1. Change your attitude to your mortgage
The most expensive item you are ever likely to buy is your home. If you're not in the privileged position to pay cash, make sure the loan you use to finance it is the best available. For example, if you are paying your lender's full standard variable rate (SVR) you are probably paying hundreds of pounds a year more than you need to.
There are thousands of deals to choose from and while it is vital to check the small print for hidden catches, this is a relatively easy way to save a lot of money. Remember: loyalty to your bank benefits your bank, not you. Even better, if you can afford to make overpayments on your mortgage, you'll clear your debt several years early and make massive savings. For example, if you borrow £100,000 at 6% over 25 years, you'll pay it back at £643 a month. The total charge for credit will be £93,000. But if you can overpay by £100 a month you'll clear the loan in less than 19 years, giving you 6 years of mortgage-free living and saving a staggering £25,000 in interest.
2. Clear your credit card debt
One of the golden rules of financial planning is to clear your most expensive debts first, in other words your credit cards. OK, credit cards offer a convenient way to pay for goods and services but if you can't clear the balance every month, consider a low-cost loan as an alternative. Do the sums: a credit card debt (APR 15%) of £2,200 over three years will cost £545 in interest. A loan at 6% will cost £209.
3. Cut the cost of your fuel bills
As the global demand for power threatens to outstrip supply, prices are rising. But that doesn't mean you need to be ripped off. The domestic market for fuel is a competitive one and you can change supplier with a few clicks of the mouse. Your new supplier will take care of the formalities - you just pay less every month.
4. Consider installing a water meter
We take our tap water for granted. And why not? The companies behind the supply exist to make a profit, we pay them to supply water and have every right to expect it to flow from our taps. But if it doesn't rain, supply runs dry and the price goes up. So you may want to consider the possibility of installing a meter. If you have a big home with few occupants you may be surprised to learn you could halve your.
5. Cut your home phone bills
BT may seem to behave like a monopoly but it most definitely is not one. If you must use your phone there are scores of cheaper alternatives from cable companies that package your telephone, television and even broadband internet access to low-cost dial-up services that give you access to cheaper calls using your existing BT line.
6. Consider a pay-as-you go mobile
Ask yourself this: is your mobile phone absolutely necessary? If the answer is yes, then ask yourself whether you really need all those minutes and texts that come as part of your package. If you hand over £50 a month to your mobile phone company, that's £600 a year – or around £1,000 of your gross salary. But you can buy a pay-as-you-go phone for as little as £30 and only pay for the odd call as and when you need to.
7. Make a shopping list
Food shopping forms a significant part of our monthly outgoings and the supermarket is where the bulk of the money is spent. Tesco takes £1 in every £8 spent by UK shoppers. But be warned, stores spend a small fortune studying ways of making us part with more of our money than we would otherwise intend to. Have you ever wondered why your favourite song is playing in the background as you navigate the aisles? Have you even noticed the background music? Possibly not, but you will have noticed at the checkout that the bill is often more than expected. To circumvent this, simply make a shopping list. Dig out the cookery books, plan a few meals and only buy what you need.
8. When was the last time you went to the market?
One way to beat the supermarkets - that is, to eat healthily for less - is to use your local market stall. Lower overheads should mean lower prices. At the time of writing, cherries were on sale in Asda for £2.99 for 400g, the equivalent at the local market was going for just over £1.
9. Consider own-brand goods
You can buy a tin of Asda own-brand baked beans for 14p and a loaf bread at Asda, Tesco or Sainsbury's for 19p. Enough said.
10. Don't buy designer labels
Celebrities are given expensive clothes to wear. You're not. At the end of the day, and let's face it you may only wear the outfit once, can you justify paying hundreds of pounds over the odds because a top designer has had his or her name sewn on the label? And can you honestly say you can tell the difference at a distance between a £600 designer bag and a £9.99 one from the market? Think about it.
