# How To Live On Less



## someanne (16 Apr 2007)

*RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE* 
Save on bin charges 
Recycle at bottle/plastic/paper banks 
County councils take old electrical goods off you hands 
Re-use plastic take-away trays for bulk cooking or leftover foods to go in the freezer 
*www.freecycle.org* 

*HYGIENE SAVINGS* 
water down handwash (make from Ecover washing up liquid & tea tree oil) 
use only a squirt of washing up liquid 
machine wash with only half the recommended dosages - newer machines are much more efficient 
use washing liquid instead of powder as you can wash at a lower temperature for the same results 
water down fabric softener to stop that over conditioned-static effect 
Washing soda and vinger are just as good as those industrial cleaners 
buy toiletries from Lidl/Aldi  or Avon (some great deals 5 for 7.50 etc) 
buy baby wipes from Lidl/Aldi 
wash baby wipes and use again with baby lotion or home-made lotion ( make by using a mug of camomile tea, spoon of vegetable oil, few drops tea tree and lavender lasts about four days, either soak the baby wipes in it or put in a soap dispenser and squirt to use, prevents nappy rash too I swear by it!!) 
Save on make-up remover, face wipes or night creams - rub in baby lotion/cold cream and use a hot wet face cloth to wipe clean - your skin will feel soft and moisurised 
Washable Nappies 
Washable Breastpads 

*HEATING COSTS* 
Turn down thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees 
Put on a fleece or jumper 
Put clothes on rads to dry 

*ELECTRICAL SAVINGS* 
*[broken link removed]* 
turn off all the lights 
unplug all appliances 
turn off the TV and DVD etc at the socket, not just with the remote 
iron everything at once 
turn down thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees 
put on a jumper/fleece 
bulk cook on the top AND in the oven  e.g. cook bread while your making a roast  
bulk freeze 
wash at 30 degrees 
only boil as much water as you need 
Put your clothes on a clothes horse at night before tumble drying them - they'll be nearly dry by morning 
For really high ESB users consider Nightsaver Electricity 
Fill your dishwasher properly (wash pots by hand as they take up so much space) 
Wash only full loads of clothes 
Install energy saving bulbs in places like hall, kids bedrooms etc 



*SHOPPING SAVINGS* 
Use you Clubcards everywhere!! 
Plan the weekly meals before you shop 
Check your presses before you shop 
Always check your receipts – Supermarkets are notorious for overcharging against the list price and they HAVE to refund you the FULL amount of the product 
Buy meat at butchers 
Print out, cut out and USE coupons 
Pigsback coupons can be used at self-pay tills at TESCO (whether you bought the item or not!!) 
bulk buy 100% extra free products THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN BUYING ANYWAY  
do a monthly stock shop for pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes etc at Lidl or Aldi 
buy toilet roll (4-ply) 10 for €5 at Lidl 
buy washing liquid for clothes at Lidl/Aldi 
bulk buy near out-of-date food and cook and freeze it or simply freeze it for a later date 
in Dublin you should go to Courtney Food Services for your meat (in Kimmage, Poddle Park area) 
 - ENGLISH MARKET in Cork, Festa is in Bray in the Egan centre at the very end of the Dargle Road 
buy fruit and veg in Smithfield if possible or in a veg shop 
Pick your own fruit/veg 
stop buying the paper everyday – you live on the internet anyway 
go to the hospital pharmancies for your 'scripts and other meds - you'll save a lot more on medication as they usually sell at a lower mark-up than the highstreet pharmancies 
Breastfeeding – have to put it in or I’ll be hung (only joking) 

*MONEY   www.finfacts.ie* 
Consider putting your SSIA payments to your mortgage now and reduce the term and interest 
Pay off credit cards with savings, interest on card is more than you get on savings!! 
Transfer all credit card debt to a new card with 0% balance transfer and cut up the old ones 
Get a term loan from the bank to cover credit card debt and cut up your cards until you have the loan paid off 
Variable rate loans do not incur penalties for early repayment 
Don’t constantly reapply for credit cards as your rating goes down everytime you get refused  
Talk to another bank about your mortgage, then get back to your bank and tell them you have a better offer 
Talk to your bank about bank charges – remember they hate to see you leave 
Talk to your bank about Credit Card – ask about cancelling your account (mention high interest) and see how it pans out 
Ring around for insurance deals - car/home/personal etc 
Transfer unused portion of tax credits to other half if possible 
Do an expenses spreadsheet and look to see where you are spending your money 
Give up something you won't miss too much - great if you're on a diet - and use that money for yourself as a treat 
Bring lunch to work and you will save a fortune 
Sell unwanted items on Ebay and make some cash. 
Bring books to Chapters in Middle Abbey Street for a part refund/credit note 
Get rid of TV packages that you don’t really use – shouldn’t take long for everyone to stop complaining  
Sign up for Drug Payment Scheme and you’ll only ever pay  €80 per month 
Bring snacks for children with you when you go out as it will save a fortune on buying stuff for them 
Check all of the petrol stations to and from work/shopping etc for the best price   www.pumps.ie 
Make sure car tyres are at the correct pressure to save on wear and tear 
When getting new tyres out the back ones on the front, as the front wear down quicker 
HEALTH Insurance is not necessary for children under 12 as the state covers them – ( NB consultancy fees which will be covered by VHI Plan A) 
GOOGLE for discount codes online  

