How to save money around the house
More or less, we are always trying to find ways to save that little bit of extra money, for example, it may be for a luxury holiday, to pay off debts, or to get us one step closer to buying that dream home we’ve spent years thinking about. Whatever it is, there are simple ways you can cut down on costs, in fact, the very first place you can start doing so is simply by saving money around the house. Payday Bad Credit looks at the number of ways you can put some cash back into your pockets.
Order your food shop online
Yes, you may well have to pay a delivery fee for your food shop to come to your door (though it is becoming increasingly common for the major supermarkets to have certain delivery slots that are free or free providing that you spend a certain amount), but it is much more likely that you will stick to your shopping list and budget, rather than meander around a food store buying things you don’t need. To cut down even further on your grocery shop, check out mysupermarket.com, which allows you to compare shopping basket prices between supermarkets. In addition, keep an eye out for introductory offers from supermarket brands trying to lure you into online shopping – you may receive further discounts for joining them!
Shop in the evening
If you would rather not have shopping delivered to your door, you should aim to go to the supermarket in the evening to get the best discount deals
If you must go to the supermarket, then try to go in the evening. This is because this is the period of the day when items start getting reduced, meaning you can nab more bargains and save serious money. As a rule of thumb, the later you go, items get discounted further. You could also ask a shop assistant directly what times items go into reduction too.
Meal plans
Making a meal plan for the week will help you to save money, and stop wasting cash on items that end up just being chucked in the bin. If you are stuck for healthy recipes, check out the Change 4 Life website for inspiration.
Lighting
It is well worth spending the time to see if you can save money by switching energy providers. In the majority of cases, it is possible to save up to hundreds of pounds, so get researching!
Haggle on subscriptions
According to consumer watchdog Which? the average household in the UK could save nearly £160 on broadband and TV packages simply by trying to barter for a better deal. It’s worth trying
Get a cheaper mobile phone bill
Keep an eye on when your contract ends and do not automatically renew – you could potentially get a better deal elsewhere for the latest handset. Here are some tips worth following:
- Use online tools such as billmonitor that analyses your bills and recommends a contract for you
- Use price comparison websites, there are also filters you can use so you can narrow down exactly the kind of phone you want
- Negotiate with your current phone provider, who knows, you may end up getting a far better deal than is available on the market if they fear losing you as a customer.
Get a water meter
You may find that having a water money could lower the costs of your average water bill.
According to the Consumer Council for Water, it is estimated that over half of the people who go to its website could save cash by using a water meter, saving up to £100 annually. To find out if this may be the case for you, check their online calculator. If it doesn’t work out as cheaper, there are other things that you can do to cut down the cost of your water bill, such as:
- Switch to showers instead of having baths
- Use a more efficient shower head
- Set a timer for showers
Sell clutter on eBay
Haven’t sorted out the items in your home for a while? It may be worth spending a weekend doing a spring clean, sifting through things to see if there is anything that you are no longer using that could be sold on eBay and therefore get you a bit of extra cash. Try to put up items when eBay is having a no upfront seller’s fee weekend deal to cut down on commission costs.
Pay your bills on time
It is a waste of money to be paying extra due to late payments on utility bills.
It may sound self-evident, but it is worth emphasising: make sure that you pay all your household bills on time, otherwise, you could incur late payment fees that can soon add up. Having good organisational skills is key here to keep a track of your bills. Things you can do include:
- Plan ahead, keeping a record of all payments you make and those that are scheduled
- Set up direct debits for all regular bills (it is also usually cheaper to pay this way too)
- Talk directly to lenders you owe money too if you are struggling with debt. Burying your head in the sand is by far not the best thing you can do.
