for saving money/spending it wisely? Any good deals on stuff around Maynooth/Dublin/wherever? Cheap and tasty recipes? Best drink for a student budget? Share your knowledge and wisdom here! Questions also very welcome.

WhiskeyGoblin

TESCO BRAND EVERYTHING UP IN DAT BÍTCH.


Seriously though, for the most part it tastes the same as the other brands and for a lot cheaper.

tootyflutty

marko93 wrote: »

TESCO BRAND EVERYTHING UP IN DAT BÍTCH.

Tesco? Fancy! Aldi fo sho!

WhiskeyGoblin

tootyflutty wrote: »

Tesco? Fancy! Aldi fo sho!

Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Dunnes, take your pick. Same crap, different label :P

Seren_

I wish we'd a decent Supervalu here. We've two enormous ones within 15 minutes of my house at home and they do some savage deals. They also sell the most random stuff; used to get loads of Linda McCartney things in them which you never see in Tesco, Dunnes et al, like the cheese & onion plaits & the pies. om nom nom.

Penneys is a great place to get cheap toothbrushes/toothpaste/deoderant/shower stuff. Colgate toothpaste for a euro! Nearest one to Maynooth would be in town. There's one on O'Connell St, and a huge one on Mary St (it feels weird describing places in Dublin to people on this forum, it always feel like they should know where these things are :pac:)

WhiskeyGoblin

Seren_ wrote: »

I wish we'd a decent Supervalu here. We've two enormous ones within 15 minutes of my house at home and they do some savage deals. They also sell the most random stuff; used to get loads of Linda McCartney things in them which you never see in Tesco, Dunnes et al, like the cheese & onion plaits & the pies. om nom nom.

Penneys is a great place to get cheap toothbrushes/toothpaste/deoderant/shower stuff. Colgate toothpaste for a euro! Nearest one to Maynooth would be in town. There's one on O'Connell St, and a huge one on Mary St (it feels weird describing places in Dublin to people on this forum, it always feel like they should know where these things are :pac:)

PRO TIP: BUY ALLL DAT SHIIIIIIT IN BULK.

Shorten down the amount of trips you may have to take and just buy loads of it in one go.

Jonah42

I gave up drinking totally, feel amazing and saving so much money. Only hard thing about it is going to mantra sober! Fosters is the cheapest around maynooths pubs but it tastes awful.

Speaking of beer I think I remember a first year last semester asking in the SU bar for Dutch Gold on draft, bless him.

If you know some people doing the same course, or even better if you're living with people doing the same course then buy the books between you. Some of those books are crazy dear and you'll only use them for 6 months. Or just don't bother getting any, I've gotten away with it so far.

Take advantage of any in-store deal you see and don't go shopping when you're hungry.

Mizzoni's pizza do buy one get one free on a tuesday.

If you live off campus get an electric heater instead of using oil/gas.

Petrols cheapest at Esso up straffan road.

Don't be afraid to take more than your fair share of the free samples down at Dunnes. Just keep chatting to yer one and you're grand.

Still trying to come up with a system to get free candy out of the vending machines at rye hall but no luck yet. Watch this space.

Leptons

Buy a rice cooker and rice; lots of rice.

WhiskeyGoblin

Leptons wrote: »

Buy a rice cooker and rice; lots of rice.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Microwave-Cooker-Litre/dp/B0001IWD7O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346101300&sr=8-1

Lawstudent1991

Make your lunch the night or morning before college!

and try and bring in a thermos of coffee/tea.

it honestly saves you sooo much money and is worth the 10 minutes the night before.

Although campus is subsidised, 5 euro for your lunch and 3 euro for your coffee really adds up during the week!

Thwip!

ALDI IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

i do a full weeks shopping for under a tenner. tis a beautiful thing

DB21

Get used to the taste of beans, pasta, and noodles :pac:

mickstupp

Four years and I've never paid for refill pads or highlighters. Academic Advisory office gives them away for free Sometimes pens too. Or you could go for a box of 50 bics for 9 quid from Tescos. Last you longer than you'll be in college.

WhiskeyGoblin

mickstupp wrote: »

Four years and I've never paid for refill pads or highlighters. Academic Advisory office gives them away for free Sometimes pens too. Or you could go for a box of 50 bics for 9 quid from Tescos. Last you longer than you'll be in college.

Challenge Accepted.

aaabbbb

DB21 wrote: »

Get used to the taste of beans, pasta, and noodles :pac:

Don't forget Aldi cereal, lived on that for a week just so I could go out on a Thursday

Though I'm sure eating cardboard would have been far more nutritious and tasty!:pac: .