*GIFTS/CLOTHING* 
Buy in the sales 
Buy bits and bobs year round when on sale for gifts, birthday presents etc 
Have a look in the fashion shops to see what you like and then see if Penneys has something similar... 
Make your own cards 
[broken link removed] for great bargains in books 

*PHONE/MOBILE* *[broken link removed]* 
Vodafone – 300 online free texts per month  & 10% FREE credit when you Top Up by €20 or more! 
O2 -     250 free online texts 
Switch from eircom (to anyone else, it doesn’t matter  ) 
Install MSN, if you haven’t already and buy a microphone and talk to everyone for free 

*ENTERTAINMENT* 
www.pigsback.com have offers 2 for 1, money off restaurants, cheap breaks 
www.laterooms.com can secure you a quick weekend away  
[broken link removed] or   for cheap DVD rental 
on www.play.com its cheaper to pay in sterling


----------



## Bob_tg (16 Apr 2007)

someanne said:


> *RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE*
> bulk cook on the top AND in the oven e.g. cook bread while your making a roast


 
My missus who does all the baking would not be happy sharing her baking with the roast!  She maintains that the optimum way to bake is to put the cake/bread etc. in the middle of the oven, and take out all other trays/shelves.  That way, the temperature is even and the best results are achieved.  Judging by my favourite cake which she bakes for me (when I'm in the good-books), I can't argue with her!  

Some of the others are good tips, though... thanks!!


----------



## nelly (16 Apr 2007)

I find these above are great ideas and these below were just mine
join the library
avail of free amenities - parks, museums, coastal walks etc for saturday 
avoid going to shopping centres - they drive you crazy when you have no money. 
take an interest in your garden and take cuttings rather than buying plants. 
wash & hoover the car yourself! make a decision not to buy anything but petrol at garages - i used to buy stuff i really didn't need and stopped.
walk more - make a decision when you go to the shop to walk. 
cancel the gym membership, invest in free weights, an iPod, go walking / jogging, running
Join an evening class or sports club and go trianing a few nights a week. 
discontinue Sky for a while till you realise you need it or don't need it. 
Bring a lunch to work with fruit when you feel like a coffee whip out the apple/orange the craving for a €1.50cuppa will be gone! . go back to basics on food - I revisited porrige and it is cheap and actually not as bad as I remember! 
give up ciggies! 
tribune online - sunday paper s free. 

thats all i can think of so far!


----------



## ClubMan (16 Apr 2007)

someanne said:


> Always check your receipts – Dunnes are notorious for overcharging against the list price and they HAVE to refund you the FULL amount of the product


Any independent proof of this or is it simple a random piece of defamation?


> in Dublin you should go to Courtney Food Services for your meat (in Kimmage, Poddle Park area)


Er - why this specific place and what if you don't live near _Kimmage_?


> buy fruit and veg in Smithfield


There hasn't been a fruit and veg market in _Smithfield _for years now unless you mean _Fresh _which is not cheap. I suspect that you actually mean the _Dublin City Council _fruit and veg markets further in towards the city centre.


> Get a term loan from the bank to cover credit card debt and cut up your cards until you have the loan paid off


Or get a mortgage top-up scheduled over a shorter period than the main mortgage loan term.


> Bring books to Chapters in Middle Abbey Street for a part refund/credit note


Are they still open there now that the new store is open on _Parnell Street_?


> HEALTH Insurance is not necessary for children under 12 as the state covers them


The public health service covers *everybody *but not everybody would be happy or able to put up with waiting lists etc.


----------



## rgfuller (16 Apr 2007)

Interestingly I caught mythbusters on the discovery channel over the weekend and they had tested a number of differing light sources on weather you should turn off the lights when you leave a room - even if you are returning soon after:

See about half way down this page to see how they got on :
http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/12/episode_69_22000_foot_fall_lig.html

Basically for any type of light it's more efficient to turn off the light when you go out of a room and turn it back on when you return.

