Any tips, hints, ......

[smart1]

recipes etc to help ride out the difficult financial problems most of us are enduring?

I must be the only person who didn't know this (or maybe not) but my energy supplier told me not to leave my phone charger plugged in all the time.

[queencharlotte]

True, but that extravagence will probably only cost you 10p a year

[starone]

I was brought up in the 30's depression in a very happy household with little or no money - and then through the war when food was very scarce. If you think this is bad you should have lived then.There are a great many things you can do to economise and as I see it, the main thing is to stop throwing food away. My recycling food bin has no food in it, only thin cardboard, which you are also allowed to put in. I recycle all peelings into compost for a start. Any food left over gets fried up the next day into bubble and squeak. If there is any bread left I use it for breadcrumbs or bread pudding of one sort or another. Nothing is wasted. One way of economising is to stop buying a newspaper. There are plenty of other ways to find news. TV radio, gossip even. As for leaving your phone charger plugged in, you can also turn your tv off completely when you are not using it, and your computer. Every little helps. If you pay your water charges yearly explore the possibility of a meter especially if you are living alone - I halved my yearly bill by doing this. I have always had to be frugal as we never had money to waste so it is force of habit with me. Perhaps we should have a section on AB where people post money saving hints they find.

[emmie]

be thankful for what you've got, in family and good health, hopefully you have both, as to saving money, don't go to supermarkets without a list, or don't go to supermarkets at all, try locally sourced foods, markets, that supports them and you get to thumb your nose at the multinationals, if only in a small wall. Buy a breadmaker, as some have already pointed out, including me, that most bread in supermarkets is rubbish. The obvious ones, don't leave tv, radio or anything on standby. if you can only shop at supermarket, buy there own if they brands, often considerably cheaper than branded ones. Water meter, and try and put a little money aside for that rainy day, even if its few quid a week, its helps when that extra bill comes in.

[TTG]

Don't fill up at the major petrol retailers. The local supermarket is always cheaper. Sainsburys 'Basics' range (their equivalent of the Tesco 'Value' range) is good and best quality of the budget food buys.

[Maydup]

Shop around for everything, (especially if you can do so online) but most importantly make sure you review all of your insurances. DOn't do without the essential ones, but make sure they are competitively priced. I saved hundreds of pounds by buying buildings and contents as a package through one of the comparson websites.

And the following month a £50 cheque arrived as an introductory cash back reward! I shall be someone elses introductory new customer next year!

[boxtops]

There's another thread like this going round at the moment - I'll see if I can find it.

[boxtops]

This one http://www.theanswerb...6.html#answer-6011186

[smart1]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I am pretty much doing all that anyway. I do live alone, and would definitely save with a water meter. My water rates are £350 pa. Had the water board round to see about a meter, and they said I couldn't have one. I live in a maisonette, and apparently have a shared water supply.