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 worked in finance all my life so I've always been good at sorting out my own finances so I'm just going to make sure that I find the best fixed rate cash isa when mine expires at the end of this tax year & do the same for my parents as I've always helped them with their finances as well

its only a bargain if you need it!

I will withdraw £10 every other day and put it in a good interest savings account every month, it will soon add up!! x

Cut back on expensive Coffee's and Lunches - start to take my own lunch into work and limit the amount of takeaway coffee I drink. I spend around £7 - £10 per day and would love to have this money to spend on other things.

Hope to clear the mortgage this year or by Summer 2017 at the latest, with interest rates being so low savings are earning hardly anything so I am pumping all my spare cash to reduce the outstanding balance.

At the end of the day I will put all my loose change in a jar and then each month put it into a savings account. May not amount to much but pennies make £`s

Spend more money on my self.

Save as much as possible, and look for bargains and using coupons

When shopping I will ask myself "Do I need this?" If the answer is no, then "Can I afford this?"

Have made good inroads into savings and investments in the past year, so will carry on maintaining DD into various accounts and watch them grow.

i'll be keeping spreadsheets of my spending, so I don't go out of control and spend too much now that my daughter will be in nursery full time, which costs a fortune!

I keep a running total of everything that's coming in and going out. I put overspends on the credit card but then try and take on extra hours at work to pull it back!

I'm going to open up an is a and I'm going to save £20 a week.

I am going to save £1 first week £2 2nd week so on till week 52 to pay for a holiday next year

I will continue to buy what I need and not what I want!

I have always cared far too much what other people think. By that, I don't mean I am going to be selfish but I am going to be more realistic. I always try and do my absolute best by my inner circle of close friends and family but I really don't understand why people get so upset over the little things when we are actually all so blessed. From now on, as long as I am always acting in all of their best interests if I inadvertantly offend somebody who is easily offended I'm going to try and not take it to heart.

I have set up a financial spreadsheet over 12 months to keep track on expenditures, savings, mortgages & credit card payments! My new resolution is to keep updating this spreadsheet a few times a week, save more and manage the household budget accordingly!

Not to make any New Year resolutions hee hee!

Stop impluse buying when doing the weekly shop.
Try reduce outgoings with substituting for shop brands etc.
Eat less choccie and put the money in a savings fund for a mini break!
Keep the credit card clear.
Maximise reward points and use money off vouchers and sites etc.

I'm going to keep up my efforts to save money by making sure I switch and change service providers for utilities/insurance etc.
Keep shopping for bargains and cooking at home and I'm going to make a real effort at understanding my personal pension and perhaps moving it to a more profitable fund/company.

I'm never going food shopping on an empty stomach again as I buy items that I do not want or need & end up out of date & in the bin, so no more waste & more money in my purse.

Luckily, most of my finances are in good running order so if anything mine would be to save more on the weekly shopping by using more coupons.

This year i want to try and get a bit more money savvy and try and build up my savings, i've started by opening another savings account and i intend to put £10 a week in it, so that when birthdays and xmas come back round i'll have money already saved. and i'm going to try and put regular payments each month in my normal savings account which is not to be touched unless its an emergency.

Well I started hugely cutting down the grocery bill last year so this year I intend on maintaining that, have recently started using the cash back sites so will make sure I remember to use them as much as I can. Already have any outstanding credit cards on 0% deals so will make sure I get them paid off within the time scale and hopefully will put a small amount away each month for treats and emergencies.

As I have a new job I went a little bit overboard on christmas, so I have a couple of financial resolutions 1. Save money regularly hopefully for a holiday, 2. Not overspend on Christmas and Birthdays keep to a budget, 3. Sell things I don't use, 4. Look at changing services to save money

I am not what you may call 'High Maintenance' but I do enjoy cooking and think that I waste a lot of money/food - So a simple way to save - I am going to carefully LIST everything in the food cupboard and STICK to everything on my shopping list.