How to build financial resilience

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I recently took a deep dive into my finances. I’d been putting it off for far too long. Getting started was hard – looking at my day-to-day spending, thinking about my short and my long-term goals – and the process was laborious at times. But by the time I’d finished I felt emotionally cleansed – like the way you feel when you’ve just purged the messiest draw in the house and now you can find things and it shuts! Now I feel inwardly confident because I have a more realistic picture of what’s going on with my finances – I’m clear about my options and I have a plan.

Why is financial wellbeing important?

It’s like having a safety net for your money.

Life’s full of unexpected twists and being financially resilient helps you to navigate through tough times with less stress.

It’s about having enough savings, managing debts and planning for the future. Whether you’re just starting or already managing your money, the steps below will help you understand financial security and move towards achieving it.

  1. Reflect on 2023 goals

Take a moment to think about the goals you set last year. Did you plan to save money, spend less or start an emergency fund? Reflecting on your progress is helpful but remember it’s not about being perfect, it’s about understanding where you stand financially. Celebrate those successes too! If you didn’t set any goals last year, make sure you set some for 2024 once you’ve worked your way through the steps below.

  1. Assess your current financial health

Check your bank statements, credit card bills and financial records for the past three months. What were your spending habits? Are there any surprises? Don’t scrimp on this, if you need to go back six months to get an accurate picture, do it. Understanding how the money flows in and out will help you make better decisions.

  1. Create a realistic monthly budget

Budgeting might sound complicated but it’s simpler than it seems. Create a realistic monthly budget by listing your income (usually your salary) and categorising your expenses (gym, phone, electricity for example). What’s necessary, and what’s a splurge? Identify areas where you can save a bit more – these small changes can add up over time. If you can’t save right now, that’s okay too.

  1. Build an emergency fund

Emergency funds act like a safety net for your finances. Aim to save three to six months’ worth of living expenses to help cover you if something unexpected happens. You can also explore saving and investing options based on your comfort level and goals. Spread your investments – think about pensions, ISAs, or maybe even stocks. The aim is to make your money work for you, or at the very least not lose value.

  1. Understand your debt

Facing debt can be tough but tackling it head-on is liberating. Get a clear picture of your debt – how much do you owe, where and to who. Prioritise high-interest debts and create a plan to pay them off. You could also think about consolidating your debt or talk to your creditors to find out if there are other payment options available. Starting early leads to financial freedom sooner.

For more information visit Debt Advice Foundation

Navigating the path to financial security

Financial resilience is an ongoing journey. It’s about understanding your goals, managing your money wisely and adapting when you need to. For me the hardest part was going through my old statements to get an accurate picture of my spending habits – it will be different for everyone, but I can promise you, you’ll be glad you did it!

If you’d like more information visit MoneyHelper or the government’s Mid-life MOT website for more tailored information.

Love food, loathe waste

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Do you know the impact food waste has on our planet?

Due to the significant resources required for food growth, processing, packaging, storage, and transportation, among other things, it significantly increases our environmental footprint.

Good news is, every small action we take has a significant positive impact on our environment. If you multiply each modest action by the millions of people who live in the UK, it quickly adds up.

With a busy lifestyle it can often be difficult to be mindful of our food choices, but with the right planning it can have lots of extra benefits including making healthier food choices, reducing stress and slashing our shopping expenses! What’s not to love about that?

We all know that none of us wastes food on purpose. We’re doing our best but sometimes we need a little help along the way.

Support is out there! 

There are many food waste reduction apps which can help support you and your local community. They offer great advice, tips and planning tools to help support you and your family in your efforts.

My favourites include:

If you can, make a list of the food you waste over each day of the next week, so you have a better idea of where your habits lead to waste. Then you can decide on those areas for change. I’m lucky to have a food waste bin so even when I do have food to throw away, I know it’s repurposed to create electricity or used as fertiliser in farming. If your council doesn’t currently offer this service, you could consider composting.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself! Don’t get frustrated if you haven’t quite got it right. Remember, every small action has a positive impact on our environment.

