A New Year acts as a great marker and can help you reach your objectives... but you don't really need a New Year to make changes... you can achieve your money savings goals at any time of the year!
Here's some of our top money saving tips you can use ALL YEAR ROUND - not just for January! Our money saving ideas will help you to make simple changes to get you into the habit of saving money throughout the year...
You don't have to do ALL of these, just choose one for now and get started. Once you've nailed one of them, come back and look at your next goal. Before you know it you'll be achieving these goals on a daily basis without even thinking about it!
#1 Meal Plan Like a Pro!
Save money and reduce food waste by planning meals ahead of time. Create a weekly menu and stick to your grocery list to avoid impulse buys. Get creative with leftovers, and consider themed nights like Taco Tuesday or Pasta Friday to make it fun. Your wallet and your taste buds will thank you!
There's some great resources out there to help with the meal planning. Take a look at some of these useful meal planning resources we've found online -
📋 A Free Guide to Meal Planning - https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/good-food-habits/how-do-I/create-flexible-and-simple-meal-plans
🥘 Easy Family Recipes - https://easyfamilyrecipes.com/weekly-meal-plan/
🥘 Tastes Better From Scratch - this is a US site but it's great for ideas and has tonnes of weekly meal plan suggestions - https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/category/meal-plan/
🥘 Jamie's Budget Friendly Meal Plans - https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/budget-friendy-meal-plan
🥘 Say Mmm - a great free resource packed with recipes and meal plans where can create your own weekly plans and grocery lists - https://www.saymmm.com/
🥘 Tesco have a great online meal planning tool. Check it out here - https://realfood.tesco.com/meal-planner/about.html
🥘 So Cook - Lots of lovely meal planning ideas here - https://socook.co.uk/menu-category/meal-plans
🥘 Together as a Family Easy Meal Plans - https://togetherasfamily.com/easy-meal-plans/
📋 Download a copy of our FREE three page meal planner to help you plan your own meals for a day, week or a whole month - https://shorturl.at/TvVoR
There's also lots of Free Meal Planning Apps you can download to your phone to help you plan your family meals a week ahead. Go to the App or Google Store on your phone and take a look at the likes of Mealime Meal Plans & Grocery List, Pepperplate, or MealBoard. MyFridgeFood is also worth a look!
#2 Subscribe to Amazon's Subscribe & Save!
You can save yourself a tonne of money every year by using Amazon's Subscribe & Save service. It's great for everyday items such as laundry tabs, dishwasher tabs, loo rolls, shampoo, baby milk, etc. Not only is it cheaper than the local supermarkets, you'll also get up to 15% extra discount by 'subscribing' plus you'll get your items delivered to your door for Free (Prime customers only).
Examples include:
💰 70 x Fairy dishwasher tablets at £7.90
💰 32 x loo rolls at £7.50
💰 18 x Huggies baby wipes £13.50
💰 240 x Pampers nappies £36.10
💰 3kg IAMS Dry cat food £7.90
💰 Box of 20 x Walkers Crisps £3.00
💰 Lots of bargains to be had - start saving now!
Check out all the latest Subscribe & Save options here - https://amzn.to/41NUx66
#3 Improve your Health & Fitness for FREE! 🤩
Most of us could all do with a little more fitness in our daily routine, but who's got the time or can afford to go to the gym? Did you know there's a TONNE of fitness activities available online for FREE!! You can try all sorts like yoga, aerobics, pilates, cardio, dance, sitting exercises.... there's loads for all ages and abilities, most of which you can do from the comfort of your living room. No more excuses! Here's some of the fab FREE activity links we've found:
👟 NHS Fitness studio - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/
👟 Better at Home - free library of 600 online fitness classes - https://www.better.org.uk/what-we-offer/activities/exercise-at-home
👟 ClassPass - over 4,000 free on-demand online workouts in HIIT & strength training, cardio, yoga, barre and more - https://classpass.com/try/home-workout-videos
👟 Coach to Fitness - feel fitter bit by bit with this free fitness programme you can do at home - https://couchtofitness.com/
💃 Dance workouts - if dancing to get fit is more your thing, check this lot out - https://www.byrdie.com/free-dance-workouts-5176224
🏃♀️ Coach to 5k - if you are feeling a little more energetic and fancy running, the Coach to 5k is a brilliant Free App to get you running 5k in just 12 weeks (Yes, it works!!) - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/
And if that's not enough for you... just search 'free online exercise classes for beginners' and take your pick!
