What are your best day to day money saving tips?

[WhisperingHi]

What are your best day to day money saving tips?

I’m not talking about investments and ISAs. I’m talking about the small things you do or don’t do throughout the month that saves you money.

For me, my best one is when I get regular urges to spend. You know, browsing websites and wanting to splash on new decor or clothes which used to cost me at least £100 at a time. I’ve found the best thing to do when I’m feeling the urge to shop is to go straight onto my Tesco App and revise my food shopping basket for the next week. It takes some time up, satisfies my urge to search and select, and is actually useful.

Another thing I do is transfer money out of my main account into my savings pot when I get paid, even if I know I’ll end up transferring it back at the end of the month. It makes me feel tighter so I spend less.

What do you do?

Make all my own meals.

A lot of stuff to me is just clutter, especially something you use just temporarily like clothes if that makes sense. Buying stuff doesn’t make me feel joyful, having a laugh with mates or DH does. Or some of those amusing little interactions with strangers. An elderly lady made me laugh recently, we were on a cliff side walk, DH was a bit close, she heard me tell him to be careful The woman said you can have ‘ I told you so on his headstone’ if he goes over.

Why do you shop when not necessary, Is it boredom?

Go to work. Since being full time I have no time to spend money.

@AyeupDuck thats so true. Finding the joy in interactions rather than things. Although not everyone likes others company in that way.

I’ve always enjoyed shopping. I like browsing, comparing, styling, especially for home decor. It genuinely makes me happy. Happy and poor 🤣 (not really, I’m actually pretty good with money). But to fight the urge and still get the fix, I fiddle with my Tesco shop 😀

Ah yes, that too is a fantastic way to reduce spending!

Reconcile my bank accounts, PayPal and credit card accounts. It helps me pick up rogue subscriptions and overpayments.

Pay yourself first - into savings or invest as soon as you get paid

Pretend online shopping. I add loads of stuff to my basket but don’t check out

Am on mounjaronat the moment so as l don't know how much weight l will lose, any clothes l buy are either from Vinted or a charity shop.
With regards to the mounjaro, l micro dose so feels like it is half price!

Not buy stuff. Same savings tactic as you.
Avoid buying expensive snacks or pre-prepared meals.

I've tried various apps to save money but none worked for me. I've just downloaded one called Rule and it's got a little cartoon squirrel who encourages you to not spend. For some reason it works for me (at the moment). I don't want to upset my squirrel by spending money that I don't need to 😁 Maybe it won't workomg term but for now I've resisted buying some "wants" just cause I don't want to see what happens if the squirrel knows I've wasted money!

Planning meals and food shopping accordingly. We were wasting huge amounts of money going to the shops to pick up groceries multiple times a week, always picking up unintended extras while we were there. I was amazed how much extra money we had when we stopped that habit.

When I worked I also had a big commute. I took homemade meals and snacks and flasks of tea. It was healthier, tastier and cheaper. Now that I'm retired, and at a time in life where the big expenses are behind me, I just don't need much. I go to the cinema and for meals or coffees with friends more than I used to, but it equates with the cost of my old commute.

Great idea to go to the online shop when the urge hits- thank you!

I set myself some "no spend" days, so no coffees out, or popping to the store for random bits and pieces (I don't need). I try to do 4 a fortnight, usually on days I am working so it's easier not to spend any money.

I like doing this on Ocado as the flash sales change if you’ve a few days left to finalise. It does satisfy an urge.

Also I do still fantasy shop but leave things in my basket and when I go back to them often find I’ve changed my mind. Especially with clothes. Or I compare things in my basket and think ‘if I can only have one which one would I prefer?’ Then delete as applicable.

Don’t eat out for lunch

I get paid weekly so transfer housekeeping money into joint account and pay a little into savings account too, all through internet banking. Also ask myself if i really need something before I buy it and then consider where the cheapest place to buy it is.

Vinted

I’ve always liked the money saving expert mantra. Do I need it? Can I afford it? Will I use it?
If you’re a spender. Clearing out dead peoples’ houses has to be the best motivator for avoiding clutter and crap. Since I’ve done that three times I am so selective about buying. And I know that whatever I want there are probably thousands of them sitting unused in someone’s house!

I always take lunch, drinks and snacks to work. Rarely eat out, quite content with home cooking. Save a chunk on payday, sometimes have to take some out but it helps to stay focused.
The vast majority of my clothes and furniture are secondhand whether it be Vinted, eBay, charity shops, Freecycle, car boot fairs or local selling sites. Use Quidco where possible and look for voucher codes when buying online. Don’t slavishly follow fashion, if you like it then why get rid of it?

Currently on holiday (this is where I splash out!) and apart from my undies and bikinis, all of my wardrobe is secondhand.

I’m mid clothing declutter which is helpful because I know exactly what I have. I know that I don’t need yet another black dress and or more work tops.
Same with toiletries, I know what I have and need to use it before replacing.

I enjoy budgeting and saving. Saving for car expenses/Christmas/ holidays/emergencies etc means that I don’t panic when my tax is due and I don’t have to pay for Christmas from December pay.

Vinted is a double edged sword. Definitely better than buying full price at the shops, and yet I find it SO easy to buy things on there that I don't really need.

Anything I want to buy I just don’t. If I still want it in 3 weeks time then maybe I will buy it but quite honestly I usually don’t.

Money saving “tips” that I see online usually require spending. Vinted, charity shops, shopping in cheap supermarkets, apps, discount codes etc. It’s all still buying things. Don’t buy things is the only thing that works.

My trick with Vinted is that I can only spend what I earn on there. Last month I sold £28 worth of items so have £28 to spend on there. It helps me to declutter too if I see something that I like because I have to sell stuff. Obviously it’s a gamble and sometimes things sell before I can buy but I’m unlikely to have actually needed what I have my eye on!
If there’s nothing that I want I move the money to my spends account.