os 2011 calendar with photos - moneysavingexpert.com · perfect time to get a low cost bargain •...

Mon

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OLD STYLE MONEYSAVING TIPS

• Buy Christm

as cards, wrapping paper, hamper baskets and coloured

tissue in sales. Look for puzzles and games suitable for summer

holidays, little gifts, stocking fillers and other presents that won't

date for the years birthdays & Christm

as

• Store unwanted Christm

as gifts away for recycling and start a

present store for next Christm

as to add to throughout the year

• Hide away excess toys and bring out in a couple of months when the

kids are bored with their other toys

• Look for left-over summer bargains in sales e.g. sunhats and sun-

glasses; holiday bits and bobs

• Check Freegle™, Freecycle™ and Ebay™ for unwanted presents, it is

the perfect time to get a low cost bargain

• Check prices for curtains or material in the sales

• Pack the Christm

as decorations and tree away carefully

• Put aside suitable cracker gifts to use for home-m

ade cards

• Ensure you have pain killers and cold treatm

ents ready for winter

chills

• Freeze left over mince pies, Christm

as cake and cooked m

eats for

packed lunches

• Have a financial overhaul: check outgoings and shop around for the

best value, adequate insurance; cancel Sky m

ovies now Xmas is over

• Start that New Year diet (cheaper to eat well, less junk food & treats)

• Put bread crumbs, fat, rind etc out for the birds

• Make one environmental commitment for you and your family e.g.

switching off lights or recycling m

ore

• Give the house an early spring clean, declutter to help you feel more

energetic and positive. Check out the “Flylady” thread for inspiration

• Make Seville Orange M

arm

alade

• Make a finance list using all M

artin's m

oney-saving tools on M

SE to

help set financial goals for the year

• Add credit card switch and other money dates for you and your

family to the calendar

• Start a sealed m

oney jar and put any spare change in it to save

throughout 2011

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JANUARY

2011

Have you tried

Twink's World

Famous HobNob

Recipe?

WWW.MONEYSAVINGEXPERT.COM™

Bank

Holiday

New Years’

Day

Bank

Holiday

(Scotland only)

Burns’

Night

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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2

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•

Look out for discounted sledges and snow boots in the sales

•

Sow peppers and chillies indoors in a warm

temperature. (They

need a long growing season)

•

If you have rhubarb and have not covered it, now is the tim

e to

pile on old leaves to start forcing, or even to upend an old bucket

to get juicy pink stems in M

arch. Look out too for hairy bitter

cress and dandelion leaves, tasty additions to salads

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in February” thread on

the Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Bake heart shaped cookies for Valentines day and find best offers

in superm

arkets on Rose wine for a Valentine gift

•

Check the Travelodge™ hotel site for bargain rooms. This tim

e of

year they find it hard to fill the hotel and can give rooms away

from £19

•

Dreading that winter fuel bill arriving next month? Check out the

“Lots m

ore sneaky ways to save the pennies” thread on the Old

Style board

•

Make your fruit cake now for Easter, add some m

arzipan and

alm

ond essence and you have a bargain price Sim

nel cake

•

If your friends got books/D

VDs for Christm

as, they should have

read or watched them by now. Why not start a swap club?

•

Dust off the old fondue set in the cupboard and invite everyone

around for a fun night in!

•

Grab any reduced bottles of milk and freeze ready for pancake

day next month!

•

Clubcard™ vouchers are issued this m

onth, so plan how you want

to use them on Deals, or put them away for Christm

as

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FEBRUARY

2011 Make the most of your

freezer by batch

cooking & freezing, bulk

buying and

BOGOF deals


Chinese

New Year

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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•

