If you’re looking for ways in which you can reduce your outgoing expenses each month, leaving you with more disposable income, then this article will be for you. There is a range of changes you can make in small ways, with the main goal being to leave you with more money.
Cut Down On Takeaways
Takeaways can come in many different forms. It may be a takeaway for dinner that you’re engaging with, or it may be with a takeaway coffee once a day. These expenses can add up, providing you with limited funds throughout the month. You can swap these out for home-based options, or just limit the amount you have each month.
Walk To Places Where Possible
Instead of taking your car or public transport around, consider walking to places instead. This could be walking to work, or walking down to the shop. It will save you money on petrol, as well as on transportation tickets.
You may find that you quite enjoy walking around, as it gives you a chance to take in more fresh air than you’re used to. Fresh air can help you to relieve stress, as well as provide mental health-boosting chemicals.
Shop Second Hand
You’d be surprised at how much good quality clothing and furniture you can find when you choose to shop second-hand. Second-hand shopping could mean that somebody bought something that year, didn’t like it for whatever reason, and donated it to a charity shop.
So, although it’s just a fraction of the expected price, you can get the same quality for it. Next time you’re shopping, have a gander into a charity shop to see what options are available, you may find something to your taste that costs a small amount.
Look At Your Utility Bills
One of the main expenses that drain your income each month comes from your utility bills. These types of bills come in the form of your rent/mortgage, electricity/gas, and water, to name a few. Of course, you will also have to consider council tax payments, which can be the costliest bill of them all.
In recent years, more and more households have had some form of broadband installed into their home from a supplier of their choosing. There are a lot of competing brands out there, which can make it difficult to choose. That’s why you should look into signing up for a comparison website, that can do the hard work for you. Once you’ve inputted what you’re currently paying, and what you’re looking for, you will be able to see a list of deals that you can choose for.
Look At Your Phone Bill
Whilst most people will have a phone for all walks of life, from personal reasons to work ones, they often pay too much. That’s because they will sign up for a deal for a high-end new phone with the maximum benefits possible. You can drastically lower this cost by looking into phones that are one year older or even pre-owned.
You see, you don’t need to launch into a plan straight away. You can purchase a newer phone and use SIM-only plans to save money. That’s because you will simply pay for your chosen minutes, text, and data rather than going for an amount you simply don’t need.
These plans come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example. Lebara SIM-only plans to allow you to pay as little as £5 a month for your minutes in 41 different countries, with a few gigabytes of data that you may need. Of course, if you try to always be connected to Wi-Fi, then you may not even need the data, which is usually the biggest cost of a plan.
Make Your Lunch
Another effective way that you could help you to save money, is to make your lunches. This will help you save money on buying lunches when out and about. Lunches on the go can set you back quite a few quid each day, potentially costing you hundreds or even thousands each year.
Whereas if you make your lunch in the morning, even if it’s just a sandwich and a packet of crisps, it will do the basics for you and keep you from going hungry during the day. The money you save could then be used on treats throughout the day, or even going to a restaurant as a reward.
If possible, you should try and cook healthy meals for your lunch, as healthier lunches are likely to help you be more motivated throughout the day. That’s because these lunches will be packed full of nutrients that will reinforce the goodness in your body, and release chemicals that help you feel better in your mind.
Bulk Cook Meals
If you are not able to make your lunches, then it may be a good idea to try and bulk cook your meals. This practice refers to doing a big cooking session, to make meals last throughout your week. It could be all the same meal, similar meals with unique twists once you place them up into containers.
You can save a lot of money by using these batches, which could make each meal worth pennies once you break it down. There are lots of different meals you can make, from pasta to rice dishes, that will simply require you to rehydrate them and reheat, which will only take minutes.
So not only does it help save on your costs, but it will also help save your time. This means that during your work breaks, you will have time to relax, and not have to worry about where you are going to find food. Many people waste their lunch break in a queue for food or searching for food in general.
Buy Unbranded Goods
Another way in which you can save money through your expenses is to purchase unbranded goods instead of household names. This will mainly come in the form of supermarket own branded goods, which usually aims to mimic famous brands, whilst being much cheaper.
These goods can be identified in most major retailers, as well as available online. Where there is a famous brand, there will also be a competitor offering a similar product at an undercut price, to attract more sales. Try out these unbranded goods in your next shopping trip, and compare receipts to see how much you have saved, and how much you could continue to save.
Make Lifestyle Changes
If you make lifestyle changes, then that could also help you reduce your monthly expenses. It could be to unsubscribe to certain applications and businesses that you hardly use, yet pay for. A classic example of this is the gym, where many people sign up to, but hardly use.
There may be more digital applications that you have premium access to, and changing back to a standard membership could save you money in the short and long term. It could be something simpler, where you cut down on the amount of alcohol you buy on a night out to save much more. You’d be surprised how much money you can spend on nights out, especially if you go out quite a bit.