However as it's just a show their findings can't be taken as total fact: Here it states that you shouldn't turn off unless out of the room over 15 mins:
http://lightingdesignlab.com/articles/switching/switching_fluorescent.htm for flourescent lights that is.

As an asside the LED lightbulb looked very interesting - low power usage and the longest life.
This I think was the type - but with the cover removed : http://www.amazon.com/150-LED-Light..._15/104-1816202-5061549?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden
Perhaps not quite ready to replace all household bulbs with LED's yet...


----------



## someanne (18 Apr 2007)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> Any independent proof of this or is it simple a random piece of defamation? - *it happens to me regularly
> *
> Er - why this specific place and what if you don't live near _Kimmage_? - *its an example*
> 
> ...




i see

well thanks for the heads up and the pm to notify me of my one or two mistakes before you tore the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language out of my post

it was posted in the interest of helping others

S.


----------



## susie1 (18 Apr 2007)

thanks for the tips, very helpful


----------



## ClubMan (18 Apr 2007)

someanne said:


> well thanks for the heads up and the pm to notify me of my one or two mistakes before you tore the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language out of my post


What are you on about? I'm merely commenting on some of the points that you posted. I don't make a habit of engaging with _AAM _contributors "offline" via _PM _or email. This is a discussion forum so if you post something then you can expect to receive comments and feedback in the thread in question. 


> *these are only suggestions, does the PHS cover everyone for free, or only until they are 12?*


From [broken link removed]:


> *Entitlement to free care
> 
> * Everyone is entitled to public in-patient and out-patient services but some people may have to pay some [broken link removed].


----------



## MrKeane (18 Apr 2007)

Some excellent suggestions there, would the pigsback vouchers not be theft though?


----------



## susie1 (18 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> Some excellent suggestions there, would the pigsback vouchers not be theft though?


 
only if you don't buy the goods.
you should also not eat the grapes in the supermarket while walking around doing your shopping.


----------



## KalEl (18 Apr 2007)

There are some constructive suggestions in the post, but some of it is a little demeaning.
If someone is struggling financially then more power to them if they can save some money with lifestyle changes. If not, some of this is a little "Good Life"


----------



## MrKeane (18 Apr 2007)

susie1 said:


> *only if you don't buy the goods.*
> you should also not eat the grapes in the supermarket while walking around doing your shopping.


 
Is that not what the OP suggested?


Pigsback coupons can be used at self-pay tills at TESCO (*whether you bought the item or not!!*)


----------



## susie1 (18 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> Is that not what the OP suggested?


not exactly, i suggested the grape thing

here's another tip:
you could let Tesco/Dunnes overcharge you on whatever.  once you check your receipt, go back and buy loads more.  then return to the customer services and get the full refunds AND you get to keep the items..


----------



## KalEl (18 Apr 2007)

susie1 said:


> MrKeane said:
> 
> 
> > Is that not what the OP suggested?
> ...


----------



## ClubMan (18 Apr 2007)

susie1 said:


> not exactly, i suggested the grape thing
> 
> here's another tip:
> you could let Tesco/Dunnes overcharge you on whatever.  once you check your receipt, go back and buy loads more.  then return to the customer services and get the full refunds AND you get to keep the items..


----------



## Noor77 (18 Apr 2007)

susie1 said:


> here's another tip:
> you could let Tesco/Dunnes overcharge you on whatever. once you check your receipt, go back and buy loads more. then return to the customer services and get the full refunds AND you get to keep the items..


 
I don't think people should be suggesting "underhand" ways to save money


----------



## ubiquitous (18 Apr 2007)

someanne said:


> water down handwash (make from Ecover washing up liquid & tea tree oil)


Why Ecover - Is it the cheapest?



someanne said:


> Washable Nappies



Really? What about extra washing & hygiene costs?



someanne said:


> iron everything at once
> Put your clothes on a clothes horse at night before tumble drying them - they'll be nearly dry by morning



contradiction here?


someanne said:


> Supermarkets are notorious for overcharging against the list price and they HAVE to refund you the FULL amount of the product



Is this true? My local Centra have policies written up on this but they only refund you the amount of the overcharge. I can't imagine for a second that they are breaking the law by doing this.



someanne said:


> stop buying the paper everyday – you live on the internet anyway


Only comparable really if you're in broadband land and have your PC switched on 24/7 - which kinda contradicts your energy saving suggestions.



someanne said:


> Talk to another bank about your mortgage, then get back to your bank and tell them you have a better offer



