101 Tips to Save Money in Your Home

MONEYMAGPIE

ITS EASY TO SAVE ONCE YOU

KNOW HOW

JASMINE BIRTLES101 TIPS

TO SAVE MONEY

IN YOUR HOME

moneymagpie.com eBooks moneymagpies 101 tips to save money in your home

2

For more money saving tips and money making ideas dont forget to sign-up to our newsletter here.

You can also find us here...

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

SUBSCRIBE TO JASMINES YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Contents;

In your kitchen 3

Save money on DIY 6

Save on bills 8

Making your home more efficient 10

In the bathroom 12

Fashion and beauty in the home 13

Cleaning and washing 15

Save on home entertainment 17

Save by being green 18

Save money in the garden 19

Rent your home 20

Insurance and mortgage fees 21

Take control 22


3

The saying goes The kitchen is the heart of the home so lets start by tak-ing a look at the wonderful ways you can save money in the kitchen.

1. Stop washing your dishes. Think youre saving water and energy by washing your dishes by hand? Think again. Modern dishwashers use less energy and water, as long as you remember to only wash full loads of dishes, turn down the hot water temperature, and skip the drying cycle. Leave the door ajar instead and let your dishes air dry to save money.

2. Grab yourself a bunch of Klipits. These wonderful, plastic clips can save your food for weeks. Fasten them on to opened packets of bis-cuits, crisps, cereal and anything you want to keep crisp or moist once opened.

3. Plan your weekly menu. Even if youre not a budding chef, planning meals is a great idea. Knowing exactly what you need helps focus your shopping list. It also means that you only have to shop once a week. This avoids any temptation if you have to pop to the shops to get a missing ingredient. Youll have everything to hand and meal times will become a breeze.

4. Stick to a budget. Making a budget for your weekly shopping is a great way to save money. Write down everything you need and then look prices up online to make sure youre making the most of your money before hitting the shops. Take a look at the Moneymagpie.com budget calculator here to get you started.

5. Do it yourself. Wake up to the smell of baking bread! If you love arti-san breads but dont want to pay the high prices, get a bread maker. The cheapest ones are about 60, this one from Lakeland is a bargain at just 59.99. Even taking account of the cost of ingredients, after a few months it should have paid for itself.

6. Use up those leftovers. In the UK, 6.7 million tonnes of household food waste is thrown out every year. If youve cooked too much, save the extra in the fridge and use it up the next day. Recipes like stews, bubble and squeak, stir fries, curries and omelettes are great ways to use up leftover vegetables and cooked meat. Check out the Moneymagpie Food Blog for regular tips on using leftovers and ageing fruit and veg

7. Keep the lid on. When youre cooking keep all lids, covers and oven doors closed. More than 20% of oven heat can be lost each time you open the door. Similarly, water boils up to 6% faster with a lid on the pan, so making this tiny change will cut your energy bill on a daily basis.

8. Beware of boiling water. You can also save energy by only boiling enough water for what you need. 67% of us boil too much water in the kettle for a cup of tea, so save energy and money by only heating as much water as you need.

1 In your kitchen


4

9. Save energy. You can also save energy when cooking by using pres-sure cookers like these ones from Lakeland. These reduce cooking time so you use less energy. Same goes for microwave ovens. If you dont fancy cooking your meals in the microwave, try part cooking and then finishing meals off on the stove or in the oven. You can also save energy by never pre-heating the oven unless absolutely necessary. If you need your dish to go into a hot oven (rather than one that is heating up), never pre-heat for more than 10 minutes.

10. Have a use it up week. This is where you dont buy anything new, but make yourself use up the odds and ends of things you have already bought. Whether its a half-finished bottle of shampoo or open cereal packets, using everything up will save you money. Start by clearing out your cupboards so you dont waste anything. Looking for even more money saving tips? Have a look at these 12 ways to feed your family for less.

11. Batch cooking. Cooking up a big batch of Bolognese sauce is great mainly because its much cheaper to buy the ingredients in bulk. A big pack of meat is much cheaper per kilo, and all the other ingredients will be too. So it will work out cheaper overall despite the bigger initial spend. Its also great as you can make several meals at one time and then pop extra portions in the freezer. This saves time in the future when all youve got to do is defrost a few portions. This works with loads of dishes, including curry, so try it out.

