We waste an inordinate amount of cash simply by not turning off sockets when they’re not in use, leaving lights on when we’re not in the room, and turning on the heating before popping on extra clothes. You can save £3 – £5 per day (per person) by making a packed lunch, rather than eating out when you’re at work or the children are at school. Most Value foods taste the same as the branded products with the only difference being the packaging. If the packaging is what pus you off, you can always mask your food shop. If you have room in your cupboards, stock up on spices from world food stores or purchase larger bags to refill your jars. It’s much cheaper than buying those tiny spice pots in the supermarket.
There are some sacrifices that can be made which may seem difficult at first, but just require a period of adjustment. For example, by avoiding buying your Friday night bottle of wine, you’ll be saving around £7 per week, which is £364 a year. As well as providers of utilities and phone networks, insurance policies and breakdown cover might be more reasonable elsewhere. If you’re more into five stars than freebies, the only way you can save money is by signing up to hotel newsletters and hoping for a last-minute cancellation or discount code. Parking can be an expensive necessity, especially if you live or work in a city centre.
Once you’ve read a book, ask around if anyone would be willing to swap it for a book of theirs that you haven’t read yet, rather than you both buying a new one. The tumble dryer should only be used occasionally, not for every wash. When the weather’s nice during the summer, dry your laundry on the washing line, and in the winter, use your banisters, radiators, and a clothes horse. Save on expensive household projects such as painting and fixing and do-it-yourself.
Nobody likes to give up the little things that bring joy to their day, but if you’re looking to save regularly, you can’t be eating at fancy restaurants or buying new clothes all the time. It’s perfectly fine to have a budget when you’re creating a big savings pot, but as a general rule of thumb, the only way to do this effectively is by having fewer expenses. In a nutshell, budgeting is essential for anyone trying to track their spending and make smarter financial decisions.
For example, if you start saving for Christmas by putting away just £100 a month from January, you’ll have £1,200 to spend on your loved ones in time for Christmas. Savers might be forgiven for thinking it’s hard going to accumulate a decent pot of money, especially in times of low interest rate, but there are some instances when the government gives back. For example, there are certain tax relief schemes available for things like business expenses, working from home and saving for your pension. Many of us now enjoy easy spending thanks to services such as Apple Pay and Contactless. However, this can lead to overspending quite easily if you often give in to temptation. When trying to save, you could remove your card from your Apple Wallet (or similar), and avoid taking your contactless card out with you.
There are so many ways you can work out for free from home and out in your local area. Try to keep your vehicle’s fuel gauge at 50–75% to ensure perfect fuel consumption – which saves money. A full tank of petrol adds weight to your car, making your engine work harder (and gas-guzzling) to keep you moving. So cleobetracasino.info finally took the plunge and switched energy provider from SSE to Octopus from £100 a week down to £50! Once joined you get your own link to refer friends and MAKE £100 a switch.
Whatever it is that tempts you to part with money, you’ll often feel a sense of buyer’s remorse a few days later. Your food shop is likely to be one of your biggest costs on a week to week basis, and, thankfully, there is plenty of scope to make some savings. If you’re looking for a fun way to maximise your savings, one of our favourite money saving tips are savings challenges. They’re a good way to make things into a bit of a game, while giving your funds a healthy boost. Read our how to save money guide to put yourself in a great position to gain financial independence. Build an emergency fund – even just £1 a week – to create a safety net.