1. Shop in the
reduced section at the right time. In most shops they have massive discounts in
the evening; we have been known to get steaks for around 70p and fish always
goes really cheap! Also have a look in the reduced section of other shops for
example Boots usually has a clearance section where they put discontinued items
in. I got 6 bottles of conditioner for 50p each!
2. Make the
most of your freezer. When you buy the reduced food most of it can be frozen so
you don’t need to eat it on the day you buy. It is also a good idea to make
more than you need and freezer it into portions. They are quick, healthy ready
meals and work out cheaper! It’s much better to cook your own meals from
scratch, my best friend’s favourite recipe is toad in the hole with 39p reduced
sausages, egg, flour and milk. Cook and freeze the rest for later! Also check
your receipts! This is a habit my grandparents have got me into. Often the only
reason I will buy a particular brand is because it is on offer so if the money hasn’t
come off on the receipt it seems pointless! Any changes are quick and easy to
do at customer services and it can add up to quite a lot especially if you are
buying reduced.
3. Enter
competitions and freebie websites. Someone has to win these competitions so why
shouldn’t it be you? Recently I have won a top from Miss Selfridge and some
Billion Dollar Brows tweezers. I also get freebies all the time through the
post, today was some free cat food! They may not be much but little bits can be
added to presents and the miniature sample sizes are great for handbags and
travelling. Also try entering competitions you wouldn’t normally enter for
example recently I entered a writing competition for a short story, something I
never considered before! If you can spare the time they can be fun and
rewarding.
4. Use vouchers!
I am a massive fan of the Boots card and save up my points religiously (I had
over £80 at ones stage!) They do great vouchers through the post and in the
machines that you find in store. Other great vouchers can be found for most
restaurants if you type it in on Google before you go out have a look to see
what is out there. Groupon also has some hidden gems; my last purchase was a
haircut, blow dry and conditioning treatment for £16 instead of £50. They have
lots of different things there for your area.
5. Use charity
shops! This is my favourite tip as not only do you get bargains you are also
supporting a charity. They often have new clothes or some that have hardly been
worn at great prices. If you volunteer in a shop then you can see the great
stuff before it goes onto the shop floor and some even do a staff discount (although
prices are so cheap it’s not necessary) To get the best finds from charity shops
try going to areas that are ‘well off’ as they often donate designer items. I
once got a gorgeous Barbour jacket worth around £100 for £3! If you buy from
charity shops then it is always nice to donate your own items after.
6. Haggle!
Whether it is on the high street or at a car boot sale, if you think the item
is too much then ask about discount. Car boot sales are the best places for
this as stallholders don’t want to take things home so make the most of that. Be
nice and have a look for any flaws. In charity shops and high street shops keep
a look out for holes or marks as they will often knock off a few pounds. When
in the high street I always ask if they do student discount, even If they don’t
sometimes they will knock off 10% just for asking!
7. Make the
most of discount cards! Sometimes you do have to spend some money to save some
and many discount cards can save you a massive amount. My favourite is the
young person’s railcard which costs £65 for 3 years (but is currently on offer
for £56!) I made back the cost of travelling back and forth from Uni in a few
months. It took my on the day ticket cost of around £17 to just £3 if I book in
advance. Other cards I use include the NUS discount which is great for places
like the cinema and most shops which often don’t accept my regular student card
as it has no date. I also have a Superdrug employee card which gets me a
massive 30% off own brand products. Great for when I need to stock up!
8. Don’t buy
everything NEW. Websites like Amazon and eBay offer things like books and DVD’s
very cheaply if you aren’t fussed about them being new. If it’s just for
personal use I would recommend not heading out to the shops and having a look
online! With many things after I’ve done I put them back online to sell them
and make most of the money back!
9. Get
creative! Presents can be expensive especially around Christmas but often the
best gifts are those that are handmade. I may be 20 but my grandparents still
prefer a handmade gift than a generic one! We have made things like chutney,
flower arrangements, cushions and lots of other things. Pinterest is great for
craft ideas (don’t be afraid by how perfect they are!) Just by having a look
around your house you can find things that make great gifts for example
decorated jars with tea lights in are lovely and pretty much free, think before
you throw away!
10. Share the
cost. In a house of students it sometimes saves money to all chip in to buy the
biggest version of things like pasta and potatoes. We have considered buying big
sacks of potatoes for around £5 which is probably how much we all spend anyway
but you get much more. The only problem is storage as we have a tiny kitchen! Other
things you can share the cost of is monthly items like Spotify which you can
use on more than one device. Me and my brother do this and with my NUS discount
it is only £4.99 between us. I also share the cost of toilet rolls with a
flatmate as it’s cheaper to buy lots!
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