And while I’m not perfect, I know doing nothing is not the answer. There have been many bananas I promised to turn into banana bread that didn’t quite make it.

Quick tip 

Let’s not forget the best way to keep food fresh is to make sure the fridge temperature is set correctly – ideally it should be between 3 – 5°C.  We often we don’t realise we’ve accidently increased or decreased the temperature so now is a good time to check!

 

Investing in future you

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With the cost of living really starting to bite, money can feel tight just now. Between the National Insurance rise, energy bills soaring and petrol prices reaching record highs, anything we can do to help get a better grip on our money matters is welcome. Although it’s not a magic bullet, making a budget can be a great way to get a clear picture of your finances – you can see where your money’s going, and hopefully where you can save some.

Whether you’re paying off debt, saving for a deposit, or just trying to put some money away for a much-needed holiday, budgets can help you stay on track. I found using the 50-30-20 budget rule was a really simple way to keep on top of my finances.

The idea is you spend:

  • 50% on essential needs like rent/mortgage payments, bills, food and transport.
  • 30% on wants – all those good (but optional) things like eating out, shopping, your Spotify and Netflix subscriptions etc.
  • 20% on savings or paying off debt. This could be putting money into a savings account, investment or even a pension fund, or paying off anything from personal loans to credit cards.

So if your take home pay is £1,500 a month after tax, you’d have:

  • £750 for needs,
  • £450 for wants, and
  • £300 for savings or debts.

When I decided to try this budget the idea of building up savings seemed more attractive than paying off debt. But on his excellent MoneySavingExpert website, Martin Lewis recommends looking at the interest rates on any outstanding debt first. It’s often better to pay this off before starting to build up savings – it can even save you money in the longer term.

Reframing saving

I tried to reframe the act of saving in my mind as investing in future me.

I tried to reframe the act of saving in my mind as investing in future me. So rather than taking money away from myself just now, I’m actually giving money to my future self. Or to be more specific, investing in the things I want to do in the future – like that long-awaited holiday abroad (hopefully…).

20% might seem like a lot to save, especially when times are tight and with lots of competing priorities, so why not make it a figure you work toward over time? When creating my budget I tried to save what I could afford before working up to 20%. After paying off my credit card, I found putting money straight into my savings as soon as I got paid worked best, as waiting until the end of the month to see what I had left usually meant staring at an empty bank account.

In reality
The 50-30-20 budget might mean you’re no longer dedicating as much cash to all those wants. And with rising costs you might find it is difficult to make the budget work straight away, but it can be something to aspire to. Even just making a budget can really help give you a clearer picture of what you’re spending your money on and where you can afford to cut back.

If you’re struggling with money or have any financial worries, the MoneyHelper website is a terrific resource to help with all things financial – from debt and household bills, to benefits and pensions, they’ve got it covered.

To borrow sentiment from a Chinese proverb – the best time to make a budget was a couple of years ago, the second best time is now.

Giving back

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“Everyone can experience the joy and blessing of generosity; because everyone has something to give.”
Jan Grace, Author.

Over the past 18 months we’ve seen some of the amazing things people have given. Whether it’s their time, effort, energy or expertise to help others, the compassion shown has been inspiring. As well as this, lots of us have donated to causes we care deeply about, from the NHS to animal shelters, environmental causes or charities tackling social issues – giving back or trying to help those less fortunate is something we should all strive to do.

What‘s in it for me?
Volunteering is often, rightly, viewed as a way to give back, be it to a community, group of people or a cause. But not only are there benefits for the people and causes receiving help, lots of volunteers talk about the positive effects volunteering has for them.

Volunteers from Volunteer Scotland talk about the feeling of pride, achievement, gratitude and sense of wellbeing they get from volunteering. And not only that, volunteering can give you the opportunity to learn new skills, make you feel part of a community and build new friendships – getting out the house to socialise while doing some good is definitely something many of us want to do after the year we’ve had. All of these things can also help improve your mental health – it really is win-win!

