5 Ways to Save Money You Probably Haven’t Thought Of*

Once again, I have a lot of exciting trips in the works and really not enough money to pay them all off.. yet. The biggest is our trip to Walt Disney World in August 2020. This isn’t a budget one, this is a full on 14 days on site, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party and hopefully throw in a day at Universal Studios. Thankfully i’m taking well over a year to save and having done this kind of trip twice in the past, I know I can do it. But how, how you say! Because after a whole adulthood of living that champagne life on a lemonade budget, I’m becoming a pro at saving money anywhere and way I can.

Today I’m going to share with you 5 ways to save money that you probably haven’t thought of. Because as they say on the tv adverts for a certain supermarket, every little helps!

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Switch from Contract to Sim Only from your Mobile
If you’re not one of these people who needs to always have the latest handset, then switching to a sim only tariff at the end of your contract could save you a lot of money. Typically, on a contract you’re paying for both your tariff and your handset, whereas with a sim only you’re only paying for your contract. You can usually find a better deal that suits you as well. Half Cooked have some great sim only comparisons that can help you work out how much you’re going to be saving by making the switch.

Price Compare Your Utility Bills and Insurance
Earlier this year I did a compare for my utility bills and discovered that if I made a switch not only would I be saving money every month, but I got a lump sum for switching (£100 cash in my pocket which went straight into savings). I moved over to Bulb and they sorted my switch completely. They’re also green energy so I feel like I’m doing my bit for the planet. If you’re interested in signing up (they will completely sort out your switch with your old company in case you haven’t done it before) you can use my referral link and we’ll both get £75! This also works when you need to renew your insurance, I ended up saving £4 on my yearly travel insurance by going with a new company rather than simply renewing.

Buy Second Hand
Continuing on the green theme, this year I’m trying to buy less in stores (specifically chain stores, no so much small businesses) and more second hand. I’ve got my sister into it too and it’s so surprising what you can pick up from eBay that you would pay crazy amounts for in store. Not only are you saving money (I got LB a Joules coat for £10, it’s like new!) but you’re giving things that would be thrown out a new home. I’m doing so well when it comes to gifts (need to be in almost new condition of course) and clothes, loads of basics picked up for fraction of the cost.

Be Flexible with Your Grocery Shop
I did a little experiment with my mum’s grocery shopping. She’s one of these people who buys the same week in and week out and sometimes her shopping can be a whopping £30 more if what she buys isn’t on offer. If this is you, try to be a bit more flexible with what you buy and where you shop. If you really do want the same food and brands every week, see where has the offers. But if you can mix it up and only buy what is on offer, you’ll honestly see a difference! That and you’ll mix up your diet and avoid getting stuck in a food rut! It could actually end up making a fun cookery challenge!

Take Your Lunch to Work
Finally, sticking again with the food (because let’s face it, we all spend a lot on food). Take your lunch to work. Buying a lunch at work five times a week still adds up on average people spend about £25 a week on work lunches and coffees, that’s a £100 a month. Where you could buy lunch pack up items for a £5 a week from Aldi or Lidl and save yourself £80 a month, that’s almost £1000 a year! If you do like to treat yourself to a coffee, you could invest in a reusable cup as these days a lot of high street coffee shops will also give you a discount if you use your own cup. It won’t add up as much taking your own lunch to work, but as I said before, every little helps.

These small changes do add up to big savings over time, which is perfect if you’re saving for a holiday a year in advance. It might not seem all fun and games on paper (or the screen in this case) but take it from someone who has been making the changes since she left home at 18, it’s worth it!