Only practical if the savings you make are outweighed by legal and other fees involved in changing mortgage - or if you can get the mortgage company to pay for these. 



someanne said:


> Talk to your bank about bank charges – remember they hate to see you leave



Really? - I dont think so... I left one particular bank a few years ago and I doubt if they even noticed me go. They certainly didn't pay me much heed while I was a customer. 



someanne said:


> Talk to your bank about Credit Card – ask about cancelling your account (mention high interest) and see how it pans out



Ditto.
By the way, paying interest on credit card accounts is for mugs.



someanne said:


> Transfer unused portion of tax credits to other half if possible


I would have thought that an annual joint-assessment tax return would be a better way of ensuring this?



someanne said:


> HEALTH Insurance is not necessary for children under 12 as the state covers them – ( NB consultancy fees which will be covered by VHI Plan A)


Crazy, crazy advice. Other posters: if you are tempted by this, don't at all costs - unless you would be comfortable seeing your child waiting in a public queue for up to several years for surgery or treatment if for example they develop any of a range of medical conditions. 



someanne said:


> Vodafone – 300 online free texts per month  & 10% FREE credit when you Top Up by €20 or more!
> O2 -     250 free online texts


I would have thought that pay-as-you-go mobiles are a pure waste of money - surely billpay is cheaper?



someanne said:


> Switch from eircom (to anyone else, it doesn’t matter  )



Really? Don't put your life on it...



someanne said:


> www.laterooms.com can secure you a quick weekend away


This is a good site but I find that only occasionally does it have the best deals available.


----------



## MrKeane (18 Apr 2007)

Ubiquitous

I read the paper online at work during breaks rather than buy it.

There are lots of banks covering the cost of switching mortgages these days, in particular NIB appear to be about the cheapest on the market and do it (according to contributers to this site) Other contributers on this site appear to have had success in talking to their own banks and getting a reduced rate.

I talked to my bank once about fees and the stopped charging me for an overdraft facility, reduced my fees and refunded me 2 months fees as a goodwill gesture, the bank was bank of Ireland. 

I thought pay as you go were a waste of money too but it depends on your circumstances. My billpay charged a flat rate 24/7 but I rarely used it at peak time because I was at work so it will be ready to for me because I rarely use a mobile anyway, €10 a month is ample.


----------



## Vanilla (18 Apr 2007)

Personally wouldn't eat grapes before weighing/buying in the supermarket. It is theft although lots of people don't seem to agree.


----------



## Lorraine B (18 Apr 2007)

I used to work in a small local shop and there was 1 miserable old git who used to pick all the grapes off the stalk before weighing them!!  He reckoned he shouldn't have to pay for the stalk when he couldn't eat it!!


----------



## someanne (18 Apr 2007)

ooohhh so many questions 

i don't eat the grapes either, but i have no qualms about the pringles

i'll give this a go anyhow:

Ecover is ecologically friendly
Having had two children in washable nappies i can guarantee this is cheaper and more environmentally friendly
Iron everything at once means iron all of your clothes at the same time 
Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and Tescos have a full price refund policy
Stop buying paper everyday because even if you access the internet once a day you can read all the news then - you don't HAVE to stop - it's a choice not an order 
MrKeane has covered the banking questions to my satisfaction
Waiting Lists - fair enough - i accept your point - but i am poor, so i wait [broken link removed]
-this might help those on long waiting lists
Mobiles - depends on your needs, i only pointed out extra-savings to be had
Eircom - hmmm  Talktalk -hmmm Newtel - hmmm...yah i know i could go on and on but i'm not going to have the defamation card pulled on me again - sorry about that ClubMan


 S.


----------



## gipimann (18 Apr 2007)

*ENTERTAINMENT* 
on www.play.com its cheaper to pay in sterling 

Play.com changed their policy recently.  European customers from outside the UK will now be charged in Euro (there's a notice on their website).  I used to buy in sterling and save a few cent, but can't any more.....


----------



## ClubMan (19 Apr 2007)

someanne said:


> Iron everything at once means iron all of your clothes at the same time


How does that save money since the iron will be on the same amount of time even if you do it in multiple batches.


----------



## someanne (19 Apr 2007)

its the heating of the element

i'll find the data and get back to you

S.


----------



## ClubMan (19 Apr 2007)

The difference should be marginal if you mean because the iron has to heat up each time you start an ironing session. I would be surprised if the savings were in the least bit significant.


----------



## DrMoriarty (19 Apr 2007)

Be warned, someanne — you're dealing with something of an authority here...