What can I do?
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Do It, and the Government website are great places to start your search for voluntary work. You can also keep an eye on local Facebook groups and community noticeboards for opportunities. If you want to volunteer regularly it’s important to find something that interests you, as it’s more likely to keep you invested. Maybe you want to donate some money to charity? It’s worth exploring whether your employer offers give as you earn donations or payroll giving, as this way donations are made directly from your salary, in a tax efficient way, to your chosen charity.

It doesn’t just need to be your time or money you volunteer either. You could have a wardrobe clear out and donate your pre-loved clothes to charity, or how about combining a workout with doing some good? GoodGym bring together physical exercise with helping out in local communities by organising local runs to volunteer at food banks, shift earth for community groups, plant trees in local parks, and loads of other amazing projects.

There are loads of great causes to get involved with, so let us know if you volunteer for anything.

How to save energy and money this winter

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Many of us are continuing to work from home in these early days of 2021, and with January traditionally being a month when every penny is pinched, it makes sense to look for savings wherever we can.

Big Energy Saving Winter are encouraging all of us to ‘Check. Switch. Save.’ Saving energy is kind to your wallet and ultimately can be good for the planet, so here are some top tips on how you can save some precious extra cash while working from home.

Check
If you were commuting to work before the move to working from home, you may be saving money by not having to travel into the office every day. But you don’t want all of those savings to be eaten away by increased energy bills, so it’s definitely worth checking if you’re getting the best deal on your household bills.

Thankfully, it’s really quick and easy to check. We’re big fans of Martin Lewis and his Money Saving Expert website. On the site you can compare the best deals, and there’s also their Cheap Energy Club which gives you the option to “automatically compare and switch” tariffs based on what you’re looking for. Citizen’s Advice also have a similar comparison tool which you can use here.

As well as comparing the best deals around, it’s also worth checking whether you’re entitled to any support, grants or discounts. Every little bit of help can go a long way, so take a look here to see whether you’re eligible.

Switch
If you’ve found a better deal than the one you’re currently on, great! Switching supplier is really simple and you can usually do it all online. I switched energy supplier just before Christmas and have promised myself I’ll put the money I’m saving into a separate bank account to put towards something nice when restrictions are eased, because I think we need a treat at the end of all this, right?

Save
As well as saving your hard-earned cash, saving energy is also good for the planet. Using less energy in your home can reduce your carbon footprint as well as reducing bills, so everyone wins! Speaking of winning, here are some quick wins to help you bring down the cost of your energy bills:

  • Keep cool – dropping your thermostat down by one degree could save you £60 a year!
  • Draught-proofing your windows and doors can save £25.
  • Switch on to energy-efficient LED bulbs and you could save about £40 a year.

Check out the Big Energy Saving website for more tips on how to save. There are also Government schemes, like the Green Homes Grant, to help you with the cost of making your home more energy efficient. Check out the Government website for details of what’s available where you are and let the saving start!

Surviving Black Friday

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It’s been a challenging year, and many mental health experts recommend trying to get our little fixes of happiness wherever we can. But is Black Friday shopping a good way to do this? We look at some of the pros and cons in our survival guide below.

Black Friday was originally an American post-Thanksgiving sales event, but has recently become more globally recognised thanks in no small part to extensive marketing by companies like Amazon and other US retailers. Maybe, like me though, you’re thinking 2020 is a chance to take a step back and reset our thinking about the frantic annual battle for a bargain.

Small businesses in a big pond
This year, with so many small businesses feeling the squeeze because of the impact of COVID-19, now more than ever they could do with our support. The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has encouraged us to consider shopping with small businesses whenever we can.

In an article by the Guardian, Andrew Goodacre, Bira’s Chief Executive, added, “Despite the lure of the internet, nothing can beat the positive experience of buying from a local independent retailer knowing that money spent in a local shop will in turn be spent in the local economy. Independent retailers are part of the community and need the support of shoppers now more than ever.”