Clean out greenhouses; cold-frames and containers and prepare

for planting

•

Sow tomatoes for growing in greenhouse

•

Sow your first lettuce, pea and rocket seeds indoors (use old

plastic containers at least 3 cms deep). They are all hardy and can

go out as soon as they have 4 leaves

•

Put winter coats in for dry cleaning, re-heel winter boots, launder

winter clothes and store in m

oth proof covers with some lavender

ready for winter

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in M

arch” thread on the

Greenfingered M

oneysaving board. If you haven’t got one set up,

set up a water butt ready to capture spring rain for the garden

•

Continuing the decluttering alongside spring-cleaning - see

Ceridwen's “Sim

plifying Life” thread for inspiration

•

Spring clean the house, Ebay™ all your clutter and get ready for

all that glorious weather spring and summer 2011 will bring us

•

Prepare the garden for planting seedlings

•

The second W

ednesday in M

arch is National No Smoking Day, quit

smoking and save yourself a fortune. Cycle or walk to work now

the weather is getting better to save even m

ore pennies

•

Look for young nettles good for making soup and other

goodies

•

Start collecting jars and bottles for cordials, jams and chutneys

•

If you are working and haven't already invested in an ISA this

year, this is your last chance! Check out Martin’s Banking &

Saving section for the best cash ISA deal!

•

Clocks SPRING FORWARD ONE HOUR M

arch 27th 2011. Tim

e to

think about not using the heating any m

ore, bring the odd bunch

of wild spring flowers in to your home to brighten it up, clean the

windows and take lots of pretty scenic walks to warm

up

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MARCH

2011

Try a storecupboard

challenge to use up

your ingredients


�+1

Shrove

Tuesday

Ash

Wednesday

Red Nose

Day

St David’s

Day

St Patrick’s

Day

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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•

Sow tomatoes if growing outdoors for planting out early June

•

Take a walk in the woods or hedgerows to find the first wild garlic

growing; lovely sautéed and stirred into scrambled egg. Ground

elder is even earlier and the very young leaves can be used in

salad; taste first to see if you like it

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in April” thread on the

Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Now the growing season is starting, keep paths weed free with a

residual weed killer applied on a calm

day but well keep away

from grass, plants you want to keep or borders. W

ork backwards

when applying so you don’t walk it where you don’t want it and

keep pets and children away

•

Have a virtually free Easter, have a treasure hunt in the

garden or house, giving Cadbury's Creme Eggs™ as the treasure

rather than larger eggs or buy your eggs in bulk at the

superm

arkets, they are often on offer buy two get one free, etc

•

Hunt out those tomato and courgette recipes ready for the

summer glut

•

Blow eggs for the kids and get them to decorate them, cheaper

than going to the cinema and you could give prizes for the best

eggs. (D

on't forget to use the egg contents for recipes)

•

Make tasty hot cross buns from scratch and the same with Sim

nel

cake

•

After Easter buy those dirt cheap Easter eggs and m

elt them down

for cooking...or even treat yourself

•

If you have to purchase anything, don’t forget to try the prices

through the cashback sites before buying. Pigsback™ & Quidco™

are just tw

o options

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APRIL 2011

Rediscover your

baking skills with

the OS Recipe

Index


Good

Friday

Bank

Holiday

(England &

Wales only)

Easter

Sunday

Royal

Wedding

Mothering

Sunday

St George’s

Day

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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•

Early M

ay: sow courgettes and cucumbers indoors for planting out

in June

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in M

ay” thread on the

Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Look for elderflowers for elderflower champagne, cordial etc

•

Start keeping your eyes peeled for free soaps/shampoos/

conditioners/perfumes etc from the freebie sites on M

SE. Ideal to

use for holidays or to fill gift hampers

•

May sees the start of summer fayres and M

ay Day fetes. Go along,

have fun and grab some delish home m

ade preserves or coffee

cake

•

Make the m

ost of sunny days and hang your washing out on the

line

•

Wondering where the m

oney goes? Follow the Debt Free

Wannabe advice and keep a spending diary for a couple of months

to find out

•

Look out for summer boot sales to sell off unwanted items

•

Stock up on coal, heating oil and firewood now at reduced prices

and store for winter

•

Combine thriftiness and fitness - go for a walk and collect any sticks

from the floor to use as kindling in the winter

•

Celebrate VE day (Victory in Europe Day) on M

ay 8th with a W

ar

Tim

e family supper, ban the TV or PC. Get out the board games,

listen to the radio or play charades. It's m

ore fun that you would

imagine and saves m

oney too!

•

Check out Pakistani mangoes if you have an ethnic greengrocer

near you. They're great for making smoothies, fruit purees for ice

cream, etc

•




as

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MAY 2011

How many meals can you

stretch out of a chicken?


