30 Ways To Save £1

I'm always on the hunt for a good bargain or anyway to try and save money, so when I noticed MoneySupermarket's competition for making a post on 30 Ways To Save a £1, I thought I'd give it a go!

1. Use eBay to look for bargains. I have saved so much money doing this! I grabbed a few items of maternity wear for a fraction of the price that it sells for in the shops and also some great items from Warehouse that cost me literally 99p rather than about £30 and they were in brand new condition.

2. When shopping for anything, always shop about online/on the high street to see if another shop has the item on offer. Most of the time one of one of the shops will have the item I'm looking for on offer when the other doesn't.

3. Get Reward Cards for shops that you regularly shop at to build up points, you can then use these to knock money off your purchase or buy a selection of things with what points you've acquired.

4. Sort out your wardrobe/drawers - you will come across things you forgot you had that you might have had your eye on in the shops.

5. Again, sorting out through your items will show you what you don't want/use anymore. That doesn't mean the item has to go to waste however, you can sell it on eBay - my boyfriend sold some golf clubs he had no use for on eBay and made over £100.

6. Think before you take advantage of any offers in store. 3 for 2 or BOGOF might sound like a good deal, but only if you really NEED all those items or else they'll just go to waste.

7. Read reviews online before you make a purchase, that way you'll know if the product is any good and you won't have wasted your money on something that could be better.

8. Fancying wearing something a bit different for a night out or just not feeling the item anymore? Ask your friend/sister if they're interested and perhaps they'll have some bits that they can swap or give to you!

9. Really rifle through sales rails, I grabbed a dress last year that I loved the look of but it didn't have a price tag on, when I got to the till it was £2!

10. When out shopping for food, don't feel the need to always purchase branded items, quite often the stores own brand will be cheaper and just as good as the other items.

11. Subscribe to various email newsletters for your favourite shops and restaurants, more often than not they will send you vouchers or give you a heads up on when the next sale is on.

12. This is one from my parents, use cash rather than card when you're out shopping. It makes you watch what you're buying a lot more closely than when you can just let your card take care of any extra pennies you might spend.

13. Double check every year who you have your phone/gas/electricity/insurance with. Using a comparison site meant I knocked £10 off my monthly amount for home insurance when the time for renewal came around rather than sticking with the same supplier.

14. Seen something on a site that's out of your budget? Check cheaper stores to see if they have a similar item but for far cheaper. This can work for clothes/makeup/household items.

15. Make your own food - for example pasta sauce. The ingredients are really cheap but it means that you can cook up a big pot and then freeze the rest for future meals. Not to mention it's healthier too!

16. Look for discount codes online, this could mean free delivery or money off your purchase.

17. Turn off lights in your house in rooms that you're not in. This is a pet peeve of mine but my boyfriend will happily wander from room to room leaving lights on all over the house. Not helpful. Keeping them off will definitely save on your electricity bill.

18. Use blankets or cardigans to keep you warm when the house is feeling a bit chilly, it will save you on the central heating.

19. Take some craft inspiration and make your own item rather than paying for someone else to do it for you. I made a jewellery holder to hang on my wall a couple of weeks ago and not only did it cost a fraction of the price, it was also really satisfying to do.

20. Learn how to do your own beauty regime rather than paying for someone else to do it. Being able to pluck your own eyebrows/give yourself a mani/pedi will save you a fortune.

21. Keep hold of the vouchers that are given to you at the till, quite often even your receipt will have chances to save money on your next visit to the shop.

22. Wait for items you like to go on sale - if it's just something you like the look of and it's not an essential, being patient will pay off. 

23. Take your own packed lunch to work, even if the sandwich man has tempting treats, they'll be a lot more pricey than your own sandwich. 

24. Save any loose change that you have rather than throwing it or leaving it in the bottom of various pockets and bags. Popping it in a jar/money box can really add up and you'll be surprised how quickly they fill up.

25. Enter competitions online, I've yet to actually win any but hey, if you do, there can be some really great prizes that would save you loads! Shopping sprees and Kindles, it's worth a try.

26. Use your washing line (easier in the summer) or a laundry maiden to dry your clothes rather than the tumble dryer.

27. Don't fill up your car with a full tank of petrol. The extra fuel will weigh your car down meaning it will still burn the fuel and making it less efficient.

28. Don't go shopping when you're hungry! This can lead to many unnecessary snacks being added to the trolley just because you fancy them and they'll be gone before you get home.

29. Have a night in rather than a night out, buying all the necessary ingredients for a fun night in is definitely a lot cheaper than going out. If you really fancy a night out, you could always have drinks before hand to save money when you're out!

30. Magazines can often have great free samples that are a fraction of the retail price, meaning you could either stock up on a few or just get to try something a bit more pricey before you buy it whilst getting to spend some time relaxing with your favourite magazine!

So, there are my 30 tips. Do you do any of these to save money? Do you have any extra tips, I'd love to know!