We all know the usual money saving tips that are banded around. Set a budget, cancel unnecessary subscriptions, use cashback websites etc.
However, there are some unconventional money-saving tips that you may not have considered.
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We’ve hunted down 50 of the silliest, most bizarre, obscure, downright stupid, extreme, tongue in cheek and creative ways to save money.
Can you think of any to add?
The “mostly” unconventional money saving tips
1. Two-ply toilet tissue lasts twice as long if you separate the sheets in half.
2. Don’t use bin bags, reuse your old shopping bags for rubbish.
3. Buy calendars in the sale and use them in the future, beating inflation. Keep a 2024 calendar for 2052 and 2080, for instance.
4. Read reviews of bad restaurants on Trip Advisor and eat at them. If the service is bad complain and say you want a discount.
5. Charge your phone at work saving your electricity at home.
6. Only take a shower at the gym. Although you could always cancel the gym membership to save even more money…!
7. Make your own after-dinner party mints.
8. Get condiments from fast food restaurants to use at home.
9. Squash the toilet roll so it can’t roll quickly. No more Andrex puppy moments.
10. Freeze your credit card in a block of ice.
11. Don’t buy binoculars, just stand closer to the thing you want to see.
12. Return all presents.
13. Brush your teeth while showering to cut down on water use.
14. Use your doctor’s or dentist’s office as a library to borrow magazines.
15. Only wash clothes when they are very dirty, not every time you wear them.
16. After using paper towels, hang them out to dry and reuse them again.
17. Serve road kill for dinner.
18. Save money on your phone bill by calling and hanging up, in the hope they will call you back.
19. Rub pine needles under your armpits instead of deodorant.
20. Turn every plug and light off in the house and tell the children you’re having a game of hide and seek in the dark.
21. Have an iPhone? Head to the iStore to charge your phone instead of doing it at home.
22. Use your dog or cat bed as a draft excluder for your doors.
23. Spend your Saturday afternoon browsing in electrical stores so you can watch football for free.
24. When you go out, to save on your electric bills turn your doorbell off as you won’t hear it anyway.
25. Park facing forward as reversing uses more fuel.
26. Tell everyone you’re abroad during Christmas then buy any presents in the New Year sale.
27. If it’s yellow, let it mellow.
28. Cut back on buying dog food by teaching your dog to beg for food from others.
29. Cut your own hair, or just shave it off.
30. Make your own clothes out of your old clothes – jeans become shorts, socks become fingerless gloves.
31. Head to a customer service desk at a shopping centre or library and tell them you’ve lost a black umbrella. They must have loads.
32. Send all birthday, Christmas, celebration and occasion cards via Facebook saving on the cost of a card and stamp.
33. Buy kid’s toys that don’t need batteries, so you’ll never need to replace them.
34. Forget to take your money when you go out with friends.
35. Leave the car at home and just walk.
36. Reduce your weekly food bill by reducing your portion size and eating less.
37. Sleepover at an airport instead of checking into a hotel – yes, people really do this.
38. Buy the next size up in children’s clothes and it’ll last twice as long.
39. Spend £20 on printer ink to print out a 20p coupon.
40. Use duct tape to fix, well, everything.
41. Turn your oven off and bake cookies in your car.
42. Keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the tap for cold water.
43. Reuse tea bags.
44. Use paper plates so you don’t need to buy washing-up liquid or heat water.
45. Buy clothes, keep the labels in, then return them.
46. Make your own cleaning products.
47. Make use of cafés and pubs with free WiFi and just order water.
48. Get an early morning newspaper round, earn money and read the papers for free.
49. Go to the IMDb website and read up on the film to find out what happens – you never need to go to the cinema or buy a DVD again.
50. You don’t need to buy an expensive console. Take your children to a video game store and let them play the sample consoles for entertainment.
Disclaimer
I cannot endorse any of the above and have not tried all the money saving tips mentioned.
However, some I have.
I will leave you to guess which.
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Abby boid says
Love number four. I am already a firm follower of 13. A great mix of tips – from the sublime to the ridiculous. Pleased to have found this as its all about the money this week in our house.
Skint Dad says
Number 4 is a great one albeit a little cheeky. Thanks for the comment :D
Wean says
I already do lots of these, still lots to try though – I’m tempted by number 31 !!
Skint Dad says
There sure are a few there! Number 31 is a winner.with me. I would feel a little guilty but to combat this I would hand the brolly back into lost property when I’ve finished with it.
maria@moneyprinciple says
Gosh, I’m so releived to hear you havn’t tried some of these. People do go to extremes and forget that some rules of life over-ride the cheap streak in some of us. Such rules are the ones around cleanliness, safety and some joy of life.
Skint Dad says
I don’t think I would have the guts to try some of them! I’m sure there are a number of people who would though! :-)
manchesterflickchick says
This made me laugh!…And then think, hmm some of these I already do actually and there’s a few I will do :0)
Button Brown says
This made me laugh so hard!! We have a friend who lives by #34 as a regular social habit, whether he’s skint or not! Have heard the toilet roll two before. Nice one – I’m not sure how many I’ll be trying, but at the very least this has cheered me up on what has otherwise been a disastrous Saturday afternoon xx
Victoria @thefrugaltrial says
There is a difference between being frugal and a cheapskate. My boyfriend hates me reusing tea bags (frugal) but I’d never give a guest a re-used tea bag (cheapskate). I wouldn’t have the nerve to do some of these tips though & people ‘forgetting’ wallets drives me mad!
Mel says
That homemade mint one is pretty gross. I love how I find some insane, but I actually do a few as well… Smooshing the toilet paper roll so kids and dogs can’t easily unroll it all is actually brilliant.
@FQFtweets says
Haha, #37 is great.
This post definitely hit a wide range of emotions with me. Good read.
Under The Money Tree says
Worryingly I do quite a few of these, though I’m far to proud to admit which ones! Must be my Scottish frugalness coming through!
Munchkin14 says
Next time you visit hairdressers (if you do) ask what they do with their magazines as mine bin them. I asked if I could have any of them and they said yes and after reach month now they leave a box of them for customers to help themselves from.
Ricky Willis says
Good idea with the vegetable peel. I’ve heard used coffee grounds and tea leaves are also a great fertiliser.
snugasabugxxx says
or re-use plastic packaging
thara ravishanker says
This is one you have not mentioned- a cheap carbon monoxide alarm. You can even buy a portable one from a reputable company like Fire Angel (check reviews first) for a low price. After reading so many horror stories of other people earlier this year I have now bought a cheap carbon monoxide alarm from a trusted company online. Test all of your alarms once a year and also pay a small amount in order to have a qualified person come and check your appliances annually. Reputable companies include Fire Angel, Kidde, First Alert and others.
Thara says
My first piece of advice is to look at alternative options. Instead of doing my food shop in Sainsbury’s I visit a weekly farmer market to buy fresh fruit or veg. Or I head to a local farm shop in a garden centre in order to purchase other stuff. I know that there are open air allotments with new produce. My next door neighbour lets me have her free fruit or veg sometimes. Try growing your own loose fruit and veg at home to save money. And I have done so in the past.