12. Get rid of ready meals. Even if you think you cant cook, there are no excuses for ready meals if youre trying to save money. Theyve got extra additives and preservatives that you cant control. Plus they are far more expensive than it would be to make the same dish yourself. Cooking is not hard its even worth taking a few evening classes in it if youre clueless. Check out your local adult education college for cooking for beginners courses. Cut back and save money by making it a monthly treat. It should make the kids appreciate it more, plus there are loads of fun takeaway-like foods you can make at home for a fraction of the price. Here are a few cheap curry ideas to get you started.

13. Ditch pre-packaged. Items that are pre-packaged tend to be more expensive. This is because you have to pay not just for the packaging but for the person who put it in the packet. Buying loose is cheaper and produces a lot less waste. You can also choose exactly how many items you want, rather than paying for items you dont need. See our article on saving money on your food shopping without losing quality for more tips.

14. Keep to the seasons. Try buying seasonally root vegetables like carrots and swede are winter vegetables and are grown in the UK. You can also get squashes, cabbage and broccoli in winter. Blueberries and blackcurrants are also autumn/winter fruits, so steer clear of those strawberries in January. Youll save money and youre helping British producers.

15. Grow your own fruit and veg. Growing your own fruit and veg is a tasty way to reduce your food spend. The seeds cost as little as 1. You dont need a garden to grow stuff either get things growing on your windowsills, balcony or just in the kitchen. You can even make money by selling on any extra plants. Read our article on growing your own


5

veg, or find out how to propagate seedlings here.

16. Drain power. Dont throw away a ketchup bottle with the dregs left in the bottom. Save money by draining it into the new bottle. This works for most condiments and it can be a bit of fun for the kids to get the bottles balancing. You can also re-use the sunflower oil used for deep frying. Just drain it into a jar using a funnel and a piece of kitchen towel for a filter. This will clear out everything that isnt oil. You can do this at least once, maybe even twice.

17. A few more tips. Other handy saving tips are to snap dishwasher tab-lets in half, water down beauty products, mix value products with more expensive stuff, turn stale bread into breadcrumbs and use scissors for cutting open old toothpaste tubes so you get everything out.

18. Keep your freezer stocked. Freezers work far more efficiently when they are frost free and full up. If you dont have enough to fill up your freezer, fill the gaps with ice cube trays or bread rolls (handy if you run out of bread). The little ice cubes are great for drinks all year round.

19. Make your own baby food. When making those homemade meals for your family dont forget to blend some of those fresh soft fruits for your own baby food purees. Once your baby has moved onto cooked meals you can just puree some of the unsalted version youve already made for the rest of the family, saving you both time and money. Youll also be avoiding a lot of the preservatives that can be found in some brands of baby food.

20. Eat one or two vegetarian meals every week. Chicken and ground beef are expensive to buy. Try cooking spaghetti with spicy vegetables, or make vegetarian lasagna, and save a few bucks along the way. You dont have to become a vegetarian but if you opt to replace a meat dish with a veggie one twice a week you will be saving money and probably eating healthier. You can still get your daily amount of protein from eating eggs, lentils, cheese, beans, and nuts.

21. Give up alcohol. Alcohol is expensive and addictive (twice as many people in the UK are addicted to alcohol than drugs). It should be seen as an occasional luxury only. Going without it can save you thousands throughout the year. Even giving up for a month will make a big differ-ence to your health and wealth. See how you can save 1000s a year by giving up alcohol here.


6

22. Love leftovers. Save money on sprucing up your house by checking out the oops paints at DIY stores such as B&Q. These are paints left over from when the mixer doesnt quite get the colour right. Some shades are not so nice, but you may find exactly what youre after for half the price. You may also get lucky and find a really nice shade that is on sale because someone has forgotten to pick it up.

23. Dodge the cowboys. Dont get ripped off by dodgy tradesmen make sure theyre kosher by using www.ratedpeople.com. This is a free ser-vice that will find hundreds of recommended tradesmen that are local to you. If youre in London, you can get handymen with very good rates at www.handysquad.com

24. Take a course. Save money by taking a local adult education course in DIY instead of hiring a handyman. You can often find them for around 100. This is a bit of an initial investment but should pay itself off fairly quickly. Once youre good at it you can also use your skills to make more money by helping others out. Take it up a notch and have a go at plumbing courses to save, and make, even more. Find your local course on learndirect.

