Sometimes in life one has to economise. Like having a bath every other week and only using one lightbulb etc. Recycle nails. Even make ones own nails.
The old twin tub washing machines...One design we used to have was very economical both with water and electricity. While the water was heating up my mum put my brother and me in it for a bath, then went in the white shirts etc, then light colours, then medium... Usually got 6-7 washes out the same water so used the same heat in the machine. With a skilled housewife the weekly washing and bathing was done far cheaper and using less water then today's automatic machines.
I went in a shop and nothing was priced. I asked the lady again and again how much each item was that I was looking at. She seemed to be fed up with me asking. I found it strange that each item cost a pound, so I asked "Is everything a pound?" She said "You're in a pound shop!" I had for two and a half years been looking for a wallet of the right type at a reasonable price. I saw one left of the right type in that shop. I had seen them before I started looking for £3.99 but when I needed one it was £7. Too much! So when I saw this wallet in the pound shop I was pleased. A zip was broken on it though. Not a zip I would have used. I took it to the lady and she let me have it for 60p. I had probably lost more then that in the years of looking with coins falling out the old wallet so I did take up on the offer.
Have seen other money saving ideas. It is about knowing when to spend and when not to spend and what to buy.
I do see quite a few in debt because they live lifestyles that cost more then they need to spend to maintain. Dishwashers and tumbledryers are costly to run and are luxuries. Heating the home using logs from free wood is cheap. Just needs effort. Cities are expensive places to live as one does not have much land to have a garden or hang out clothes to dry etc. The largest cost of countryside living is in transport. In a city everything is close so one does not need transport, or if one uses public transport the costs are lower as they are used by far more people. Countryside living ones vehicle uses does large milages just for the weekly shopping. Busses or trains can cost more as fewer people live in those areas, and one also could have a good few miles to reach a bus route.
Just a few thoughts in life...