11. Sell your clutter on eBay
Take this quick test: You're at home. Open a cupboard. Look inside. If it's full of clothes you haven't worn, or 'good ideas a the time' you haven't used, for, let's say, three years - you don't need them. So why not sell them to someone else who does? Ebay, the online auction house, has opened individual sellers to a world of buyers. And you can flog anything for the cost of a small commission. Tip: you may want to buy a few items first to build up your rating as a respectable eBayer before you start selling.
12. Use your talent to earn extra cash
Let's face it, if you're not a pop star by the time you reach your 20s you're never going to be. But you may be able to use your talent as a guitarist to teach other wannabes the rudiments of the 12-bar blues.
13. Do DIY
We're a nation of obsessive DIYers and for around £100 you can take a course at your local adult education college to improve the skills needed to tackle most household repairs. If the college runs plumbing courses you could soon be on track to wiping out costly call-out charges and extra insurance policies once and for all.
14. Shop around for the cheapest household insurance
Unless you drive – car insurance is mandatory - you don't need insurance. But it's strongly advisable. Can you afford to foot the bill if your house burns down? Probably not. Similarly, can you afford to pay over the odds for the same policy available elsewhere because you can't be bothered to shop around? Possibly, but it's not advisable. The internet has made finding cheaper insurance easy and you can compare hundreds of policies in minutes.
15. Don't automatically renew annual travel insurance
If your annual holiday insurance policy is about to expire and you don't have a holiday booked, DON'T renew the policy. You're handing your money over to cover an eventuality that won't happen. You wouldn't have car insurance if you didn't own a car. Simply restart the cover again the next time you book a trip.
16. Choose cheaper breakdown insurance
The breakdown sector is dominated by big names such as the AA and RAC. But being towed home if your car breaks down is just another form of insurance like any other and there are scores of cheaper alternatives.
17. Are you paying too much for your life insurance?
We're living longer. As a result the cost of insuring the unthinkable is getting cheaper all the time. If you were sold a policy when you took out or mortgage you may have been under too much stress to shop around. You could be missing a trick.
18. Book early
Low-cost airlines have created a market in holidays for people prepared to fly to any destination provided it's cheap. You can benefit from this too. Just remember, only a few seats on each flight are sold at bargain-basement prices and once they're sold, the prices rise. So book early.
19. Book your own 'package' holiday online
The popularity of High Street travel agents is waning as more and more people warm to the benefits of researching and putting together their own holidays on the internet. If your holiday consists of flights, accommodation, transfers and possibly car hire, then take this test. Order a brochure from a leading holiday company and work out the price of your holiday including all the complicated supplements. Now go online and, starting with the flights, try to put the same package together.
20. Learn to say 'no'
It's easy to capitulate to the demands of a screaming child in a packed Woolworths on a Saturday afternoon. But don't do it. Similarly, how often does a 'swift half' after work turn into a £40 drinking session? Saying 'no' a few times a year will do wonders for your bank account.
23. Don't pay full price for theatre or theme park tickets
If you are prepared to tolerate the unwieldy website and hit-and-miss customer service, lastminute.com regularly boasts some amazing deals for London's theatres and the nation's theme parks. At the time of writing you can see top West End show The Producers plus a two-course meal for less than £20 a head, a saving of £60 per person, and tickets for Chessington World of Adventures cost from £12, a saving of nearly £50 for a day out for a family of four.
24. Beat the ticket touts
Ticket touts earn their living by getting hold of tickets that are 'otherwise unavailable'. Well, here's the news: they are available to everyone when they first go on sale. You just need to know when they go on sale. Simply sign up to for the free ticket alert newsletters from the main agents to ensure that you're first in the queue.
25. Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses
Trying to keep up appearances is little more than a costly illness. Remember, you cannot judge someone by what they have because you don't know how they got it. Chances are they're in more debt than you are.
