Money Savers

Saturday Night (Cabin) Fever

Posted 2 Dec 2009 By Niamh Smith In Money Savers | 3 Comments

Eat-In

Saturday Night (Cabin) Fever!

You know the way they (whoever ‘they’ are) say staying in is the new going out? Well those of us a bit strapped for cash do. But we’re broke, we’re not dead, so what to do for entertainment?

I was listening to Moncrieff on his Newstalk show talking to Ross Golden of Food & Wine magazine about dinner parties. ‘Dinner party’ sounds ever so posh but having your mates round for some grub and a few drinks sounds right up most people’s street! Ross says the key to a successful dinner for friends is to keep it very simple and gave a few pointers-I might have added some of my own too.

Eats: a big pot of – Irish stew, curry, spaghetti bolognese. Take your pick. And make it the day before if you can. Or a few days before and freeze it, it’ll mean a lot less hassle and stress on the day.

Servings: let people serve themselves, they usually take less when serving themselves in someone else’s house and you can bulk it up with lots of bread and salad.

Desserts: ask one or two friends to bring dessert with them, they’ll more than likely be happy to contribute to the evening.

Drinks: tell everyone it’s BYOB (bring your own bottle) and/or buy some cheap sparkling wine and try out these Budget Tipples for Christmas. Mmmm.

Entertainment: well these days lots of people are into reality tv, X Factor or I’m A Celebrity. Failing that you always have the option of sports, a movie night, a karaoke-off if someone has SingStar or a battle of the bands with Guitar Hero or something similar.

Result: a relatively inexpensive and fun night for everyone. And lots of cleaning up for you in the morning :)

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Food or Clothes?

Posted 20 Nov 2009 By Niamh Smith In Money Savers | 3 Comments

clothes

Saving on Fashion

Are you finding it a bit difficult to look good for your social life and still have money left over to feed yourself for the week? Well I have a few things that might help you to look good for less!

Over at The Savvy Shopper, Sinéad is constantly coming up with great (and sometimes little known) bargains for shoppers, on clothes and accessories. Some of them are for actual stores and some for online stores but I would keep an eye on her blog or follow her @savvyshopperie on Twitter to keep up with the new offers as they come in. Also check out her Vouchers section for discount codes on some clothing websites and the Top Tips section for common sense ideas on how to save.

Maybe you prefer to browse the shops and try clothes on rather than browse the web for clothes and bargains? If so, take your ISIC card with you. If you check out this page on their website and input your location, it will give you a list of local stores and venues that accept the ISIC student card and give a discount, mostly 10%. You can purchase an ISIC card in your nearest USIT office, listed here.

Finally, the most obvious choice for discounted clothing are charity shops or second hand shops. No need to worry about turning up to a party in the same dress as someone else, for the most part these clothes will not be repeated anywhere else! They are inexpensive, unique, full of possibilities of bagging a vintage gem and as far as the charity shops go at least, your money is going to a good cause too.

Some of the more well-known ones are Oxfam, Barnardos, St. Vincent De Paul, CASA, Mrs. Quin’s Charity Shops. If none of those are in your area, you can check a fuler listing of charity shops in Ireland here.

Happy Shopping!

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Spend more & save?

Posted 11 Nov 2009 By Niamh Smith In Money Savers | 0 Comments

Loyalty Cards

Get Money Back on Your Shopping

You can get your money back or at least some of it, by signing up for store loyalty cards. Yes, it does mean that The Marketing People in Supermarket HQ know what brand of baked beans you like to eat and how often, but if it means a little more money in your pocket, how much do you really care? Some of the more popular ones are:

1. Tesco Clubcard

Tesco will give you 1 point for every euro that you spend in store excluding purchases in their coffee shop/restaurant or purchases of any tobacco products, medicines, lottery tickets, infant formulae products, gift vouchers, savings stamps, postage stamps, or public land-line phone cards. You receive a statement each month with vouchers to the value of 1c per point earned. Essentially you are getting 1% back of what you spend, not a huge return but better than nothing – also keep an eye out for special Double Points promotions in stores, as well as coupons for extra points and money off with your monthly statements. And don’t forget that you can also use the card to earn points in Tesco petrol stations too if you have a car, motorbike or mo-ped.