25. Dig out the discounts. Before you buy full-price furniture, check the same retailers discount outlets. Often you can get exactly the same item for a lot less. If its ex-display it may need the paintwork touching up, or a repair made in the upholstery. But often, it just needs a bit of a clean.

26. Note down dimensions. When looking for items of furniture, keep a note of the dimensions you need in your wallet. That way, when you do come across a piece in a discount shop, charity shop, car boot sale and so on, youll know whether it will fit the space and you wont miss out on a bargain.

27. Try revamping. Give old chests of drawers, wardrobes and covers a new look instead of replacing them. All you need is a lick of paint and a new inexpensive handle. They will really change the look of your furni-ture without changing the look of your bank account for the worse. Take a look at how you can make over your home for 100 here.

28. Print pictures at home. Instead of using petrol to drive to a print shop, print your photos at home using your own ink cartridges. The car-tridges and special paper are expensive, but you can get a lot of use out of them. Adding photos around the home can instantly spruce up your white walls and plain bookshelves.

29. Never throw away old fabrics or towels. Fabric and towels are some of the easiest things to recycle. Old curtains can be made into seat and cushion covers, table cloths, new clothes and even just tea towels and cleaning rags. All you need for new upholstery is a good staple gun and for the rest, a sewing machine or some time for hand sewing. If your towels are going a bit grey, bring them back to life by dyeing them a new colour. Thinner towels are great for drying hair or taking to the

2 Save money on DIY


7

swimming pool when you dont have much room in your bag. You can also use them for stuffing draft excluders or making toys for your ani-mals to play with. The possibilities are endless and all free.


8

30. Go electrical. Direct debits and electronic statements can save you money. Paper bills now incur extra charges from some services. Mobile phones are a prime example, with companies charging up to 3 more for a paper itemised bill. These bills are often available online free of charge. So if you really need one on paper, you can just print it off.

31. The same goes for direct debits. Sky will charge you 4 extra a month if you dont want to direct debit. This is because the process of sending you a letter to request payment and then waiting for it costs them money. Payments can always be queried, even after theyve been paid. So embrace the direct debit and save some cash.

32. Look around for the best deals. Sticking with the provider youre with can be the easiest option, but it could also be costing you hun-dreds. Dont be lazy by sticking with your bank, broadband provider or insurance firm just because its easy. Use our comparison pages to search around for the best deals and save yourself money. You can save significantly with just a little bit of legwork.

33. Dont forget electricity and gas. Also shop around for electricity and gas to find the best deals. When you think about it, were getting better and better at shopping around for all kinds of things from hol-idays to shoes to tins of beans so its about time we got into shopping around for our gas and electricity. You can switch energy suppliers in around ten minutes through our comparison page here.

34. Make sure youre getting the best deal. There are loads of mobile networks out there and theyre all fighting over your business. That means youve got the upper hand. The average mobile bill spend is 35-40. If you are paying more than this you shouldnt be. Get on the phone to your provider and see if you can get a cheaper deal. If they wont play ball, find a new contract using our free mobile comparison service. You dont have to spend as much as 35. If youve already got a decent phone, the SIM-only tariffs are such good value for money. Theyll get you loads of minutes and texts for as little as 15 a month.

35. Say no to 0870. We hate it when companies use an 0870 number theyre expensive and really bump up your phone bill. You can avoid paying more by searching for an alternative number on www.sayno-to0870.com. We always bookmark that site on whatever computer we Magpies are using!

36. Recycle your gadgets for cash. Its quick, FREE and could make you over 200. From mobile phones to cameras, games consoles and more, by recycling your gadgets you can make a mint and help the environment. If its a mobile phone youd like to recycle use the Money-magpie phone recycling tool. Just click on the make of your phone and well show you which recycling company will give you the most for it. Do it now!

37. Get free phone calls. Skype is probably the most well known free call

3 Save on bills


9

service. If youve got broadband you can phone on the internet for free with Skype. Youll need earphones and a microphone although some computers have microphones and speakers already built in. If yours doesnt then Amazon.co.uk has a good selection of headphone and mi-crophone sets with several choices for under a tenner.

