Handy Hints
Welcome to PPL Handy Hints — where we believe you don't always need to buy something new to solve an everyday problem.
From old tricks that still work to clever ways of repairing, reusing, repurposing and making things last a little longer, Handy Hints is about getting more from what you already have.
And we're not doing it alone. Many of our best ideas come from the PensionersForum community, where people share the little tricks and practical knowledge they've picked up along the way.
p.s These Handy Hints are a growing collection, so you may not find what you need just yet — but don’t despair! Keep an eye on these pages as we’re adding more all the time.
You never know when the next handy hint might save you a bit of money, help you make something last longer, or have you saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
What You'll Find in Handy Hints
There's probably something in your house that can do this.
Before reaching for your wallet, have a look around.
These Handy Hints help you discover alternative uses for things you already own, so you don't automatically buy something new just because a shop has invented a product for the job.
Think twice. Look around. Pay less.
🔵 FIX IT
Don't replace it until you've tried this.
A loose handle, a wobbly chair, a stubborn zip or something that's stopped working doesn't always mean it's time for the bin.
We'll share simple things worth trying before you replace the item — including clever ways technology can help you figure out what to do.
Fix it if you can. Make it last. Pay less.
🟢 USE IT UP
Don't waste what's left.
There's often more left in something than we realise.
From the last bits in the kitchen cupboard to products we normally scrape out and throw away, these hints are about getting the most from what you've already paid for.
Use it up. Waste less. Pay less.
EXPLORE USE IT UP → COMING SOON!!
🟣 USE IT AGAIN
Give something destined for the bin another job.
Before you throw something away, ask:
Could this be useful for something else?
Old containers, clothes, furniture, packaging and everyday household items can sometimes have a surprisingly useful second life.
Reuse it. Rethink it. Pay less.
EXPLORE USE IT AGAIN → COMING SOON!!
🟡 DID YOU KNOW?
A surprising alternative use for an everyday item.
Sometimes the cleverest money-saving ideas are hiding in plain sight.
These are the little discoveries that make you stop and say:
“I didn't know that!”
Useful facts, unexpected uses and simple ideas that could save you time, hassle or money.
Learn something new. Pay less.
EXPLORE DID YOU KNOW? → COMING SOON!!
🔴 OLD TRICK, GOOD TRICK
A bit of forgotten practical wisdom.
Before everything came with an app, a specialist gadget or a “must-have” product, people found ways to make things work with what they had.
Some of those old tricks deserve another look.
We'll dig out practical wisdom passed down through families and communities — because old doesn't necessarily mean outdated.
Tried. Tested. Still useful.
EXPLORE OLD TRICK, GOOD TRICK → COMING SOON!!
🟢 READER'S HINT
A clever tip from someone in our PPL/PF community.
Some of the best ideas don't come from shops or experts.
They come from people who have discovered a clever little way of doing something themselves.
Have you found a way to save money by using what you already have?
Maybe you've repaired something, reused something, made something last longer or simply discovered a better way of doing an everyday job.
We want to hear it.
Your idea could help someone else PAY LESS too.
💡 THE CLEVERNESS KEEPS GROWING
This is a collection we're building together.
We'll keep adding new Handy Hints, new discoveries and ideas from our community — so there's always something else to find.
You don't have to be an expert.
You don't have to be a DIY genius.
And you don't have to be a certain age.
You just need to have discovered something that works.
Because there's a lot of cleverness in everyday life.
🛍️ IF YOU REALLY DO NEED TO BUY ONE...
Sometimes there simply isn't something hiding in the cupboard that will do the job.
And that's okay.
When a Handy Hint leads to something you genuinely need to buy or a service you genuinely need, we'll look for relevant businesses and services on PensionersPayLess that can help.
We won't recommend something simply because someone wants to advertise.
The advice comes first. The recommendation only comes when it genuinely makes sense.
That's how we keep Handy Hints useful — and keep the PAY LESS philosophy at the heart of it.