What’s the best money habit you’ve picked up? £200 voucher to be won

[geemumsnet]

When it comes to managing money, sometimes it’s the small habits that can make the biggest difference over time.

Perhaps you’ve discovered a budgeting app that keeps you on track, picked up a great money-saving tip from a friend, started investing little and often for your long-term goals, tried a savings challenge, or found new ways to enjoy days out and activities without spending a fortune.

Whatever works for you, we’d love to hear about the money habits you’ve picked up along the way.

So tell us, what’s the best money habit you’ve ever picked up?

• How did you get into the habit?
• Has it made a noticeable difference to your finances?
• What did you do with any extra money you made?
• And is there something you wish you’d started doing years ago?

Share your experiences, tips or money habits with other Mumsnet users in the thread below. In return, one poster will be selected randomly by the Mumsnet team to win a £200 VEX voucher.

The lucky winner will be contacted by Mumsnet by Friday 6th November. T&Cs apply.

Comments are the views of contributors, do not represent AJ Bell's views and should not be relied upon as financial advice.

I put money into premium bonds for me and my children. I know you don't get interest but it means you can't spend it either. Also it's lovely when you get a email saying you have won some money that month. I started it 2 years ago and i have won three times totaling £175 and my son has won £50.

My biggest was buying car insurance for the year instead of paying monthly. Monthly is a credit agreement that attracts interest and admin fees. As soon as I’ve paid for the year I start saving for the next year.
Even if I change car, or have to claim, I just put more in savings. It’s worked so far for me.

I started overpaying my mortgage around 3 years ago. I also starting investing in a S&S ISA. I got both ideas after attending the Rebel Finance School. I liked the idea of creating a gap which gave me comfort for any future mortgage increases and unforeseen expenses.

yes it has made a noticeable difference in that I have a good buffer for example if I was to be made redundant and in turn, it makes me worry less day to day.

any extra money is just the interest and I don’t touch it so I guess it is just working for itself compounding away.

i also transfer a fixed amount to a holiday fund and an emergency no spend fund.

I wish I had started overpaying the mortgage from when I first had one.

Spreadsheet with all of my income and direct debits, any disposable income - pay everything over 12 months rather than 10, try not to go without, be disciplined, and save at the beginning of the month - then the disposable income is ours - any left over on payday goes into the 'pot' for big purchases and our rainy day fund. Just need to get around to investing our fund to make it work for us now interest rates are rising.

My money saving tip is to pay in cash. Most of the coffee shops near me are card only, so I don't waste money on coffee and sandwiches anymore. I don't spend money on fast food as the machines are card only, and all the more expensive food stores where I live are also card only so I don't even bother going in them. I've saved hundreds and the only change I made is paying in cash.

Paying to savings by standing order like a bill after pay day. There's no choice involved then, it's put away and not readily available to spend.

Also having a savings account attached to the current account where I can drop the spare change (the bank prompts me to do this). The odd £2.37 here and there barely seems worth it, but that soon adds up to a worthwhile amount.

Setting up regular savings accounts so that the money goes out at the same time as all the bills etc. If it's not there I'm less likely to miss it, and there's then a pot available when something big comes up.

I have a bit of downtime on my train on the way into work and have taken up taking surveys / registering for apps that award you points for your broad data (just shopping data etc) since doing so I have been able to buy birthday and christmas presents for my children purely out of vouchers over the last 2-3 years, and then have cash to spend on bigger and better birthday parties. As an example, I signed up with Databonds at the beginning of Jan 2025 and have "Won" £550 in prizes to date which I have been able to convert into vouchers for things like Theatre Ticket Vouchers, TG Jones, Adidas and Currys Gift Cards. For those interested you can sign up here: databonds.co.uk/signup and use referral code: Z3SJ-YEBU. I also use cashback websites like Quidco and have received over £2000 back over ten years. If interested you can sign up here: https://quidco.com/raf/1071806/

That when I decide that I want to buy something, instead of just going and purchasing it, I will have a think about if I really need it. I will leave it for about a week. If I still then want it then I’ll get it but most of the time I’ve forgotten about it.

I sell all my children's old clothes that don't fit them on vinted and save the money up and when they need new clothes I use that pot of money

For bigger purchases over £50ish. Leave it 3 days before buying. This usually gives me time to consider whether I actually need it and to research the best deals. I bought a lot on Impulse in my early 20's so I had to be strict with myself when I wanted to save for bigger financial goals such as a house deposit.

Spreadsheets and willpower.

I have encouraged my children to pay into a monthly saving account at the start of every month. Not only do they tend to pay higher interest rates but if the money goes in automatically at the start of the month it isn't in their current account to be spent.

I had an online bank account and used the card for travel. I was single when I started putting £20 in the middle of each week into it. Now I’m married and both of us still do this once a week - the £40 a week soon mounts up and means we always have our spending money on any holidays!
Also save monthly into an account for Christmas from Nov - Oct each year takes the pressure off the festive season!

Direct debits for savings
Paying little bits of "lose change" in accounts into the mortgage as overpayments - we have built up a decent overpayment this way
Always paying into pension even when money was tight

I have around £17,000 in student loan debt, £5,000 in credit card debt and have spent years renting, but my dream is to get onto the property ladder. What would be the best money habits to start now to pay down my credit card debt while building a deposit for a first home? I know I should focus on clearing the credit card first, not missed any payments - just bought a coulple of items I needed on it and how much does a student loan affect mortgage affordability? Any practical steps could help me stop renting and start building a more secure financial future pls

From a friends recommendation, I started using the snoop app to monitor my spending and spot where little costs were adding up. My one weakness was popping to the shops for a couple of things and coming home with a full bag, and coffees and cakes! Now I plan meals, check what’s already in the cupboards and do a weekly food budget. It’s made me much more aware of where our money goes, I have saved a LOT.

Seeing money as time. Everything that costs money is costing me time (at work to make the said money) that I could otherwise spend with my family or pursuing an interest etc so that makes me save and be conscious of what I buy besides the basic necessities.
Any extras I try to invest so that money works for me.

I meal plan and stick to it. I find top up shops are often more than intended. I also try not to go into Home Bargains or B&M as I always buy stuff I don't need.

I wish I had used topcashback years ago - and swapped all of my utilities for the best deal every year - I have made a few hundered pounds for the past 5 years - had the best internet, insurance, mortgage and gas and electric deals - which have saved me another few hundred.

Posting on threads that offer a £200 giveaway.

Not quite saving but I signed up for The Origin Panel, they monitor adverts on my TV and computer, you get points that you can exchange for goods or shopping vouchers. I normally get points that add up to £10 a month.

I do the 1p challenge and I also use Top Cashback.

I have a number of bank accounts that I label for different things I want to save up for.

Hahaa this!

My biggest savings have been from not making recipes anymore. I have minimised my diet to simply eating unprocessed meat ie chicken thighs, boxed/bagged salad or fresh veg.
Not buying lots of ingredients that then need more ingredients to use them up has cut my grocery bill in half.

Yes to saving every month by DD, overpaying mortgage, and always having to justify 'frivilous' potential spends.

No app but I told foster son to split his student loan into months. Put majority into his savings account then split each months money into however many weeks in that month and transfer x amount across into his current account each Sunday night for the week ahead and don't spend more than you have in current account in any given week. He has not gone overdrawn or overspent once. At the end of each week he draws out whatever is left in his current account and put into his Xmas fund. He said some weeks he only has £6 left, some weeks £14 and one week £36 left.