38. Get free video calls. To make video calls for free on Skype youll need a webcam again many computers have these already built in but if yours doesnt you can buy them from Argos for around 10. You can also chat for free using online instant messengers like Windows Live Messenger or AOL. Find out more by reading our article here about phone calls for free.


10

39. Block those drafts. 20% of the heat lost is through drafts and poor ventilation. So, even small insulating measures like draft excluders, or thicker curtains can really make a difference. Have a look at our article on how to make your house more energy efficient for easy ideas. You could even get up to 2,700 in government grants to help you do it. If you dont know how efficient your home is, British Gas has a free energy savers report. Just answer some simple questions on their website and theyll tell you how you can save (just make sure you unsubscribe if they then send you emails they could spam you!).

40. Get an insulation grant: If youre on income support or another kind of financial benefit you may be eligible for help with insulating your home via the Affordable Warmth scheme. Even if you dont receive any benefits many people are entitled to massive discounts for insula-tion services so do have a look. Affordable Warmth is only available in England but there are similar schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. See our list of great government grants you could get right now here.

41. Dont forget about the loft: By insulating your loft you could save up to 200 off your annual heating bill. You can purchase the insulating foam at B&Q and install it yourself, but remember to use protective gog-gles and gloves. Note that this could be time consuming, and youll need some know-how to do it properly. You may want to check out where you can find loads of resources for government grants that will cover the costs of you going greener.

42. Turn your heating down. Its hard to do it when its chilly, but turning the thermostat down a few degrees can save loads. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a reduction of just one degree can reduce bills by as much as 10%. Its clearly worth it. So grab a big wooly jumper and socks and turn down that thermostat even if its only by one degree. After a while, you wont know the difference.

43. Less dust. More heat! Make sure you bust the dust on your radia-tor surfaces. Dust and grime seriously impede the flow of heat in your house. So make sure there is no dirt on your radiators. Also, we love the Radiator Booster from Nigels Eco store. Its a cheap, lightweight gadget that will warm a room faster, save lost energy, and reduce heating bills. Its only 24.95 take a look here

44. Wrap the back of your radiator. Put aluminum foil, shiny side out, behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room rather than out through the walls .You can pick up some specially-designed radiator foil from Wickes for just over a tenner.

45. Dont forget the boiler: By turning down both your hot water boiler to 60 degrees centigrade or 140 degrees Fahrenheit, you could save an extra 10 annually.

46. Replace your old boiler: If your boiler is over 15 years old it is no

4 Making your home more efficient


11

longer efficient and draining loads of energy, and therefore, cash. It can be expensive to purchase a new boiler, but the savings made with lower heating bills will see the cost recovered within three to five years. There are also government grants that will offer you money, or will cover the cost of purchase and installation. After installing your high efficiency condensing boiler with heating controls you can expect to save between 190- 240 annually on your heating bills. Also extra tip get it done in the summer if possible as plumbers have less work then and will offer good deals.

47. Use your timer: Even if youre not planning on replacing your boiler, always use a timer theres no point heating your house if youre not in it! Turn your heater off 30 minutes before leaving home and program-ming it so that it switches back on 30 minutes before you return. Unless its really cold, turn it off overnight too and go for hot water bottles instead.

48. Buy your boiler a new jacket: By adding an insulation jacket to your hot water cylinder you will be preventing heat loss and therefore saving yourself 15-20 annually. Theyre easy to fit yourself and should cost you about 10-15 from most good DIY stores. Make sure to purchase a jacket that is at least 75mm thick. Visit Home Heating Guide for step-by-step instructions.

49. Switch everything off. We spend 1 billion every year on powering our electrical appliances whilst they are on standby. Its so easy just to turn them off at the mains and save money. If you dont trust yourself to remember, there are cheap products on the market that will do it for you. We think the IntelliPanel is great. When you have your computer plugged into the master slot and then switch it off, the panel will switch off the speakers, printer, scanner or anything other connected items you have running. The television set up works the same way. Plug your television into the panel, then when you turn it off your video, games console, DVD player or anything else will be automatically switched off.

50. Unplug too: The same principle applies with unplugging pieces of equipment once they have fully charged. Dont leave your mobile phone charger, shavers or electric toothbrushes plugged in as they will still be draining electricity unnecessarily. Overcharging electrical equipment also causes the battery to work overtime and it wont last as long.