Bank

Holiday

Bank

Holiday

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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4

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•

Buy Anti-freeze for your car as it may be cheaper now

•

Get the boiler serviced and the chim

neys swept before winter

kicks in. Discounts are available this tim

e of year

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in June” thread on the

Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

June is good for peas, strawberries and cherries. Perhaps the tim

e

to start thinking about Pick Your Own and a spot of jam m

aking

•

Look for winter clothing bargains in summer sales e.g therm

als

•

Check your finances, are you on target as planned back in

January? If not, look at ways to get back on track

•

Start cutting and drying lavender ready for home-m

ade lavender

bags for Christm

as presents

•

Pick elderflowers and m

ake delicious cordial and champagne

•

Stock up on coal, heating oil and firewood now at reduced prices

and store for winter

•

18th M

ay to 18th June is National Smile M

onth, a lot of dentists

and dental product manufacturers will do offers and free samples

around this tim

e

•

Move your credit card debts to 0% deals. Shop around and cancel

your old cards to improve your credit rating

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JUNE 2011

Try your hand at

growing your own

veg!


Fathers’

Day

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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•

Buy summer basics for children ready for next year in summer

sales

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in July” thread on the

Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Now the weather "should" be getting delightful, start m

aking

home m

ade fruit smoothies from over ripe past it fruit and ice

cubes

•

Packets of seeds should start to be reduced in price now as

people are past their m

ain sowing stages so get buying, ideal for

next year

•

If you have always wanted to keep chickens, check out the “Hey…

Let’s Keep Chickens” thread on the Old Style board

•

Ensure you sign up for Martin’s M

SE™ W

eekly Newsletter for tips

on saving m

oney and getting deals

•

Look out for Ebay™ free listing days to sell off unwanted items

•

Start revamping your wardrobe for summer: cut down long skirts

into shorter skirts, cut old jeans into shorts, make a gorgeous

patch work sun hat

•

Start knitting a winter warm

er

•

Get the boiler serviced and the chim

neys swept before winter

kicks in. Discounts are available this tim

e of year

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JULY 2011

Reduce,

Reuse &

Recycle


Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

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•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in August” thread on

the Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Six weeks of finding cheap and free activities for the kids:

A picnic, a family game of football/rounders/cricket, use

Orange W

ednesday for half price cinema tickets, utilise your local

free m

useums and galleries, check your local library for

inform

ation on subsidised kid's clubs and events, go swim

ming

or to the park

•

Don't waste m

oney on the ice cream van, get ice cream from

your local superm

arket in the freezer, buy cornets or wafers and

you will have an on-tap treat for a fraction of the price

•

Buy a lolly m

aking kit and freeze your own lollies. Use cheap

fruit or cheap cola and lemonade ones are particularly tasty and

still fizzy on the tongue

•

Renting DVDs from your library are usually cheaper than your

local DVD rental store

•

Start getting organised for the new school year to avoid the last

minute rush

•

Collect the last of the green tomatoes and m

ake up chutney

ready for Christm

as

•

Pick up lots of bargains in the stationery line when the super-

markets have all the back to school stuff out, and even m

ore when

they start clearing it. Great for stocking fillers/craft m

aking stuff

•




as

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AUGUST

2011

Give a chicken a

home


Bank

Holiday

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

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23

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29

30


•

Plant hyacinths, crocus, anemones or miniature iris for forcing into

flower at Christm

as

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in September” thread

on the Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Save seed from your home-grown tomatoes, peppers, chillies and

other veggies or flowers. (M

uch cheaper than buying them from a

garden centre)

•

Bring a chilli plant inside and keep on a warm

window sill to keep

growing chillies over winter

•

When the kids go back to school and the rest of the world starts

focusing on Xmas, grab your holiday for next year (avoid booking

hols for July or August if you can as prices are always m

ore) or

buy your childrens’ stationery for next year as it starts to appear

in the Autumn sales

•

Start thinking about winter — review your fuel provider to ensure

you are getting the best deal, stock up on salt for paths, check

that you have new batteries in torches in case of power cuts over

winter, double line curtains, make an insulation snake, ensure

letter boxes are secured down firmly and are not blowing open

and m

aking a draught

•

A fabulous tim

e for collecting brambles/blackberries, apples, pears

and elderberries for home cooking and preserves. Check out the

“Preserver’s Year” thread on the Old Style board

•

Start looking on Ebay™ for shorts, bikinis, cut off leggings, t-shirts

etc anything you can use for next summer

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SEPTEMBER

2011

Pick up

bargains to wear

next summer


Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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12