#4 Cut back on the Booze!
One of the best ways you can save money is to cut back on the booze! It's great for your health too! Why not give your body a break and take the Dry January challenge, or if you're already well into the New Year, there are loads of tips over at Alcohol Change UK to help you cut back on your drinking.
There's no need to wait for January to cut back on the booze, just choose your own 'dry' time. You can squirrel away what you save on the booze and put it towards a holiday or treat yourself later in the year... or make your next Christmas extra special!
Concerned about your drinking?
If you're drinking over the recommended limit of 14 units per week, you can take the FREE alcohol self screening test located on the In-dependence website. It is completely anonymous and no data is collected or stored. Find out NOW if you are lower risk, increasing risk, higher risk or possible dependence. Click here to take the Alcohol Self Screen Test
#5 Switch to Reusable Products
Make this the year you ditch disposable items! Invest in reusable shopping bags, water bottles, and storage containers. It’s an upfront investment but it saves you money over time - and the planet will thank you for it!
Re-usable shopping bags can be found a plenty at the supermarket checkouts these days and there's some lovely one's too which you can usually pick up for around £1 per bag. Baring in mind that some stores charge around 30p per flimsy carrier bag, you'll get plenty more use and save more money by investing in a stronger more durable £1 re-usable bag.
Bonus: there are lots of super chic reusable products to choose from these days that can make you feel like you’ve got your life together! 👍 😆 like these motivational water bottles... currently 20% off down to just £4.66! Check them out here - https://amzn.to/3DMqH7M
#6 Take the 'No-Spend' Challenge
Currently trending on TikTok! The concept is simply to challenge yourself to skip unnecessary spending for a period of time, usually a week or a month. You just use what you already have. Your regular outgoings such as mortgage, rent, groceries etc are not included... the challenge is more to not spend on any 'extras'. You can only spend on what you Need and not on what you Want! Here's a few ideas to get you started... 🚫 Use up food from your freezer instead of spending more at the store
🚫 Cook up your own fake-away instead of paying for a take-away
🚫 Rather than paying for entertainment, get creative with free activities like nature walks, museum or library visits or challenge the kids to cards or board games
🚫 Cut back on monthly subscription services
🚫 Use up any old gift cards or vouchers you've got lying around
🚫 Use up any store card points you might have e.g. Boots Advantage, Credit card rewards...
🚫 Cash in those loyalty cards you've been carrying around - get that free coffee or free baguette
🚫 Use your Waitrose card money off vouchers - and get your free coffee!
The No-Spend challenge is a great way to reset your spending habits and gain a greater appreciation for the things you already own. Doing this as a 30-day 'no-spend' money challenge can help you to:
Save money
Examine your spending habits
Spend more intentionally
Avoid impulse buys
Cut out emotional spending (retail therapy!)
Make use of what you already have
Be more eco-friendly
Practice gratitude and contentment
Reach your goals faster
Take back control over your money
Happy Saving!
#7 Check your Monthly Subscriptions!
It’s no surprise that many businesses have moved to subscription models - customers sign up for them, keep paying for them, and often forget about them! That's why it’s important to review your current subscriptions and cancel those that you’re not using. You’ll be surprised by just how much money you can save over the course of a year!
We’ve all signed up for that “free trial” that turns into a recurring charge. It might be Netflix, Spotify or Amazon Prime, or maybe a magazine subscription or a ClassPass membership. But if you haven’t used it in months... you can probably live without it.
Audit your Subscriptions! - Check your bank account statements for the last 12 months to check what you've been paying for. Some subscription services are paid annually, which is why it's important to check back 12 months. As well as your personal bank account, also check your other 'online payment' services such as Apple, Paypal, Revolut, for any recurring payments. If you're hardly using the service you're paying for - cancel it!
Here's just a few of the many subscription services out there.... be sure to check all of yours!
• Video streaming (Netflix, Prime, Disney, Sky...)
• Music subscriptions (Spotify, Apple, Amazon...)
• Gaming subscriptions (Playstation, Nintendo, Xbox...)
• Internet service (are you paying for home broadband but only using your mobile data?)
• Landline phone service... do you use it?
