copper rings and tape are very expensive, i had used slug pellets once, but then got wary as i have hedgehogs and thrushes and besides they dont last long anyway, so the ways i routinely do it is,
1. pot plants veggies etc, i use vasaline round the top, with salt sprinkled on, last's longer than slug pellets,
2. any spare grapefruit skins or orange skins upside down a little away from you patch helps, you go out in the morning and take em out and dispose of. (also deters cats as they dont like the citus smell)
3. stale beer in a pot helps but i found doesnt last long, and theres never really any beer spare
4. the twilight hunt is another way as they like to come out at night lift pots etc
slug pellets work to an extent put to be honest they attract slugs to the area you have put the slugs so its catch 22 really.
and a ever losing battle.
went through a stage of lust lobbing the slugs but the lil buggers always come back