thirty ways to save a pound

first of all, apologies for the epic blog post! this month has been one of those months where i seem to have no money, yet *everything* needs to be paid for #lesighhhhhhhhhh
coincidently, i was contacted by moneysupermarket to take part in another blogger challenge, (you can read my last entry here) this time, they've asked me to share 30 ways to save £1, to celebrate 30 years of the one pound coin! so i thought give it a go ... hopefully you'll find some of them useful!



for the fun things :

1. propagate your own succulents! if you follow me on instagram, you'll know i'm a little obsessed with these little guys! you can grow your own from cuttings and leaves, rachel (aka the succulent queen) has some great advice on how to do it here and here. and i've also found this site useful too. it's so much fun and when they're grown, they make great *free* gifts
2. use cashback websites when shopping online ... it's free money! they often have discount codes on there too ... all good things that help you feel a little less guilty!
3. exercise for free! i don't particularly like gyms, and i definitely don't like giving them money every month for membership! go outside for a run forgawdsake! there are loads of workout videos on youtube too ... join me in the 30 day shred (i started it again today, it's THAT good. trust me.)
4. make presents for birthdays and christmases. my mum used to tell me to do this when i was little and i always thought it was a pain in the bum, (sorry mum) but now i really love doing it!
5. DIY. before you buy something, find out if you can do it yourself and make something from items you already have. i have a pinterest board dedicated to things like this. my latest obsession : curio shelves.
6. find out more about where you live - you might find free things to do that you previously didn't know existed. my favourite free local activity since we moved to the isle of wight is to visit the red squirrel hide - they come right up to you and take food out of your hand. so sweet! guaranteed fun day out.
7. take advantage of having friends and make the most of group deals, (entrance fees are often discounted for groups) you can split the cost of traveling, and have fun with your friends. winwinwin
8. shop 'in real life' not online. internet money (paypal) is like monopoly money to me, it's easy to spend as you can't physically see it. instead go shopping with cash ... it makes it that little bit harder to part with the pennies.
9. bored with your wardrobe? swap with your friends! hooray!
10. OR ... customise your clothes! check out youtube for tons of tutorials

for work stuff :

1. don't waste paper. this is a pet peeve of mine. it really bugs me when people draw something tiny right in the middle of a massive sheet of paper. hmmphhh.
2. use a mechanical pencil. i am in love with mine, not only because it is pink and covered in cats, but it stops me having to use a sharpener every 15 seconds and therefore means i have to buy less pencils!
3. buy in bulk, this goes for products you sell and also supplies you use, but only if you can afford it and know it will be used
4. shop around for everything! : suppliers/printers/packaging/mailing supplies/stationery. every.thing.
5. negotiate prices with suppliers, you don't know if you don't ask!
6. be careful when posting items not to add unnecessary weight to save on postage costs. try to fit items in the smallest possible envelope/box (without compromising the item inside, obviously) ... you can pass these savings on to your customers too!
7. make sure you are registered as self employed with hmrc, avoid being caught out by the tax man by keeping your accounts up to date and pay your tax on time!
8. use free online tutorials to further your skills. i learnt how to make my own website using this tutorial and it cost me zero pounds.
9. recycle packaging. i store up bubble wrap, good quality boxes and cardboard so that i have plenty to hand when i need to package wholesale orders and prints etc
10. save money on advertising by arranging a button swap with other bloggers. choose people whose work you admire, and whose audience you think your work will appeal to.

for home and other random thingsss :

1. use a tea pot! we drink a lot of green and herbal tea here, and since we started using a tea pot we've halved the amount of tea bags we use. and fyi, tea cosies really do work! ... i hate cold tea. blerghhh.
2. use the water that's left after boiling eggs/veg to water your plants, it has lots of nutrients in it! i also water my plants with cups of tea that have gone cold (see point 1. blergghhh)
3. recycle greetings cards. cut them up to make gift tags (i sometimes frame the really nice ones : free art!)
4. invest in a slow cooker. i have so much love for ours! you literally throw everything in it in the morning and as if my magic you have a delicious dinner waiting for you at the end of the day. you can buy cheaper cuts of meat too as the hours of cooking make it lovely and tender ... a word of warning : if you're in the house all day whilst it's cooking, it is torture. the smell. omg. droooool.
5. use old holey or odd socks as cleaning rags for dusting/cleaning the bathroom and what not
6. if you use a dehumidifier use the water that's collected to water your plants (i like to water my plants lol)
7. ladies, invest in a mooncup. honestly. they're the best in every way!
8. get rid of your tv and only watch your favourite programmes online via on-demand and iplayer etc. bye bye tv license.
9. keep a list of what you're spending. it'll make you more aware of when you last bought something and you'll think twice before buying another non essential item
10. look after your stuff! common sense really, but if you look after something it will last longer and will save you having to spend money replacing it.

phewww! well done for making it to the end! i'm all for saving money so if you've got any tips of your own please do feel free to share!
also, you're most welcome to enter the moneysupermarket challenge too, so if you'd like to get involved and possibly win some free money you can check out the full details here!