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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.

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.

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!

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.

Switch onto saving

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You might think this is a repeat of all of the information out there already, but understanding the importance of saving is something to learn sooner, rather than later.

The difference between starting paying in from age 25 or waiting until you are 35 could have a notable impact on your pension savings.

Yes, there are always going to be things you’d prefer to spend your money on, but starting as early as you can and staying in your workplace pension should have a significant impact on the type of retirement you’ll be able to enjoy in the future.

Bottom line, the longer you wait to contribute to your retirement savings, the more expensive it’ll be to catch up. The difference between starting paying in from age 25 or waiting until you’re 35 could have a notable impact on your pension savings.

Here are some things you could miss out on if you delay in saving:

  • Tax relief – you’ll miss out on tax relief on your pension contributions, which basically equates to ‘free money’ from the Government (depending on what your tax rate is).
  • A helping hand from your employer – however much you pay in from your own pocket, your employer will make monthly payments into your pension savings too.
  • Seeing your money grow (or not!) – your overall contribution is invested in a fund with a provider or investment company and it is designed to work for you, so it can make its own money. Remember that with any investments, your money could go down as well as up and is not always guaranteed, so take this into consideration.

You should also think about . . .

  • The money might run out sooner than you predicted (but not if you buy a guaranteed income for life!) – if you retire with a small pension pot and expect to live on a high income, or you live to a ripe old age, your money might not last.
  • The State Pension might not be enough to rely on – you will only get this if you have made the qualifying amount of National Insurance contributions. Even so, by the time you retire, it might not be enough to live on alone, so you’ll need your own pension savings to help bridge the gap.
  • You may have to retire earlier than planned – hopefully this won’t happen, but you may fall ill, or have to leave your job to care for a loved one. So it’s really important that you have enough money to survive on if this happens.

It’s a tough message to take in, but saving a little bit each month counts. Good luck!

The do’s to beat the January blues

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The excesses of the festive season may have taken their toll, and you might be feeling the need to implement a whole host of austerity measures to see you through to payday, but January doesn’t have to be gloomy!

Try our top tips to avoid the annual blues and ease your way comfortably into the New Year.

    • Don’t deny yourself a small treat. With money so tight in January, your regular trip to the local barista might seem like a luxury too far, but cutting it out altogether is likely to make you more miserable. Try exercising a little bit of self-discipline and indulging in that fave treat just once a week – maybe on a Friday so it feels like you’re another week closer to that first payday of 2019!
    • Plan ahead. Making plans for the rest of the year is one of the most effective ways to pull you through the seemingly dismal days of January. If you’ve got the budget, book a day trip out or a weekend away, or if you can’t commit to splash out right now, then book some time off work anyway. It will make you feel better knowing you have some dates in the diary – even if you change them later on!
    • Try some free fun. When money (and maybe your waistband) is too tight to mention why not venture outside and kill two birds with one stone? Parkrun organise free, 5km runs every week which are open to absolutely everyone and take place in your local community – you just need to register online first.
    • Look after yourself. It might sound simple, but being kind to yourself will lift your mood and make those dark winter nights fly by. Indulge in a home movie night rather than the cinema, or tuck up with a good read and a hot choc for a dose of immersive wellbeing.
    • Learn something new. The brand new year can provide just the right amount of encouragement to make you branch out and add some skills to your repertoire. If you’ve always fancied learning to play the ukulele, knit, bake or paint, now’s the time! You could even use the impetus to add a new level of expertise to your professional skillset. Head over to YouTube for every possible tutorial on everything – ever!

‘Twas the night before Christmas

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‘Twas the night before Christmas, and a time to reflect

On a year of big spending, but savings neglect.
The stockings were stuffed with all kinds of treats
From trinkets and baubles to delectable sweets.
The fam would be happy for Christmas Day present
But what of the future, and what of retirement?

With so much expense in everyday living
It’s tough to make plans for my future wellbeing –
With bills and my kids and a new loft extension
There isn’t much left to save more in my pension.
But just one percent could make some difference
And ease my reliance on State Pension assistance.