51. Change energy supplier. Competition among energy providers has intensified as more companies have entered the market. In 2003, changing provider saved you around 100 per year; now youll save up to 538. Green energy is available to private consumers. A long-term saving is installing a green energy source in your home. Homeowners can apply for a government grant of up to 2,700 to cover some of the costs of installing solar panels, wind turbines or bio-fuels. See Green Energy Grants for more information. Keep an eye out for new deals that could reduce your costs on our energy comparison pages.


12

52. Stick to 5 minutes in the shower. The average bath uses about twice as much hot water as a five-minute shower. That means it takes twice as much energy to heat the water. We know five minutes isnt much, but if youre having a bath every day, then swapping for a few five-minute showers will really reduce your energy bills. If you have trouble keeping track of time, the Shower Coach timer times exactly 5 minutes, showing you when its time to turn the shower off take a look here.

53. Turn down the temperature. You can also save more by turning down the water temperature just a few notches. You dont have to have tepid water, just not boiling hot.

54. Own brands are the key to big household savings. You might be attached to your favourite names, but own brands are cheaper. They are also often really good quality. If you arent sure, just try them out. Boots own-brand shower gel starts from just 1.29. However, the cheapest branded product is 2.00. The same goes for medication a 16 pack of Nurofen tablets costs 1.99 at Boots. However, the generic Ibuprofen (which is pharmaceutically the exact same thing, just unbranded) is only 1.64 for 16 tablets.

55. Bulk buying. The Moneymagpies are strong advocates of buying in bulk to save money. Buy toilet paper, detergent and other household items in bulk from a wholesale supermarket, or from your regular su-permarket when there is a special offer. Try specialist stores for cheaper prices. Wilkinson have super-cheap toiletries and household items take a look here.

56. Buy on the internet: If youre looking for the latest designer beauty brands take a look at this article for our pick of the top 10 money saving beauty websites.

5 In the bathroom


13

57. Homemade treatments. If your skin needs a bit of a pick me up then head to your fridge before splashing out on expensive beauty products. Egg whites, honey, banana, strawberries and avocado should all leave your face smooth and glowing. Crystal sea salt can also be used as a brilliant exfoliator. If you fancy making some money you can sell your homemade treatments.

58. Dye your hair back to your natural colour. If you spend a consid-erable amount of money dyeing your hair or getting highlights every few weeks, try using a home hair dye kit and go back to your natural color to save significant bucks.

59. Free beauty products. Whats better than saving money on make-up? Free make-up! Get free goodies to test out for Toluna. They have loads of products they need to have tested so if you sign up for the test-ing side you can get new things every month. In the past theyve given away Garnier Hand Cream, Nivea lipbalm and Dove beauty cream bar. So you can see the kind of things you could get to try for nothing. Click here to join up now and get all these great freebies.

60. Cut back on clothes. If you know youre a bit of a shopaholic this is a really good tip to keep the habit under control. Make a list of all the clothing items you and your family need. Put it in your wallet and keep it there. Then when you are out and do a bit of impromptu shopping, you know exactly what you should be looking for. This way you can say no to items you dont need and stop spending money on stuff youve already got.

61. Buy neutral clothing. Wearing black, white, and gray clothes means that you can mix and match easier without having too many different outfits. (Hint: Make them stand out with fun, bright accessories, which are more affordable than a bunch of new clothes.)

62. Throw a swap party. Have your friends and neighbours round for a swap party, which is where you all bring stuff you no longer want and swap with each other. This can be a great way to get some new clothes or used baby items for free and its a great way to get rid of all those old items you no longer wanted. If not, sites like Freecyle and Snaffle Up can help you swap stuff online.

63. Make old jeans into draft excluders by cutting the legs off, stuff-ing them and then sewing up the ends. If youre more adventurous try making your own snake draft excluder see how here.

64. Tights are great for making cress heads, storing onions and bulbs, packing together to make abrasive cleaner for your sink or wrapping around ordinary coat hangers to make them padded ones.

