Feeling The Pinch

Christmas was great to spend all the money you have on presents, whilst new years was a time to spend it at the bar, but now we are in January, and feeling the pinch more than ever! With the cost of living increasing, unemployment numbers increasing, and supermarkets trying to better each other with deals, it can seem like the money is flying out of the wallet faster than that Jagerbomb went down on NYE!

Fear not, here are some money saving tips to help you out!  You can save some money with these tips, which can go towards something nice for yourself, or towards that credit card bill. Even if you are lucky to have a student loan come in, try them out and see how much alcohol money you can save up!

Find the leak
Don't guess where you spend your money (those quick trips to Tesco add up!) and instead use a calculation website. One site, www.budgetbrain.com, looks at 90 spending areas and suggests what you can cut down on. Many people swear by it, many people swear at it, but it helps you out.

Piggy PiggyTry piggy-banking. Making a budget is easy, but sticking to it is another. My top tip is to withdraw your budgeted amount in cash, and then leave your cards at home. It feels impossible, but when your stood staring at Costa, with only a few quid left in your purse, it makes you think twice about that Latte.

Do I realllyyyy need that top?
Is exactly what you can ask yourself. I am terrible, simply because I will buy a top that looks identical to one already in my wardrobe. The best way to stop this is to ask yourself whether you need it. It can be for any item, from food to cosmetics, to clothes, or even decorations for the house! If you don't need it, then don't buy it, and put the money towards something else.

CoppersThis is easy, and the money adds up! All you have to do is grab an empty tin (the Roses one from Christmas will do nicely), seal it with sellotape or glue, and any change you have thats 1p, 2p, 5p or 10p gets put in the tin at the end of every day. You can even throw in some larger coins if you feel brave enough.
The best part is when the tin is full, you can unseal it and add it up. You will certainly be surprised at how much you have saved. If you feel lazy, take it down to the local supermarket and use a coin dispenser machine. This will add up the coins for you and convert it to notes for a small fee (literally pennies!).

Trade it inGet up in the loft, and dig out all those old CD's (yes, remember those? haha), games and mobile phones that you used to adore, and get online to trade them in. You can earn yourself a nice little bit of cash for old phones via Muzuma mobile or Envirofone, whilst your old CDs and games can be traded in at Music Magpie. It might take you an hour or so, but that extra bit of cash is probably more than an hours wage.

Use those Legs.
Did you know that walking helps prevents type 2 diabetes? Or that it helps burn body fat, slows ageing, and relieves stress?
Walking to the shop instead of driving will save money, and help you keep fit at the same time. Plus, if you walk into town then you are less likely to spend lots of money as you are limited to what you can carry back. Not only are you saving money, but your giving your body some exercise and working off those christmas dinners! It's a win-win situation and you will see the difference in no time!

There you have it, some tips for curbing the spending this month to help you save towards more important things later in the year. You can keep it going for the rest of the year if you fancy too! For me, I am aiming to clear my overdraft and credit card, and put the rest towards a holiday. Let me know how you get on!