Spend Less Money – Hot Tips

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It’s a tough time of year for a lot of people right now and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better in the foreseeable future. You can’t control the country’s economy but you can take these small but realistic steps to spend less money and cut your bills. Sending less money is something we are all trying to do but we struggle on thinking of ways to cut back on what we spend.

Like changing your diet or living a healthier life, making changes to your finances start with the smallest steps and these in turn will begin to make a difference to your purse or wallet! Improving your finances should be an achievable goal if you follow these tips on how to ensure you spend less money and minimise your outgoings. 

Little Changes That Will Make a Big Difference Over Time

• Petrol. If you live in the UK and have access to the internet, then sign up with a Petrol Prices Search Engine. Find out the lowest petrol prices near you and make sure that you fill your tank up at that particular garage. Laziness costs us money, so planning ahead for a routine stop at the cheapest place around will save you a lot of money over the course of a month or more!

• Lunch and Snacks. Take your own lunch to work! This has to be the number one way to cut your outgoings and spend less money. Yes, I know it’s not rocket science, but get yourself in to a routine of making a sandwich or salad the night before and you will save yourself a lot of cash! Bulk buying bottled water or cans of drink will also save you a fortune! Why are you paying over 60 pence a day on a can of coke when you can buy them for nearly half the price as part of a bulk buy? For the health conscious, this is also a way of ensuring you don’t get carried away by the daily temptation of the sandwich and soup trolley that enters your office each day! You can treat yourself to a bought lunch once a week and still save money in the long run! You will save pounds across the month and lose pounds in weight.

• Save on Energy Bills. If like me, you find it a nightmare to navigate your way around the complicated world of energy suppliers, then you can still make a difference to your bills by sticking to some simple rules. Switch it OFF, is the best one. If you sit and watch television in the evening, do you really need a light on as well? Make sure that all doors are shut and all lights/appliances are turned off when you aren’t using them. Experiment with the timer on your heating system and see if you can cut it down by an hour each side of the day. If you are keeping all the doors shut and wearing a jumper instead of a t-shirt, then you should be able to without noticing much of a difference! Switching energy providers is a good way to spend less money on utilities so check the switching energy comparison sites.

• Communications. Answer that iphone! Don’t be lazy and think ‘I’ll call them back later!’ because these calls will be at YOUR expense! Most companies have deals worth signing up for that give you free calls at weekends/evenings etc, so make the most of these deals. You can get deals like anytime calls and call saving packages so do not be afraid to ask your phone provider. Switch your provider if they do not offer you a good deal. Tell them you want to save money on your phone bills and spend less money on your outgoings.

• Save money on Texting. Don’t get drawn into forwarding jokes, emails or other chain stuff that does the round robins.  It may be really funny but the only winner is the phone company as they rake in the profits! Even if you have a certain amount of free texts, then save them for personal messages. Oh! And keep track of your free texts – laziness can mean you take them for granted and end up going way over quota and getting charged!

• Spend less money on Shopping. Sign up with a voucher code site! There are countless offers of up to 50% plus discount if you take a little time to research. Local web pages advertising restaurants, cinema listings etc also do printable vouchers and offer really good deals like 2 for the price of 1 for example. These offers are plentiful at the moment – so make the most of them!

• Cut your bills and spending on Hair and Beauty. Go and be a model for the day! You can get your hair done for free or discounted if you are prepared to let a trainee try their skills on you! They are always closely watched by a senior member of staff, so if Vidal Sassoon is what you want – go ask!

• Socialising. Invite your friends around instead of meeting in town! Tell them to bring a bottle and a CD! The chances are that you will have a better time – not having to queue ten deep at the bar and you will get to listen to better music! No taxi expenses for you at chucking out time either – it’s an all round winner!

• Clearout! Have a sort out of your old clothes, films, books and music. These items go down well at a car boot sale – and instead of getting stung by fees on an auction site, you get to take the cold hard cash in your hand! Very satisfying! If you double up with a friend, you can half the cost and have some company too.

• Supermarket. Write a list of what you need, plan your meals and stick to it. Don’t go shopping when you are sad or hungry! You will end up treating yourself to things you really can’t afford and do not need! You can buy food from the oops or discount section. All supermarkets have key times in the day when they markdown prices on fresh items – search the money saving forums to find out when your supermarket of choice does the markdowns. 

Planning and organisation are the keys to success – don’t let your laziness be the source of someone else’s profits! Anything from food shopping to filling up with petrol needs to be planned if you are going to cut down your bills! Incidental, poorly planned purchasing (even a loaf of bread from the corner shop) is costly and should be avoided!