And just because some retailers are a little smaller, doesn’t mean they won’t have their own offers and incentives running on Black Friday, so check them out before you hand over your hard-earned cash to the retail giants.

Is it really a bargain?
£400 off. Half price. Was £600, now only £200. Retailers advertise price cuts like these on Black Friday, but are they really the bargains they make them out to be? There have been numerous news stories over the last few years about shoppers getting a bit of a shock when they’ve price-checked those big purchases only to find out the savings weren’t quite what they were expecting.

It pays to shop around and compare prices across a good range of different websites or shops. Consumer advice website Which? recommends taking this a step further and using apps like Pricerunner and PriceSpy to check the previous price and the real savings you’re making. Which? tracked the prices of a number of products in the lead up to Black Friday in 2018 and found that deals and savings offered were actually available for the same price or even cheaper in the six months after the sales!

Sleep on it
You often get a little burst of serotonin as you buy something. This coupled with fear of missing out can lead us to make impulse buys we don’t need, particularly on Black Friday. In fact, some retailers count on it!

To avoid ending up with a bag full of guilty purchases, you could put things in your online shopping basket and then come back to them later. Leaving items in there for a day or two will give you time to reflect on whether you really need that £200 drone or another pair of earrings…

Black Friday can be a great opportunity to bag yourself a bargain and make some great savings, especially on big ticket items. But make sure you know what you’re buying and whether it really is a bargain. Share your tips with us so we can all aim not to be left with buyer’s regret come December.

The unsustainable world of fast fashion

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There’s something rather wonderful about a little shopping spree and a funky new wardrobe, especially as the seasons change and new outfits beckon! We can get our hands on the latest trends at a fraction of the catwalk price… but is this really a good thing? Well, it might be great for the fashion-conscious among us and the retailers who profit from it, but the massive rise of ‘fast fashion’ in recent years has come at a very high price for the environment.

The truth behind the clothes
As the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee 2019 points out, “The way we make, use and throw away our clothes is unsustainable. Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined, consumes lake-sized volumes of fresh water and creates chemical and plastic pollution.”

Once you realise how these clothes end up on the shelves, the processes and the impact on the environment, it’s pretty clear there needs to be a change from the current fast fashion trend to a more sustainable way of buying our clothes. We’re at the heart of the problem in the UK, where it’s estimated every person buys 26.7kg of clothing a year – higher than any other European country. That’s a shocking statistic! I know I’ve certainly been guilty over the years of going on a good shopping spree with no idea of the wider impact – but not anymore!

So what can we do?
Well it’s clearly a huge issue and we could all start by doing our bit to spread the word! Talk about it with your friends and family and take a few simple steps to make an impact:

Buy less
Do you really need to buy that new winter coat, or can you dig out last year’s coat from your wardrobe? Think twice before buying anything new.

Buy second-hand
There are so many options, with loads of online marketplaces to choose from and charity shops on every high street which are wonderful for grabbing yourself a bargain!

Buy better quality
It should last longer and means you shouldn’t have to buy new things quite so often – better for the environment and your wallet.

Buy from sustainable brands
Support brands that take into account their environmental and social impact where possible, it really does make a difference.

Don’t throw your clothes away
If a zip’s broken or a hem’s come down try and repair it yourself, or if it’s beyond your sewing skills support a local tailoring business – it’ll be as good as new! I did this recently with a favourite jacket and loved that I could still use it. Donate what you don’t want or need anymore to a charity shop, or arrange a clothes swap with friends.

I’ve already started on my slow fashion journey and haven’t bought any new clothes for myself in months. I’m determined to keep this in the back of my mind for any future purchases and look to buy second hand more where I can (and fix where possible, too!) – do you think you can make a change to how you shop for clothes?

Welcome to 4me World…

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We’re delighted to introduce our new name: 4me World

Although we’ve evolved our brand, our values remain the same. We’ll continue to focus on your wellbeing and what matters to you.

