Cash queens.
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with Ruki Sayid & Tricia Phillips
Plan meals and write a shopping list, then stick to it. That way you won’t be tempted by special offers that could prove to be wasteful if you don’t use the food. Plus, you’ll spend less time in the supermarket as you’ll be able to get around the shop quicker. Readers tell us this saves them from £10 to £20 on their weekly shop. Use up any leftovers by freezing on the same day to use for another meal, or turn them into lunch the next day. Cook slightly larger portions and freeze one to eat another day – it’s like a healthy ready meal. Plus, you can always bulk out a chilli or curry with a few extra vegetables when you defrost the extra portion to use.
Keep an eye on your energy bill, since most of us are likely to be using more power as we spend more time at home. When your current deal ends, make sure you find a new one. Don’t end up on your suppliers’ standard variable tariff – these default tariffs are the most expensive. Switchers can save around £300. There are no rewards for loyalty so ensure you don’t simply accept renewal quotes for all of your financial products, including car and home insurance, broadband and your mobile phone. Comparison site Comparethemarket.com says people who switch their car insurance can save an average of £282, and on contents and building insurance, the average saving adds up to £105. Go through your bank statement and assess whether subscriptions you have signed up to are really worth what you are paying out. You might even find some older ones you’d forgotten about that can be ditched to make instant savings. If you have credit card or other debt, see if you can transfer it to a zero per cent introductory deal so you can get it paid off quicker – and for less. TSB offers zero per cent over 30 months, Virgin Money 27 months, MBNA 20 months. Try money-saving challenges such as the one-penny challenge our reader Amy (left) is doing – you don’t need to put a fortune away, small amounts such as your loose change or saving 20p pieces, for example, can build up to a decent amount in time. If you’ve noticed the house is looking a bit cluttered, you have clothes and accessories you know you won’t ever wear again, or games and CDs gathering dust, head online to sites such as eBay, Gumtree, musicMagpie or WeBuyBooks to see if you can find a new home for them. Make some money to help the household budget. Use sites such as Topcashback. co.uk, where you can get money back on your everyday spending without being lured into spending more than you need to – it’s an easy way to build up that financial safety net to give you some peace of mind.