Thwip!

aaabbbb wrote: »

Don't forget Aldi cereal, lived on that for a week just so I could go out on a Thursday

Though I'm sure eating cardboard would have been far more nutritious and tasty!:pac: .

Aldi cornflakes are the exact same as kellogs :P

what cereal was it?

aaabbbb

jpcarlow wrote: »

Aldi cornflakes are the exact same as kellogs :P

what cereal was it?

Their version of special K afair . I don't like cornflakes

Also Aldi milk is grey

Eric Cartman

Jonah42 wrote: »

Only hard thing about it is going to mantra sober!

how you even go there when drunk is amazing

DB21

aaabbbb wrote: »

Don't forget Aldi cereal, lived on that for a week just so I could go out on a Thursday

Though I'm sure eating cardboard would have been far more nutritious and tasty!:pac: .

Classy as always :L

aaabbbb

DB21 wrote: »

Classy as always :L

Sure dont you know , I'm the closest Maynooth will ever get to royalty :P

and also not entirely relevant but : http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1qdofF/:hSO4gEyd:U!2PHDCy/iwastesomuchtime.com/on?i=46993/

Eric Cartman

Out of all the cheap noodles ,

Tesco value 15 cent chicken noodles are the best but only in chicken flavour , their curry is awful, for curry you need to spend the 67 cent on that unknown brand in shiney packaging.

Go to tesco at 8pm , stand around by the deli and bakery areas , get what you can as soon as its marked down.

chainsawman

Always look for "buy one get one free", When i see them, i buy a good few .

roxyworldgirl

Jonah42 wrote: »

.


If you live off campus get an electric heater instead of using oil/gas.

Storage heating is crazy expensive.. I know oil is too but cant imagine a couple storage heaters would be less than buying oil? :S

Jonah42

roxyworldgirl wrote: »

Storage heating is crazy expensive.. I know oil is too but cant imagine a couple storage heaters would be less than buying oil? :S

Not sure, our house was pretty well insulated. Leaving the electric heater on for 10-15 minutes was enough to warm up the sitting room on those cold days.

Eric Cartman

roxyworldgirl wrote: »

Storage heating is crazy expensive.. I know oil is too but cant imagine a couple storage heaters would be less than buying oil? :S

yep, those electric oil heaters might seem like a saving as your only heating 1 room but realistically they cost more, also If I lived in a house with a person using their own electric radiator Id expect them to pay more out of the ESB

Shinato

aaabbbb wrote: »

Sure dont you know , I'm the closest Maynooth will ever get to royalty :P

and also not entirely relevant but : http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1qdofF/:hSO4gEyd:U!2PHDCy/iwastesomuchtime.com/on?i=46993/

I checked out that link and the main argument had me laughing my head off. It was actually funnier than the article.

Also money-saving wise, try wine spritzers. One tesco wine and two bottles of lemonade will keep you going for the whole night.

Dr. Nguyen Van Falk

1) don't shower at home, there is free showers in the gym and the swimming pool.

2) don't by toilet-roll plenty of that in j.h and the arts bloc toilets.

3) if you need new clothes check the lost and found before buying any

4) stay away from luxuries like shelter and love

5) Instead of buying drink in a pub, bring a naggin in and drink that

6) don't use banks, this saves from the government and Obama sneaking in to them at night and stealing your money, for example i have over two grand hidden in various locations in jh

WhiskeyGoblin

Dr. Nguyen Van Falk wrote: »

3) if you need new clothes check the lost and found before buying any

You can't actually be serious?

Leptons

Dr. Nguyen Van Falk wrote: »

6) don't use banks, this saves from the government and Obama sneaking in to them at night and stealing your money, for example i have over two grand hidden in various locations in jh

In unrelated news a treasure hunting society has just been formed.

goat2

marko93 wrote: »

You can't actually be serious?

go to DEALZ, beats the lot, everything is 1.49, food, toiloteries, cleaning supplies, just simply fantastic,
i go there every few months to replenish toiloteries, cleaning products and foods,
if you go there once, you will be back time and time again.
they also sell great brands, of everything,
every student in the country should give this dealz outlet a go, it would save ye loads,
google to find out where the nearest outlet to you is
good luck to all.

loser2k12

I plan on crawling through my door and making puppy dog eyes at my mother. Her maternal instincts should tell her that I need food and/or money. >.> yay for independence?

Dr. Nguyen Van Falk

marko93 wrote: »

You can't actually be serious?

i can't. but that was hardy the most unrealistic thing i said

dr.quirky

For anyone who likes a drink, Home brew. dead easy, seriously cheap and smugly satisfying to drink something you made yourself. have a look on http://www.homebrewwest.ie/index.asp there are other irish sites you can order off too but that one was closest.

aaabbbb

dr.quirky wrote: »

For anyone who likes a drink, Home brew. dead easy, seriously cheap and smugly satisfying to drink something you made yourself. have a look on http://www.homebrewwest.ie/index.asp there are other irish sites you can order off too but that one was closest.

