Banking
Credit Cards
• If you have a credit card where the APR is high, transfer it to a lower APR credit card instead
Money Management
• Be realistic with your money. Work out at the beginning of the month what money is needed for bills, then work out the remainder minus some money for savings. The money that is left over is yours to see you through the month, divide by four.
Now at the beginning of each week take out your weekly allowance stick to it. If you spend it in the first two days then learn from it and do better next week. You need to be able to make it through the whole week. There should be some important budgeting skills learnt here to help you throughout life.
Save £10 Each Week!
• Try saving £10 each week under your mattress or better yet in a separate savings account and buy the end of the year all those £10 will have added up to £520.
Home
Clean With Vinegar
• Use vinegar to clean your home as it is a natural deodoriser and disinfectant, use water and vinegar in equal parts and put in a spray bottle. Don’t worry; the smell will disappear on drying.
Lights Out
• Turn off lights, surely your parents always told you too; you can do your bit for the environment but also that little bit helps towards lowering your energy bills
Cold Wash
• Wash your clothes on a cold water cycle, most new washing powders are designed to work at cold temperatures and it will make a difference to your energy bills.
Get baking or Cleaning
• Baking soda can be used to clean the home just like any product you may buy that is a non abrasive cleanser, baking soda is a deodoriser.
Use Your Lemon
• Lemon Juice is another natural cleaning product that can be used to clean the home for dissolving soap scum or hard water deposits.
Find a Cuddly Friend
• When winter comes keep your fingers wrapped up and away from the thermostat, instead put more layers on have a good pair of slippers on standby and buy a really nice blanket to cuddle up in.
Eat With Friends
• Want friends around for a dinner party? Instead of taking on board all the cooking and entertaining alone, invite them for a Pot Luck party, every person brings a home made item and you feast together, this is especially worth it for BBQ’s as with all that meat they quickly become expensive things to hold.
Health
Pack it In
• Quit smoking, the price on one pack of 20 is £7.95. If you only bought 3 packs a week that’s still £23.85 a week, therefore £95.40 a month and £1144.80 a year. Definitely time to pack it in.
Don’t Pay for Water
• Buy a refillable water bottle instead of repeatedly buying bottled water from the shops at anywhere between 60 pence and £1 for a small bottle, this is a cost that really soon adds up.
Stop spending your hard earned cash and help do your bit for the environment by getting your hands on a proper bottle. It’s estimated that there is a 4000% mark up in the price of bottled water, extortionate.
Generic Branding
• Buy store brand medications rather than paying for the branded stuff and you will save a packet, all the key ingredients will be the same, but packaging and branding mean you don’t pay the price tag.
Fitness
Fresh Air & Benefits
•Cancel your gym membership and instead start running and cycling outdoors, research body weight exercises and you can become the fittest you’ve ever been without forking out all that money on classes or equipment.
Be a Gym Bunny
• Sign up for free passes to the different gyms in your area, sometimes they might only be a one day pass, but it has been known to get a seven day pass to some of the more exclusive gyms.
It’s worth taking them up on their offer and there is no obligation to join. Look out for passes in magazines, and on gym websites, or even give them a call to show interest and see what can be done.