YOU HAVE YOUR SAY
EVERY week Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here are some of the best thrifty tips you sent us after our report on the best tricks to save you money: 40 MONEY-SAVING TRICKS EVERYONE
SHOULD KNOW BUY your children’s school uniforms around March or April. Chains usually sell trousers as cheap as £1.99, so buy one or two sizes bigger. The hems and waist are usually adjustable, so even if your children have a growth spurt in summer, the uniforms still fit.
B. L., Hampshire. FOR years, I’ve had my car serviced at a local garage rather than a dealership’s ‘body shop’ and saved hundreds of pounds. Try a few out before you settle on one, though. I tested local places out with a punctured tyre to compare prices and service.
L. E., Lewes, E. Sussex. I USE metallic car windscreen suncovers behind the radiators in my home to reflect heat and avoid wasting money. They’re from Poundshop, are slightly quilted and are cheaper and easier to fix to the wall than using foil.
M. Y., by email. IN OUR street, we set up a babysitting circle — they were fashionable in the Seventies — for all the families with kids. We all get a set number of tokens which tally to 20 hours, and can swap them with each other. Obviously, it’s important to know everyone and be comfortable, but we’ve saved hundreds over the past three years.
R. G., Amersham. WE REGULARLY pop to the supermarket in the evenings to grab the stuff that is being reduced in price because its ‘best before’ date is about to strike. By buying in bulk and freezing it (if you have space), you can save a fortune.
W. F., Devon. BUY on eBay, and always from a seller with a good feedback rating. I’ve bought lots of things at a fraction of the cost. But beware of any brands selling very cheap though, and watch out for fakes.
B. S., Surrey. MY WIFE and I have what we call a holiday wallet — it’s basically the Halifax Clarity credit card (which doesn’t charge on cash machine withdrawals or purchases) and the web address for a currency comparison website, so we can order our currency to be picked up at the airport.
L. N., Worcester. I BECAME overdrawn for the first time and was forced to do a budget — it’s been a life-changer. I’d never noticed before how much we as a family were spending on food and petrol, and going out. It took six months, but we cut bills by £230 a month — nearly £3,000 a year.
K.E., Melton Mowbray.