2. Dunnes Stores Value Club card

Similar to Tesco, you will earn one point per €1 spent. You receive money-off vouchers and a statement once you have collected 400 points or more. In Dunnes Stores you can use the card to collect points in the grocery, clothing and homewares departments, though the 400 points threshold means you need to spend at least €400 in store before you get anything back from them.

3. Boots Advantage Card

As with the others, each Euro you spend in store equals 1c on your card. The difference with the Boots Advantage card is that you have the points on your card to spend immediately-no thresholds need to be reached, you don’t need to wait for a monthly statement. You simply have that money on the card after each transaction in store. Conveniently, it tells you on the bottom of each receipt how many points you now have on your card. There is nothing more satisfying as a shopper than going into a store and ‘buying’ something without having to hand over cash or laser card-try it :)

These are just three of the ones I use, there are others out there that you might like to try yourself depending on where you shop or what shops are nearest to where you live :)

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Irish Money saving websites

Posted 4 Nov 2009 By Joe Scanlon In Money Savers | 2 Comments

Money_Saving_Websites

There are some pretty cool money saving websites out there. Here are some of the best that we have recently stumbled across:

AskAboutMoney.com


Ask_About_Money

Askaboutmoney has developed a reputation for civilised and informed discussion of financial topics in a sponsorship-free and advertising-free environment. 99% of contributors respect and value this reputation and welcome the editing of posts which damage our reputation.

BeThrifty.ie


Be_Thrifty

We are an Irish cashback site, researched and in construction since 2008 and launched in 2009. After doing some digging around, we found a way to get commission from our own online shopping and decided it was too good to keep to ourselves!

CheapEats.ie


Cheap_Eats

CheapEats is a blog about eating well in Ireland while getting value for money. We cover everything from cheap and delicious snacks, to high-end restaurants that are worth every penny.

MoneySavers.ie


money_savers

This site will provide you with information on how to save money in most aspects of your life and make you aware of special offers from time to time.

ThriftyPages.ie


Thrifty_Pages

This website is all about learning how to thrive in the Irish recession.
You do not have to be a victim of circumstance. A recession can be a time to thrive.

Uchoose.ie


UChoose

At uchoose.ie we have taken the time and trouble to search for the best products at the best prices. Sometimes that’s not always about what’s cheapest, but what suits you best.
We’re not brokers and there is no hard sell but we hope you spend time here because we think it will be worth your while and, we hope, you’ll come across some original and helpful information along the way.

ValueIreland.com


Value_Ireland

ValueIreland.com is a website that aims to help Irish consumers make “Better Purchasing Decisions Through Better Information”.
ValueIreland.com was set up by Diarmuid MacShane, in 2003 and continues to be the primary internet based information resource for Irish consumers.

If you know of any other good ones out there, get in touch here or comment below. Thanks!

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Curb your spendthusiasm

Posted 22 Oct 2009 By Joe Scanlon In Money Savers | 10 Comments

Lovely Snacks

Need to save up for that rainy day? How better than to create your very own Money Spending Log.
Yep it’s just as easy as it sounds.

1 : Buy (or better still : Find) a pocket sized notepad and pencil.
2 : Record every single cent you spend starting from now. (Everything from a cup of coffee to the car insurance)
3 : At the end of each week transfer all the weeks spend to an excel file
4 : Start the next week trying to improve on the previous week’s spend.

There are many benefits to keeping a log of your spending including:

  • Curbing that impulse buy, you’ll think twice about that Twix if you have to enjoy it while writing down how much it costs.
  • It might help with that diet that you’re always banging on about (<- I'm talking to myself here)
  • As sad as it sounds, it may be fun trying to beat your own previous score/spend.
  • You will force yourself to come up with other money saving ideas. (You will most likely make birthday cards from now on, who knows you could even become a little artist.)

