These Free & Cheap Food Hacks Will Save You Serious £££
Cutting back on costs is at the forefront of everyone’s minds lately. Here are a few ideas to help.
From storing cucumbers correctly to student discounts on Nando’s, we’ve scoured the web for some of the easiest and best foodie savings you can take advantage of right now.
We’ve also thrown in a few other ideas too that aren’t food related—some might sound ridiculous, but why not give them a try and see if they work for you?
Below are the best free & cheap hacks to save you money.
Shop directly from your local takeaway
Want to treat yourself? Takeaway apps like Deliveroo and Uber Eats are absolute life savers in that regard. However, they carry some hefty delivery charges that add up over time.
So why not cut out the middleman and go directly to your local takeaway or restaurant instead? Or, if you’re feeling extra lazy, simply ring them up and place your order.. The cash you save in delivery fees will add up over time. Plus, you’ll directly support the restaurant you order from too, as third-party apps won’t take a cut of the charge.
Store your veggies correctly
We’re all guilty of letting vegetables spoil in the fridge. Cutting your food shopping bill shouldn’t involve cutting your intake of veggies though. There’s a very simple (and surprising) fix to increase their longevity.
When it comes to veg like cucumbers, supposedly, they’re super sensitive to low temperatures, and should actually be stored at room temperature. If stored in the fridge for too long, they can experience bruising and go off quicker.
Plus, cucumbers should be stored separately from fruits like bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers (the natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen and eventually spoil very quickly).
Not quite cool as a cucumber!
Cheeky Nando’s savings
It was announced recently that students can get 20% off their local Nando’s for a limited time only.
Take advantage of this from Monday to Wednesday between the hours of 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. when you dine in and use the QR code to order on the Nando’s app.
The terms? You can use this student discount once a day up to an order value of £50—which is great if you’re dining out as a group! Just remember to create an account with your student email and have the app downloaded.
Other ways to save cash
Use this household item for “double glazing”
Supposedly, people have been using clingfilm to wrap their windows to essentially create a fake double-glazing effect. It apparently works by trapping a small amount of air, which can stop heat from escaping. We haven’t tested this out ourselves, but it could be worth a try to save the extra pennies on your electricity bill.
Get paid to recycle
We covered this fairly recently. Big brand names offer cash, in-store vouchers and more in exchange for recycling goods. (Including items that the retailer doesn’t necessarily sell!) Some brands that will pay you to recycle include:
- Boots
- H&M
- John Lewis
- Lush
- Schuh
We hope these money-saving ideas have given you some food for thought. Sign up for Student Beans to stay in the know of the latest student discounts, news and more.