----------



## someanne (19 Apr 2007)

heating up the element (2.4kW) alone is the equilvant of 3 hours TV 
- 2 hours ironing is same as 8 hours TV

but you may be right - mind you isn't it the little things that all add up to big savings?

S.


----------



## someanne (19 Apr 2007)

DrMoriarty said:


> Be warned, someanne — you're dealing with something of an authority here...




ohhh - i bought the *best ever* ironing board there - i have never looked back

S.


----------



## z108 (19 Apr 2007)

You can also read most newspapers for free in any public library 

And the sunday newspapers also appear there on Monday.


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

You can drive around without taxing your car for a month (or 2 or 3 if you have the balls for it) and then get the guards to stamp the form, its a bit daunting the first couple of times but if you go to a big garda station a bit away from where you live then you are fine, just tell them, if they ask, that you were off work sick or something.

The guards can only take a car off you if it is out of tax for 3 months.


----------



## Thrifty1 (19 Apr 2007)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *someanne* http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?p=398681#post398681 
_Always check your receipts – Dunnes are notorious for overcharging against the list price and they HAVE to refund you the FULL amount of the product _

Any independent proof of this or is it simple a random piece of defamation?

I have proof of this, the last three times i shopped there i has overcharged, either by being charged for one item twice or, not getting the discount on a 2 for 1 offer.


----------



## Thrifty (19 Apr 2007)

Have had terrible experience with Dunnes overcharging as well. My mum also does a weekly shop and in the last three months roughly every second visit she was having to go up to customer services with her receipt when they overcharged. I have complained several times at customer services myself and have on several occassions pointed out to managers when i can grab them that the prices are not listed for various foods. Maybe others don't check their receipts especially with a big shop but its happened so often i can't believe we are the only ones and while i know mistakes can happen it just seems to keep happening. I think there was a thread about it a while back.


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

Individual pricing on every part was much better, sometimes you see an offer for say Cod fish, but 4 different products in the freezer, its difficult to know which is which.

Another thing about Dunnes is that cartons of grapes always have 25% extra free this appears to be a permanent thing so how can they justify it? The same for bacon (bradleys I think) its been advertised as 50% free for years, surely they should be obliged to put full price stock on the shelf for at least one week a month or something.

I remember seeing that in the UK, if you are buying something that is discounted they have a sign up saying what the full price was and how long it was on sale at the full price for. For example "this television was on sale is this store for £129 between 3/4/7 and 17/4/7" and is now on sale for £99


----------



## elcato (19 Apr 2007)

> I talked to my bank once about fees and the stopped charging me for an overdraft facility, reduced my fees and refunded me 2 months fees as a goodwill gesture, the bank was bank of Ireland.


Surely the advice here is to move to free banking or nowadays to a 10% interest current account.


----------



## KalEl (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> You can drive around without taxing your car for a month (or 2 or 3 if you have the balls for it) and then get the guards to stamp the form, its a bit daunting the first couple of times but if you go to a big garda station a bit away from where you live then you are fine, just tell them, if they ask, that you were off work sick or something.
> 
> The guards can only take a car off you if it is out of tax for 3 months.


 
This only affects cashflow...it doesn't save you any money. In fact it costs you money-trips to the cop shop, time value of money, petrol etc.


----------



## annR (19 Apr 2007)

have a job where your work pays for your broadband and then set up your telephone through your broadband . . . . .*no eircom landline* . . .  

I guess one would have to be quite handy with that sort of thing or know someone who can do it.


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

KalEl said:


> This only affects cashflow...it doesn't save you any money. In fact it costs you money-trips to the cop shop, time value of money, petrol etc.


 
It saves you money because there is no tax paid in the month you drive around without it. For example pay 3 months tax, Jan, Feb, Mar, no tax April and May, 1st of June into the cop shop tell them the car was off the road for April and May, guard stamps form, pay 3 months tax June, July, August and off you go again........


----------



## KalEl (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> It saves you money because there is no tax paid in the month you drive around without it. For example pay 3 months tax, Jan, Feb, Mar, no tax April and May, 1st of June into the cop shop tell them the car was off the road for April and May, guard stamps form, pay 3 months tax June, July, August and off you go again........


 
There is! You pay arrears...I know because I just paid someone's yesterday


----------



## johndoe64 (19 Apr 2007)

KalEl said:


> There is! You pay arrears...I know because I just paid someone's yesterday


 
Once the form is stamped you don't pay the arrears.


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

KalEl said:


> There is! You pay arrears...I know because I just paid someone's yesterday


 
You pay arrears if you don't claim the car was off the road. You should have declared the car was out of use for the couple of months it was out of tax.


----------



## KalEl (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> You pay arrears if you don't claim the car was off the road. You should have declared the car was out of use for the couple of months it was out of tax.


