Fifteen easy ways to save money

Here we take a closer look at fifteen easy ways to save money. By making some small changes in your spending habits and making money-saving fun, you are more likely to stick to it. If you need to save money, this article is for you!

1. Track your spending

Recording every penny you spend will take a little time and you might have to face your spending habits. But by taking a look at your current spending you will easily see where you can cut down. You can then challenge yourself to spend less next month. Break your spending down into categories: groceries, bills, clothing, entertainment and anything else that you spend money on. You can do this in a number of ways, from using a budgeting app to a spreadsheet to pen and paper.

2. Find a better deal

Many companies don’t reward loyalty these days, so go through your bills and see if you can find a better deal by switching or by asking for a loyalty discount. Try searching for deals on your mobile phone bill, energy, phone and broadband and TV subscription, insurance policies, etc. Set a reminder for when your current contract or deal ends. You can then spend a few minutes running a price comparison at the right times to see if you can save money.

3. Come up with low-cost activities

Saving money doesn’t mean that you need to sit at home doing nothing! There are plenty of activities you can do with a low-cost alternative. For example, use Meerkat Movies for 2 for 1 cinema tickets on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Check out these other ways to save at the cinema too. There are plenty of other low-cost activities you can do, from walks along the river to hosting your own movie night at home. Spend some time coming up with a list of ideas, so that when a friend suggests meeting up, you will have some options to hand.

4. Challenge yourself to use less

This challenge isn’t about going without, but it is about using less in order to save money. Take shorter showers, or turn the water off whilst you lather your hair, resulting in a lower water bill. Alternatively, try to reduce your car journeys to save fuel and also wear and tear on your car. Other areas where you can save money are eating less meat, using less energy and buying fewer clothes.

5. Consider ditching your TV package

With the cost of TV packages skyrocketing, consider if you can ditch for a cheaper alternative like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. These alternatives can cost a fraction of the cost of TV packages. If you aren’t watching live TV or BBC iPlayer you can also consider ditching your TV license to save even more money.

6. Plan your meals

Meal planning is a great way to not only save money but also to reduce your food waste. It doesn’t have to be boring or rigid – choose seven dinners for the week and create a shopping list around those meals. This means you won’t be tempted to buy everything you see in store and that you only buy what you need.

7. Save your change

Saving up loose change is still a fun way to put money aside without it impacting your day to day finances too much. You could use a money box or a money tin to save your spare change. If you don’t use cash, some banks allow you to “save the change” by rounding up your debit card transactions to the next £1, and putting the extra in to a savings account automatically.

8. Buy second hand

Buying second hand is a great way to save money and lower your carbon footprint. You can easily buy almost anything second hand with Facebook Marketplace, charity shops and places like eBay and Vinted. From clothes to furniture, simply search for items you are looking to buy and see how much you can save. Congratulations: you’re now over halfway through our fifteen easy way to save money!

9. Take your own lunch to work

The cost of a daily meal deal can really add up over the week, so if you are going to work then consider taking your own lunch. Even if you do this just a couple of days a week, the savings will soon mount up. You can take leftovers from dinner the night before; sandwiches, jacket potatoes, soup and so much more.

10. Use deal websites

Deal websites like Groupon and Latest Deals offer you the chance to save money on something you were looking to buy.  Do be careful that you don’t find yourself buying something just because it is on sale!

11. Shop the “whoops” shelves

When food is getting close to its sell-by date the supermarkets are likely to reduce this and place it on reduced “whoops” shelves at a much lower cost. This means that you can pick up groceries for a fraction of the cost if you are lucky enough to get there at the right time. Don’t be sucked into buying something you won’t eat, and do use the food quickly, or freeze it.

12. Make hot drinks at home

Whilst a trip to your favourite coffee shop can be one of life’s little pleasures, cutting back on these could help you to save money easily. You can pick up a cheap reusable cup from a discount store like Poundland or Home Bargains and make your hot drink yourself.

13. Complete a savings challenge

There are so many fantastic savings challenges around, from saving a penny a day to doubling the amount you save every day. You could set yourself a very low food budget for the month and use the ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Find a savings challenge that will be fun and achievable for you and your family. If saving up for Christmas is a concern, it’s important to plan ahead and start saving as soon as possible..

14. Automate your savings

Setting up a standing order or Direct Debit to your savings account every month is a great way to grow your savings without waiting to see what you have left every month. Take away the temptation of having money available to spend. By setting up a regular payment just after payday you can see your savings quickly grow.

15. Ditch a takeaway

We aren’t suggesting that you give up all takeaways, but by swapping just one or two takeaways a month to a homemade “fakeaway,” the savings will soon add up. You can cook most popular takeaway dishes at home for a fraction of the cost, and you may even find that they taste just as good, if not better!

Once you get into the habit of saving money you will find that it becomes automatic and you are always looking out for more ways to save. How many of these fifteen easy ways to save money have you tried? Have you got any other ideas? Let us know in the comments below.