21 unusual ways to save money – A real mixture!

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I like to try and save money where I can as a pound saved is the same as a pound earned really. Today I’m sharing with you 21 unusual ways to save money.

Like most people I’m a fan of money! I always want more. What I don’t always want though is to have to work more or work harder.

21 unusual ways to save money

Try out a student hairdresser

Our local college, and a couple of hair salons in my town, offer cheap or free haircuts on a specific day of the week or month. Contrary to what people tend to think you can choose your own hair style usually and the work is overseen by a trained hairdresser.

This is a bit of a brave one of my unusual ways to save money but I’ve done it before with great results!

Use cash not card

Sticking to cash only will help you stay on track with any budgets. Make sure that you set a realistic budget for food shopping, days out and more. Once the cash is gone if you don’t have a card with you then you can’t overspend!

Check out your employer corporate discounts

A lot of larger employers offer discounts and special offers to their staff. My husband’s employer have a website you can join, for free, with your employee number. Then we can receive from 1-10% discounts on a number of gift cards, including supermarket ones! 

Use YouTube for fitness videos

Gym memberships can be expensive but there are a great array of videos over on YouTube – for free. Yes you may have to watch 1 or 2 adverts per 30-45 minute work out but there are a vast array of great videos. I’ve completed walking exercises, HIIT, zumba and more – all for free.

Recently I have found a love for Grow with Jo in particular. I’ve lost a few stone, so far, and I really enjoy the workouts too. They help me with a variety of strength training exercises, to move more, and just generally to have a good mood too!

Fix things that are broken

Recently my husband commented that his DAB radio transmitter for the car had broken. He was going to buy a new one. Then he decided to take it apart and fixed a loose connection inside.

This was a saving of around £40-50 on buying a new one. The one that he fixed was £70 new so to get another burst of life from it was great. This might not seem like the most imaginative of my unusual ways to save money but people tend to just throw away items that break now.

We’ve fixed lots of things in our home in the last couple of years in particular that otherwise would have gone in the bin and been replaced without a single thought!

Get paid by your bank

Many bank accounts now offer you money just for paying in £750-£1000+ a month. If you’re receiving a salary then you can even move money between accounts, to maximise the money that you make.

This is a great way of making a few extra pounds. While this post is unusual ways to save money a little money making doesn’t hurt either does it!

By completing these switch offers regularly you can earn up to £500 a year, depending on whether you have 1 or 2 accounts that you switch around.

Watch less television

If you’re on your computer or phone anyway then why not consider watching programs there? If you don’t watch live television at all then you can even avoid paying for the TV licence (legally).

When using subscription or streaming services consider whether you’d be just as happy if you cut down to one, or just stopped paying for one. We use quite a few, and could definitely cut 1 or 2 out to save a few £100 a year.

Unplug devices when not in use

Some devices will still be drawing a little power, even when you are not using them. By unplugging devices when finished you can prevent this. If you have a number of devices left on standby you could save £s every year just by turning them off.

Just having an extension lead switched on with charger wires etc in could be costing you money, even while not using the wires.

Visit the cinema at off peak times

Many of the chain cinemas offer discounted prices if you visit earlier in the week or earlier in the day. Prices can be as much as 50% cheaper which represents a huge saving. Best of all the cinemas are often quieter at these times. 

Also, you can often use apps such as O2 Priority or the Virgin media app to get discounted cinema tickets. We’ve had them as low as £3 per adult recently, which is a fantastic saving versus around £10 at full price!

Use the library

I’m a big fan of cookbooks and want new ones all the time. While I can afford to treat myself I don’t really need to. Visiting the library for books allows me to see the latest books, get some inspiration and avoid the takeaways too!

Also, my 6-year-old loves browsing around the library and finding some new books to read herself. This is a great little activity we can do together and best of all it is completely free!

Share Netflix with a friend or relative

You can get a Netflix account where you can be viewing on two devices at one time, or even four devices at a time. This is significantly cheaper than taking out two individual accounts. Share your account with a trusted friend or relative and you can split the price.

This one might be against the Netflix terms of service now so be sure you check those first!

Check your local newspaper for free activities

In our local newspaper there are often free activities. There are more activities on during the warmer months than any other time but there is always something on offer. Charity days, activities in the local park and more.

You can also look for local websites that specialist on sharing days out in your area. I’ve found a great one on Instagram that shares days out in Essex, which is where we currently live.

Look after your clothes

Consider whether you can wash your clothes less. Obviously if they are dirty then they’ll need a wash but even then you may be able to use a lower temperature or a smaller spin speed.

Wear and tear is often what kills off clothes, long before styles go out of fashion. I’ve even used *Dylon dye recently to refresh a nice pair of jeans I’d barely worn but that had faded.

Leave your purse at home

If you’re popping out for a walk be sure to leave your purse at home. In the warmer months it is tempting to spend money on drinks and ice creams, when you could just take your own out with you.

Leaving your purse at home completely removes the temptation to pop into your local supermarket or pub on your way home.

If you’ve got contactless payment options then either disable those or leave those devices at home too. I like to take my camera out instead of my phone, that way I can snap photographs and videos of my daughters, but I won’t be tempted into the local shops for a quick treat!

Email brands your likes or dislikes

There are a vast array of bloggers know that love collecting coupons. The best tip that I have heard is to write in to manufacturers with your likes and dislikes. Often companies will write back to you and offer you vouchers for discounts or free products.

Grow your own food

We previously had an allotment and in our first year we grew a vast array of different items. Some were successful and some not so much. We used onions and other veggies, plus herbs, that we harvested months before.

This is a great way to enjoy your garden, or outside space, and it does not need to be expensive. You can even use YouTube to show you how to grow items from seeds that you take from your food.

Make a shopping list before you hit the supermarket

When I go shopping with a list I always spend less money. I’m not so easily sucked in by ‘special offers’ and I get in, get what I need and get out. This is time saving AND money saving. Also, it stops me buying crisps, chocolate or ice cream!

Drink more water

Not only is drinking water good for you but it will save you money if you buy fizzy drinks etc. I like to use a low sugar squash for water and this is still a considerable saving on the diet coke we used to buy.

As unusual ways to save money go this is one of the best. It will help your health, your concentration and your purse!

Buy frozen food

Buying frozen food, for certain products, helps me to save money. I can use a small handful of peppers to make an omelette or I can use frozen herbs. This is a great way to save money and there is zero waste too which is always good.

Cook double the food

If you are going to be making a beef chilli, a roasted tomato soup, a lasagne or something similar then why not make double? I have a huge stock pot and I use it for things like pasta sauce. Also, when I’m making meals like chilliI make double. I can then freeze some for another day or turn it into a different meal the following day.

Take your own coffee or drinks when you go out

When heading out for the day now I try and think about what drinks we need. As we are already packing a bag with baby bottles it isn’t too much more effort.

I like to use a travel coffee mug or a glass bottle for water. Both of these keep my beverages at the right temperature for hours. This saves me spending money on expensive coffees while out and means I always have a drink to hand.

I hope that my unusual ways to save money have given you some inspiration. If you are looking to find out more about how you can make money online be sure to read my huge list of helpful posts.

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