Theres a homebrew store in Maynooth above Donatello's

WhiskeyGoblin

dr.quirky wrote: »

For anyone who likes a drink, Home brew. dead easy, seriously cheap and smugly satisfying to drink something you made yourself. have a look on http://www.homebrewwest.ie/index.asp there are other irish sites you can order off too but that one was closest.

Although I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to do this. It looks extremely interesting!

DB21

aaabbbb wrote: »

Theres a homebrew store in Maynooth above Donatello's

Really? O_O


Also, it's weird you posted that seeing as I was tweeting earlier about getting a homebrew kit :L

aaabbbb

DB21 wrote: »

Really? O_O


Also, it's weird you posted that seeing as I was tweeting earlier about getting a homebrew kit :L

Yep , well theres a sign for it anyway I've never investigated it any further though!

That's ironic, though you know I don't have twatter so....

banquo

I could genuinely write the book on this. In my 2nd year we were the ''poor students'' that so many others claim to represent.

Tip: If you have only 20 quid in the bank, but need more, don't fret.

Advice: ATMs take about 5 minutes to update your balance. So here's what you do.

1. Go into the bank and withdraw 20 quid.
2. Leg it outside to the ATM, and withdraw it again from there.

Now you have 40 quid to last you however long. You account will go into overdraft, but at least you'll have money to buy food with in the immediate short term.

Eric Cartman

dr.quirky wrote: »

For anyone who likes a drink, Home brew. dead easy, seriously cheap and smugly satisfying to drink something you made yourself. have a look on http://www.homebrewwest.ie/index.asp there are other irish sites you can order off too but that one was closest.

ive my first larger brewing right now 10 litres of deliciousness coming soon

Eric Cartman

banquo wrote: »

I could genuinely write the book on this. In my 2nd year we were the ''poor students'' that so many others claim to represent.

Tip: If you have only 20 quid in the bank, but need more, don't fret.

Advice: ATMs take about 5 minutes to update your balance. So here's what you do.

1. Go into the bank and withdraw 20 quid.
2. Leg it outside to the ATM, and withdraw it again from there.

Now you have 40 quid to last you however long. You account will go into overdraft, but at least you'll have money to buy food with in the immediate short term.

tescos self service machines will let you spend up to 9.99 if you have even 1 cent left on your card

if you have a bank of ireland laser card (not visa debit) and have more than a euro in your account and no overdraft you can withdraw up to 60 euro at a non bank of ireland ATM

getting money you dont have out of ATM's is the only reason i survive at the end of the month sometimes

Seren_

Seren_ wrote: »

Penneys is a great place to get cheap toothbrushes/toothpaste/deoderant/shower stuff. Colgate toothpaste for a euro! Nearest one to Maynooth would be in town. There's one on O'Connell St, and a huge one on Mary St (it feels weird describing places in Dublin to people on this forum, it always feel like they should know where these things are :pac:)

There's a Penneys in Blanchardstown...and a Dealz and a Mr. Price. The 4 quid on train fares is worth it tbh.

Woodward

1) Learn to cook! Not just heating up jars of sauce. Learn to make sauces,stocks,soups etc and it will save you a fortune. Youtube vids of Ramsay, Marco Pierre White etc are great for this

2) Calm it down on the drink. Drink in clubs and pubs is ridiculously expensive so get hammered on Perlenbacher (6.50 for 6 500ml bottles in Lidl, actually very tasty) and then sober up just enough to get in. Then top up with a shot and your done for the night

3) Tesco is not always cheapest and the quality of their veg is ****. Lidl is usually much cheaper

4) Free condoms in the health center

5) Salami and Chorizo sausages are very economical. You can get loads of meals from €4 and they are very versatile and delicious

WhiskeyGoblin

Dr. Nguyen Van Falk wrote: »

i can't. but that was hardy the most unrealistic thing i said

hahaha I just read the list properly now, touché my good sir. Did provide the lulz.

Danny2580

Could also write a book on this as a Maynootian and ex-student. Good times in that college, on a shoestring!

1. Get Dentalux toothpaste in Lidl Straffan Road for 67c. Toothpastes have basically the same active ingredients and Colgate is just a branding scam. Get five packs and that's your toothpaste for most of the year.

2. Get the aldi super six vegetables, you can usually get baby spuds or sweet potatos for less than a euro. Google recipies, bung them in the oven with some meat, chuck some olive oil on, stunning roast for about a fiver. Split it with a mate and you have it for around E2.50. Lidl do good meatballs for around 2 euro. Supervalu are doing 2 Salmon Darns for E3.00. You can usually get a chicken for E5.00. You'd save a fortune eating in.