 
It wasn't of the road...it was just sitting in the driveway.
What you're advocating is a crime. Some of us actually believe in paying our fair share. There are valuable tips within this thread but some of the stuff is despicable. No matter how much or little money is involved, why lower yourself to that level?


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

I'd gladly pay my fair share if everybody else does, but when I see Eastern Europeans in my neighbourhood driving for years without tax why should I subsidise them?

A much fairer system would be to levy motor tax on petrol - that way the more you drive the more you pay. It would also waste less of the guards time dealing with it.


----------



## ClubMan (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> but when I see Eastern Europeans in my neighbourhood driving for years without tax why should I subsidise them?


How exactly is their nationality relevant here?


----------



## KalEl (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> I'd gladly pay my fair share if everybody else does, but when I see Eastern Europeans in my neighbourhood driving for years without tax why should I subsidise them?


 
Maybe they're having this exact same discussion on Aski Abouti Roubles right now and saying if Mr Keane paid his motor tax so would we?

Seriously, you can't generalise about non-payment of things like motor tax or social welfare fraud...we as a nation are as bad as anyone.


----------



## jrewing (19 Apr 2007)

KalEl said:


> Seriously, you can't generalise about non-payment of things like motor tax or social welfare fraud...we as a nation are as bad as anyone.


 
...and worse than a lot !!


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

Maybe I am wrong but from what I can see its a lot easier for the Gardai to catch Irish people for non payment of motor tax than a foreign national with a foreign reg. car. There was a French lad working with me for years, doing the same drive to work every day as me and he never paid Irish motor tax in his French registered car. If I was out of tax for 6 months I would definately get done by the guards.

This is why a levy on fuel would be a much fairer system ,the more you drive the more you pay.


----------



## Dreamerb (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> If I was out of tax for 6 months I would definately get done by the guards.


Not if the large number of out of date tax (and insurance, and NCT) certs displayed in my last neighbourhood is anything to go by. There was one stretch of road I regularly walked where it was a challenge to see _any_ in-date tax disc. 



MrKeane said:


> This is why a levy on fuel would be a much fairer system ,the more you drive the more you pay.


It's not why, but I do agree that a levy on fuel could be a better mechanism (including VRT in it, too): it would accord with the "Polluter Pays Principle", provide a further incentive for people to think about both the amount and the manner of their driving (as good driving practice, with steady speeds, and smooth acceleration/deceleration is generally less fuel hungry). Roll on €2+ a litre!


----------



## ubiquitous (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> This is why a levy on fuel would be a much fairer system ,the more you drive the more you pay.



Fairer perhaps for city dwellers, who incidentally cause most congestion, but less so for their country cousins who don't enjoy the same public transport options either.


----------



## ClubMan (19 Apr 2007)

Wasn't this issue discussed at length before?


----------



## pinkyBear (19 Apr 2007)

> Fairer perhaps for city dwellers, who incidentally cause most congestion,


unfair remark really given the amount of people commuting to dublin from varoius different counties..
Also I think you are steering off the point of the OP...


----------



## MrKeane (19 Apr 2007)

ubiquitous said:


> Fairer perhaps for city dwellers, who incidentally cause most congestion, but less so for their country cousins who don't enjoy the same public transport options either.


 
Going waaaay off topic here but if the country was planned a bit better with less one off housing and greater density in villages and towns etc. public transport would be far more viable, efficent and frequent!


----------



## ubiquitous (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> Going waaaay off topic here but if the country was planned a bit better with less one off housing and greater density in villages and towns etc. public transport would be far more viable, efficent and frequent!



yeah, great solution alright for those (like myself) who have lived all their lives in the country. 

Btw, show me how to improve density in my own locality where there are 2 villages 3 miles apart each with 1 pub & 1 shop; 3 primary schools (both established in the 19th century), equidistant from each other and each about 2 miles away from either village; and 2 Catholic churches (both established in the 1910's & '20s), 1 of which is adjacent to one of the schools, and the other which is situated about 1 mile away from one of the villages and 3miles from the second village. Not to mind a third Church (Church of Ireland) whose history dates back to the 14th century which stands out on its own, near one school but a number of miles from all the other facilities in the community. All this in a locality of about 300 households with zero employment (apart from farms and about 5 people working in pubs & shops) where the nearest jobs are in the county town about 10 miles away.


