Money for most people is something you never stop worrying about. Am I going to be able to pay my bills this month? Can I buy my child new school shoes? Do I have enough money for the weekly food shop? Is today the day I socialise with my friends?
We never stop asking ourselves these questions and we are always looking for ways to save in order to do the things we need to. It can however be difficult juggling your money when you have a family to provide for and your job pays too little and your two jobs are only just getting you by. If you’re feeling tired and frustrated and struggling with your finances there are small changes you can make to save you some money. Read about them below.
- Lunch time habits
For those of you that have long days at work it is only natural that you want to sit and enjoy some lunch before carrying on again. The question is though, do you take your lunch in with you or do you buy something from the shops? If you find that you buy something from the shops, you are in fact spending a lot of money on additional food whilst at work. For example if you spend £5 a day on your lunch 5 days a week you are spending close to £1300 a year. By simply using what your have in your cupboards or taking left overs into work from your dinner the night before you could end up saving yourself a considerable amount. I have also noticed that a number of people buy bottled water, something you can get for free from your tap. If it’s the filtering your worried about, get yourself a water bottle with a filter in and make your own bottled water for free.
- Quit smoking
Now I know the title of this article reads 5 easy ways to save money, and I know those of you who smoke will be thinking quitting is not easy. That may be, but it may not be as difficult as you anticipate it to be. Give it a shot and see how you get on, unless you try you won’t know, and when I say try I mean give it up for longer than a day. Smoking is an expensive habit and can cost you up to £2000 a year if you smoke 20 a day. This is a large sum of money for something that really isn’t that good for you.
- Put some money aside
The most obvious way to save money is to put some aside each month. As little as £5 is a good start to get you used to the idea. The best way to save the money is to put it into a savings account, that way the money is unreachable in your everyday account so that you don’t accidentally spend it. As you become comfortable with the idea you can increase the amount you put away each month and continue to do so as you please. Over the months you will find the money adding up and ready to use for emergencies or a much needed holiday.
- Energy savings
By being sensible with appliances in your home you can save yourself a considerable amount of cash each year. Star rated appliances and proper insulation are the best ways to do this as they are extremely energy efficient. There are however simpler ways of bringing your energy bills down such as turning off your computer once you have finished using it, unplugging the television, turning off lights in rooms not being used, by opening the curtains instead of turning on lights and much more. If you ignore to do these things you are simply wasting energy and adding ££££’s to your energy bill.
- Credit card bloopers
The idea of having a credit card is like the idea of owning a gold mine. Money that is available to you despite not having any in your account. There is a downside though, the money doesn’t come without a cost. Use a credit card and you’ll find yourself having to pay it back with interest. Without a doubt a credit card is a one way ticket to debt if used inappropriately, potentially causing you some serious financial difficulties? Save yourself some money by getting rid of the credit card to avoid paying it back, and more annoyingly to avoid paying the interest.
