As the lighter days and promise of the end of gloomy winter, we all get the urge to throw open our windows, let in some fresh air and give our homes a good sorting out. This Spring, apply the same principle to your finances and take a good look at what is really necessary and where you can save yourself some money.
Negotiate.
If you have your energy, telephone or other utilities set up on a monthly direct debit, it’s easy to lose track of what your account balance actually is. We all dread the long telephone calls to our supplier which is why so many of them take advantage of our busy lifestyles. If you bite the bullet and set aside some time to wade through the holding music, you may find that your account is in credit and either be due a rebate, payment holiday or could lower your monthly direct debit amount substantially. If your monthly amount is high, it may be that there is a new lower tariff that you can switch to, or perhaps you have got unused services that you are paying for and can reduce your bills that way. Don’t be afraid to haggle, you can always shop around and ask your supplier to by your loyalty by matching a competitor’s rate.
Clean up your act.
Spring is the perfect time to kick-start a healthier lifestyle and this can have a positive impact on your finances too. First, focus on your food shopping, how much are you spending on unhealthy ‘snacking’ foods? How much are you spending on buying lunch or food on the run, in your lunch hour or on your way home from work? A little bit of organisation can mean the difference between a cheap, healthy homemade sandwich and a calorie laden, extortionate purchased one from the sandwich shop. Look at how much you are spending on unhealthy habits and make a pledge to change. Smoking is a massive expense that can easily add up to around £40.00 per week. If the thought of giving up completely leaves you cold, look into alternatives. e cigarette are a fantastic healthy alternative to tobacco smoking and are a fraction of the cost.
Declutter.
Our homes quickly fill up with unwanted Christmas gifts, abandoned sports equipment and out of favour toys. Collect it all together and value it up, you may be surprised with how much it all comes to. Have a car boot sale, sell them online and put the money into a rainy day fund or use it to pay off credit card debt.
Turn it down.
Your thermostat, that this. Even lowering your thermostat by 1 degree can save you £50 or more per year and you really won’t notice 1 degree difference. If you have your heating set by timer, try reducing the time it comes on and goes off by just 10 minutes. Imagine what a difference that could make over a quarter, that’s a massive 28 hours of heating energy saved.