13

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27

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31


•

Check the antifreeze in your car and top up if necessary

•

Search out and test / wash winter equipment such as torches,

heaters and blankets

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in October” thread on

the Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Start m

aking m

incemeat / Xmas puddings and cakes

•

Start picking sloes and m

ake sloe gin and vodka for gifts for

Christm

as

•

Check the last posting dates for Christm

as parcels and letters

•

Start looking on Ebay™ for shorts, bikinis, cut off leggings, t-shirts

etc Anything you can use for next summer at super prices

•

Now is a great time to start looking for bargain sun protection

lotions and sunglasses for next year

•

Wash school coats during half term

•

Pick a cold, rainy afternoon for the kids to m

ake Christm

as cards

for family m

embers

•

Start removing the leaves and tidy up the garden for a head start

into the winter months

•

Knit that winter scarf you have always promised yourself

•

Get ahead now so you can have a hassle free Xmas. Wrap

presents, write cards, make your Christm

as cards/tags, menu plan

etc. Xmas will be organised and cost a fraction of the price

•

Seek out a babysitter for that not-to-be-m

issed Christm

as party,

or alternatively arrange a reciprocal childcare agreement with a

friend

•

If you are having a pumpkin for Halloween, be sure to use the

innards for tasty pies and savoury stews, (it makes lovely, creamy

soup)

•

Clocks FALL BACK ONE HOUR Sunday 30th October 2011, ensure

the curtains are closed before dusk to reduce heat loss

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OCTOBER

2011

Rediscover the simple

things in life


�-1

Halloween

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30


•

Buy reduced Halloween goods for next years party/celebration

•

Have a joint Halloween/Bonfire night party. Kill tw

o birds with one

stone and halve the cost

•

If you're having a bonfire party, make it a bring-a-box party. So

you aren't left paying for all the expensive fireworks

•

Foil up a few baked tatties and get them in the fire. When they

have cooled, remove the foil and freeze them for quick and easy

to m

icrowave baked spuds

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in November” thread on

the Greenfingered M

oneysaving board

•

Set up a water butt ready to capture all that winter rain

•

If you're really M

SE™, take a hot flask and some butties to a local

hill/mound/high point and watch all the other people’s m

oney go

up in spectacular fashion

•

Miss the Christm

as postal rush—order online gifts now and post

cards and parcels

•

Print off your 2012 Old Style M

oneysaving Calendar! Add

important dates and celebrations to the calendar for you and your

family. Plan ahead and starting preparing hampers, cards or gifts

•




as

• See what you have saved from your sealed m

oney jar challenge

you started back in January

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NOVEMBER

2011

Remember to give

yourself a break now

and again


Guy Fawkes’

Night

St Andrew’s

Day

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31


•

Don't buy big purchases in Nov/D

ec, come the W

inter sales (from

Dec 26th onwards) when shops slash the prices. You could m

ake

up to a 50% killing, even on costly electronics

•

Don’t forget that the last filing date for your online tax self-

assessment form

is 31st January 2012

•

Give your oven a good clean before Christm

as

•

After Xmas day, save the pretty bags, wrapping paper and ribbons

that can be recycled and used next year

•

There are bargains to be had —

pick up reduced packs of fruit and

meat for freezing late in the day on Christm

as and New Year’s Eve

•

Dream of being m

ortgage free? Why not check out the M

ortgage

Free W

annabee Forum for tips?

•

Save your Christm

as cards to m

ake into tags for next Christm

as

•

If you haven’t already done so, use a m

ild day to wash down the

greenhouse and coldframe glass ready for spring

•

Check out the “Gardening jobs you can do in December” thread on

the Greenfingered M

oneysaving board for jobs to do now and

spend those long winter nights preparing your planting plans or

ideas for the garden for 2012

•

As you have been soooooo good preparing for Christm

as and

being the super sorted person that you are, lay back with a huge

glass of your favourite tipple and really enjoy a lazy Christm

as

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Give home crafted gifts

of love

Christmas

Day

Boxing

Day

New Year’s

Eve


Bank

Holiday

DECEMBER

2011

os 2011 calendar with photos - moneysavingexpert.com · perfect time to get a low cost bargain •...

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