----------



## dereko1969 (19 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> Maybe I am wrong but from what I can see its a lot easier for the Gardai to catch Irish people for non payment of motor tax than a foreign national with a foreign reg. car. There was a French lad working with me for years, doing the same drive to work every day as me and he never paid Irish motor tax in his French registered car. If I was out of tax for 6 months I would definately get done by the guards.
> 
> This is why a levy on fuel would be a much fairer system ,the more you drive the more you pay.


 
you can only tax a vehicle in this country if it has an irish registration plate, if the 'foreign national' has not been required to register their vehicle here they can't tax it. and your vehicle can now be seized for no tax after 2 months. are you going to advocate syphoning other people's petrol as a way of saving money?


----------



## pinkyBear (19 Apr 2007)

Are we not going waaaaaay of the idea behind the origanal post?????


----------



## z108 (19 Apr 2007)

dont forget to hang your tea bags out on the washing line !   lol


----------



## KathScan (24 Apr 2007)

Dunnes Stores Beans - Large can is cheaper than medium can

Large 420g can at 40 cent (95.2 cent per kg)
Medium Can 283g for 49 cent (1.73 per kg)


----------



## MrKeane (24 Apr 2007)

KathScan said:


> Dunnes Stores Beans - Large can is cheaper than medium can
> 
> Large 420g can at 40 cent (95.2 cent per kg)
> Medium Can 283g for 49 cent (1.73 per kg)


 
No different to Coke I guess, I bought 4 litres (2x2L) for €2.99 but 2 x 500ml bottles often cost €3.00!


----------



## RainyDay (26 Apr 2007)

MrKeane said:


> There was a French lad working with me for years, doing the same drive to work every day as me and he never paid Irish motor tax in his French registered car.


Did you report him?


----------



## MLE (30 Apr 2007)

I think the best way to save money is to sit down and do a budget.   You can buy a budget planner for a few euros over the internet and it is money well spent.   You should record all your spending on a daily basis for a few months, it's a real eye-opener.   
Make a list before you shop and don't shop when you are hungry, you will invariably buy items you don't need.   
Pay bills as soon as they arrive.   For utility bills, you can pay a little every week, which lessens the blow when the bill arrives.   
Buy second-hand whenever possible.   Items such as bicycles, toys, game consoles, furniture can be bought for much less.   Check out the Buy & Sell website.
Shop around for car insurance, home insurance, mortgage protection insurance etc.   There are substantial savings to be made.
Pack lunches for yourself and your children instead of buying.     
Do switch credit card companies and transfer balances to avail of zero interest rates,
Check the MABS website for a budget planner and other useful tips and if you think you need help negotiating with your creditors, contact them for advice.   They will intervene on your behalf of help you to do it yourself.


----------



## brian.mobile (30 Apr 2007)

Vanilla said:


> Personally wouldn't eat grapes before weighing/buying in the supermarket. It is theft although lots of people don't seem to agree.


 
This really is The Pits....

BM


----------



## Janet (1 May 2007)

Someone commented above that some of the suggestions were a "bit Good Life" - it's often true that a more ecological approach to living results in a cash saving e.g. growing a couple of courgette plants in a container costs much less (even figuring in the cost of the container and compost/soil to fill it if you don't have a garden you can plant into) than buying the equivalent amount of courgettes over the course of a summer, I've found, I've switched to washable sanitary towels rather than boosting Always' profits every month, I don't use shampoo anymore (oatmeal dry scrubs and vinegar rinses are better I've found and also much cheaper than the shampoo du jour).

The forums at  are a good source of information for this type of thing if anyone is interested.


----------



## liteweight (1 May 2007)

Janet said:


> Someone commented above that some of the suggestions were a "bit Good Life" - it's often true that a more ecological approach to living results in a cash saving e.g. growing a couple of courgette plants in a container costs much less (even figuring in the cost of the container and compost/soil to fill it if you don't have a garden you can plant into) than buying the equivalent amount of courgettes over the course of a summer, I've found, I've switched to washable sanitary towels rather than boosting Always' profits every month, I don't use shampoo anymore (oatmeal dry scrubs and vinegar rinses are better I've found and also much cheaper than the shampoo du jour).
> 
> The forums at  are a good source of information for this type of thing if anyone is interested.



I agree with most of what you say Janet but washable sanitary towels? ... I draw the line...


----------



## Janet (1 May 2007)

liteweight said:


> I agree with most of what you say Janet but washable sanitary towels? ... I draw the line...