Recently, on our social media channels, we asked you what mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and financial wellbeing mean to you. What helps your wellbeing in each of those areas, and if you had any hints or tips you could share.

We loved reading your replies and have featured a selection of them below:

Mental wellbeing

Nature can have a really positive effect on my mental health and hillwalking is amazing for my mental wellbeing.

Allan

My mental wellbeing is helped by finishing work on time and going for a run in the park, and being able to hug my wife and ask about her day.

Pri

The simple things are the best – fresh air, family and friends!

Sophie

The power of crafting keeps me mentally well. Whether it’s stitching or knitting I’ve found creating helps me to unwind.

Max

Physical wellbeing

Exercise helps bring routine to my day. #PEwithJoe and virtual evening classes at my local gym have really helped my physical wellbeing. And I’ve also rediscovered my passion for horse riding again!

Steph

I’ve recently taken up golf – the perfect socially distanced sport! It gets me out the house, gives me much needed exercise and it’s helping me gain confidence about being around other people during these uncertain times.

Rach

Financial wellbeing

I got in to debt buying non-essentials, so I’m now trying to use any spare cash for good. Financial wellbeing to me is keeping a handle on my spending and not buying any new clothes in 2020! I’m donating what I save in money and clothes I don’t wear to charity.

Damian

Financial wellbeing means doing what’s best for my family, they’re my no.1 priority.

Jai

If there are any wellbeing topics you’d like to see us cover on the website, or if there’s something you’d like to write about, then get in touch with us here.

How long can you keep £10 in your wallet?

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In what was a rare moment during lockdown, I reached for my wallet and the orange tint of a £10 note caught my eye. It’d been sitting there, silently hidden since 20 March and we’re now in July!

It got me thinking, when normality resumes (I live in hope…), could I keep up this habit of spending less? And if I did, what could I do with the savings?

For lots of us our spending habits have changed during lockdown, as we’ve reprioritised what we spend our money on. Lockdown might even have helped highlight what’s important to you and what you’re willing to part with your hard-earned cash for.

We all know we should review our finances regularly, but how many of us really do? I found once you’ve done it for the first time and you see the potential savings you can make it really spurs you on to check your outgoings regularly and try to keep up your good habits.

So what can you do to take up the challenge?

Review your direct debits
Are they all necessary? Are you paying for subscriptions or memberships that you no longer need? I’ve replaced a gym membership with online classes which has saved me a tidy sum each month. Reviewing your TV package and looking at your mortgage rate can add up to hundreds of pounds of savings across the year. But please make sure you know exactly what you’re cancelling before you do – you don’t want to find out too late that you’ve cancelled insurance that you really need!

You are what you eat
Lockdown has forced lots of us to do more cooking and even inspired me to try recreating my favourite takeaways. Before lockdown, I’d often spend £10 a day on food and coffee, but home-cooked lunches, even if they’re just leftovers from last night’s dinner, have helped me save a packet so far. And they taste great too! I mean, who doesn’t love second day lasagne, right?

Making and taking your own coffee can also save you loads. My sister was splurging her way through a student loan but couldn’t understand why. Turns out the innocuous coffees she was buying after each class added up to over £200 a month!

Would like to meet
Lockdown has highlighted how we socialise and what’s important. It’s made me realise I don’t need to spend a fortune in a bar or restaurant to enjoy a really good time with friends or family. Spending quality time and not money is something I’ll definitely look to continue once restrictions are lifted!

And this has been true for the time we’ve spent together as a family too. I used to feel I had to plan elaborate daytrips for my children, which inevitably ended in exiting through every parent’s nightmare – the shop! But I’ve realised that given the choice, my children prefer being at home and creating their own adventures.

APPreciate your money
With everything that’s happening just now it can be easy to lose sight of where you’re spending your money. I’ve found paying with cards rather than cash really helps me keep track of my spending. And budgeting apps like Yolt, Money Dashboard, and Loot can help you manage where your money’s going and highlight where you can make savings.

