Saving money isn't easy for most people. It can take lots of will power and resisting temptation in order to succeed.
Whether it be you've decided to start saving for your first house deposit, this list will help you increase your savings and help to stop you spending your money.
Related Post - How I saved enough money for my house deposit
Find your motivation, set your goals
You could be saving for a new car, to redecorate your house or building your savings to get you out of debt. This is your motivation. Now you know what you're saving towards, set yourself goals and baby steps to help you achieve.
For example, save £100 a month. Or by the end of August to of saved £500. Whatever will work for you, make sure the goals are achievable so you don't get disheartened by not reaching them!
Review your subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, iTunes. They all take money out of our accounts every month. Some people aren't even aware the money is coming out! Review everything you're subscribed to, and be honest with yourself. Do you really use Netflix enough to spend £5.99 a month on it? You could cancel your subscription for a few months to see if you'll really miss it.
Use tools/apps to help you save
Many online banking apps having a 'savings goal' feature. My Nationwide app allows me to put in a savings goal of £x amount, and every time I deposit money the savings bar increases. This is a great motivator to see how far off I am from my savings goal.
There are also Supermarket comparison apps such as mySupermarket. This app will compare the biggest supermarkets so you can find out where certain products are cheaper.
Cancel the gym membership!
You signed yourself up to the gym during the January sales, now you go once a month and even then you hate going. Do yourself a favor, cancel the membership! You'll be saving hundreds a year. Get used to working out at home (for free!), there are thousands of videos on Youtube for workouts which can target different areas of your body. I prefer working out at home as I can do it around my busy schedule and I don't feel self conscious that anyone is looking at my red sweaty face!!
Get a support network
I love the Facebook and Instagram support networks out there. Many people are trying to save money, and share their journeys and problems online.
My favourite is Instagram, there are so many lovely people on there to help with any questions, also they're a great motivator! If you can find someone going through the same problems as you, it makes you feel less alone. Which is nice, as when you're trying to save money it can get lonely at times.
Shop second hand
I've already spoken about my love for charity shopping in another post. I rarely buy brand new clothes now a days, I'd much rather visit my local CS and see what hidden gems I can find!
It doesn't have to be clothes that you buy second hand, you can buy second hand furniture (something I plan on doing once I've moved into my home), electronics and if you're expecting a baby - people are always giving away their used baby clothes for next to nothing! I love looking on the Facebook Marketplace for local people selling their stuff.
Meal planning & prepping
Planning what you're going to eat for the next week/month is a great thing to do before doing the food shop. It helps to stop unnecessary spending as you've already got a list of what you need!
Meal prepping is great, as on one night of the week you just need to make a big batch of something (I love prepping soups/spag bol etc.) freeze it, and there's a few meals for the week!
It's great for when you get home from a busy day at work, and all you need to do is microwave your tea and it's done! A great way to make sure you're eating a proper meal everyday too.
Lose the mentality that you need the latest gadgets
This was a big problem for me. For years I've felt as though I needed to latest iPhone in order for me to stay relevant. After spending over £1000 in January on the new iPhone X I instantly regretted it as I actually miss having a "home button"!!!
To buy an iPhone which is a few years old will be hundreds of pounds cheaper, and it'll work the exact same as the latest model!
This can be applied to anything from phones, laptops and cars.
Bring your own coffee to work
Instead of stopping off for a Starbucks/Costa everyday on your way to work, bring yourself a coffee from home! Yes it may not taste the exact same, but if you could cut back the £3-£5 spending everyday you could save around £50 a month! That £50 could be going straight into your savings.
Use a budget tracker/spreadsheetA budgeting tracker/spreadsheet is a document where you can write down all of your sources of income and all of your outgoings. This allows you to prioritize where you need to spend money and areas where you can cut back your spending to save money.
You can either make your own tracker or Etsy has lots of choice available.
Use the local library
I didn't realise how good my local library actually was until I payed a visit a few months ago. Instead of spending money on books you're going to read once, why not visit the library once a week and pick up a new book.
Most libraries often offer low-cost printing, which can help you save money as you won't need to buy a printer/ink!
Bring your lunch to work
It can be hard on your lunch break to resit temptation to go to the local store to pick up a meal deal. But bringing your own food is often much cheaper and healthier!
Buy your own re-usable water bottle too so you're not having to buy bottled water everyday. This will also help the environment too!
Reward yourself once you've reached your goals!
It can be hard being on a budget, having to turn down social events and fun nights out. But it'll be worth it in the end. Don't be too hard on yourself, and reward yourself with a treat at the end! Just don't waste your money as all this hard work will be for nothing!!
