Favourite economy tips

[prison break fan]

I have just spent the weekend cooking up bits and pieces, leftovers, veg from the plot making soup etc, cutting up tee shirts bought at local jumble sale for rag rugs, picking hawthorn berries to make wine and so on! Just wondered what your favourite money saving activity is. and is it worth it!! pbf.

[cideristhefuture]

skips for wood. Have a friend who works for the council, let's me know of any wood dumped so it does not go to the tip. We get free heat and i pass on wine and jam as a thanks.

[Thomzo]

I've just got a device that monitors my electricity consumption. It's amazing how much it costs leaving things like the microwave, cooker, broadband, virgin boxes etc on all the time. Now I go round and switch them all off each night and when I go out.

[clare]

Where to start....I do all the turning off like Zoe.Now the woodburner is lit a bit I keep a kettle of water on top for hot drinks and warm my soup through in a saucepan on it.I have been jam making before the cheap rate electricity ends in the mornings.Make sure the oven is full when it is on for dinner,with a loaf or cake or flapjack.Plan the weeks dinners so I only buy what I need, also go late to the shop to get really reduced food and plan the meals round my bargains!

[boboff]

Getting 4 or five folds out of every peice of Toilet Roll......

[diggernotdreamer]

Always cut the ends off the toothpaste tube, you get another good few days worth out of the tube, do the same with any face or body creams as well, save the end of the soap and stick it to the new one once you have wet it. Turn yer knickers back to front and then inside out, could get four wears out of one pair (I'm joking)

[Milims]

Be friendly and make it known that you are happy to accept things offered. The chef where I work regulary gives me venison carcasses to make stock with, and there's usually enough meat left on to make a couple of stews. I've been given huge leeks, onions and marrows after the veg shows, bunches of bay leaves from a neighbours tree etc. People seem to be very happy to give when they know it will be appreciated and made good use of.
Buy in bulk as much as possible and soak your own beans instead of buying them in tins!

[the.fee.fairy]

when you make stews etc. save the liquid for stocks for soup/risottos later on.

I've got a couple of bags of stock waiting for the next use in the freezer.

[prison break fan]

I like the idea of the electricity monitor, must look into getting one. I'm never sure about the economic viability of my three freezers, unless of course they are filled with smoked salmon! Is it worth saving bread crusts for crumbs etc? Is that all I have to worry about!! pbf.