26. Trade down your car
So, you bought an American sports utility vehicle (SUV) that nets 15 miles to the gallon on a whim. Obviously we're all very impressed – especially by the personalised number plate. But can you honestly justify the ongoing expense? If not, get rid of it. Then visit a car supermarket, where you can choose from thousands of cars at knock-down prices. If you're a true money saver, consider an ex-rental model which you can pick up for a fraction of the cost of a new one.
27. Ask yourself: do I really need this?
Imagine the scenario. It's lunchtime and you've got an hour to kill. You find yourself in a department store and there's a sale on. You pick up a beautifully packaged selection of barbecue tools and associated garden paraphernalia. And it's half price. Now, stop! Ask yourself: Do I really need this? Exactly. Now, put it down and walk away.
28. Walk/cycle to the station/work
It maybe a bit of hippie notion to many people but it's free.
29. Get off the station before your usual stop and walk
We may be creatures of habit but isn't it worth tinkering with the routine if it's costing more than £50 a month in unnecessary fares?
30. Cut down your drinking
A few beers after work a few nights a week is a financially debilitating state of affairs. Set limits and stick to them.
31. Pack up smoking
Never mind the health implications, the guilt and the smell, your 20-a-day habit is costing you nearly £2,000 a year. Pack it in.
32. Cancel your gym membership
If you pay your £40 a month by direct debit and you use the gym three times a week, great. If not, cancel your membership immediately. You'll soon save enough to buy your own bike and, if you're so inclined, a rowing machine. Consider running home from work three times a week. It's free.
33. Use your library
The local library is a mecca for the money saver. You'll never need to buy another cookbook, guidebook or lifestyle manual again and if you can bear to wait a few weeks in the queue for the latest blockbuster, you never need to buy books again. CDs and videos are great value too.
34. The three-for-two trick
Now, there's a lot to be said for buy-one-get-one-free deals, especially if they pass the 'Do I really need this?' test. Then there's three-for-twos; a particularly cynical way of stores to entice shoppers to buy an extra item they would not otherwise buy. The 'offer' is always priced into the deal so do your sums and shop around.
35. Buy clothes and presents in the sales
So you need a new suit and the one you like comes in at a cool £300. Wait! The chances are that you can pick it up in the sale – and there's always a sale just around the corner – for £150. The same applies for birthday and Christmas presents. Buy in bulk in the sales and you not only save money, but you enjoy stress-free pre-Christmases and no last-minute birthday worries.
37. The Christmas lottery
Instead of trying to buy a present for every relative in your family, consider getting together beforehand and picking one name from the hat. You then buy one thoughtful gift for that one person rather than attempting to please everyone at considerable cost. Everyone gets a present, everyone saves money.
38. The National Lottery – it won't be you!
The odds of winning the Lotto jackpot are stacked 14m to 1 against each ticket. Some highly organised syndicates buy 14,000 tickets a week, which reduces the odds to 1,000 to 1 - but that's no guarantee of a win. For the rest of us, the difference to the odds between buying, say, 10 tickets and one is so insignificant that you should limit yourself to the one and save the extra money in a Cash mini Isa.
39. Use your Isa allowances
If you're not already aware, you can save up to £3,000 a year in a tax-free savings account called an Isa (for the more financially savvy there's also a stocks and shares Isa). It means you don't pay any tax on the interest accrued so, if you have spare cash in your current account, this is the difference between earning next to no interest and up to £150 a year.
40. Claim your benefits and tax credits
There was once a certain stigma in Britain attached to claiming benefits. Well, not any more. The Government has put benefits at the heart of the family budget and it's your money so make sure you're claiming it. That includes Child Benefit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and other employee-related tax benefits.
41. How saving £50 a month now can save you £120 next year
Do you pay your insurance premiums by monthly instalments? If you do, then consider this: you are probably being charged a premium of between 15% and 20% for the privilege. In other words, if your home and car insurance bill for the year is £600, you're paying up to £120 a year in interest by paying monthly. If you are in a position this year to save up for next year's premiums in advance, you can save money by paying the whole lot in one go.
