Living costs are rising by while in retrospect your quality of life is supposed to be decreasing. We debunk this myth with our indispensible guide on how to save smart without giving up your lifestyle. According to a recent Money Plus Survey, over 90% of people feel they have been impacted by changes in the cost of living, from housing affordability to energy bills and grocery prices.
With the ongoing crisis, cutting costs does not necessarily have to mean cutting joy. It is still possible to maintain a fulfilling lifestyle even with the occasional luxury.
Surrey residents Amanda Taylor and Shad Khan share their personal experiences as well as the practical changes that help them save money. Their stories and our exclusive money saving tips will help you take better control of your finances and enjoy bigger luxuries in life.
Amanda, a 67-year-old retired nurse from Surrey, has returned to part time work to stay afloat. Her water bills have increased by 42% while gas and electric has risen by 6.4%. She says she keeps the heating off all day and only puts it on when her granddaughter gets back from school.
Amanda and her family are saving money in several ways: they take showers instead of baths, have installed an energy-efficient boiler, a washing machine that costs just 35p per cycle, and an energy-efficient tumble dryer.
“We really think about what we are going to eat before we go to the shop too,” Amanda adds. “It is mostly porridge for breakfast as it is quick, easy, cheap and actually quite nice.”
Amanda’s state pension has increased by £34 per month; however, her council tax has risen by an even greater amount, leaving her no better off financially. The same is the story of many households, especially those with families.
Shad Khan, a father and assistant service manager in the NHS, also feels he’s saving less due to rising costs of bills, food, and everyday household expenses.
“The cost of living in the UK is too high and wages are not in line”, explains the father of one.
For Shad, saving means to sacrifice on family holidays and trimming down on luxuries. He is also concerned about the recent government implementations surrounding ISA Reforms of April 2025, including the abolition of the pension lifetime allowance.
It feels impossible for Shad to save long term under these circumstances.
Surviving today’s economy means cutting down and making multiple sacrifices. But, the true question lies…. can we still save money and afford a comfortable lifestyle with the odd few luxuries?
Sure, we can and here’s our list of top tips, exclusively for you:
- Get to grips with budgeting: Firstly, track your monthly expenses and start by creating a realistic budget plan for the month. Try and put a certain amount directly in savings if possible, even if it is just £ This can later be used as your emergency fund or any luxuries you would like to save for. There are many budgeting apps that can help you, for example, YNAB, PocketGuard or EveryDollar.
- Efficiency with Energy Bills: Look into buying energy efficient machinery for your household – they cost more upfront but save long term. Set up a smart meter to see what is using most energy. If possible, set up a timer on the radiators and other appliances, so that they are not being overused unnecessarily. Did you know that putting on your washing machine at night costs much less than running it in the day? Check with your energy provider on the latest tariffs.
- Eating out does not have to be a luxury: Look out for weekday offers, two for one deals or vouchers. www.moneysavingexpert.com is a great site that regularly updates restaurant vouchers as well as our very own Surrey Rocks monthly Calendars – which tell you which local establishments are offering those all-important, money saving deals. See rocksmag.com/surrey for more information.
- Grocery Shopping: Always shop with a list that is focused on essentials rather than wants. Do not forget that different grocery stores have their own discount apps and they do make a difference in the total sum of your bill. For example, Lidl offer 10% off your next shop when you hit a £250 monthly target. Single home owners? Shop with friends and share QR codes to get in on the action.
- Affordable Experiences and Days Out: groupon.co.uk and www.wowcher.co.uk offer great deals and vouchers for day outs such as theme park visits, cinema trips or weekend breaks. There are also many group offers available if you are looking to plan something with family and friends. Sometimes, even a budget friendly picnic in the park can be a wholesome day out. Look out for Rocks VIP launching soon that also offer great discounts on Surrey Rocks advertiser venues!
- Fashion Lovers: If you are looking to maintain a luxury lifestyle and enjoy some designer shopping, then why not buy goods second hand? There are great known sites and apps such as, www.vestiairecollective.com, luxecollectivefashion.com and www.vinted.co.uk. These sites are not only well-known platforms with original designer goods, but they are also an opportunity for you to make some side money by selling some of your pre-loved goods. Or maybe try renting dresses for a big night out? Surrey based brand Monice London has just launched this service! Perhaps you could invest the money in a new item or if not save it for a holiday or to put towards those ever increasing energy bills we cannot avoid!
- Sell Unwanted Items: There are multiple sites, such as ebay.co.uk, ww.vinted.co.uk and www.gumtree.com that allow you to sell any unused or unwanted items in your home. Make some extra money and use it for something valuable. Ebay have just started offering zero fees on fashion items that are unworn/new with tags too. Or Facebook Marketplace have zero charges and no postage as buyers pop round and pick up the items you are selling at a time convenient to you!
- Plan Holidays like a Pro: Plan and book holidays in advance for best deals possible. Travelling off-peak is cheaper, but if you have school children, the holidays can be a lot pricier. You can look into budget friendly options, such as travelling with public transport or considering best flight deals on skyscanner.net. It may also help considering a three star hotel rather than five stars, since that can make a considerable price difference. Airbnb’s are also sometimes cheaper and worthwhile for bigger groups or families. Carefully plan and consider different destinations, sometimes it is cheaper to plan a trip inland.
- Model Behaviour: become a model for the day. Most hair salons and beauty clinics offer model discounts of up to 70% if you are willing to try out a new stylist/clinician or allow the use of pictures of your new “before” and “after” pictures as promotion on their websites or social media accounts. Looking good does not have to cost big bucks. See Natasha at EQlibrium in Weybridge for beauty modelling opportunities!
- Student Discounts: If you are a student, you have many available discounts at your disposal. Check with your bank, for example HSBC offers an exclusive student account with different offers. Sign up to websites such as www.studentbeans.com, www.myunidays.com and www.totum.com. Students receive special offers be it shopping, eating out or online portals such as Amazon. And most high street retailers offer 10% off purchases with a valid Student ID Card.
- Savings Account: It is questionable whether saving today is even possible, but it is beneficial looking into a savings account with a good interest rate. Revolut’s easy access account currently offers the best paying rate in the UK at 5%. Also signing up to a new bank account or being referred to by a friend can net you a cool £50 with online bank Tide or £100 with a high street bank like HSBC.
- Cancel Unused Subscriptions: Make sure that you are not paying for any subscriptions you have forgotten about and are not using at all. You would be surprised to see how much these small charges add up over time. Keep check and control of the money that is going out from your bank accounts. Or maybe look to move to a family or group subscription with friends/family, by going in with 5 others on Netflix or Spotify you can reduce your personal individual subscription charges saving over £100 a year.
It is not required for you to give up on your lifestyle or luxuries with a few technical tools, planning and budgeting, you can enjoy your life to the fullest. All you need to do is be smart with your money. Whether it is making your porridge feel like a win or bagging a designer deal second-hand – financial freedom is more possible than you think.
WORDS BY: SAROSH AHMED