Do you have any more tips to help for when you're on a budget?
Saving money isn't easy for most people. It can take lots of will power and resisting temptation in order to succeed. Whether it be you've decided to start saving for your first house deposit, this list will help you increase your savings and help to stop you spending your money.
Related Post - How I saved enough money for my house deposit
Find your motivation, set your goals
You could be saving for a new car, to redecorate your house or building your savings to get you out of debt. This is your motivation. Now you know what you're saving towards, set yourself goals and baby steps to help you achieve.
For example, save £100 a month. Or by the end of August to of saved £500. Whatever will work for you, make sure the goals are achievable so you don't get disheartened by not reaching them!
Review your subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, iTunes. They all take money out of our accounts every month. Some people aren't even aware the money is coming out! Review everything you're subscribed to, and be honest with yourself. Do you really use Netflix enough to spend £5.99 a month on it? You could cancel your subscription for a few months to see if you'll really miss it.
Use tools/apps to help you save
Many online banking apps having a 'savings goal' feature. My Nationwide app allows me to put in a savings goal of £x amount, and every time I deposit money the savings bar increases. This is a great motivator to see how far off I am from my savings goal.
There are also Supermarket comparison apps such as mySupermarket. This app will compare the biggest supermarkets so you can find out where certain products are cheaper.
Cancel the gym membership!
You signed yourself up to the gym during the January sales, now you go once a month and even then you hate going. Do yourself a favor, cancel the membership! You'll be saving hundreds a year. Get used to working out at home (for free!), there are thousands of videos on Youtube for workouts which can target different areas of your body. I prefer working out at home as I can do it around my busy schedule and I don't feel self conscious that anyone is looking at my red sweaty face!!
Get a support network
I love the Facebook and Instagram support networks out there. Many people are trying to save money, and share their journeys and problems online.
My favourite is Instagram, there are so many lovely people on there to help with any questions, also they're a great motivator! If you can find someone going through the same problems as you, it makes you feel less alone. Which is nice, as when you're trying to save money it can get lonely at times.
Shop second hand
I've already spoken about my love for charity shopping in another post. I rarely buy brand new clothes now a days, I'd much rather visit my local CS and see what hidden gems I can find!
It doesn't have to be clothes that you buy second hand, you can buy second hand furniture (something I plan on doing once I've moved into my home), electronics and if you're expecting a baby - people are always giving away their used baby clothes for next to nothing! I love looking on the Facebook Marketplace for local people selling their stuff.
Meal planning & prepping
Planning what you're going to eat for the next week/month is a great thing to do before doing the food shop. It helps to stop unnecessary spending as you've already got a list of what you need!
Meal prepping is great, as on one night of the week you just need to make a big batch of something (I love prepping soups/spag bol etc.) freeze it, and there's a few meals for the week!
It's great for when you get home from a busy day at work, and all you need to do is microwave your tea and it's done! A great way to make sure you're eating a proper meal everyday too.
Lose the mentality that you need the latest gadgets
This was a big problem for me. For years I've felt as though I needed to latest iPhone in order for me to stay relevant. After spending over £1000 in January on the new iPhone X I instantly regretted it as I actually miss having a "home button"!!!
To buy an iPhone which is a few years old will be hundreds of pounds cheaper, and it'll work the exact same as the latest model!
This can be applied to anything from phones, laptops and cars.
Bring your own coffee to work
Instead of stopping off for a Starbucks/Costa everyday on your way to work, bring yourself a coffee from home! Yes it may not taste the exact same, but if you could cut back the £3-£5 spending everyday you could save around £50 a month! That £50 could be going straight into your savings.
Use a budget tracker/spreadsheetA budgeting tracker/spreadsheet is a document where you can write down all of your sources of income and all of your outgoings. This allows you to prioritize where you need to spend money and areas where you can cut back your spending to save money.
You can either make your own tracker or Etsy has lots of choice available.
Use the local library
I didn't realise how good my local library actually was until I payed a visit a few months ago. Instead of spending money on books you're going to read once, why not visit the library once a week and pick up a new book.
Most libraries often offer low-cost printing, which can help you save money as you won't need to buy a printer/ink!
Bring your lunch to work
It can be hard on your lunch break to resit temptation to go to the local store to pick up a meal deal. But bringing your own food is often much cheaper and healthier!
Buy your own re-usable water bottle too so you're not having to buy bottled water everyday. This will also help the environment too!
Reward yourself once you've reached your goals!
It can be hard being on a budget, having to turn down social events and fun nights out. But it'll be worth it in the end. Don't be too hard on yourself, and reward yourself with a treat at the end! Just don't waste your money as all this hard work will be for nothing!!
