Are you struggling to make your wages stretch until the end of the month?
Money may make the world go round, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of everything.
If you love what you do, there’s no need to sacrifice your happiness for a boring role just because it pays more.
Whether you want to put money away for a special holiday, wedding, mortgage or something random, there are certain ways you can effectively save money – regardless of how much you earn.
Here are nine of the best money-saving tips.
Evening shopping trips
If you do your food shop at the weekend, think again.
Once you’ve clocked off at work, head straight to the supermarket.
After around 6pm, most supermarkets will start reducing process on items they need to sell before they close.
You should still stick to your shopping list, as this can help you save money as well.
However, you might find a few bargain meals you can freeze and defrost on another day.
Just make sure you keep your elbows out, rummaging through the bargains can attract a flock of people!
Have a ‘no-spend’ day
It’s so easy to get roped into a lunch trip to the nearest café or fast food restaurant with work colleagues.
But if you want to save money, resist at least once a week.
Use what food you have at home and make sure your transport is ready to go before the day starts.
This means, no petrol, no unnecessary trips to the vending machines and no lunchtime browsing on Amazon!
Buy stolen goods
Saving money doesn’t always mean not spending.
It can also mean being savvy with your dough when you actually need something.
For instance, if your microwave explodes, you’ll probably need to replace it.
Or when Christmas looms, you can’t exactly ‘forget’ to buy presents. However, you can save a few quid by purchasing stolen goods!
When police departments are unable to track down an item’s rightful owner, they’ll auction it off with the proceeds going to worthy causes.
It’s all legit and you can save a lot of money.
Think game consoles, household appliances and jewellery.
You can find stolen items on Bumblebee Auctions or eBay – with Leicester Police, Cheshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police and Thames Valley Police all with their own stores.
The 1p savings challenge
How often do you have loose change loitering in your pocket or around the house?
The 1p savings challenge is an ingenious way of saving your money when you’re on a low wage.
The idea is simple:
Day 1 you'd save 1p, then day 2 you'd save 2p, day 3 it'd be 3p...
And so on until you pay £3.65 on day 365.
By the end of the period, you’ll have saved over £650!
And let’s face it, having a piggy bank filled with pennies isn’t going to make you want to keep stealing from it.
Use cash instead of your card
When you go to work, leave your debit and credit cards in a safe place like your desk.
Withdrawing a set amount of cash will make it easier for you to budget every lunch or outside of work hours.
It’ll make you think about what you’re buying as well.
Get your coffee fix for free (nearly) every day
Live or work near a Waitrose?
Back in the day, a Waitrose card would get you a free coffee every single day.
Unfortunately, they realised people were taking advantage and tweaked the system.
With the new policy, you must buy something before receiving your free coffee.
However, there’s no set limit on how much you spend.
So, if you need a sandwich for lunch, you can get your caffeine fix while you’re at it for no extra cost.
This might stop you from going back to the shop at lunch and making more pointless purchases.
Never drive with a full tank of petrol or diesel
It may sound utterly bonkers, but scientific research revealed that filling up your tank to the top will make your vehicle engine work harder.
As a result, you’ll guzzle through more petrol or diesel quicker.
On the other hand, this doesn’t mean you should drive with an empty tank as it could damage your vehicle over a long period of time.
Try to keep the fuel gauge at 50-75%.
Stock up on supplies
At the start of every working week, it’s worth buying your breakfast or snack items in bulk.
This can include porridge pots, cereal bars and fruit.
Preparation can stop you from paying over the odds on your meals at work and curb hunger.
Ask for a pay rise
If you’ve worked hard and believe you’ve earned a pay rise, you could always ask for one!
To give yourself the best chance of success, use our 7 steps to negotiating a higher salary:
- Benchmark yourself against other companies advertising for the same position.
- Organise the meeting and let your manager know what it’s for.
- Be prepared and bring evidence of why you think you should get one.
- Practice your technique with someone you trust beforehand.
- Stay confident in yourself.
- Be positive and stay focused.
- Prepare for a “no” so you can respond professionally.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, the best way to save money is to be disciplined.
All of these tips will give you some ideas and it’s your job to put them into practice.
Failing that, you can always search for a new job on our website.
Good luck!
