Your top 57 super money saving tips!

When we asked parents for money saving tips in our #VirginISA Twitter party, sponsored by Virgin Money Stocks and Shares ISA, we learned everything from the best ways to save money on week-night meals to top tips on cutting utility bills while also saving the environment! Below are 59 tips for saving money in all kinds of inventive ways.

Don’t forget to join our Piggy Bank Tales Competition – running until 10 April 2012 – where we’re giving away another TWO prizes of £500. You take part by blogging about your Piggy Bank Tale (a money-saving story) and adding your link to the Linky, and you’ll be entered to win! Learn more about the Piggy Bank Tales Competition and how you take part.

Food

Try food shopping online. It makes it easier to compare prices and avoid all the impulse buys. CatParrott

Invest in a slow cooker and enjoy the thrifty meals you can cook and freeze. CatParrott

Meal planning and sticking to a shopping list is my biggest saver, especially when combined with online grocery shopping. TiredMummyofTwo

My money-saving tip: don’t shop when hungry! Mummyratesit

All the little things add up, think about making your own bread, cookies, etc.; you might be surprised how much it saves. dadcooking2nite

If you have time making a packed lunch really helps the budget. Mummyratesit

Try going to the market for fruit and veg, often cheaper and less packaging. _cathyJ_

Don’t buy your baby food, make your own. Just blend what you’re cooking for yourself without salt. Maximka25

Cut out recipes from mags where they do meals for under a fiver! Put them in a file ad you have a bargain cookbook. Tinkerbellgemz

Supermarket savings Stamps are brilliant! Save £2 a week (you won’t miss it) and by Christmas you will have £100 for food! Tinkerbellgemz

Cook double portions of meals and freeze half- you’ll waste less food and save time too – bonus! Platespinnermum

Kids

Plan ahead and buy next year’s kids clothes in the sales. CatParrott

Instead of party bags = expensive. Get loads of arty materials and during the party have them make lots of fun things! Jenni000

Move next door to people with a child a year older than yours and great taste. MummyWhisperer

All kinds of nearly new sales are great, especially when kids are young and with school uniforms. Kateonthinice

Shopping

If buying more than one big-ticket item, always ask to see the manager and ask for a discount or free delivery. WISHGIRL123

Buy a crate of stamps today, they’ll still be valid when the price goes up. Joannemallon

Buy unbranded or supermarket own brand medicines – far cheaper and exactly the same effect! Staffstechgirl

I know rewards cards are frustrating sometimes but we saved so much at Christmas by saving points all year! ChelseaMamma

I use coupons where I can, not into American extreme couponing yet – but nearly! Emmaand3

Shop with another mum and share the buy 1 get 1 free deals to get bargains for the family shop. WISHGIRL123

Do a downgrade challenge on a supermarket shop and try the value products from the top four supermarkets. TiredmummyofTwo

Shopping around

I saved £200 on Monday when booking a holiday hotel by doing a last minute check for online deals. DDsDiary

Research any big purchase online before buying using a comparison site – could save you £££’s. staffstechgirl

Make sure you shop around for the best deal for your debts as well as your savings, switching can save a lot of £’s. MunchKim

Pay by cash

Actually use your coppers/5p pieces for newspapers/bus tickets – a huge amount can be found in money jars! Mamasaver

Be that person who pays in exact change. You’ll find your cash goes further during the week & no need to withdraw more. AetharaGirl

Money saving tip – always use cash because then you know exactly how much you have left! Snuggle_bubby

Save up

We’ve started an actual piggy bank for saving for anniversary – satisfying to save when it’s actual money going in a bank. Jhowze

Start saving for your baby as soon as they’re born. £10 over 18 years will help towards their first car ChelseaMamma

My tip: move all the money you know you won’t need that month into a savings account, put of sight out of mind. Rainy day fund. Feistytapas

Try paying everything by cash and not card and you will see quite how much you spend. RedTedArt

I have a money box and store all my £2 coins till January, then I can spend in the sales. Ali991

I would advise people to join their local credit union to build up savings and access to affordable credit on a rainy day. Kateonthinice

Be money aware

As an accountant by day I have a spreadsheet for all our expenses for the next 3 to 4 months and I can look back over the past year. TiredMummyofTwo

The MSE website has a great excel spreadsheet for working out how much incoming/outgoing you have per month – bit of a shock. Nickie72

Does anyone else add up all their receipts weekly? We do just so we can keep an eagle eye on where all the money is going. ToybuzzUK

The best tip, write a budget so you know where you are spending and can see where to save. Ali991

Check your direct debits – lots of people are still paying for extended warranties for goods the no longer have! Platespinningmum

PLAN! Think about money you require for short-term & longer-term plans & invest/save accordingly. Don’t just do, THINK! AetharaGirl

Bills and debts

Pay all your bills online! That way you don’t get charged extra for paper bills sent to you! Kidz_sparklez

Consolidate your debts and switch credit cards to be interest free! Nb_bubbles

If you are struggling Citizens Advice can help with debts and sometimes get interest frozen. Kateonthinice

Household

Try old fashioned cleaning products, e.g. baking soda, vinegar to wash window – cheaper and greener. WISHGIRL123

Money saving tip: buy batteries and light bulbs in bulk – HUGE saving. MummyWhisperer

Turn down the heating thermostat by one degree. You’ll hardly notice the difference and save pounds. CatParrott

Turn appliances off at the plug when you’re not using them. Saves money AND the planet. Daadyblog

Make sure you’re using the TV subscriptions and phone add-on’s you’re paying for—or else cancel them! Mummiafelice

Out and About

Take advantage of all the free things out there for little ones… parks/Surestart centres/libraries/garden centers! Nb_bubbles

Whenever thinking of buying stuff or going out for the day Google vouchers or codes. TiredMummyofTwo

Share and recycle

We often go on self-catering holidays with friends, and split the cost of accommodation. Mummyblogger

Sign up to Freecycle – it’s amazing what you can pick up for absolutely nothing! staffstechgirl

Make it yourself

My moneysaving tip is to make cards yourself using materials you already have if possible. Ecothrify

I try to make as many gifts for friends and family as possible. Personalised & Cheaper. RedTedArt

I am saving some of my daughter’s favourite clothes to use the fabric for crafty things. VBinCatalunya

And finally…do you really need it?

That thing you’d like, don’t buy it straight away. If you can get by for another week, you don’t need it. Liveotherwise

Just put up with things – you really don’t need a new kitchen, the old 1970’s one works perfectly well. AModernMother

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BritMums is the UK's largest parent blogger collective. We offer bloggers the latest support, advice and how-tos as well as feature great content on food, travel, relationships, health, charities, crafting and much more. Our social network is free to join and helps bloggers connect with others; our BritMums Pro programme connects bloggers with brand on our high-quality projects and our annual event is the blogging event of the year.

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