Budgeting during the long cold winter months is always a daunting task, but this year it feels worse than ever. However, there\u2019s no need to focus on the doom and gloom that budgeting brings, as there are simple ways to keep track of your spending that don\u2019t require much hassle at all. This month we will be discussing ways to cut back on your costs with some straightforward yet effective methods so that by the festive season you\u2019ll be ready to rock around the Christmas tree!<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s begin with a routine most of us have\u2026the weekly shop. Ocado, Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury\u2019s, Waitrose? So many supermarkets, so little time! The majority of Brits still do one big shop per week, but how do you know which shop will save you the most money? Supermarket deals are a great way to cut costs, and after extensive research, here are a couple of the best supermarkets saving you money. First is Aldi, saving you up to 38% through their own range, showing that it may be time to ditch the pricey labels. Up next is Tesco with plenty of weekly offers, from everyday essentials to big brands. Lidl is now offering you 10% off your weekly shop if you manage to spend \u00a3250 in store in any given month and you ecrue points with their app. Happy shopping.<\/p>\n
Next up is one of the most exciting yet frustrating parts of the festive season, ah, the Christmas cupboard. You buy delicious treats over the course of a few months (or even a year for some) and pray no one eats anything before Christmas arrives. This is why purchasing your merry delights now is a great idea, as not only will it be cheaper than buying them closer to December, but you know you will have time to top them off when someone in the house inevitably eats all of the Quality Streets!<\/p>\n
Speaking of Christmas, it’s nearly that time of year again when you\u2019re on the hunt for the biggest and best Black Friday deals out there! Taking place on 25th November, Black Friday is a great way to get your Christmas presents and save some money too. Make the most of Black Friday by creating a wish list on your favourite sites (or if you\u2019re heading to the shops, make sure you have an idea about what you want before going). Remember to also look at the price, not the \u2018saving\u2019, as it\u2019s easy to get swept up in the deals and actually end up spending more money than you usually would have.<\/p>\n
Black Friday or not, saving money when you shop online is a big deal, especially now we\u2019re at the time of year when buying presents is at the top of the to-do list. Therefore, using voucher code sites is a great way to get money off products you would buy anyway. There are plenty of sites to choose from, each tailor-made to give you special offers, hot deals and big discounts when shopping online. Make sure to find legit sites that help you save money, as some discount codes can be fake, costing you more money than intended. Vouchercodes.co.uk has good reviews online, with a 4.5-star review on Trustpilot.<\/p>\n
Moving on, is it time to switch broadband deals? Trying to avoid broadband price rises, wanting a faster connection with fewer problems and escaping poor customer service are all reasons why people choose to switch their broadband provider. There are plenty of great deals on the market right now, with Uswitch.com saying some of the bests are Sky Ultrafast Broadband with 145 Mbps for \u00a361 p\/m, Now Broadband with 63 Mbps for \u00a331.99 p\/m, and BT Fibre with 67 Mbps for \u00a350.99 p\/m. Make sure to do your research and find a broadband deal that is right for you. Ask neighbours about their broadband providers to make sure you are getting one that works well in your area too.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, do we really need so many TV subscriptions? With Netflix, Amazon Prime and Now TV each fighting it out to be the best streaming service, which are worth keeping, and how can you use them when trying to save? First, make sure to offload any unused subscriptions and stick to services that contribute to your life. There are ways to use streaming services for free for a certain amount of time, but you must cancel after your trial. Amazon Prime allows a 30-day free trial, Now TV offers 7 days, and Netflix doesn\u2019t offer a free trial.<\/p>\n
Saving energy at home is on everyone\u2019s mind, and although you may know what to do, now is the time to put it into action. For example, to all my ladies out there, do you leave the water running when letting the conditioner soak into your hair? Instead of doing this, try a leave-in product, or use the time waiting for your conditioner to wash your body. Other ways to save energy are by turning off the lights, using your washing machine once a week, and switching from a bath to a shower.<\/p>\n
Did you know that you could also save 60% on your electricity tariff by using your appliances between 1am and 5am? This is because each energy supplier has off-peak hours that make it cheaper for you to use your appliances at night compared to the day. Simple ways to do this are by using your washing machine during these times (saving you \u00a3135 a year) and your dishwasher (saving you \u00a3150 a year). Just remember to take all necessary precautions, as using your appliances at night can be a fire risk.<\/p>\n
Moreover, is it time to get a smart meter? With suppliers offering a smart meter to every household, there are so many obvious benefits to getting one installed in your home. Cost-wise, smart meters put an end to estimated bills and show you near real-time information on your energy use, making it easier to see when your energy use could be more efficient. They also give you access to a broader range of tariffs, meaning cheaper ones could be available to you. If you rent a property, you can still have a smart meter, although it is recommended you tell your landlord before you get one.<\/p>\n
Go even further saving your money by switching to solar energy! Not only will you be significantly reducing your electricity bills (anything from \u00a395 to \u00a3240 a year), but you will also be cutting your carbon footprint and living a more sustainable life. When using solar panels, you can sell excess energy back to the grid, cutting your bills even further. The initial cost may be high, but solar panels are known to be a significant investment, so after the cost at the beginning, all they do is save you money.<\/p>\n
As announced in former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng\u2019s Growth Plan (although this could be given a dramatic U-turn like his other policies (!), first-time buyers no longer pay stamp duty on the first \u00a3425,000 of a home, when the total price of a home is \u00a3625,000 or less. For those who don\u2019t hold first-time buyer status, the beginning at which the stamp duty becomes payable was also raised from \u00a3125,000 to \u00a3250,000, reducing the tax bill by \u00a38,750 for a \u00a3625,000 home. Therefore, tax wise, now is a great time to buy that property you\u2019ve had your eye on, as long as it fits within the limits. However, following the recent mini-budget, there is great uncertainty around mortgage rates.<\/p>\n
With this year seeing the largest-ever increase in petrol prices, finding ways to cycle, walk, or carpool to school\/work is a fantastic way to save you a small fortune. By creatively commuting, you will be spending less on petrol and may even save money on gym fees with all the exercise you could be getting! Physical activity also increases mental alertness, energy and self-esteem, for you and your whole family. Not to mention how it would help reduce air pollution and decrease your carbon footprint.<\/p>\n
A fun way to get a great deal for the whole family is to take out a qualifying product through Comparethemarket.com! This can be as little as day insurance costing \u00a34.99 to get you the Meerkat benefits for a whole year! Not only will you get 2-for-1 cinema tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for a whole year with Meerkat Movies, but you also get 50% off pizzas with Papa John\u2019s and Pizza Hut delivery 7 days a week through Meerkat Meals. When you dine out you will also get 25% off the entire bill, or 2-for-1 on selected food at restaurants. Just make sure to find out what products qualify for meerkat meals and movies before you sign up.<\/p>\n
Finally, subscribe to Surrey Rocks Magazine. We share the best in local and show what deals all the best local businesses are offering in our monthly calendar round-up on page 11 – including 20% off meals, 50% off cocktails, 2-4-1 deals as well as tonnes of reader competitions to get free tickets to a host of fabulous local events. Happy saving!<\/p>\n
By Pia Louisa<\/p>\n
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Budgeting during the long cold winter months is always a daunting task, but this year it feels worse than ever. However, there\u2019s no need to focus on the doom and gloom that budgeting brings, as there are simple ways to keep track of your spending that don\u2019t require much hassle at all. This month we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7162,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"yoast_head":"\n