This year my bonus dissolved in a flash
On a weekend away and a cartload of trash.
Maybe next year I should stash it away
Into a pension for my future ‘one day’.
My Company pays in and so can I
Government tax relief will also apply.

It’s never too late to invest in yourself,
And start looking after your financial health.
Think not of the now and money misspent
Instead try to find that elusive percent.
You might suffer now a little resentment
But you’ll gift the ‘old you’ the best kind of present.

People like you: 18-29

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Meet Laura, a 25 year old personal assistant working in Reading. She currently lives with her boyfriend in a rented flat on the outskirts of the city, but they are saving hard to buy their own place. We take a peek at what a day in her life is like as she manages her job, home-life and money, while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

My alarm went off at 6am this morning, as I decided last night to get my week off to a good start and head to the gym before work. I do a weights workout and then walk the rest of the way to work (the gym is about a brisk ten minute walk from my office – a bit more exercise and I’ll save money on the bus fare too!).

I usually have breakfast at home but with my early morning workout I’ll need to eat afterwards. I pick up a banana (28p) and a big bag of oats (£1.10) to make a quick porridge to eat at my desk. I also buy some protein bars (£2.87 for a pack of four) as I know I’ll get hungry later. I leave the oats and the remainder of the protein bars at work to make myself a quick, cheap breakfast in case I decide to do another early morning gym session this week.

The sun is shining and although it’s cold, it looks like a lovely day outside! My office is in the city centre so I decide to pop out at lunchtime to stretch my legs and have a wander around the shops. My boyfriend and I are currently saving up to buy our own place so it’s just window shopping for me today!

I head back to work and eat my lunch which is homemade vegetable soup (£1.01 a serving) with a bread roll (11p a roll) today. My boyfriend’s mum bought me a bread maker for my birthday and I’m enjoying making my own bread – it’s pretty economical too. I also grab a coffee from the machine at work. It’s much cheaper than my shop-bought lunch last week which ended up costing me about £6 for soup and a roll (£3.45) and a cappuccino (£2.45).

Before I know it, it’s time to head home. I usually alternate between taking the bus and walking home to save money, but I’m tired out from my gym session this morning so I decide to take the bus. My boyfriend is already home by the time I get in and we decide to cook together – it’s easy as I’ve already planned our meals for the week. Today it’s a comforting Spaghetti Bolognese, a classic from our student days. As usual, we make far too much so I put some in the freezer for another day.

After dinner we watch some TV on my parents streaming account (sharing this means we use it for free!). I plan our meals for next week at the same time and order our food shop online, which helps us to eat a variety of healthy, home cooked meals. My employer offers a discounts portal, so I use this to save money on the food shop every week. I also spot a code for free delivery so I make use of that!

I get my lunch ready for work the next day and head off to bed about 10:30.

*Prices accurate at the time of writing.

Make a list, check it twice – is your Christmas food shop naughty or nice?

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With less than eight weeks to go until Christmas (sorry we just HAD to mention it!) many of us are already thinking about what we need to buy ahead of the big day. Food shopping for the festive season can be a headache, but we’ve provided some useful tips to help you avoid a last minute trolley-dash, whilst making your hard-earned cash go further.

Compare

Let’s face it, the Christmas food shop can be the most expensive of the year and more often than not, we end up with a list longer than we’d like. Try a handy comparison website like MySupermarket to see where the best deals are for maximising your food budget. Simply type in your shopping list and the website will compare your shopping basket against the major supermarkets before telling you where your total overall shop will be cheapest. It also alerts you if you could save money by swapping to another item.

Stock up

Don’t be afraid to stockpile the non-perishable items well ahead of the big day. Spread the cost over a number of weeks to take advantage of any pre-Christmas offers and avoid that last minute panic the week before Christmas at the same time! Items such as crackers, cranberry sauce, and the all-important Christmas pudding can be bought well in advance – just try not to eat them too soon! 

