We share how to slash your family spending on loo paper and more — plus find out how you can win two free tickets to Thorpe Park
TRYING to keep a budget in check when you’ve a family to cater for can be tough.
Money-saving blogger Ricky Willis, 38 from Tunbridge Wells, Kent — also known as “” — tells you how to make small changes to keep your weekly bill in check.
- Encourage children to use bathroom products wisely. If kids are getting through too much toilet roll, it’s sometimes worth having a chat and reminding them how much should be used at a time. The same goes for toothpaste (and it might stop it getting dropped in the sink).
- Branding down products reduces costs. If your family refuses to eat cheaper foods, don’t tell them what you buy. Put the food into the more expensive packaging you already have. It may be a sneaky move but it’s one that will work a treat.
- Bulk buying is a good move to save cash. You can pick up cheaper toilet roll, laundry detergent and many other items online. Try looking at Groupon or Amazon for their current deals.
- Plan your family meals. Not only can you track how much you plan to spend, but you can use similar ingredients to cut down on food waste. If you have fussy kids, get them involved as they will be more inclined to eat food if they have a hand in making it.
- Get savvy with coupons. They can bring your shop down even more. Coupons can be found online or in magazines — but you can also get them by writing to brands and complimenting them. Also, try using cashback supermarket apps such as CheckoutSmart, ClickSnap or GreenJinn.
- Check the shelves. You may have found a product at a cheaper price — but will it always be on sale at that supermarket, or is it a limited deal? Stores have a lot of stock rotations, so look closer.
Some, such as Home Bargains and Asda, use different codes on price tags to indicate whether a product will be back in stock or if it is a one-time-only offer.
Reader's saving tip
JANET ROGERS from Hornchurch, Essex, says: “Buy generic or supermarket own-brand painkillers rather than big-name brands. The price difference is unbelievable and the ingredients are often exactly the same.”
- Send your tips to and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is used. Please include your name and town.
Designer Double
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Sophia's spending tip
I DO my weekly food shop from a list in sections – for example, fruit and veg, meat and fish, dairy and frozen.
I’m less likely to shop off-list and end up buying products that I don’t need because I’m only getting the items I went in for.
Deal of the day
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SAVE: £7.01
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Cheap treat
DINE in with the Includes a lasagne, flatbread, and tiramisu for £6. Delicious!
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Save a fiver
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MOST READ IN MONEY
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Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
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TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!
How to bag two FREE tickets to Shrek Adventure! London OR The London Dungeon
Get two FREE tickets to Merlin attractions!
All you need to do is collect NINE Sun Savers codes or TEN tokens from The Sun between Sunday, April 15 and Wednesday, May 2nd and you can choose your date and time slot online.