Make it work for you
Lots of employers have workplace discount schemes, but few of us actually use them regularly. An employee survey we ran recently for a company, found that only 5% of their employees regularly used their company discount scheme and 50% had never used it at all! Check if your employer has one and save it in your favourites on your computer or just put a post-it note on your screen to remind you to use it until you get into the habit.

It’s also worth checking if your company has a cashplan, or dental care plan you can take advantage of. The savings from these can really add up!

Let us know if you’re going to take up the challenge and share your saving tips!

Tis the season to be sustainable

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Christmas is a time for giving, but it shouldn’t cost the earth. So here are our top five tips on having a sustainable Christmas and saving the planet while you spread some Christmas cheer.

The gifts
Lists aren’t just for Santa. Choose who you’re buying gifts for and make a list (and check it twice). That way you’ll know exactly what you need to buy and it should also help you avoid last minute panic buying, which can lead to unused and wasted presents.

Gifts don’t have to be bought, and they don’t even need to be material things! Pledges for your time or an activity are a thoughtful alternative and handmade gifts such as food, arts or crafts show a really personal touch. Did someone say “let’s bake gingerbread men…?”

If you do buy a gift, choose to buy local from sustainable companies to reduce the environmental impact of your shopping. It can help support your local community too, as the cash spent and taxes paid stay in your local economy. It’s also more sustainable to stick to one big gift rather than giving lots of little ones – it can reduce waste and as an added bonus you’ll only need to come up with one thoughtful gift idea.

If you’re feeling really charitable (and you think the gift receiver would like it) you could even make a donation to charity on the person’s behalf.

Wrapping paper
And what to wrap your lovely thoughtful gifts in? Eco-friendly wrapping paper of course! Recyclable wrapping paper is better for the environment than many normal rolls, as a lot of them contain non-recyclable elements like foil, glitter or plastic. Equally, brown paper packages tied-up with string can make a beautiful present. Finish off with twigs of eucalyptus tucked under the string and your sustainable pressie is complete!

Pro tip: want to know if your wrapping paper can be recycled or not? Use the scrunch test. Scrunch up the paper in your hand then let it go. If the paper stays scrunched up it can be recycled. But if it unfolds on its own, then it probably contains non-recyclable elements. Boo!

The tree
Up to 8 million Christmas trees are bought every year in this country alone. That’s a lot of trees. Although plastic tress are a good alternative and should last for years, they take a lot of energy to produce and will have to be disposed of in the future.

A sustainable alternative is to rent a tree. Yeah, that’s right – rent your Christmas tree! Loads of garden centres offer a tree-hire service for the festive period and they’ll even pick it up and drop it off to save you the hassle.

Of course, if you want to go one step further, you could use or grow your own. A tree with roots will grow outside and you can use it again next year, reducing the environmental impact and costing you less. Holly, apple, pear, and Japanese maple trees are all good options, although they do take a bit more looking after.

If you do go for a real tree though, just make sure it’s sustainably grown – trees should have either the FSC or Soil Association logo on them. And remember to recycle it when you’re finished. Most local councils have set up recycling points specifically for Christmas trees, or alternatively you can take yours to your nearest recycling centre.

The food
Oh the food! We all love a bit of Christmas dinner. Whether it’s the mouth-watering main or those sumptuous sides, we just can’t get enough. If you’re going down the traditional turkey or meaty route – try to buy organic and free-range, and support your local small-scale farms if possible too.

The Soil Association tell us, “food is the single most important, everyday way for people to reduce their environmental impact.” So we can really make a difference by making sustainable choices, even down to the packaging of the foods we buy. Opt for loose items or those that have little or no plastic packaging to help save the planet.

Plumping for a full-on veggie Christmas dinner is even better for the environment. Vegan nut roasts and brandy butter are delish, and definitely won’t leave you feeling like you’ve missed out.