Get a discount

There are many discount codes and vouchers available both online and in store, although it may take a bit of time to look for them. Check the free magazines you find in store, and cashback websites which can also be a great place to get money back from even your normal spending. It’s also worth asking your employer if they offer an employee benefits portal. You may be able to get a discount on your supermarket shop, but if not, there are plenty of other websites you can choose from – maybe for buying Christmas gifts. You could even consider putting the money you save towards your Christmas budget for next year!

Start saving for next year

Once the festive food has been bought (and if you’ve got the stomach for it!), start thinking about your Christmas budget for next year. If you can set aside a small monthly amount to save, even £25 a month from January – October could give you a £250 boost. Save as much as you can afford and it will take some of the strain off your pockets when Christmas rolls around next year!

Save up to £2,000 a year on your childcare

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Are you a parent? Did you know that you might be able to save up to £2,000 a year on childcare if your child is under 12 (or under 17 if disabled)?¹

The Government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme offers families support towards childcare costs of up to £2,000 per child (up to £4,000 if your child is disabled). The scheme adds 20p for every 80p you put in, effectively giving you back the 20% basic-rate tax on what you pay.

You can use the scheme to pay for childcare including nurseries, childminders, playgroups and after-school clubs. And you don’t need to use the money straight away either. You can build up credit to use when you need it most, like during school holidays.

To qualify, you, and your partner if you have one, must both be working, earning a minimum of £125.28 per week if you’re over 25 (the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the national living or minimum wage currently), and each earning less than £100,000 a year.

To find out more, take a look at the Childcare and parenting section of the Government’s website.

The Tax-Free Childcare scheme replaces the Childcare Vouchers system that closes to new applications on Thursday, 4 October 2018. For more information about childcare options visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/childcare-parenting/childcare.

¹www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/help-with-childcare-costs

Gathering your pensions in

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If you’ve worked at different places in the past, it’s likely that you’ve built up some workplace pension entitlement while you were there. Have you remembered them all and do you look after them? Or would it be easier and better for you to pull them all together and put them all in the same place?

Of course, as with most things, there are some pros and cons of doing this:

The possible benefits:

Ease of access: having all of your pensions in one place can make it easier to keep track of your retirement savings and cuts down on the paperwork and log on details.

Easier to plan: a combined view should make the picture of your retirement savings clearer and make it easier to plan how you’ll use your retirement account when you come to retire.

Save money: it may be that you can take advantage of lower fees, as some older policies may have high fees in comparison to today’s plans.

More investment choice: you might want to invest in a wider range of funds than you have with your older plans; ones that offer you more variety or suit your approach to risk better.

Potential for better investment returns: we all want to boost our retirement savings and maybe you feel you can get better investment returns elsewhere or that your savings would be better managed by moving them. Remember though, returns are never guaranteed, and past performance isn’t necessarily indicative of future results.

Potentially more options: your previous plans might not give you access to all of the current retirement options, such as flexible withdrawals. So moving these into a current retirement account would open up your choices.

What to look out for:

All ‘eggs in one basket’: with all of the money in the same place, you may not have the same spread of risk or variety as keeping them all separate. This might be an issue if the funds don’t perform well, or something happens to the provider itself.

Exit fees: be careful, as some providers may impose an exit penalty. So make sure you find out if there is one and how much it will cost you to move the money.

Loss of guarantees: some old plans have built-in guarantees around annuity rates, which might be important to you if you plan to buy an annuity when you retire. These will be lost if you transfer them to another plan.

Higher fees: the plan you move to might actually have higher charges, but you may be happy to accept these based on other factors, such as hope of a better return or more choice and flexibility on offer.

Time it may take to transfer: your money will be dis-invested when you decide to transfer, and may not reach the new plan to be re-invested for a while. This means that there is the potential you could lose out on any investment gains in this interim period

If you’re not sure what to do, it’s a good idea to get financial advice (there will be a cost for this). You’ll need to do this anyway if you’re thinking of moving from a defined benefit (final salary) scheme with a transfer value over £30,000, as there are then even more things to think about, such as giving up a guaranteed income and future increases, as well as certain death and dependant benefits.