It’s so hard to save money as a family but there are plenty of ways you can save more without feeling like you’re missing out. Watching your money doesn’t mean you’re tight or still can’t live life to the full!
There are so many different ways you can make your money work harder for you.
If you haven’t looked at your finances in six months or don’t really know what’s coming in or out then these seven steps will help you regain financial freedom.
So what are you waiting for?
Start to budget
Pull out everything and go through your bank statements. Then using my FREE downloadable budget planner start adding in your in-comings and outgoings.
Go through all your bills and check you’re on the best deal. Phone them and ask. What’s the worst that can happen? While talking to your water provider, ask them about a water meter if you haven’t already. This tracks your exact water use so you have complete control.
Pay all bills by direct debit when you can. You normally get a discount and don’t have to think about it.
Subscriptions are another one. Do you or your family use them? Are they worth what you pay?
Then check you’re paying the right amount of council tax. It’s a quick call to the cancel and could save you a few pounds every month which all adds up.
My top tip: Never auto renewal ANYTHING without price comparing first. It will always be cheaper elsewhere.
Penny a Day Challenge
You can start this challenge anytime. It’s a 365-day money saving challenge that works by you saving a penny less every day. Some people do it the other way, so save a penny more every day but I like to get the most expensive days out the way first.
So on day one, you save £3.65. On day two you save £3.64 in till you get to day 365 and you save 1p, with a massive £667.95 in the bank.
That’s £667.95 for doing nothing but putting a few coins in a jar every day.
Use Cashback and loyalty cards
Whenever you buy anything instore see if they have a loyalty card. You can then use points towards your next purchase. I use Tesco Clubcard and Boots Advantage Card.
Both these mean I can gain points and spend them when I’ve had a harder month.
Online, use cashback websites like TopCashback, Quidco, and Swagbucks whenever you can. These give you back money every time you spend. Top tip: Always look around online for the cheapest price as sometimes the cashback sites aren’t always the cheapest and the cash back won’t cover the difference.
Meal Planning
There’s no way around it, budget meal planning can save you and your family money every week, but if your family is anything like mine, then come dinner time, the family has turned into a crazed pack of wolves and just want to eat straight away.
Making a family meal planner can stop you going for the takeaway menu when the family go nuclear and means you don’t have to face a cupboard full of food with no clue or inspiration on what to cook.
Start by going through your cupboards and planning what meals you can make with them, remembering to add all your ingredients used to your new shopping list for next week.
Make money from home
Spend 10 minutes every day making money on your phone. All these waiting for the kettle to boil or while the kids are running around. There are loads of apps and survey sites that can earn you money.
If you own your own home and depending upon your circumstances your home may be worth more than you think. I found this calculator that shows how much our property has increased in value.
Downshift everything
Start with how you shop and go from there. You’ll be surprised at how nice a value product tastes. If you don’t like it, then go up one and try that.
Try switching supermarkets as well. I’ve saved over £30 a week just be switching from Asda to Aldi. Try it!
Buy second hand
You can get anything and everything from Facebay, eBay and charity shops.
We buy all our birthday gifts and Christmas presents second hand and the kids don’t even know. It means they get more for far less, which is a win-win in all our eyes.
Have you tried any of these family frugal tips?
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