Share your financial new year’s resolutions with other Mumsnetters - chance to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher, courtesy of Lloyds Bank NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

With a bit of luck the festive period left you with LOTS of happy memories - but we all know that Christmas can leave bank accounts looking a little worse for wear. To help you into 2016, Lloyds Bank would like to know the financial new year’s resolutions Mumsnetters are making.

Here's what they say: "January sales, unwanted presents and resolutions - the new year will bring new challenges, but plenty of opportunities for those who are shrewd with their finances. We'd love to hear Mumsnetter's tips for starting the new year in financial style‎." - Lloyds Bank

So how do you make sure your bills stay in the black? Do you make a spending plan to control your budget? Maybe opening a savings account is the best option? Perhaps you give the credit card a well-deserved rest and pay everything upfront? Or do you have some money-saving habits you force yourself to get back into once the festive season is over?

Whatever your tips, Lloyds Bank would love to hear them.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, and one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks,

MNHQ
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I'm very sensible with money - don't tend to spend much other then on bills and the odd treat. I have about 5 bank accounts and move money around as when a fixed rate offer runs out, better interest rate comes up. I have one main account and put money aside in savings each month as well as moving money to get interest on others. It might sound complicated but it doesn't take too long promise :)

Stop wasting money on stuff I do not need

It sounds a bit morbid but I am going to sit down with my husband and make a list of all our investments etc. and a plan of action in the event of his incapacity or death. He is very astute financially but all the details are in his head! On a personal level, I am going to switch to a supermarket with no children's clothes or toys available - I just can't resist buying something for my three grandchildren nearly every week, and they really don't need anything more.

I need to be more aware of what I'm spending. I just kind of hope for the best and refuse to log into my banking which is really bad. Need to be more in control

I pay off my credit cards every month, unless it's a 0% card for purchases. I've got two - I'm paying off the full balance on one tomorrow as the 18 months interest free is up in a couple of months. I force myself to be organised and don't spend money that I don't need to spend, apart from the very very occasional treats (literally about once a year)

p.s. the 0% card is up in a couple of weeks, not months !

I'm going to this year set myself a shopping limit each week, use more money off vouchers etc, what i save im going to put into the a savings tin (the 1s you need a tin opener to open) and the money that is hopefully in there use it for my xmas shopping etc

I'm saving for our holiday of a lifetime so will be putting aside any spare money into a separate account and taking away one unneeded thing each day- an unneeded coffee, an unneeded chocolate bar.

If I don't need it, I'm not having it!

I'll be tracking my spending much more closely - promise myself I'll do this every year, but on maternity pay and really need to watch the pennies. I have an excel spreadsheet all ready to go.

My New Years resolution is to seek out bargains online throughout the year especially towards next Xmas.

I have listed mine in order and start on Wednesday as the children will be back at school then

1. change current a/c to either Santander or natwest so i get cashback on my Household D.D
2. Our mortgage deal is coming to an end in Feb so we have been looking at all the deals on offer and we can lower our payments by up to £150 a month
3. with the savings we make on the mortgage we can put it away for the year and then in December clear what will be outstanding on our loan Then we will start 2017 in a better financial situation

My financial resolutions are : 1 Make a budget and keep to it. 2 Save money by not wasting food

To try and set up direct debits for monthly payments to cover all bills

We make sure that we don't spend beyond our means. At times that means saving up for an item. However, it is a real sense of worth when we are finally able to purchase an item that we have been saving up for.

To save more money

I plan to open a new savings account - to save for a family holiday (Disney?) in approx 3 years' time. If we can cut our food shopping bill this year that would be brilliant.

We have finished paying off our car loan and my mission this year is to take advantage of this to pay off the credit card debt we have. If I am really careful we should be able to clear the 4k we owe by the end of the year!

Going to put £50 away each month to pay for Christmas this year.x

1. Reducing Sky TV package to the channels I only watch and 2. shopping in Aldi more as opposed to Tesco

Although I am usually pretty frugal particularly with finances, this year I am determined to be more aware on what I'm spending money on and cut down on spending on unnecessary purchases. I would like to start building a savings pot for a mortgage so I am going to be very money savvy in order to save as much as possible

January is an expensive month as we have house and car insurance to pay. I therefore plan ahead (by budgeting and saving money each month into my ISA throughout the previous 12 months) to ensure I have the funds to cover these expenses. I will also use cashback/comparison sites to try to reduce insurance premiums to a minimum.

I'm quite careful with money generally after years of being hit by redundancy and cuts. Both DH and I have had to resort to temporary contracts so keeping a rainy day fund has been really important!

We now need a lot of work done on the house so with Mumsnet's help will be doing a no-spend on clothes and luxuries this year. Am hoping I can stick to it

I am saving £3 a day (the price I pay for lunch basically!) and putting it straight from my current account into a savings account. So by the end of the year I will have £1000 in time for spending next Christmas!!

My New Year resolution is " say No now and then" I absolutely love and adore my children and grandchildren but I need to have the odd day or evening to myself ...the reason for my resolution