Originally Posted by glowmama

Wow! Your sister should listen to her big sister!

Originally Posted by bluecurlygirl

That's a good one actually. Also, we're a curly family (hence the name!). My sister spent a fortune on a bottle of stuff in the hairdressers to spray on her daughters hair in the morning to detangle it (I think it was €10 for a small bottle - may have been more). I couldn't believe it. I bought a bottle years ago, it's for spraying plants and it cost less than a euro. I put a squirt of conditioner in it and top it up with water. Shake the living daylights out of it every time it's to be used and hey presto - much easier to brush. Of course my sister didn't believe me and continues to buy the expensive crap. Some people think you have to spend big money to get the results (and a hairdresser told me the stuff she's buying is the same as what I'm doing anway!). So a way to save money and to stop kids with curly hair screaming (or at least not quite as loudly!).

Originally Posted by HappyHunter

Nicely put indeed and I totally agree



Yes I do barter, like for instance last year I spent time searching for a shed for a friend who is a tiler, I managed to get a shed for him and he did some tiling for me.

I also sorted out his laptop which is to be paid for by more tiling.

I have actually bartered with people around the world, some of my own formulations of natural creams for something they can send me - exchange of energy :)

The idea of babysitting and pet sitting is a good one :)

rowing our own organic veg and fruit is in the pipeline this year.

Also I'm not sure where I read the idea of creating vouchers as gifts. My 18 year old niece had no money to buy gifts for her parents and siblings this Christmas so I suggested she create a book of vouchers for each of them.

She had the following in the voucher books she created:

For her mom:

Foot massage x 3 vouchers
Shoulder massage x 3 vouchers
Make over x 3 vouchers
House cleaning x 3 vouchers
Brother sitting x 3 vouchers
Car cleaning x 3 vouchers
Yard Cleaning x 3 vouchers

For her dad she had vouchers for Poo patrols, dish washing, cooking, car cleaning and so on.

For her brothers she has vouchers for cleaning their rooms, play time, football playing, story reading, and so on.

For her sister she had Girls afternoon, make overs, room cleaning and other similar promises.

The idea is they give her a voucher when they want to claim the offer.

When they visited me they were full of chat about the gifts she had given them and all agreed they were the best they had received :)

This idea can be used for birthdays also.

Originally Posted by gillo

Hi betsy, this all sounds brilliant especially the internet shopping but I'd love to know how you pay for stuff on the internet without either a credit or laser card. I'm really curious to know, it would be brilliant to do this. Recently, on a trip to Scotland my husband and I tried to rent a car and simply could not do it without a credit card, (we got rid of ours a year ago), none of the companies would even accept laser cards. It was so frustrating, so I'm really interested to know how it's done. Thanks, gillo

Originally Posted by erica

For budgeting and money saving advice, check out the Money Advice and Budgeting Service MABS website, www.mabs.ie . You can use their budget spreadsheet to calculate outgoings. If you find yourself in financial difficulty, you can make an appointment with a trained money advisor. The service is free and confidential. They can help you to negotiate with your creditors to come to an acceptable and affordable repayment plan.

For those on very low incomes or totally dependant on social welfare, the Community Welfare Officer can offer help, in the form of an Exceptional Needs Payment for many different things. They can also help with grants for First Holy Communion and Confirmation expenses.

Family Income Supplement is a payment made to families on low incomes, where at least one spouse is in employment of 19 hours or more.
FIS income limits in 2009:
From January 2009, if you have: And your family income is less than:
One child €500
Two children €590
Three children €685
Four children €800
Five children €920
Six children €1,030
Seven children €1,160
Eight children €1,250

So if you have one child and your income from is say, €400
you would qualify for €60 FIS.

It's important to be aware, that no matter how little you may qualify for, you will still get a minimum of €20 each week.
Check out www.welfare.ie

If you are a single parent, you can claim an additional tax credit. If your child lives with your ex and spends only part of the week/weekend with you, you are still entitled to claim the allowance.

