To ask for your best money saving tip?

[AirFried]

What have you found genuinely made a difference? I’m thinking things that are accessible, not ‘paid off our mortgage early’ or ‘put £10k savings into this that or that or the other’ stuff which is suitable for lower incomes too…

I do this. One shop a week, no top up shops at all.

We prioritise saving. When the money comes in on pay day, we transfer money to savings first, then into our bills account (which pays mortgage, bills, food, outings etc.). Then I have my spending money for the month. Sometimes I divide it by the number of days I have left until pay day so I know how much I can spend each day and don't go over that. So say I have £10 a day for a month, if I want to go out for a meal costing £30, I know I will have to have zero spend days for a few days around it to even it out.

I've been doing this since Uni and it works brilliantly. Another rule I have is "once it's in savings it doesn't come out!"

Apparently a good way to save money is to use cash rather than a credit/debit card for a period of time.

You then realise how much you are spending!

Adding up all essential including petrol and food.
Seeing what's left and having savings pots for Xmas, bday holiday etc.
Then short term savings and longer teen savings. Even if each pot contribution is 2 pounds a month.

@idbegratedulforideas even better if you draw out what you can spend each month and then divide up the cash.

Don’t have a (second) car. For your pocket and the planet.
It may take a bit more planning and depend on where you live, but since DH retired and the company car went back, 3 (soon to be 4) adults use my car and coordinate it via WhatsApp.
There’s always bus, bike or shanks’s pony. And shopping delivery.

Reported for what? Are you accusing me of being a journo for the Daily Mail? What’s netmums?

I won’t have any other posts under this name because I name change for every new post I make - I’m very paranoid as someone I know who is a huge gossip (and will use it for nefarious purposes) is on here so I name change and delete and reinstate my account regularly so that they cannot trace me.

But a weird thread to report anyway, the stuff on here is so useful and must be to other people than just me. Nearly every single post has been fantastic and I am making notes of things to do and I’m excited.

A big thank you to everyone for their responses, they’ve been fantastic and I’m really grateful. Xx

This is great advice. I have a ten pound note in my purse that’s been there for ages because I don’t want to spend it so use card instead?! So stupid, I just don’t want to break it. I think I might hide that as emergency cash and then set a budget for myself, take it out and see how that goes!

Check if your/partner’s/family member’s employers offer any discount schemes. eg my employer are signed up to a reward scheme that lets us buy vouchers for lots of places at a discount. So Tesco 4% off, Sainsbury’s 5%, John Lewis 7% etc. I just add up my shopping on the way round and then buy an instant top up voucher online to cover the cost.

It’s a bit like Topcashback but you get the discount right away rather than waiting for cashback to track.

I’d find relying on cash an inconvenience tbh. I do have a starling account that I transfer £750 a month into, that covers food, petrol, small things I might buy and eating out a couple of times a month.

It means that my main bank account isn’t really touched apart from direct debits and transfers.

Switching to no brands and Aldi.
Vinted.
YNAB - genuinely life-changing when it clicks.