42. Do you need all those TV channels?
Britain is switching to digital-only television and time is running out for you to choose your new digital TV provider. The choice is already bewildering and with telephone-based services now being launched it's going to get more complicated. Packages range from full the monty, including every sports and movie channel costing around £50 a month, down to Freeview, which is free. Choose wisely.
43. Bin the ready meals
If TV chefs such as Ainsley Harriott can knock up a meal from a bag of random groceries including an aubergine and a packet of sultanas – so can you. Ready meals may be convenient, but preparing your own food saves money. A visit to your library will reveal scores of books dedicated to cooking proper meals in minutes.
44. Take up a money-saving hobby
Hobbies not only open your mind to new experiences but they also take up your time – important if you would otherwise spend it in the pub drinking away your hard-earned money. If a painting takes 20 hours to complete, and you normally get through a pint an hour. That's a saving of a least 40 quid a picture. Think about it. Get painting. Go fishing.
45. Avoid the payment protection racket
Banks and other lenders are selling expensive insurance policies to cover loan repayments to people who don't need it. Don't be a victim of the hard-sell.
46. Avoid extended warranties
Electrical goods are more reliable than ever. If your new radio won't last three years perhaps it's not worth buying in the first place. Think about it: how many times has your fridge broken down in the last five years? And do you really need the hassle of claiming for repairs to a £15 toaster?
47. Shop online
The internet is gradually taking over. Online grocery shopping is getting better all the time and there are plenty of comparison websites to help find the best prices for bigger items. Give it a try, unless of course you like fighting your way through supermarket crowds.
48. The Citizen's Advice Bureau is your friend
If your debts are out of control please seek help immediately from your local CAB – their advisers can help you work out a sensible strategy to get you back on your feet.
49. Have I missed any money-saving ideas?
You can now add your comments to the Money Saving Overflow
50. Save this article or send it to a friend
Use the links at the bottom of the page to send these money-saving tips to a friend or save it for yourself for later.
51. Take a packed lunch to work !!!£££!!!
It's obvious. So obvious, in fact, that most days I receive an email from someone somewhere explaining the money-saving virtues of making your own lunch. 'Do the maths, Rich!' So here goes: you spend a conservative £5 a day on lunch plus the luxury of £1.50 on a coffee and £1 on snacks, it's nothing. It's only £7.50 a day. Or £1,800 a year. Or, for the hard of understanding, the cost of a brand new £10,000 car after a mere five years. Over your working life you can easily chomp away more than £100,000. And you know what? An awful lot of people spend considerably more than £7.50 a day. While making your own lunch isn't free, remember: a sandwich is just some bread with some stuff in between. And for the price of a small pension, does the coffee really taste that good?
Perfect packed lunches
52. And if you do take a packed lunch...
Buy in bulk. One pack of crisps costs around 45p. A six-pack, £1. And £2 for a sack. That's enough packed lunches. (See 36)
53. Use quality low-cost clothes shops
I've never been to a Primark. There isn't one near me. But plenty of you have and it sounds like my kind of place - quality clothes at sensible prices. I'm a TK Maxx fan myself. I know the value of things and £90 for a pair of trainers is not good value - especially when you can pick them up at TKMaxx a few months later for £24.99.
54. Use quality low-cost food shops
The idea that Tesco is cheap is a myth. Like all of the big-four supermarkets, it has headline-grabbing bargains to lure you in then leaves you at the mercy of the millions it spends tempting customers to buy everything else at whatever price it chooses. If you must use supermarkets over the local market, I've found Asda to be the cheapest of the big four. But discerning money savers should check out...
55. Avoid the car wash
There has been a boom over the last couple of years in the hand car-washing industry. Every car park now seems to have one. And every one seems to have a queue of drivers willing to part with up to £40 [I've seen one at £125] for a Gold , Silver or Titanium wash. Maybe it's a pride thing. I don't know. It is, however, money down the drain. My last car wash cost about 4¼p in electricity to power the vacuum cleaner and heat the water. The water and cloth (old pants) are already paid for and the free exercise is a bonus.