Originally Posted by xmillyx2007

Hi Erica,
I just read your tread and am very interested to kow how this works my partner has no work at the minute so we are currently on bennifts, But he get his son from a previous relationship at the weekends, either friday till saturday or saturday till sunday. He pays maintenance of 60 euro a week and as i said were on bennifts so were struggling to make the payments each week but have to as its court order. So does this mean he can claim for his son too? As 60euro a week is crippling me... regards milly...

Originally Posted by kiara

If 60euro was court ordered when he was employed he can appeal it now that he's not, kiara x

Originally Posted by gillo

Hi betsy, this all sounds brilliant especially the internet shopping but I'd love to know how you pay for stuff on the internet without either a credit or laser card. I'm really curious to know, it would be brilliant to do this. Recently, on a trip to Scotland my husband and I tried to rent a car and simply could not do it without a credit card, (we got rid of ours a year ago), none of the companies would even accept laser cards. It was so frustrating, so I'm really interested to know how it's done. Thanks, gillo

Originally Posted by Redrubies

Check out www.3v.com

Originally Posted by glowmama

Regarding www.fuelsaver.ie - the company is in Fermanagh. You can see this at the bottom of the page.

Originally Posted by SantasLittleHelper

There on eBay for only 5.95 - looks like the same kind of thing. There giving a 30 day money back guarantee. Think I'll grab one.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=270338617058

Originally Posted by Redrubies

Check out www.3v.com

Originally Posted by bluecurlygirl

Before you get a 3v card check out what the annual limit is. I had one of these when I joined ebay first and I can't remember what the limit was then but I know I exceeded it unknowingly and was left in a right mess paying a fortune for sterling bank drafts etc. So worth checking out first.

Originally Posted by kiara

I've just got one of these cards, the limit on what you can top up at any one time is 350euro, I wasn't aware of an annual limit though, please enlighten me before I shop myself into financial crisis! :) Kiara xxx

Originally Posted by kiara

I've just got one of these cards, the limit on what you can top up at any one time is 350euro, I wasn't aware of an annual limit though, please enlighten me before I shop myself into financial crisis! :) Kiara xxx

Originally Posted by xmillyx2007

Hi Kiara,
As far as i know that just means you are only allowed to top up the pre paid card with 350euro at one time in the shops, it does not mean you are going to be charged that to use the card...
The charges are paid in the shop when you top up.
I think the least you can top up with at any one time is 40euro and i think the charge for this is 2.50cent mabey 5.00 not too sure but can ask partner...
Any shop that tops up 3V cards are able to tell you whats the least and max ammounts are for topping up ur card at any one time and what the charges are...
I hope this is of some help, Milly

Originally Posted by chakes

Betsy...did you say you can get cheap flights????

I don't have broadband where I live - no surprise - but I am looking to travel to Asia in Oct...and its taking me ages to go through the sites.

...any hints or useful website to get CHEAP FLIGHTS???

Love all you ideas.

Thanks

Originally Posted by lindaleagh

take a flask to work cassias and keep it in your drawer?

I used to be PA and I held the keys to all the posh executive suits and I would be sipping a hot chocolate and late most of the day!!

I especially loved the English breakfast tea.. I still buy earl grey as it is the best tea.. it is gorgeous.. but the breakfast one was great during pregnancy..!

I also took over managing the book people orders when one of the office girls left.. and for every 10 books you would get a free book!! I had 3 books one christmas!!
I thought in advance and got 2, for at the time by bump, but she is getting the enjoyment from them now!

Not many perks these days..

I cannot cut back on food shopping as I try and buy organic. but I might try and grow some of my own veg this year and little one can see her veg grow too! peas etc are great!

I have also started to cheat and I am taking a risk, but wool washing things that are dry clean only.. not suits of course.

But only last week I rammed my goose duck down duvet into the washing machine on a wool wash.. loads of fabric conditioner.. gave it a big shake outside and hung it over the airer and it has came up a treat.. beats paying dry cleaners 40e+!!

But not recommended if your favourite item!!

