Quirky Things People Do to Save Money
What’s your failsafe tip or trick when it comes to saving money? Do you cut up your credit cards to stop yourself from using them? Or perhaps you restrain yourself when it comes to treats, enjoying just one or two per month. Or maybe you swap clothes rather than buy them.
We all have our ways and means of saving money, but some go a step further in the pursuit of putting aside some pounds. From the interesting, to the quirky – and let’s be frank here, the downright daft – here’s what you could do to put some cash to one side…
Make Your Own Household Cleaning Products
Make your own cleaning products, you say? Yes, really. Good Housekeeping has some handy hacks here, from a DIY, scented all-purpose cleaner, to a homemade brass cleaner and even a last-resort clothing stain remover. Make your own products and, while you won’t be saving much per month, your pot will slowly add up over the year.
Shower at the Gym
If you’re a morning person and heading to the gym anyway, shower there and save on your water bill. Simple, but effective. You could also make use of the hairdryers while you’re at it. Hey, some gyms even provide the shower gel and shampoo!
Go Into Hiding at Christmas
What’s the easiest way to save hundreds – if not thousands of pounds? Go into hiding at Christmas, jokes this site. Tell friends and family you’re going away over the festive period, adding that you’ll exchange gifts when you return.
Hilarity aside, you could actually cut down your pre-Christmas expenditure by instigating a family ‘Secret Santa’, whereby everyone buys just one gift after pulling a name out of a hat. You won’t fall out with anyone this way, either.
It’s an age-old tradition for many and it can help you save a fortune. You could also make your Christmas gatherings a Jacob’s Join-type affair too; everyone brings one sweet or savoury dish to a house party, making it easier – and cheaper – for the host.
Set a Money Saving Challenge
Want to save a large sum of money in a year – or in less time than that? To put some funds to one side, many people swear by setting themselves a money saving challenge. This might involve spending money on only the essentials for a month and putting what you’ve saved in a savings account.
Or it could simply mean opting to swap or ‘thrift’ clothes, rather than buy new ones – or collect every coupon you can find in newspapers or magazines. If you want to know how to spend less, a money saving challenge could be an easy – and fun – way to see exactly where your monthly wage is going.
Shop for Summer in Winter – and Vice Versa
Some may call this quirky; we call it sensible. If you think about when you’ll get the best deals on seasonal wear, it’s generally when said season comes to a close. So, buy your summer stuff at the beginning of autumn, and your winter coat at the end of the year. Then, simply put them to one side ready to dust off when the time rolls around.
Reuse Teabags
Not a huge fan of the ‘builder’s brew’? We hear you. If you like your tea on the weak side anyway, you may as well reuse your teabags. Only once, though. Any more than that and you’ll be completely tea-total. See what we did there?!
Alternatively you can buy reusable teabags and loose leaf tea, which works out at roughly 1p per brew, rather than 4p if you’re buying this brand. All types of economical!
Oat Baths
If you’re already using (or considering) reusable tea bags, you can also use them to make oat baths. Oats can be bought in large quantities for not all that much, and have been proven to help protect your skin, soothe inflammation and even keep skin conditions such as eczema under control. All the better – they cost a fraction of many of the soaps, ointments and serums around with the same benefits.
When you’re done with your loose-leaf tea, and your oats – throw them on a compost heap to save money on keeping your garden in order!
Hide Your Money – From Yourself!
In this Daily Mail article, one savvy saver has worked out how to spend less: by hiding money from themselves. Like finding a £20 note in an old coat pocket, this has got to be the best – and quirkiest –tip yet.
So, if you want to give yourself a mini, regular pay day, leave a little stash of money in a few places around the house. With so much going on in our day-to-day lives, you may promptly forget where you’ve hidden it – until the time comes to be pleasantly surprised (and hopefully on a day you need it most!).
Meanwhile, in the Daily Mail piece, another saver shared a top tip: reusing Ziplock bags by giving them a rinse following each use. Daft or downright genius? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Do you have a quirky tip or two to save money? Let us know by joining the conversation over on Facebook.
Until next time…