3. Get a job behind the bar in a pub. Usually if you're friendly enough you'll get a free pint or two after work.

4. The Newtown Inn is good for watching sports and chilled pints, lots of TV's. The bar can be a bit full on, but lounge is nice. And pints of Tuborg are really good and fresh as it's cheap and constantly being poured, they only cost E2.90.

5. SuperValu (Glenroyal) and Londis both do fresh dinners prepared by their butchers, which basically you just bung in the oven and heat. In Supervalu you can get the likes of a Roast Pork or Roast Chicken dinner with all the trimmings for E10.00, at a push it will feed three - E3.33 each, zero effort to cook. I think Londis dinners are fresh on Mondays and Thursdays (evening) and cost E6.99, not as good value as Supervalu.

6. SuperValu do own brand Twix and Mars bars which taste better than the real thing. In the chocolate aisle. The Snickers are not nice though. They cost E1.13 for five, massive saving, zero difference.

7. Do the Roost quiz on a Tuesday night, winners get a free round of drink for the table, very competitive though and prepare to be humiliated if you're caught with a phone on at the table!

8. Tescos do shower gel for 39cent. Get five of em, last a couple of months. Same for shampoo.

9. Go on Jumbletown.ie to get free stuff for your student house.

10. Use three.ie prepay for mobile fone, never spend more than E20 a month, no limits internet, as far as I know you can tether it to your laptop for free internet when you're at home but I don't think this is allowed, so perhaps not! ;-)

11. Bank machine at Maxol can be slow to communicate with bank, sometimes will give you E20 then another E20 when you don't have it, but doesn't do tenners.

12. Lidl is generally cheapest for booze in Maynooth I reckon, but deals change week to week.

That's all for now lol!

JMcG92

This is an excellent idea for a thread. Wish I'd found this last year. Keep the tips coming, I'm loving them :P

Thwip!

Eric Cartman wrote: »

tescos self service machines will let you spend up to 9.99 if you have even 1 cent left on your card

if you have a bank of ireland laser card (not visa debit) and have more than a euro in your account and no overdraft you can withdraw up to 60 euro at a non bank of ireland ATM

getting money you dont have out of ATM's is the only reason i survive at the end of the month sometimes

Wouldn't happen in superquinn that i can tell ya :P

i shall update regularly throughout the year with any bargains or offers i find for you guyz

I get word of them a lil earlier thanks to work so could be handy

sweeney1971

If you have plenty hot water left in an Evening, run the bath if you have one) or fill a large bucket with hot water. Then add washing tablets etc, desolve and throw all your clothes in to soak. Leave over night. Next morning wring the clothes out and put in washing machine on a cold short wash and hey presto hardly any electric used. We do it all the time with mucky farm clothes and yes it does get the cow muck stains out. Our electric bill has been cut by half.

Also use a travel kettle so your not boiling water you do not use and also when you make your brew in a morning make a flask up with the rest so your not turning the kettle on all day.

Tried and tested.

dr.quirky

aaabbbb wrote: »

Theres a homebrew store in Maynooth above Donatello's

news to me! Thank you for this information, will check it out!

marko93 wrote: »

Although I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to do this. It looks extremely interesting!

Did Einstein have the slightest clue about a theory that reconciles the laws of classical mechanics and electromagnetism when he was born? fewk no, but rest assured that home brew is many measures easier than that.

DB21 wrote: »

Also, it's weird you posted that seeing as I was tweeting earlier about getting a homebrew kit :L

tweeting about it wont get you brewing! just do it! pm me or FB if you're unsure, it really is dead easy!

Eric Cartman wrote: »

ive my first larger brewing right now 10 litres of deliciousness coming soon

I fully look forward to a tasting my good man!

Woodward wrote: »

4) Free condoms in the health center

and the Union !! afaik


Also these thoughts/comments on homebrew make me reconsider trying to set up a home brew society. Is this a ridiculous idea?

dr.quirky

dr.quirky wrote: »

Also these thoughts/comments on homebrew make me reconsider trying to set up a home brew society. Is this a ridiculous idea?

Do it!
That's a fantastic idea for a soc.

DB21

Deleted User wrote: »

Do it!
That's a fantastic idea for a soc.

Can't be done, afaik. tootyflutty will have more info, but I _think_ you can;t set up a society for the sole purpose of promoting alcohol consumption.

aaabbbb

DB21 wrote: »

Can't be done, afaik. tootyflutty will have more info, but I _think_ you can;t set up a society for the sole purpose of promoting alcohol consumption.

There's a cheese and wine soc though....