How to make your money go further, and even make a bit of money back.

Bank Statements
Look through your bank statements and make a list of all the direct debits and outgoings.  Transfer this to a basic spreadsheet (new spreadsheet coming soon to budget and download).  What can you do without and cancel?  Are you still paying for membership you don’t need?  What can you renegotiate?  There are lots of websites you can use to check you are on the right utility plan, if not swap.

Once you have done this you know what you need each month to stay afloat, you know how much you need for food shops.  It will also show how much you can save or can spend.  Why not set up a standing order after payday into a savings account?

Plan Your Meals in Advance
Planning your meals in advance it can save you money and save on food waste too.  Start planning by using what you have already in your your cupboards, fridge and freezer and plan your meals based on what you already have.   

Never Shop Hungry!
Believe it or not when you are hungry you are more likely to buy high calorie foods such as snacks and treats.  So best not to shop when you have an empty tummy.

Save Money on Food Shops.
Go shopping with your list… swapping your usual supermarket for a budget supermarket, for example Aldi, Lidl.  Be ruthless and don’t be tempted by the middle isles, although there are some great bargains to be had there.  I check my basket before I go to the till and put back anything I think I have been a bit impulsive with.

Shop Around
If there is something you need to buy, use Google shopping to find the best price for you.

Price Match
With higher priced items, shop around find the best deal.  If you would prefer a certain supplier they may have a price matching service.  This works for kitchens and bathrooms too.  It is definitely with a try haggling as the seller wants your business.  What’s the worst that could happen?  They could say no… but they could say yes!

Sell, Sell, Sell.
It seems obvious but look around, what haven’t you used for a while, what have you fallen out of love with.  Sell on ebay, sell on Facebook marketplace or other social media sites.  Have a yard sale or go to a car boot sale.

Unwanted clothes, if you present them in the best way, iron them to photograph using a white sheet to block any background in the photo.  You could also hang them on a rail the more you can ask for them.  Saying that, a jumble sale selling items for £1.50, 50p and £1 can make you quite a lot of money!