Did you Know Facts - Ten Money Saving Tips

1. Complain

Don't waste your hard-earned money by not complaining if you have purchased something which is unsatisfactory.

2. Pause for thought

The four-day wait works. If you are about to buy something which isn't a necessity, and you have a little quiet voice somewhere whispering to you, listen to it, and wait four days before you make the purchase. It gives you time to compare prices elsewhere, or to come up with an alternative, or even to decide that you don't need or want it.

3. Follow your finances

If you don't already know how to do it, learn how to balance your bank statement.

Work out how much money you have each month. Photograph: Don McPhee It does NOT tell you how much money you have. A bank statement is just that: a statement from the bank telling you what has gone through your account at the bank so far that month.

If you want to know how much money you really have on the date of that statement, you must do a bank balance, or reconciliation, to your own record. Do this the minute your statement comes in.

4. Watch the pennies

Keep a record of every single penny you spend for at least one month - you'll learn a lot.

5. Get every last drop

Get every last drop out of citrus fruit. Photograph: Corbis Roll a lemon, or other citrus fruits, with your hands, back and forth on the worktop surface before squeezing it and you will get more juice. You can also heat the lemon to get more juice, but that means paying for the heat, so warm the lemon and yourself with the exercise - it's free.

6. Watch the interest

There is no such thing as 0% interest. When you see that advertised, it simply means that the cost of the interest is in the purchase price. If you are in a position to pay cash, then ask for this money back. The salesman will give you a lot of guff, but ask to speak to the manager, who may well cut the price to you for cash.

7. Stop running

A process that can prolong the life of your tights is to wash them before you wear them, preferably by hand. Use soap, not detergent. Plunge the tights into lukewarm water, getting them completely wet. Rub the soap on to your hands, not directly on to the tights. Get a nice sudsy lather and gently wash with a squishing, not rubbing, motion. Rinse thoroughly, blot with a towel and let them dry naturally.

8. Tin tactics

Small tins of paint may be a better deal than large ones. Photograph: Getty Use small tins for paint instead of dipping your brush into the big tin. You will waste less paint on the small tin than you will by letting the big tin dry out or get dirty. Also, if you drop the wretched tin, it is not quite such a disaster.

9. Hit the keys

Computers are used by companies to save money. If you have a computer at home, use it in the same way. Use the spreadsheet to help with budgeting. Keep your bank balance on it. Store good recipes and use it so that you do not forget important dates.

10. Never mind the cornflakes - just look at the packaging

If you have inadvertently bought packaged cereals, make sure you get your money's worth by using the packaging, which is MUCH more valuable. Did you know that in scientific tests, rats that were fed the cereals were poorly nourished; those that were fed the packaging fared better. Surely you can learn from a rat?

Cereal boxes can be used as file-holders. You can cut off the top, trim the sides down at an angle, or use them turned sideways to hold files. The bags inside cereal boxes are excellent for storing breads and for using in the freezer. Wash them and use them again, unless used for poultry products.