56. Cut your own hair
News that High Street hair salon Headmasters last year charged a six-year-old girl £35 for a haircut should spur any parent into trying to avoid this kind of place. Anyone with a pair of scissors or £20 clippers can call themselves a hairdresser. So can you. Go on have a go. You could save £100s and don't worry... it'll grow back.
Amazon home
57. Reclaim your bank charges
Banks aren't thieves. What an absurd idea that would be? But they have been illegally overcharging customers for those hateful automated letters and overdraft charges - and you can get your money back. Some of our readers have been receiving cheques for more than £20,000.
58. Reclaim your mortgage fees
If you have redeemed your mortgage in the past three years or so (it depends on your lender), the chances are you've been overcharged in the form of an elevated exit fee. Obviously, banks aren't thieves. But they have made another administrative mistake here and you could get back up to £220 for one phone call.
59. Reclaim your loan payment insurance (PPI) fees
Two years ago, I warned that companies were adding this largely pointless, overpriced rip-off insurance to loans in an underhand manner. The Financial Services Authority now agrees and you may be able to get your money back. Banks aren't thieves, that's nonsense. But they have been working hard to make customers spend £100s on insurance they don't need. Claim it back.
60. Don't be a credit card tart
'Card tarting' is a technique where, if you are incredibly organised and money-savvy, you can take on the credit card companies at their own game - and even make money from them. It centres around the 0% interest phenomenon that began several years ago - and there is still a lot of talk about playing this game. It is not a game for everyone. It's not for me! And it's certainly not for anyone who has a weakness when it comes to credit cards. The providers aren't stupid and will try to exploit that weakness by casually offering more debt when you call to activate your new card, or by sending credit cheques in the post. A tempting offer if you're weak. Beware. If you have a history of credit card problems, cut the cards up. Certainly don't take out more. You could save yourself Potentially £1,000s and avoid a lifetime of financial misery.
61. Dump First Direct
Chris Pilling, the new chief executive of the once-respected bank, First Direct, issued an alarming edict last year. Anyone earning less than £24,000 a year was not welcome at his bank - a big kick in the teeth to pensioners, women on maternity leave, nurses and the like. They could remain customers, however, if they paid £120 a year for their current account. Other banks have suggested they will follow suit. Vote with your feet before they do just that.
62. The Paul Mckenna will-power trick
The TV hypnotist has a clever trick to kill cravings. In a nutshell, you squeeze your thumb and finger together as tight as you can then think of a place you would most like to be or a moment you would most like to achieve. Hold the thought and repeat. Then every time you get a craving for drink, fags, food, whatever, you squeeze the thumb and finger and recall the place or moment. The idea is that you have more chance of achieving your goal by recalling your aims and foregoing the craving. And it works. You could save a fortune.
63. Pay for your prescriptions in advance
A little-known, but top money saver for those who need regular prescriptions is the ability to pay in advance. Patients who have to pay for more than five prescription items in four months or 14 items in 12 months may find it cheaper to buy a pre-payment certificate. At the time of writing a single prescription costs £6.65 and an annual pass costs £95.30, so every prescription over and above your 14th in a year is free. The downside is that you will save money the more ill you are.
64. Buy generic medicines
A 16-pack of Anadin Ultra Ibuprofen capsules costs £2.99. Own-brand aspirin from Sainsbury cost 33p. How bad is that headache now?
65. Grow your own herbs
This may seem like a trifling little thing so let's put it in perspective. Any self-respecting cook will use a lot of herbs and if you're happy with dried this probably won't apply. But even if you only have a windowsill or two it is quite easy, planting seeds at regular intervals, to set up a nice little production line throughout the spring and summer months. You can save up to £100 over the growing season.
66. Neighbours: don't try to beat them, meet them
How often have you nipped to the DIY store for a power tool or a new ladder to fit a couple of screws and light fitting? Or how often can honestly say you have used that brand new sewing machine you bought on a whim? Your neighbours may not only have what you need, but they will be delighted to be asked to help. It's how to make friends. You can easily save £100s a year.