Originally Posted by betsy10112000

hi have have and constanting use my 3V card.the minimumm you can top up is 10 euro and also i have toped up my 3v card by more than 350 euro on many occassions and never had any problem.the charge is 2.50 euro for up to 150 euro i think then 5.00 euro after that.

Originally Posted by irishrose

I've been doing that for years with a lot of dry-clean only stuff. I wouldn't do a suit or any wool tailored item because one never knows what the linings/interlinings are made of. But I have a coat I wash in the washer every so often - it's synthetic but says dry clean only. And I wash woollen jumpers by hand in the kitchen sink in warm water with shampoo or with washing up liquid. Then I rinse them, squeeze out the excess water, roll them up in a towel and air dry.

I wash bed pillows in the washer too. They're better off dried in a dryer though, I think. They can take a long time to dry otherwise.

Originally Posted by gillo

You're a star, betsy. Thanks for that info, I'm delighted to know that. We had to ask friends to rent the car on our behalf and pay them back, how annoying. I'll definitely look into the paypal account. Thanks a million, gillo

Originally Posted by betsy10112000

Right a have a few tips or ways to save money, might not be great for some but work great for me :)

1: TESCO - as in their motto every little helps and it sure does - Tesco have a motto that if when you purchase something at the til and then realise on your receipt that you paid more than it said on the shelf or special offer sign(even 1c more) then they will refund you the full amount and give you the item/s free. eg if you go in tesco and see a bottle of wine,on the shelf it says 9.99 for this exact bottle so you buy it and then AFTER you have paid for it check your receipt and it says 10 euro for the wine,take it to customer services and you get a FULL refund AND the wine aswel :) happy days. tobe honest i use this alot.in the last 6 months i have got full refunds and the item free on the following items to name a few : A lexmark wireless printer (it was supposed to be 89.99),vacuum,beans,coffee,hot chocolate,soup,clothes,underwear,dvds,ps2 games,cds,perfume,toilet rolls,chicken fillets,ham,pork plus many many more

2:TESCO yet again (tesco's will ban me soon,lol)- clubcard points - if you dont already have a clubcard get one,also sign up for tesco wine club and babyclub and finest food club,yeah you might not drink or have a baby but some of the vouchers they send are great,i got the baby club vouchers through and there were general vouchers on them,spend 40 euro and save 5 euro or spend 20 euro and get 1000 clubcard points all these on the baby vouchers :)

3: TESCO When you get your tesco club card vouchers through dont spend them in tesco,they can be used for so much more.recently i went to the UK with my partner,2 kids and took the car aswel and all it cost me was 2 euro,yes 2 euro.how I did it - i had 4500 tesco point (most acheived with the free vouchers i got through in baby club statement and wine club and i dont drink),i saved it because there valid for 2 years,3 months later another 4000 points,equivalent to 85 euro to spend in tesco BUT i got 4 times that amount if i used them for stenna line so i had a total of 340 euro to spend at stenaline.it cost me 342 euro t take us all and car to UK - bargain :)

4: THE INTERNET Anything that i cant get free or cheap in tesco I buy on the internet. I can get flights all around the world for as little as 2 CENT return :) you can get a discount code for almost everything just search on any search engine for discount codes for whatever,say if you wat to buy flowers from interflora put in discount codes for interflora and hey presto.I recently sent a bunch of 40 red roses to my mother in law in england,i found discount codes and i sent - 40 red roses in a glass vase,teddy bear,chocolates and free delivery for wait for it - 6.99 euro.

i have many more trade secrets so keep checking, Im gonna try out some of the other money saving tips aswel,oh and i only have a regular bank account,no laser or visa card,no credit cards just a paypal account and thats all you need - costs nothing
:)

Originally Posted by glowmama

This link was sent to me and I was dubious - but you get a full money back guarantee so I thought what the heck. The website says you'll save 15% to 27%, but I have to say that my husband and I have found a 10% reduction - still good. You can get them on www.fuelsaver.ie, the price is in dollars but there's someone here in Ireland distributing because we got ours four days after purchase with an Irish postmark. We've noticed benefits ... may be worth a try.