65. Make the most of your winter woollies. Were not talking out-side. Wearing your winter woolies indoors can save you big bucks. The human body gives off heat at about 390 BTUs (British Thermal Units)

6 Fashion and beauty in the home


14

per hour for a man and around 330 BTUs for a woman. Wearing close-ly-woven fabrics can help you retain an extra half degree in warmth and a light long-sleeved sweater is another two degrees. Go for a big woolly jumper or hoody and you can gain up to 3.7 degrees more. Plus the air between the layers serves as insulation to keep more body heat in. What this all means is, you can turn the thermostat down and save money. So dont walk around your house in a T-shirt and shorts in the winter if you need to turn up the heat to do it. Layer up just a bit so you can turn the heat down.

66. Sell your old junk. You could have hundreds of pounds worth of un-used stuff lying around in your house. All youve got to do is gather up all the old junk/clothes/items that you dont need and sell it off at a car boot sale. Have a look at our article to get some tips on how to make the most profit from a car boot sale.

67. Designer deals. Designer clothes, shoes and handbags are more often than not worth the money especially if youre trying to save money. But if you cant live without your designer fashion you must search around for the best deals to make your money go further. Here at Mon-eymagpie we like Brand Alley, where you can get between 30% and 70% off loads of designer labels and receive 10 when you refer a friend who goes on to buy something.


15

68. Forking out for miracle cleaners that dont work is a pain. But theres no need. Have a go with an old-style cleaner instead. White vinegar will unblock sinks, remove limescale and clean your workshops. All you need to do is mix it with a bit of water and a few drops of essen-tial oil to mask the smell.

69. Cheap cleaning products. There are many cheap and green cleaning products you can make yourself or find around the house. Bicarbonate of soda works on descaling teacups and teapots and is a great micro-wave cleaner. Just make a paste with a small amount of water for clean-ing or mix with water and leave to soak for de-scaling.

70. Another use for Bicarbonate of Soda. Bicarbonate of soda is useful as a deodoriser. To clean surfaces, sprinkle on a damp cloth. Washing soda is good to add to your wash in small quantities for an extra cleaning boost (using it in hard water areas will cut down on the amount of laundry detergent you need) and cleans grease from blocked drains. These products are much cheaper than cleaning products see below for a few more tips.

71. Goodbye to grease spots. To remove grease spots use talcum pow-der. Just sprinkle the talcum powder onto the spot and rub it in. Brush down if necessary. It only takes seconds! Use olive oil sparingly as a furniture polish and fingerprint remover for stainless steel.

72. Burnt food remedy. Use orange juice to get rid of pesky burnt food which has stuck to your cooking pots. Cover the crusted pots with orange juice, allow them to soak for an hour and then youll be able to remove the crust easily with a spoon. You can also do this with salt pour salt on, leave it to dry the burnt area then attach with a scourer.

73. Love lemons. Stock up on lemons and use them as an alternative to expensive cleaning products. Mixed with a little salt or baking soda lemon juice is an effective surface cleaner and polish. Lemon juice can also be used to remove stains, and can add a tangy twist to loads of reci-pes. For more handy hints and tips click here.

74. Floors need a revamp? Replacing your carpets can cost a small for-tune. However, giving them a good clean can restore them to almost as good as new. At HSS you can hire a professional carpet cleaner for just over 40 per day or around 50 for a weekend. Put some legwork into it and your newly-restored carpet will be looking great for the fraction of the price of a new one.

75. Tumble dryers are one of the most power hungry appliances in the home. They take twice as much power to dry your clothes as they do to wash them. According to the Energy Saving Trust, only 35% of us have a tumble dryer. Those who dont are already ahead in the energy saving race. Those who do can save easily by ditching the tumble dryer alto-gether. Or if you are really attached, try spin drying your clothes before putting them in the tumble dryer. This way they wont take as long to

7 Cleaning and washing


16

dry in the tumble dryer. You can also dry your clothes outside or on radiators and then just finish them off in the tumble dryer.

76. Look after your lint screen. If you cant give up the dryer make sure you keep your clothes dryers lint screen clean, and its outside exhaust free of obstructions. Clean the lint screen after each load of laundry and check the exhaust regularly. A lint screen in need of cleaning and a clogged exhaust can lengthen drying time and increase the amount of energy used.

77. Dry it yourself. An alternative to the tumble dryer is the brilliant Dry-Soon heated towel airer from Lakeland. It costs less than 5p an hour to run and will dry up to 15 kg of washing in around three hours. We love this one!