67. How to choose a builder
Only ever use a builder who is personally recommended by someone whose opinion you trust. If you're new to the area, meet your neighbours (see 16) and ask them. Remember: a decent builder doesn't need to advertise and won't. You could save £1,000s and avoid a pile of potential misery
68. Don't buy an iPod
Aren't fads great? When Apple reinvented the Sony Walkman for the Mp3 generation it boasted the ability to hold 10,000 tracks, which you can buy from its iTunes online store for 79p each. That's a very long album but at £7,900 that's rather a lot to pay. And iPods cost £100+. You can get an Mp3 player at Argos for £12.99.
My iPod's broken - right on cue
69. Repair things
The sad reality in these green, carbon-neutral days is that you can't repair your toaster. Or little else, for that matter. I tried to get my toaster fixed and while everyone was sympathetic I was forced to claim my little plot of landfill along with the rest of the country. You can, however, hold on to salvaged materials, off-cuts of wood and screws that, while irritating your spouse, come in handy when it comes to repairs around the home.
(Aside: why is it you can only buy nails and screws in bags of 100,000?)
70. When it comes to fashion, sizes matters
I love this tip sent in from a reader – because I have to admit that I've been suckered by it many times. 'Never buy clothes that you will wear once you lose some weight.' I've got a shelf of jumpers and trousers that I'll be able to wear just as soon as I shed a couple of inches. I'm brave enough now to admit that that ain't gonna to happen. What a waste (or is that waist?) of money.
71. Never pay for parking - and especially not for parking tickets
You pay your car tax, VAT, petrol tax, road tolls, congestion charge and obligatory insurance. You pay for tunnels and bridges and child seats and hand-free mobile sets and speeding fines. So don't pay for parking. And make sure you park legally to avoid parking fines. It means you have to walk a bit further. But is that such a bad thing?
72. Drivers: slow down and save
Unless you drive everywhere at 30mph it's becoming all-but impossible to avoid being caught speeding at least once in your life. There are now more than 6,000 speed cameras waiting to catch you out. But if your driving involves high mileage think about this: if you drive at 70mph rather than 80mph - and I've seen how few few drivers stick to 70mph - it will save one litre of petrol for every 20 miles, says one reader. If you do 10,000 motorway miles a year, that's a saving of nearly £450.
73. Avoid the motorway service station
Or should we refer to these as the world's most expensive toilets? These places are hateful rip-offs. Coffee up to £3 a pop. Cash machines that charge £1.85 to withdraw your money. Petrol that costs an extra tenner a tank. If you travel a lot, says a reader, take a flask of coffee, fill up before you go. Avoiding these places, just twice a week, could save you £1,000 a year.
74. Beware the false bargain
Sometimes you get what you pay for. Let me explain. I bought a sandwich toaster for £5 from Asda. A bargain? Well, no. As far as I know the toast is still in it. The catch broke on its first outing and I didn't have the energy to take it back.
75. Check your statements, receipts - and everything
Business exists to part you with your money. It's a simple logic that, while obvious in the souks of the Maghreb, is much more cleverly disguised in the so-called developed world. Everyone's at it and always has been; sometimes innocently, often not. Always check your bank and loyalty card statements, restaurant and phone bills and till receipts. It's a chore to complain (see 24), and can be embarrassing if you're wrong, but those extras you never received at the restaurant, the bank charges and the worse, the internet dialing scam, could be costing you a fortune - and if you don't check you won't know.
76. Cheap theatre tickets
The lure of the West End stage is a powerful one - and not just for the actors. Hundreds of theatre-lovers are bussed in from the provinces every day to watch largely over-priced dross. The price of the tickets is enough to cripple a family's budget, never mind the extra costs of transport, food and accommodation. Much better value can be found in the fringe theatres, and even better in your small local or pub theatre. If you must come to London, the Kings Head in Islington is highly rated, as is Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate. Outside London, the Theatre Royal, Windsor is a try-out venue for many West End shows.
