People reveal the VERY cheeky things they do to save money – from asking cafes for boiling water to avoid using the kettle to using free newspapers as a doormat and washing face masks while taking a bath
- Mumsnet users, from across the UK, have been sharing how they save money
- Woman began the discussion revealing that her husband reuses postage stamps
- Many responses admitted they cut cost by buying discounted seasonal items
- Others confessed to saving on electricity by not charging their phone at home
Most people love a bit of a bargain, but some people are prepared to go further than others in the pursuit of cutting costs, and have confesseed to their stingiest habits in a very eye-opening thread about ‘cheeky’ money-saving methods.
Mumsnet users, from across the UK, took to the forum to share their tricks after a women revealed that her husband routinely reuses unfranked postage stamps.
While many people shared their thrifty hacks such as turning old Christmas cards into gift tags and buying cut-price seasonal items, others raised eyebrows with rather more outrageous methods, such as asking cafes for hot water in a flask to avoid boiling their own kettle.
Others admitted using other people’s electricity and WiFi for their gadgets, while one woman sparked outrage by confessing that she washes her face mask while she’s having a bath in a bid to save water.
And a wife admitted that she retires to bed earlier than her husband just so she can turn off the heating, while another pulls the wool over her son’s eyes by drying the towel he’s put in the wash basket and returning it to his wardrobe.
Mumsnet users from across the UK have shared the ‘cheeky things’ they do to save money without making major changes to their everyday life (file image)
The discussion began after a woman revealed her husband routinely reuses postage stamps that arrive unmarked
The woman who began the chat asked members of the forum to share the small things they do to save money that could be considered ‘cheeky’, sharing that her husband routinely reuses stamps.
‘His excitement when an envelope arrives and the stamp isn’t marked is a wonder to behold,’ she explained.
‘Franking is the enemy. What cheeky things do you do to save the pennies?’
People were quick to share their tricks, with one woman causing a stir by admitting that she takes an empty Thermos mug with instant coffee in the bottom with her on family days out.
From washing face masks in the bath to cadging boiling water at a cafe rather than using the kettle, users were quick to share their rather unorthodox money-saving hacks
‘I just ask a nearby cafe to fill it with hot water, which they normally do obligingly. I also take a tea bag and do the same later on in the day.’
Users were left baffled as to why she didn’t just make a coffee at home to take with her, until someone explained: ‘She is saving money by not boiling her own kettle.’
People were equally up in arms over one woman’s hack for saving on soap and water, when she admitted: ‘I wash the face masks in the bath with me once a week,’
She added: ‘My door mat is free newspapers. Change ’em every week or two.’
A motorist who has a slow puncture and needs to pump up their tyre every six weeks admitted to waiting for the previous person to finish at the garage, and then using the end of their time rathern than paying £1 for another slot.
One mother pulls the wool over her son’s eyes by drying his used towel and putting it back in his wardrobe, while others are keen to look out for dropped coins in shops and arcades
One commenter claimed they’ve managed to save money by avoiding using their own electricity to charge gadgets, writing: ‘I charge my phone/iPad at work, that must save a whopping quid or two a year. I also download films/ TV series on the free public WiFi at work to save data.’
Similarly, a commenter shared the tale of a friend’s partner who always charges his devices at someone else’s home, as well as using their wifi code.
Sharing someo of his other methods, she wrote: He stuffs himself with food at parties, brings cheap stuff, then drinks the expensive stuff. He takes leftovers home and freezes them.
‘He goes into the charity donations store and takes anything he can use or sell. He gets up early at weekends and checks around cash machines to see if drunken revellers have dropped money or left it in the machines.’
It was a popular hack with a few people who addmited to looking out for change left behind in supermarket trolleys or collecting prize tickets from the floor at seaside arcades.
Others had tricks to share inspired by previous generations, with one revealing a tights hack she’d learned from her mother.
‘When you have a ladder in one leg of your tights, you cut it off, throw away and keep the one-legged remainder.
‘When you have two “pairs” of one-legged tights, you wear them together, ie, the two good legs.’
Several people admitted to stockpiling sachets of salt, pepper and condiments as well as serviettes from fast food restaurants.
Others admitted to taking serviettes and condiments from takeaways, as well as finding ways to share books and films with friends and relatives
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