Walk three times a week – save €4
As well as allowing you to avoid the time 'n' money-consuming vortex that is the gym, walking to college or your part-time job will save you bus fare. And the frustration of waiting for the bus. And the annoyance of people who stand in the way. And the eternal question of why bus drivers don’t open the end set of doors for people who want to get off.
Bring your own drinks into work/college – save €10
We all know the trick of putting tap water into mineral water bottles, but it can apply to all your drinks. For example, buy one bottle of juice and refill it from your own litre bottle of store-branded juice. Or – if you must drink the malign substances – buy multipack cans of soft drinks and bring them with you. And buy some takeaway coffee cups – available for about 12c – to bring in your own hot drinks. It may sounds miserly, but do you really want to pay through the nose for Fanta?
Buy albums in the sales – save €8
We all know the joys of getting records immediately they hit the racks, but in a few months you can usually get them a lot cheaper. Besides, there are load of classic albums you don’t have! There are also potential bargains to be had online. But be warned – if you’re buying from outside Ireland, extra postal charges may skew the prices. It’s a non-gratuitous mention, we promise, but hotpress.com also has CDs for €10. Check every fortnight for discounts on artists like Peter, Bjorn and John, Bloc Party, Lambchop and tons more.
Start the party at home - €15
Seriously, this is the most enjoyable way to save money. Organise your mates to bring their first drink over to your place or a willing friend’s, and that saves you half an hour of pub drinking. You can have all the fun of a full night out but with significant savings – especially if the ‘one drink’ turns into an impromptu house party, which are always the best nights anyway!
Buy in bulk - €10
It sounds relatively obvious, but it’s surprising how many people run to the nearest corner shop for an undersized, overpriced bottle of ketchup when it’s needed there and then. Instead, get your mate-with-a-car (everyone has one!) to escort you to Superquinn, Tesco or wherever, and buy industrial sized quantities of staples like cheese, eggs, olive oil, loo paper and shower gel. You’ll save a fortune.
Text online – save €3
Do you still pay for all your texts? You dolt! The main phone companies offer free web-texts, so that if you’re near a college or work computer, you can send little prompts of your existence to other people. And the best part is that it saves your precious thumbs for Playstation.