One of the biggest causes of stress in modern life is debt. More than 1.5 million households in the UK are in extreme debt and there aren’t many of us who don’t ‘put it on a credit card’ when there’s something we want but can’t afford. The price we pay for instant gratification is too often long term worry, so here’s some suggestions to help you make that hard-earned money go a little further.
Supermarket Shopping – Supermarkets are highly sophisticated machines for getting us to part with as much money as possible. Goods are regularly rearranged so that we find ourselves browsing aisles we weren’t looking for and special offers may, on closer inspection, turn out to be not such a good deal after all. Special offers on larger pack sizes are the ones you should certainly be looking out for, as sometimes they turn out to be more expensive than buying smaller quantities. Don’t go supermarket shopping hoping to be inspired by what’s on the shelves, you will be and it will almost certainly cost you a whole lot more. Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry, you’ll buy a whole bunch of pricey and probably unhealthy snack food. There’s nothing wrong with a good old shopping list: think about what you need and don’t get drawn into lots of unnecessary purchases. Go to a cheaper supermarket and see what you can buy there, then go on to your regular supermarket for the things you can’t get. Experiment with non-branded products: you may find that the branded product is noticeably better or you may be pleasantly surprised and find that you really can’t tell the difference.
Snacking – Taking a break by having a coffee and a pastry is not only an unhealthy habit but also a very expensive one. Try carrying a bottle of water and an energy bar instead; use a refillable water bottle and you’ll save even more money.
Eating Out – Choose takeaway with friends rather than a restaurant meal. Your food will be significantly cheaper and you’ll avoid all those expensive extras, such as starters, drinks and tips. Portion sizes are often larger from a takeaway too which means you’ll have lunch for the next day too. If you use an app like hungryhouse you’ll not only benefit from local delivery but you’ll find exclusive offers too. If you’re a student, you’ll be able to get even more discount.
Gas and Electricity – Energy is expensive and it’s going to get more expensive. All money invested in saving on your energy bill is money well spent. Turning off lights when you’re not in the room is not penny pinching, it’s common sense and it’s being socially responsible. Spend money on insulation and you’ll soon make up what you spend on reduced energy bills in the future.
Coupons and Gift Cards – Follow your favourite shops on social media and take advantage of the coupons and offers, alternatively try a site like My Voucher Codes if you’re shopping online. Zeek is a marketplace where people sell their unwanted gift cards for discounted prices. Remember though, although these sites offer some great discounts, they’re ones that should only be used if you need to spend the money anyway. Otherwise, you’re not saving money, you’re just spending it.
from Finance Girl http://www.financegirl.co.uk/top-tips-for-saving-money-on-everyday-essentials/
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