Do you have any more tips to help for when you're on a budget?
Whether it be you've decided to start saving for your first house deposit, this list will help you increase your savings and help to stop you spending your money.
Related Post - How I saved enough money for my house deposit
Find your motivation, set your goals
You could be saving for a new car, to redecorate your house or building your savings to get you out of debt. This is your motivation. Now you know what you're saving towards, set yourself goals and baby steps to help you achieve.
For example, save £100 a month. Or by the end of August to of saved £500. Whatever will work for you, make sure the goals are achievable so you don't get disheartened by not reaching them!
Review your subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, iTunes. They all take money out of our accounts every month. Some people aren't even aware the money is coming out! Review everything you're subscribed to, and be honest with yourself. Do you really use Netflix enough to spend £5.99 a month on it? You could cancel your subscription for a few months to see if you'll really miss it.
Use tools/apps to help you save
Many online banking apps having a 'savings goal' feature. My Nationwide app allows me to put in a savings goal of £x amount, and every time I deposit money the savings bar increases. This is a great motivator to see how far off I am from my savings goal.
There are also Supermarket comparison apps such as mySupermarket. This app will compare the biggest supermarkets so you can find out where certain products are cheaper.
Cancel the gym membership!
You signed yourself up to the gym during the January sales, now you go once a month and even then you hate going. Do yourself a favor, cancel the membership! You'll be saving hundreds a year. Get used to working out at home (for free!), there are thousands of videos on Youtube for workouts which can target different areas of your body. I prefer working out at home as I can do it around my busy schedule and I don't feel self conscious that anyone is looking at my red sweaty face!!
Get a support network
I love the Facebook and Instagram support networks out there. Many people are trying to save money, and share their journeys and problems online.
My favourite is Instagram, there are so many lovely people on there to help with any questions, also they're a great motivator! If you can find someone going through the same problems as you, it makes you feel less alone. Which is nice, as when you're trying to save money it can get lonely at times.
Shop second hand
I've already spoken about my love for charity shopping in another post. I rarely buy brand new clothes now a days, I'd much rather visit my local CS and see what hidden gems I can find!
It doesn't have to be clothes that you buy second hand, you can buy second hand furniture (something I plan on doing once I've moved into my home), electronics and if you're expecting a baby - people are always giving away their used baby clothes for next to nothing! I love looking on the Facebook Marketplace for local people selling their stuff.
Meal planning & prepping
Planning what you're going to eat for the next week/month is a great thing to do before doing the food shop. It helps to stop unnecessary spending as you've already got a list of what you need!
Meal prepping is great, as on one night of the week you just need to make a big batch of something (I love prepping soups/spag bol etc.) freeze it, and there's a few meals for the week!
It's great for when you get home from a busy day at work, and all you need to do is microwave your tea and it's done! A great way to make sure you're eating a proper meal everyday too.
Lose the mentality that you need the latest gadgets
This was a big problem for me. For years I've felt as though I needed to latest iPhone in order for me to stay relevant. After spending over £1000 in January on the new iPhone X I instantly regretted it as I actually miss having a "home button"!!!
To buy an iPhone which is a few years old will be hundreds of pounds cheaper, and it'll work the exact same as the latest model!
This can be applied to anything from phones, laptops and cars.
Bring your own coffee to work
Instead of stopping off for a Starbucks/Costa everyday on your way to work, bring yourself a coffee from home! Yes it may not taste the exact same, but if you could cut back the £3-£5 spending everyday you could save around £50 a month! That £50 could be going straight into your savings.
Use a budget tracker/spreadsheetA budgeting tracker/spreadsheet is a document where you can write down all of your sources of income and all of your outgoings. This allows you to prioritize where you need to spend money and areas where you can cut back your spending to save money.
You can either make your own tracker or Etsy has lots of choice available.
Use the local library
I didn't realise how good my local library actually was until I payed a visit a few months ago. Instead of spending money on books you're going to read once, why not visit the library once a week and pick up a new book.
Most libraries often offer low-cost printing, which can help you save money as you won't need to buy a printer/ink!
Bring your lunch to work
It can be hard on your lunch break to resit temptation to go to the local store to pick up a meal deal. But bringing your own food is often much cheaper and healthier!
Buy your own re-usable water bottle too so you're not having to buy bottled water everyday. This will also help the environment too!
Reward yourself once you've reached your goals!
It can be hard being on a budget, having to turn down social events and fun nights out. But it'll be worth it in the end. Don't be too hard on yourself, and reward yourself with a treat at the end! Just don't waste your money as all this hard work will be for nothing!!
Do you have any more tips to help for when you're on a budget?
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