78. Use 75% less washing powder. Among other genius inven-tions, Lakeland have come up with Dolly Washer balls. You pop them in your washing machine with your wash. They then use their scrubbing power to clean your clothes up reducing the need for so much deter-gent. This saves you money and there is less detergent residue on your clothes afterwards. Great!

79. Only run full washing machines and dishwashers. We know youre not supposed to overfill them, but running them half-empty defeats the purpose. Both dishwashers and washing machines use the same amount of water and heat, no matter how full they are. Get your moneys worth by filling them up as much as you can before they are overfull and wont work properly. This will save you money in the long run and its better for the planet.


17

80. Have you got Sky? If so, its worth bearing in mind that the basic Sky package is very similar to the service youd get with a freeview box. You can get one of these for as little as 10. Plus, theres no monthly fee.

81. Use your computer as your TV. Instead of buying extra TVs, use screens youve already got. The major television channels now let you watch their programmes online, so if you have a computer in a room you dont really need an extra TV in there. You can also buy a television aerial that plugs into the USB port on your computer have a look on Amazon for some examples. These cost less than 20, much cheaper than buying a whole new television.

82. Use your local library. Give up buying expensive DVDs, CDs or books. Your local library will let you rent them for a small fee or for nothing. It is free to register at all local libraries and prices for DVD rental are usually more than 50% cheaper than from your local rent-al shop. Plus if you want to keep it for a bit longer, you can often just renew the item online, rather than paying hefty late fees. You can also take out cookery books or hardback memoirs for free that would cost in excess of 10 to buy. Libraries also offer free internet facilities. You can find your nearest facility on your local councils website.

83. Try e-books. You dont have to have an e-reader to benefit from e-books; you can download the programs onto your computer for free and read them right there. They are significantly cheaper than paper books if you are buying, and you can still get them for free from the library at most locations. Moneymagpie have a great range of money saving and money saving ebook take a look here.

84. Make your own fun. There are loads of ways to entertain the kids in the home for very little or even for free. Recycle old paper by letting them draw and make collages on the other side. Make anything you can out of leftover packaging. Add a little glue and paint to some cut-up ce-real boxes and they can create some great 3D pictures. Make your own ice lollies and sweet treats. Its fun and a lot cheaper than buying them in the supermarket.

85. Free music. Go to Musicovery to listen to music for free online. You get to choose what you listen to by mood (such as energetic, calm), or by year or genre and the site forms a playlist for you. Last.fm is anoth-er site that allows you to listen to music for free by creating your own personalised streaming playlist.

86. Spotify is another great website a streaming service which allows you to listen to millions of music tracks online completely free (and completely legally!) all you have to put up with is the occasional 30-second advert every five minutes or so a pretty small price to pay for free tunes.

7 Save on home entertainment


18

87. Use energy-saving light bulbs. Theyre a lot more glamorous than they used to be and generally give a really decent level of light. Switch-ing over to energy-saving light bulbs means saving money on expensive electricity bills as you can see in our article here. The bulbs themselves are roughly the same price as conventional ones, but they last much longer and are cheaper to run.

88. Get energy efficient appliances. If youre buying new appliances, getting the energy efficient one will save you loads. By replacing a 10 year-old fridge-freezer with a modern, energy efficient A-rated appli-ance you can save 45 a year. The government has put several grants in place to help people replace their appliances; with just a bit of research you can scoop up free money to buy new appliances that will help re-duce your budget.

89. Use rechargeable batteries. These batteries cost a little more than normal batteries initially but theyre much cheaper in the long run because they can be charged hundreds of times. Go for a larger capac-ity battery (check the milliamp hours) which wont need recharging as often.

8 Save by being green


19

90. Gardening doesnt come cheap! Especially if youre just start-ing out or if you want to get a bit more advanced with the tools and types of plants you would like to use. One of the best ways to try and cut your costs (and ultimately save money) is by seeing if you can get any free gardening equipment. Community freebie sites such as Free-gle and SnaffleUp along with the free sections on Gumtree or Freecycle are well worth taking a look. For whatever reason, people will always need to shift some of their stuff and these guys are giving unwanted goods away for free you never know what you might find that could be useful in the garden and home. So before you head down to buy a new hedge trimmer or other gardening must-haves, take a quick look at some of those sites to see what you could get as long as youre willing to collect.

