at first it's expensive but could save you thousands. re-insulate your roof or just add to what you have. you can buy all the materials at DIY shops and by doing it youself you wno't pay or labour. also always put draft excluders by doors.
If you get paid monthly, take a small amount of your salary (the amount you are going to allow yourslef to spend and save the rest) and divide this into 4 or 5 (depending on the month and how many weeks there are in that month) and pay yourself weekly - that way, you are not skint at the end of the month, you balance your spending and it gives you a more realistic idea of your affordability, whilst hopefully being able to save the money you didn't spend. Set up 2 bank accounts - get rid of your cash card from the account you get your salary paid into. Set up a standing order from this account into the other account and keep the cash card for this, this ensures that you spend only that week's money.
Make your own coffee/tea instead of pumping Starbucks' wallet.
Walk or bike instead of driving or taking public transportation. Save yourself gym & transportation bills.
1. Set up a savings account and direct debit from your current account so that you don't have to think about saving.
2. Don't spend a lot on moisturisers etc. Dermatologists recommend a basic moisturiser and a good spf 15+ cream.
3. Mend and re-dye faded clothes - if you have a few black items of clothing that have faded don't throw them away, get a dylon black dye pack from your supermarket. A couple of cycles later your clothes look good as new.
4. Make your own lunch for work. Only takes 10 mins and saves a huge amount of money over a month.
5. Cycle to work, if you can. Cheap and good exercise.
6. Get your shoes mended, don't throw them away because of a worn sole or broken heal.
7. Swap clothes with friends. They may have things they no longer want that you love and vice versa.
Get a notebook and keep a money diary - logging every single thing you spend every day. Each day separate the things you bought into "Needs" and "Wants". At the end of the month add up how much you spent fulfilling your "Wants" and work out how many of them were really that important after all. And work out what else you could have done with all that money. (Also, and this sounds boring, but it works a treat - get a direct debit that goes into a savings account when you have just been paid every month, you won't really notice the money's missing and at the end of the year you can afford something really nice.)
Keep a month long log of your expenses (MSN has a good template) and see what you are bleeding money on.
- Check your direct debits and standing orders at the bank - are they all relevant?
- Make a monthly plan for costs and how much you're going to save. Be very clear about what you are saving for and ask yourself if you need that Starbucks/dress/lunch out or would you rather sit on a beach/be free of debt/whatever you are saving for before each purchase.
- Have a rough idea of what you're going to eat over the week and do a weekly shop (not when you're hungry!) to avoid falling into the trap of impulse buys in stores or going out for dinner because nothing is in the house.
Well...
Clothes- use up what's in your wardrobe until it's worn out and then limit yourself to buy one accessorie a month.
Make up- same with clothes use up any make up you have and just keep replacing it when you need it, although i would suggest buying vasaline as can be used for eyebrows, lips, cheeks, eyes.
Handbag- Get one that will be practical enough for daytime but also look smart for night so a slouch bag would be the best option in black.
Jewellery- Jewellery lasts forever so really the way to save money on that is to ask for it for a pressie for your b-day or xmas.
Another seemingly expensive idea is to update your appliances. Old appliances get leaky and their wiring isn't as efficient, so they take more to maintain and run. Look for products that are approved by energy councils and companies; these will be your best bets for efficiency and low cost.
Also try running appliances during off-peak hours. Most electric and water companies have higher rates during daytime hours, so double check when the rates change and only do dishes and laundry at those times. You should notice the change in the first bill!
watch how much water you use (i.e. limit time spent in shower)
don't leave electricty on in rooms you arn't using, turn of the computer at night, watch how long you stare into the frige and the cold air escapes
small things like that will add up
why not have a direct debit that comes out of your account into a seperate savings account on the day you get paid. yu wont even notice its gone as you are already feeling flush.
- Check the interest rates on your credit cards and switch to a 0% introductory rate.
- Be a "mortgage tart" - (if you have a mortgage) at the end of your initial introductory offer, shop around for another introductory offer and switch
I'm a student and I have a day budget. I don't have a credit card, so no depts.
I now what my day limit is, it's not much but enough. If you hold on to your day limit, at one point it's gone be fun. Now I'm proud of myself if I found something cheap.
And have clothing-exchanges evenings. Meet up with your friends at home, bring some drinks and some stuff you don't like/fit in/is not your style and exchange!
I have never been able to save money until now.
I've made a spreadsheet showing all my incomings and outgoings. As I get paid monthly sometimes there are 4 weeks between pay days and sometimes there are 5 weeks, so I've drawn up 2 spreadsheets to show the different monthly patterns. I decided I wanted to spend £40 p/m and then split all the rest of my money onto paying off as much debt as I possibly can. It is a lot easier to stick to when you have a weekly limit.
Also if you fancy staying in and getting a take away, prepare a meal instead. This can work out a lot cheaper, more rewarding when it turns out well and you have fun while trying to make it!
I bought a battery-powered coin sorter which sits in our kitchen. I don't let myself spend any change or any ones or fives. Instead, the change all goes into the coin sorter, and the ones and fives sit in an envelope until about once a month, I deposit them (and the change) into my savings account.
It's pretty much completely painless, and this has helped me save almost ,000 in my vacation fund in just a little over a year.
Take your daily allowance and:
sort it out so that you still get the money to spend but your saving WHILST doing it.
e.g
you get £50 a month, so put £10 in your bank account and you'll still have £10 a week to spend.
Or if you dont get a allowance but find it difficult not to spend all of your paycheck the minute you get it, try loading money onto a starbucks card and when you go out shopping or for a coffee only use that.
That way it'll stop yourself from spending more and more on other cafes etc because yuo'll already have paid for it ages ago.
i agree with the direct debit, it really works, i also keep all my receipts from daily purchase and made a point to log it on to my weekly spending spread sheet at the end of the day. The more you spend, the worse it made you feel at the end of the day recording them all. At the end of each week i always have something left to save.
If your bank does text banking onto your mobile phone it is worth the small fee ( I pay £2.50 per month ) to get a daily balance & outgoings. This makes me more careful how I spend money each day, and I make it a game to see how much I can keep on the screen each week.
In the US most mobile phone carriers offer a wide variety of discounts. Call them or check online to see if you qualify. I checked last week and saved 15% on my monthly bill with 5 minutes' work.
When you need to call information or 411, save yourself .00 by calling free directory assistance: 1-800-FREE411 (1-800-373-3411). The savings really add up! I saved about last month. In a year's time, that's a really nice pair of shoes!
Set the thermostat around 67F. When you get cold, throw a sweater on or curl up under a blanket. In the summer, set your central air around 72F and/or keep any window units around the four mark unless you're at home.
Don't keep radios, televisions, and computers running when they're not in use.
Pick an amount, say 0, you want your credit card to go down every month. If you have a 15% interest rate, send in your monthly payment of 5 on time every month. Watch your balance go down almost immediately.
Use energy saving lightbulbs or flourescent.
I was given a tin that you can only open with a tin opener. Whenever i have a £2 coin or £1 coin, i put them in the tin. Its amazing how much you can save when you cant get the money out!!!!
save 10% of everything you get.
so if you get £100 a week then put £10 aside.
you'll still feel like you have alot because yoou have £90;.
by the time its the next year you'll be richer!