Since having Sienna and being on maternity leave, money has been a bit tighter than normal so I thought i would just share some of my favourite tips to try and save money as i know some people feel the same!
Leave a comment and share yours too :)
1. Try to cut your bills down-for sky, phones etc, ring up and see what deals they can do you, try to haggle, i cut my phone bill down by £10 a month because i wasn't using the usage i had anyway. Bargain!
2. Go down a brand on your food, i have done this on honey and soya milk, and they taste great!
3. Shop in charity shops.. I know some people are a little snobby to do this, i used to be one but i have sucked it up lately and i have found some great pieces! A lot of stuff still have the tags on and have never been worn!
4. Make your own fabric conditioner with water, hair conditioner and vinegar. It works great and honestly doesn't make your clothes smell of vinegar. Plus it's so much cheaper!
5. Get your bake on! Making your own biscuits and cakes from scratch will be so much cheaper in the long run, you will probably get 2/3 batches out of the ingredients and they are much healthier for you!
6. When you run out of eye cream/lipgloss etc, always search the magazine freebies first, you can get some great brands and it might just be what you are after!
7. Cut your electricity by making a conscious effort to switch your plugs off. We have got into the habit of this purely so it's safer for Sienna, i know she isn't old enough yet but we have started now so it becomes second nature & will save us money.
8. Get some clothes airers and stop using the tumble dryer. This can be quite annoying because it takes longer but it will save you quite a lot over a few months!
9. Switch to frozen veg. Things like broccoli and cauliflower etc and much cheaper to buy frozen and if you are adding them to curries etc, they won't taste any different. Even better, grow your own!
10. Use vouchers wisely! Before you purchase online, it's worth googling for any vouchers or discount codes you might be able to find to save you a little bit off your order!
11. Sign up to the newsletters on clothes/make-up website. I know some people don't like the junk emails but they will sometimes have vouchers/discount codes or tell you when their sale has launched so you can get in there first and grab a bargain!
12. Beauty addicts; really try and shop your stash. Drawers and drawers of make-up is ridiculous unless you're a make-up artist. Have a rummage through every now and then and switch things up. Don't automatically go and buy more when you run out.
13. Ask yourself; Do i really need it? Do i like it that much? Even if it's a bargain, buying it and not using/wearing it is not going to save you money!
14. Walk instead of taking the car if you can, don't be lazy! It will get you some exercise and save money.
15. Cancel your gym membership. If you don't go at least 3 times a week every week, it's not working out a good deal. There are so many great workout videos on youtube and you can get some great secondhand gym equipment, you don't need the gym!
16. Share and swap magazines with your friends and family. There's no point all 5 of your buying Cosmo just to read it once and throw it away. If you can't/wont do this, subscribe if you buy it every month, it will be cheaper in the long run.
17. Pick up cheap gifts in the sales throughout the year that could work as Xmas/Birthday presents. Always have it in the back of your mind what kind of thing you're looking for. Some people can't be bothered with this but it is so much easier and less stressful. Come Christmas you won't have much to do!
18. Don't bulk buy if you won't eat it. Buy 1 get 2 free? Sounds good but only if you will eat it. If those free ones are going in the bin, you may as well only buy one.
19. Use leftovers! Search recipes you can do with leftovers, you will create some yummy ideas and not lose money.
20. Check out what travel insurance you have if you're unlikely to go on holiday in the next couple of months or year cancel it.
21. Do your grocery shop online. You won't be tempted by things you don't need like you would walking round.
22. Set yourself a budget and only take that amount of money with you. You can't be tempted by other things you see.
23. If you have kids, get creative with them for games and toys etc, rather than splashing the cash on toys they will only play with for a couple of weeks.
24. Bulk your meals out with veg, i always do this with curries as it saves on the price of meat but you still get the taste.
25. Read reviews on products before you buy it. You may find that expensive one isn't actually that great and a cheaper alternative is what you want.
26. Get a hair cut/manicure at a local college for special events, it will much cheaper and they will still do a great job.
27. Ditch your newspaper subscription and read on the internet instead if possible.
28. Don't forget about libraries! Great for kids book and recipe books, and you won't end up with a whole stack of them going to waste!
29. Try and pay off your credit cards in bigger chunks with any money you manage to save, it will save you a lot in the long run!
30. If you have kids, make sure you are claiming all the benefits you can, if you're entitled to it, why not? No-one needs to know.
What are your tips?
The idea for baking your own goods is awesome. Or perfect! I am up for it. thanks for sharing such useful material!
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