Have some ideas on this yourself? Do comment below.

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Save money – Eat less?

Posted 17 Oct 2009 By Joe Scanlon In Money Savers | 6 Comments

Save money when grocery shopping

For most of us it’s the most boring chore we have to undergo. We can’t do much about the boredom but here are a few tips on how to help reduce the cost of grocery shopping::

  • Make a list. (and STICK to it)
  • Decide on a budget.
  • Go for store brands.
  • Stop buying newspapers. Yesterday’s news?
  • Keep an eye out for “buy one get one free” deals. (ONLY if they are on your list!)
  • Get in and get out fast!

There are many other ways to save, but we like keeping our lists short here on LittleQuiz!
Safe shopping!

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Feeling lucky?
Head along to the home page of LittleQuiz.com here and answer those three little questions to be in with a chance to win this week’s prize!

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Hello Credit Card, Hello Debt!

Posted 9 Oct 2009 By Sabrina Dent In Money Savers | 2 Comments

Credit Card

Like a tidal wave of credit, each September offers are made to just about every student on every campus in Ireland. While this can be a great first step to independence, it can also be the first stumble into serious debt. The average first year student will receive an average of 10 credit card offers, and while that can seem like the best thing ever to happen to you, these offers can be a debt trap that will follow you around for years to come.

Credit cards can be a great tool to build your credit record, but only after you understand how these offers operate and the common pitfalls:

  1. Credit cards are NOT free money.
  2. Credit cards ARE legally binding contracts.
  3. Credit card debt is one of the leading sources of financial stress.
  4. Credit cards are the most common form of out of control debt.

Scared yet? You should be! A credit card is a legal contract allows you to borrow money from the credit card company. That contract also states that you will pay the amount borrowed back, with interest. The amount varies but is usually between 15% and 25%. That means that for every €1000 you spend, you pay back between €1150 and €1250 at the end of the year. Some cards also carry late fees, monthly or yearly fees, and penalties if you go over your limit. And, if you start falling behind on payments, you will find that your total amount owed goes up dramatically.

So how can you be a smart credit card consumer? Here are some tips:

  • Understand Your Rate: Credit card companies often offer low starter rates, but these can quickly go up to very high interest rates. Know the real APR on your card.
  • Limit Your Cards: Only take out one credit card. Look for the one with the lowest long-term APR and go with that. Manage it carefully to build your credit.
  • Treat It Like Cash: Use your credit card sparingly and treat it like cash. If you spend money on dinner, make sure to deduct that amount from your cash account. That way you know you can have enough to pay the card off in full each month, rather than make the minimum, interest-carrying payments.
  • Budget for Credit: Make sure your monthly budget includes your card payments. DO NOT blow off the monthly minimum; this is how the road to credit hell is paved.

By following the above advice, you can use a credit card responsibly. By having a credit card, aiming to pay off your balance each month, always meeting at least the minimum payment, and never going over your limit, you can begin to build the long-term credit rating you’ll need as an adult for things like car loans, mortgages and even overdrafts.

So remember: use your credit powers for good and not evil, and it will treat you well when you treat yourself!

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Feeling lucky?
Head along to the home page of LittleQuiz.com here and answer those three little questions to be in with a chance to win this week’s prize!

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Upcycle Your Wardrobe for Cheap

Posted 7 Oct 2009 By Sabrina Dent In Money Savers | 2 Comments

Note: Really big thumbs are not fashionable.

Let’s face it: students are generally not blessed with bulging bank accounts. Everyone wants to look good and express their own sense of style, but what if you don’t have the dosh to buy a brand-new pair of jeans or those killer boots you’ve been eyeing? Upcycling just might be the solution to your fashion dilemma.

Upcycling refers to the eco-friendly process of taking something you already own, changing it a bit, and creating something new and useful. Not only is it wallet-friendly, it’s great for the environment, too, since by using old garments, you’re not buying something that requires fabric fibres to be grown and processed.