77. Shop online
Says a reader: 'Doing your grocery shopping online means you don't end up with all those impulse buys like chocolate and snacks.' Yep. I saved enough for a long weekend in Norway by shopping online. Read about 'The best money-saving tip... in the world' here.
78. Use the internet for things you otherwise wouldn't think of using it for
I knocked 85% off the cost of a couple of items with a few clicks of the mouse. But for cables and batteries, online stores are probably an obvious destination. However, a reader says: 'I saved £30 recently by buying two new car tyres via the internet from My Tyres and had them fitted locally. This was for two skinny tyres so I expect that four bigger tyres would save much more. Every little helps.' Quite right.
79. Use charity shops
Boys: if you only buy one thing from a charity shop in your life, make sure it's a tux. Tuxedos must be one of the great cons - a really expensive suit you wear only once or twice. It'll take time to find one the right size, but for the savings its worth it. Girls: 'Perfectly good designer wear is just hanging on rails for a few pounds - you're doing something to help charity and helping yourself at the same time,' says a reader.
80. Swap and share books
You can buy a big range of new books on Amazon for 1p - plus postage - making it rather hard for anyone to compete on price. Many charity shops have upped their prices of books to take advantage of the 'do your bit for charity' angle. But if you read a lot you should check out one of the book swapping services. You only pay postage and it works, or so I'm assured by several readers.
81. Negotiate your salary
'The best and easiest time to negotiate a better pay and benefits deal is when you go for a new job. An extra £1,000 per annum is extra every year.'
82. Drink tap water
A simple puzzle for you: if you drink 1.5 litres of water a day - roughly the recommended daily dose for adults - and you satisfy this need with bottled water at 75p a litre, how much are you spending a year on water? Answer: £472.50. Turn the tap on folks. It's as good as free and in most cases it's as good as bottled.
83. Make the most of your lunch break - it could change your life
Sorry folks, more maths. (Bear with me, it's worth it). If you work typically 48 weeks a year and have one hour a day for lunch, it adds up to 240 hours of spare time. If you normally work an 8-hour day, then your lunch breaks add up to the equivalent of 30 working days (a whole month) in which to do something worthwhile. You can study for a new job, knit jumpers, sell stuff on eBay, write your novel - or, as a lot of people seem to do, wander round in a daze and buy shoes and sandwiches (see 1).
84. Do they know it's Christmas?
The retailers surely do. For them, Christmas starts around the end of August and continues for a quarter of a year. In '50 ways' we covered buying next year's gifts - and birthday presents - in the sales. But: 'Another tip is to ask friends and relatives to buy you gift vouchers for Christmas. Once the sales start you can often get double the value of the gifts in the sales. You can save £100s.'
85. Money-saving meals: the meat as a side dish trick
As John Cleese once said: 'If God did not intend for us to eat animals, then why did he make them out of meat?' But all that rearing can make meat an expensive luxury. So while we traditionally think of a hearty meal as meat and two veg, by twisting this idea on its head and stacking up the plate with loads of veg with a little bit of meat on the side you can save a packet.
86. Money-saving meals: go vegetarian from time to time
Stuffed jacket potatoes
Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes
2 courgettes
1 red onion
1 red/orange pepper
400g of grated (low fat) chedder cheese
olive oil, rock salt; pepper
(Ingredients can be modified depending on personal taste, other ingredients such as sweetcorn, bacon and any other leftovers can be added).
Method: Bake the potato with a little olive oil and rock salt on the skin. Fry the veg for a few minutes in the olive oil until soft. When the potato is soft in the middle, take it out, slice it lengthways and scoop out the potato inside. Put it in a bowl with the fried veg and grated cheese, season with pepper. Stuff the mixture back into the potato skin and bake in the oven for another 5-10 mins. Serve with a salad and a nice glass of wine. Bon appetite. Cost: Cost: £1 a head plus wine. Bargain.