91. Make use of your local recycling centre. Its also worth having a root around your local recycling centre one persons junk is anothers treasure. You might be surprised to discover what people throw away in order to make some space. Good-quality and rarely-used gardening tools often end up on the junk pile. For more money saving tips take a look at these 13 ways to save money in your garden.

92. Get free gardening seeds. Many people buy seeds but end up storing them away never to be used, so you may be surprised that plenty of people would be willing to donate them to a good home.

93. Free cuttings. Ask family and friends for cuttings or any spare seeds they might have to help your garden grow. You could arrange a swap so that you have a range of different plants and seeds to add to your collection. Lots of gardeners will also be happy to furnish you with free cuttings from plants they already grow. You might want to check out gardening swap sites like Garden Swap Shop. Most are free to use, and allow you to swap seeds and plants with other community members.

9 Save money in the garden


20

Rent your home to save money (and make money)

94. Get a roommate. It doesnt matter how old you are, getting a room-mate is a great way to save significant money on your expenses. If youre looking for a lodger, have a look at Easyroommate its free to post an ad. If youre worried about sharing your space, be sure to rent to someone who is mature and will respect your belongings. Find out how to rent a room for tax free cash here.

95. Rent (almost) everything. Everything you own is worth something and most peoples biggest asset is their house. Were not suggesting you give up all of your personal space, but what about the parts that you dont really use? Everywhere from your spare room and your garden, to your cellar and your attic can be rented out, you can even rent space in your freezer! See our article for on how to make and save money from renting here.

96. Rent out your driveway or garage. If you dont use your driveway or garage turn it into a money-spinner by renting it out. If you live in a big city or near an airport you could make as much as 17,000 a year to go into a savings account or cash ISA. See our article renting out your driveway or garage for more information.

10 Rent your home


21

Save money on your insurance and mortgage fees

97. Get the best mortgage rate. Some mortgage providers are loosening up and cutting their rates. Some are even willing to waive the arrange-ment fees, which makes re-mortgaging even easier. Weve got a guide to how to re-mortgage your house that will tell you exactly what you need to do. You can make sure you get the cheapest deal by using our free comparison service from independent brokers London and Country. If you dont find a better deal, save by paying off your mortgage in dou-ble-quick time.

98. Can you get a better deal? You should always be checking to see if you can get a better deal on your insurance. With road tax on the rise, reducing your car insurance costs are a must. Lots of companies are also offering 12 months home insurance for the price of nine, or 25% off when you buy online.

11 Insurance and mortgage fees


22

Finally... Save money by taking control of your finances

99. Get organized. Always check your receipts, bank statements and bills. You never know who has got hold of your details. So you need to keep tabs on what is going out and coming in. This way if anything is amiss, youll be on it like a flash, saving time and money. And of course, always read the small print!

100. Take control of your spending by sticking to a budget. Make a list of everything you spend in a week and weed out all the little extras you dont need. Use our free budget calculator to help you. Total up the costs of things you really have to buy each month, take that away from the amount you have coming in each month and this will show you how much you have to play with. If you dont have enough money left over each month, then more things need to go. Do you really need to buy lunch at work? Can you live without that DVD? Make your budget realistic and then stick to it. This should leave you with a little extra every month. You can use this to pay off loans, or make more money by putting it into a savings account. See our full article on making a budget here.

101. Get free financial help. For some free financial guidance you dont even have to sign up for anything. However, there are some very handy free guides here to everything from sorting out your retirement to in-vesting in clever stock market products. As we mentioned above, com-pare all the best financial products on our comparison pages and make sure you switch to the best credit cards, insurance policies, utility bills and bank accounts you dont even have to leave your home! Theres also lots of advice in both our savings articles and debt articles.

Also dont forget to sign up to our free newsletter. We send an email once a week to thousands of people full of money-making and money-saving tips plus a whole host of bargains and freebies. Youll also receive a FREE eBook on how to make 80 in an hour.

Sign up now!

12 Take control

_GoBackIn your kitchenSave money on DIYSave on billsMaking your home more efficient

In the bathroomFashion and beauty in the homeCleaning and washingSave on home entertainmentSave by being greenSave money in the garden

Rent your homeInsurance and mortgage fees

Take control

Documents

101 Tips to Save Money in Your Home