Here are some ideas to get you started on revamping your wardrobe by re-purposing things you’ve already got!

  • Have any old leather belts lying around? Cut into shorter pieces and with snaps inserted, these make great, tough-looking bracelets. If you want to get creative, you can always tool a design into the leather or add some old jewellery to the band with a drop of glue.
  • So you bought a blouse or a shirt in a funky pattern, but just can’t see yourself in it anymore? Cut it down into a long rectangle or large square and you’ve got a totally unique scarf.
  • Iron-on studs can easily be found at fabric stores or mass merchandisers. Apply them to the lapels of a jacket or the front pockets of your jeans to instantly toughen up your wardrobe with a touch of rock n’ roll chic.
  • Snip the buttons off of jackets or blouses you no longer wear and swap them out on a different piece of clothing. If your mum has some older buttons, these look really cool strung together as jewellery—it’s completely unique and fresh looking.
  • Girls, you know you have loads of old nail varnish bottles in your drawers or cabinets. Make use of those fab colours! One Project Runway USA contestant suggests using them to add designs to old shoes, which is much nicer-looking than the old Tippex designs we used to do as kids.

Before you start on a project, make sure you plan out exactly what you want to do; otherwise, you’ll end up tossing the item anyway. Work with items like t-shirts or jeans first—they’re tougher and more forgiving than more delicate items. Finally, your fashion creations are only limited by your imagination. In a world where fashion is homogenized and branded, assert your individuality (and save money!) by upcycling your wardrobe into something completely unique.

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Feeling lucky?
Head along to the home page of LittleQuiz.com here and answer those three little questions to be in with a chance to win this week’s prize!

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Money Saving Tips #1 Hair

Posted 1 Oct 2009 By Joe Scanlon In Money Savers | 0 Comments

Every week we’ll give 5 money saving tips on one topic.
This week the topic is hair!

Eva Longoria

#1 Don’t get your hair cut so often. Stretch one or two more weeks out of that last haircut. Easy peasy. Ok every five weeks or so you get to look like Cousin Itt, but think of the amount of money you save by going less, and you’ll be giving your hairdresser a bit of a challenge with that mop!

#2 Shave it off. Ok this tip is mostly for the boys. Think of the money you save here. You can do this “style” yourself (or get a good friend to do it) and you also get to save on the shampoo, which brings me very nicely to my next tip.

#3 Change your shampoo. Do you really need the latest orgasm inducing shampoo from the John Frieda range? Hint: NO. Go on, reach down to that bottom shelf and grab yourself that bottle of Wash & Go (or similar). If your friends & family are running away from you post-shower, you may consider going up in price again.

Patrick Dempsey

#4 Go to a Training night at your local hairdressers. Keep an eye out for specials like training nights in your local area. Call around to a few barbers/salons and enquire if they run these. You can often get your hair cut and coloured for free. You don’t get any guarantees, but it’s a great chance to try something new. (<- Not one for the control freaks!)

#5 Become a hair model. I guess if you were a hair model you’d probably get your hair cut for free all the time. I have no idea how you’d go about doing this but I think the first step would be to click here :-)

That’s it for week one. Feel free to comment below on more hair saving tips.
If you’d like to offer 5 money saving tips on your chosen topic, contact us here.
Also join our “Money Saving Tips” Facebook fan page here.

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Feeling lucky?
Head along to the home page of LittleQuiz.com here and answer those three little questions to be in with a chance to win this week’s prize!

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Money Saving Tips

Posted 29 Sep 2009 By Joe Scanlon In Money Savers | 0 Comments

We need you to share your “Top 5 Money Saving Tips”!
Send an email to Joe@LittleQuiz.com and if they are worthy, we’ll publish your tips on our blog here.

Money Saving Tips

We have also created a Facebook fan page for all of your money saving tips. Feel free to comment over there also!

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Feeling lucky?
Head along to the home page of LittleQuiz.com here and answer those three little questions to be in with a chance to win this week’s prize!

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