If you do one thing this week to save yourself some cash, get a library card. If you don’t have internet access at home or want to cut costs by getting rid of it, then head down to your local library where you can “surf, email or shop online for free”, says Which? magazine.
You can also rent DVDs and computer games from libraries for around £2 a time – much cheaper than many high-street shops.
As for borrowing books, don’t limit yourself to what the library has in stock. Many libraries will order in the books you want for free. Cath Allwood, a Which? magazine reader, says her local library will even order in multiple copies of whichever book her reading group needs.
• Home cooking is “a much cheaper way to eat than ready meals, takeaways or eating out”, says Emma Wall in The Daily Telegraph. And up until 10 May, if you purchase three or more items from Marks & Spencer’s new basic items range, you can get the new Marks & Spencer cookbook free.
However, it’s worth perusing the cookbook first, because the chances are that the ingredients would be a lot cheaper to buy at Asda, so only take Marks & Spencer up on this offer if you want the cookbook.
• Cut the cost of seeing this summer’s blockbuster films with a Cheap Day Tuesday card for Vue cinemas. The card is free and entitles you to a reduction on ticket prices every Tuesday, with tickets typically costing £4.20 rather than £6 or more, says Which? Magazine. The deal isn’t available at all Vue cinemas, but check www.myvue.com to see if your local Vue is participating.
• To celebrate the start of the wedding season BHS is offering 30% off its already cheap wedding lines, which include wedding dresses, shoes and bridesmaids’ outfits. With bridal outfits available from £49 (if you buy a separate skirt and bodice), it’s worth a look.
• If you are looking for a cheap holiday this summer and have decided to go camping to cut costs, then get down to Morrisons. The supermarket has started selling camping gear at bargain prices, says Jasmine Birtles in the Daily Express. You can get a three-man tent, two sleeping bags and two camping mats, all for just £48.90. And Morrisons is also selling plates, bowls, cups and cutlery for under £3.
And some tips to ignore…
Times Online has listed some of the sillier money saving tips from the media. The gems include re-using sandwich bags, saving you barely 1p a time, re-using old calendars from years where the days of the week would fall on the correct dates – who has a calendar from 1970 knocking around? Or stop wasting money on loo roll and invest in a “handheld portable bidet” instead.