Well, I wasn't comfy with the idea of a mooncup so went for the easier option.  You'd be surprised how the idea might grow on you once it's had time to sink into your subconscious 

Seriously, though, for anyone interested (and with an hour or so to spare) this long, long, thread is very informative:


For what it's worth to get back to the main topice here, I've found that trying to eat seasonally and locally has greatly helped me to reduce my spending.  I only buy ethically reared meat and so buy far less meat than before but it goes much further (partly because it's not just full of water which drains out during cooking and partly because I make sure to use every last bit of it).  I rarely shop in supermarkets anymore at all except for a trip to Aldi every few months to stock up on pasta and tins of tomatoes (the organic, fair-trade versions are just too pricey to use for every day although I can recommend Noodle House pasta for anyone who's feeling flush).  Otherwise I buy bread from a local bakery and shop at Marlay Park or Temple Bar market on a Saturday.


----------



## Cahir (1 May 2007)

Janet said:


> I've found, I've switched to washable sanitary towels rather than boosting Always' profits every month,



Surely that couldn't work unless you didn't leave the house for a week every month???   You couldn't seriously wash them out in work?


----------



## Newbie! (1 May 2007)

Vanilla said:


> Personally wouldn't eat grapes before weighing/buying in the supermarket. It is theft although lots of people don't seem to agree.


 
does no-one wash fruit anymore??


----------



## KalEl (1 May 2007)

Newbie! said:


> does no-one wash fruit anymore??


 
These people probably bring a small vial of water with them...honestly, pathetic stuff


----------



## Vanilla (1 May 2007)

KalEl said:


> These people probably bring a small vial of water with them...honestly, pathetic stuff


 
LOL. 

I do wash fruit before I eat it too. Imagine the amount of pesticides these thieves are ingesting.


----------



## z108 (1 May 2007)

waiting on a  hot date to arrive ? a spot of begging on the corner while you wait will do wonders for your cashflow .  And dont forget to stuff old newspapers down your trousers to keep warm on those cold winter nights ;-)

And growing potatoes or cauliflower in your ears is surprisingly economical and space saving  lol


----------



## Janet (1 May 2007)

Cahir said:


> Surely that couldn't work unless you didn't leave the house for a week every month???   You couldn't seriously wash them out in work?



Will PM you on the basis of not wanting to sidetrack this thread into one with waaayyy too much information for some.


----------



## Purple (2 May 2007)

Janet said:


> Otherwise I buy bread from a local bakery and shop at Marlay Park or Temple Bar market on a Saturday.


 Food at farmers markets is very expensive, especially Marlay Park! Get up the road to Lidl and buy your fruit and veg there, it's nearly all sourced in Dublin, Meath and Kildare.


----------



## someanne (3 May 2007)

Purple said:


> Food at farmers markets is very expensive, especially Marlay Park! Get up the road to Lidl and buy your fruit and veg there, it's nearly all sourced in Dublin, Meath and Kildare.



most of our local lidl's organic produce is from scotland :S

washable sanitary towels are fine

farmers market in Liffey Valley is said to be quite good

sign - you're hilarious 

buying seasonally and locally makes more ecological sense as the methods used to grow out of season are hardly 'natural'


----------



## ubiquitous (3 May 2007)

Whats wrong with Scotland?


----------



## someanne (3 May 2007)

ubiquitous said:


> Whats wrong with Scotland?



it's not local


----------



## therave (3 May 2007)

just a few of my own suggestions.
bring your rubbish to work daily in a small bag.
if you have a canteen,wait til others are finished eating and see what they have left behind then eat this.
if you go to the pub,do same as above.
go to your parents house or friends houses to read the papers.
if you are sick,try staying in bed until the ilness passes rather than go to the doctor.
ring all the local garages from work to see who has the cheapest petrol.
bargain for everything and always always ask for a discount.. there is no harm in asking
if buying clothes in any shop take the one that might have a mark or a defect and bargain for that at a reduced price.
pay your bills a month in arrears,this ensures you get the service first and pay later rather than the other wasy around


----------



## ubiquitous (3 May 2007)

someanne said:


> it's not local



God help us if other nations follow the same logic and turn their collective noses up at our own exported produce...


----------



## ginsberga (9 May 2007)

Great tips! Thanks!


----------



## sarah4 (9 May 2007)

therave said:


> just a few of my own suggestions.
> bring your rubbish to work daily in a small bag.
> if you have a canteen,wait til others are finished eating and see what they have left behind then eat this.
> if you go to the pub,do same as above.
> ...


----------



## sulo (9 May 2007)

Some of the comments are so funny...

Eating leftovers at your work canteen / local pub is my fav!

haha


----------



## z108 (9 May 2007)

Dont forget to turn up at funerals/wakes claiming to be a long lost school mate/war buddy/blood brother/amnesiac  etc and  drown your sorrows with free booze and food !

The free newspaper in the library/trashcan should have all the info you need in the classified/announcements section  hehe


----------