…and the drink!
Like the food, go organic and locally-sourced with your drinks if you can. Haven’t tried organic wine yet? Well Christmas is as good an excuse as any to give it a go. There are loads of UK vineyards producing tasty tipples, just look out for their organic credentials on the label. Or if you prefer something a little stronger, the UK’s first organic distillery in south-west Wales, Dà Mhìle, has a selection of organic whiskey, brandy and gin. Just remember to enjoy responsibly!

Last but not least
Always find yourself searching the cupboards for enough matching glasses when you’re entertaining at Christmas? Fear not – you can rent some for free from Waitrose! What a time to be alive!

Surviving on a shoestring budget

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It seems a long time ago since your student loan dropped into your new student bank account, and the cupboards were heaving with pasta and baked beans donated by well-meaning family.

But what happens when the food donations have run out and you’re deep into the first term?

Follow our handy tips to make sure your budgeting game is on point and avoid that awkward bail-out call home to your parents.

    1. Take the free stuff! It’s not just during Freshers fairs that you’ll be bombarded by people trying to off-load free pizza, USBs, mugs, choc and food vouchers, so take what you can! And did you know that when you reach 19 you may also be able to get free prescriptions, dental care and sight tests by applying to the NHS Low Income Scheme?
    2. Save on your shopping. For longer term savings from a broad range of retailers such as ASOS, Co-op and Pizza Express, get yourself an NUS card. It will cost you £12 for the year, but you’ll benefit from cool discounts and plenty of useful offers.
    3. Keep fit and save on travel costs. It might seem simple but walking or cycling to and from uni will save you heaps of money on expensive bus or train fares, although it will mean you have to get out of bed a bit earlier. If you can’t avoid spending on the trains, then make sure you pick up a student railcard to save a third (during off-peak times).
    4. Three cheers for charity shopping! If you have some time to browse the racks in your local charity shops (and let’s face it, you will definitely have some spare time between lectures), go and grab yourself some bargains. Congratulate yourself on rescuing your unique new wardrobe from the jaws of the local landfill too!
    5. Look after the pennies. Think about saving for something you really want – festival or gig tickets, nights out or trips back home to see your friends. Fill a jar with your spare coins and watch those savings grow into something fabulous!

Ten ways to save money on your food shopping

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If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll always be thinking about your next meal; I’m talking about thinking about what you’re having for dinner whilst eating your meal deal at your desk over lunchtime.

The frustrating thing is how expensive food shopping seems to have become. This got me thinking about how we can save money on the food we love and how not to waste it:

    1. Write a shopping list and stick to it. If you have a list, you’re less likely to stray away to buy those unnecessary sweets and treats that you don’t really need, which brings me onto my next point;
    2. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach. If you’re hungry while walking up and down the aisles and something tasty catches you’re eye that you don’t need, then you’re more likely to buy it.
    3. Avoid ‘snack pack’ sizes. They work out more expensive and you actually get less. You’re just paying for the additional packaging.
    4. Buy in bulk the items you use most. Just make sure you get dry items with the longer shelf life.
    5. Cooked a little bit too much? Save the rest for lunch the next day in a plastic container or freeze it to save it for later.
    6. Buy fresh fruit and veg that isn’t pre-packaged. Not only will you be saving the environment, but you’ll be saving money too as it’s cheaper to buy loose items instead. Buy frozen veg as it will last longer and it is as good as the fresh stuff for overall nutritional value!
    7. Check the reduced aisle. The food in that section with the coloured sticker hasn’t gone off – the supermarkets just want to sell it before it does. If you know you won’t eat it straight away, freeze it for a later date!
    8. Buy supermarket own value brands. A lot of the time you’re paying for the fancy packaging but the actual content is the same. Why not try switching and see if there’s a difference in taste?
    9. Plan your meals. If you plan your meals in advance, you will only need to buy what you need rather than deciding on the day and spending more than you should.
    10. Use loyalty points. If the supermarket of your choice has a point’s scheme, don’t forget to swipe your card each time and you can watch the points grow and convert to vouchers you can use for a nice treat.