87. If you buy magazines regularly think about getting a subscription
Only follow this tip if you are sure you are going to read the magazine every time, all year! Better, ask for one as a birthday present. I recommend Private Eye - a mere £24 a year - and to Web User, dearer at £40, but packed with useful tips and tactics.
88. Avoid the glasses rip-off
Retailers are pocketing up to 1,000% on a pair of specs, or so it is claimed. If you have a prescription consider one of the online discount stores such as Glasses Direct, where you'll pay as little as £15 for a pair.
89. Avoid loyalty cards at all costs
The first rule of money saving is to SHOP AROUND. Loyalty cards, however, are designed to make you do the OPPOSITE OF THAT. They exist to make you spend more than you intended, to buy more than you intended to be marketed (sold) things you didn't know you wanted because, in fact, you didn't want them. These schemes prey hard on your subconscious. In the back of your mind, every time you use the card you're somehow saving money and taking one step further to reaching the ultimate points prize – which is usually a trip to the zoo.
90. Avoid cashback credit cards
The same psychology is at work here as for loyalty cards (see 39). Only this time the rewards are even greater: FREE MONEY! Yes dear. Clawing at your subconscious here is the idea that the more you spend the more money free money you'll get back. It's a brilliant concept for the card companies, whose sole aim is to get you into debt so you pay them interest every month. There is no such thing as free money. The house always wins.
91. Never take what you see on the internet at face value
Anyone can set up a website within a few minutes and the internet is awash with self-appointed experts in every subject imaginable. But beware the money experts – they're lining their pockets not yours. While you have to take your hat off to their ingenuity, for heaven's sake don't fall for it. There's no such thing as free money.
92-96. Five money-saving quickies – it all adds up
• Electricity: Switch off the lights, turn down the thermostat, turn off the telly properly. (This works best if you're not intending to spend a quiet night in watching Coronation Street. In winter.)
• Telephones: If you use an 0870 number to phone a company to sort out a problem of their making, ask them how much the call is costing and insist they call you back.
• Wine: I'm sure the rule used to be that you got six glasses from a bottle. It's down to about three these days - and the bottles haven't any got smaller. So remember, if you're going out and drinking wine in a bar you might as well share a whole bottle than buying by the glass. It's much cheaper.
• Motoring: Use an independent garage to service your car, not a dealership.
• Small print: Always read the small print. You see, there are only four money-saving quickies in this list of five. (Or are there?)
97. Don't miss our weekly newsletter
There are too many scams, rip-offs, inconsistencies, thefts and cases of pitiful customer service to list here. For instance, are sure you should be a customer of Talk Talk or British Gas at the moment? The best way to keep on top of it all is to sign up for our FREE newsletter.
98. How to save money on dental treatment
Good grief, my mother was right. The best way to save money on dental treatment is to avoid it. No, I don't mean neglect yourself until you turn into a bag lady or tramp and try to get a place on Reality Teeth Makeover TV. I mean clean at least twice a day and eat fruit, not sweets. A spoonful of sugar in your tea causes your teeth to decay for two hours. So, a cuppa every couple hours and you're going to be making regular contributions to your dentist's pension fund.
99. Free guitar lessons
If you have always wanted to be a rock star but are either too old, or can't afford £20 an hour for years of guitar lessons, there is an alternative courtesy of perennial cheeky boys The Toy Dolls. Go to their website and follow the links to Multimedia> Guitar for a selection of eclectic video lessons from Bach's Toccata (part 1) to, um, Sharon from Whitley Bay. And for any other fans out there (or am I really the only one?), they're on tour in the UK this year with tickets likely to cost £100 less than for Elton John. A double saving, ahem.
100. Check out Money Saving Overflow...
There's a limit to the words and amount of code we can get into a page so that's all for this one. If you want to see more tips, help verify some of the more obscure ones, add your own or just comment on the ones above.
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