• Web hosting and domain names for websites you no longer maintain
• Fitness apps/personal training/gym memberships
• Productivity apps (Office365, Canva Pro, Photo or video editing apps...)
• Dating services you're no longer using
• Pet product subscriptions
• Protection and insurance plans
• Cloud storage
• News/magazine subscriptions
• Book/audiobook subscriptions (Audible...)
• Meal kits/meal delivery (Hello Fresh, Mindful Chef...)
Once you’ve determined which subscriptions you can do without, make it a point to cancel them. If the subscription is annual and you’ve already paid for it through the next several months, you can usually call the company or visit their website or app to prevent it from auto-renewing. If you do so, make a calendar reminder to check it closer to the renewal date to ensure you won’t be charged.
To avoid charges after a free trial, set reminders to review and cancel the service as not all subscriptions remind you to cancel! Some let you enjoy the full trial even if you cancel right away, so consider cancelling immediately after signing up to avoid forgetting later
#8 Set a Savings Goal
Whether it’s for a family holiday, emergency fund, or something fun like a new car or new furniture, having a savings goal can motivate you to stick to your budget. Open a separate account or use a budgeting app to track your progress. Even small contributions all add up over time!
Here's how to set your savings goal -
1. Name your goal
First, you need to decide what you want to save for. If you name your goal, you’ll reach it faster. If you’re new to saving, try starting with a small goal. Even if you’re just saving for a rainy day, you’re more likely to succeed if you have a goal amount in mind.
2. Work out how much to save each month
How much you save depends on:
how high your goal is
how much spare cash you have at the end of each month
how soon you want to reach your goal.
Say you were saving for a £400 emergency fund. You could save £100 a month for four months, or £50 a month for eight months. It’s a balance between what you can afford and how long you want to save for.
3. Set up a standing order
If you choose to put your savings into an instant access savings account, there should be no restrictions on how or when you can access your money. Consider setting up a regular payment to automatically transfer the amount you want to save into your savings account each month. This ensures you won't forget to make that transfer.
Start a Gratitude Journal
Gratitude doesn’t cost a thing, but it can make a world of difference. Grab an inexpensive notebook and jot down a few things you’re thankful for each day. It’s a small habit that can boost your mood, improve relationships, and keep you grounded through life’s ups and downs.
Or instead of using a notebook, you may prefer to purchase one of the beautiful Gratitude Journals that are available these days. Each page provides a gratitude template that you can just 'fill in'. You can pick up a gorgeous looking journal for less than a fiver! Check these out - Gratitude Journals
How to start a Gratitude Journal
There’s no wrong way to keep a gratitude journal, but here are some guidelines to help you get started -
Write down or type up to five things for which you feel grateful. The things you list can be relatively small in importance such as “The delicious sandwich I had for lunch today” or relatively large “My best friend had a healthy baby boy today”. The goal of the exercise is to remember a good event, experience, person, or thing in your life, then enjoy the good emotions that come with it. Here are some tips:
1. Be as specific as possible - Being as clear as possible is key to fostering gratitude. “I’m grateful that my colleagues brought me soup when I was sick on Tuesday” will be more effective than “I’m grateful for my colleagues.”
2. Go for depth over breadth - Going into detail about a particular person or thing for which you’re grateful carries more benefits than a surface-level list of many things.
3. Get personal - Focusing on people to whom you are grateful has more of an impact than focusing on things for which you are grateful.
4. Try subtraction - not just addition - Consider what your life would be like without certain people or things, rather than just tallying up all the good stuff. Be grateful for the negative outcomes you avoided, escaped, prevented, or turned into something positive. Try not to take that good fortune for granted!
5. See good things as 'Gifts' - Thinking of the good things in your life as gifts helps you avoid taking them for granted. Try to enjoy and savour the gifts you’ve received.
6. Savour surprises - Try to record events that were unexpected or surprising, as these tend to bring up stronger feelings of gratitude.
7. Aim for variety - Writing about some of the same people and things is OK, but focus on different details each time you write about them.
8. Write regularly - Whether you write daily or every other day, commit to a regular time to journal. Do your best to honour that commitment.
Download a copy of our FREE Gratitude Journal Sheet here - Gratitude Journal Page
Happy Saving!
#SuperSavvySavers #NewYearResolutions #MoneySavingTips #SaveMoney #MoneySavingResolutions #GratitudeJournal #NoSpendChallenge #SavingsGoal
Comments