28 top ways to save money all year around

Feeling the pinch? I’ll help you find some of the best ways to save money including finding the cheapest petrol and switching bottled water for tap

January is the worst month for those trying to save. Christmas leaves a massive dent in a lot of our pockets and paying off credit card bills, loans and other costs can leave your bank account looking a little bare. Whatever you earn, it is possible to save money for your future. Whether you want to save for a holiday abroad or simply some new clothes I’ll give you some pointers on 28 ways to save money.

Ways to save money all year! 

Claim back your overpaid tax

There can be a number of circumstances where Tax can be overpaid. Whether it’s incorrect PAYE codes used by your employer, unclaimed allowances, unclaimed expenses for travelling or uniform costs, the list is endless.

Bearing in mind that Tax rebates can be claimed for up to four years, making a claim is easier than you think and it’s relatively hassle free.

Have I overpaid tax? 

Check your status for free with the Tax rebate calculator at QuickRebates.

Surveys that pay cash

You may think they’re a scam but I can assure you from personal experience they’re 100% genuine. Survey companies like Ipsos and Toluna are more than happy to pay you in exchange for your opinion as the research is valuable in developing new products. You can get paid in either PayPal or vouchers depending on the site.

Check out my article on the top paying survey sites

Best survey apps

Yes you heard me right – you can be paid simply by using the apps on your phone. Like surveys there are apps that pay you for your opinion. Apps like OnePoll have really short simple surveys with around 5 questions that pay from 15p.

Check out my article on the top paying apps

Reduce credit card debt

If you don’t regularly pay off your credit card in bill the card issuer will be applying a hefty amount of interest on top of your balance. Over time this starts to mount up, and you can get into the tricky circle of paying off just the interest rather than the balance.

No interest credit cards

To avoid being plagued with lots of credit card interest open a balance transfer credit card which will allow you to transfer your balance over to a new provider and be interest free for up to 21 months. This will help you to pay off the balance you have accrued.

Get rewarded with cashback

Best cashback sites..

You can get cashback rewards for everything from renewing your insurance to shopping in New Look. Whilst the reward amount varies, if you regularly use cashback providers your balance will soon mount up. What’s better than getting rewarded for doing something you’d do anyway?!

Try Topcashback to get started.

Voucher shopping

Voucher hunting is a hobby worth pursuing, and sites like Moneysavingexpert and Vouchercodes make it a lot easier. They often have weekly or monthly newsletters full of the latest vouchers where you can save money on restaurants, shops and leisure activities. You’ll also find great offers on chain restaurants by signing up to newsletters for chains like Bella Italia, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Pizza Express. If you want to get discounts on your shopping without hunting for vouchers, I highly recommend you check out Honey.

Customer loyalty cards

Lots of shops these days have loyalty cards that will reward you for shopping. The terms of each card varies based on the shop but saving up your points will allow you to get free goods.

Check out my article on the best loyalty cards

Change bank accounts.

Take a bank bribe!

Banks really want your custom and they’ll pay you to get it. Switching rewards can be quite large and well worth it with offers like Nationwide’s £200 switch offer, NatWest £175.00 switch reward. There are often terms and conditions that need to be fulfilled to get the reward but these are often as simple as having two direct debits set up.

Switch your insurance

Staying loyal to your insurance company is a massive no-no as they really don’t value your loyalty. Often they will send you a renewal quote that is several hundred pounds more than the cost you took your original plan out at.

One example of this is a insurance company I was with in the past sent a renewal quote that was £200 more than it was the previous year. I did a comparison search and guess what the same company was showing as the cheapest with a quote £200 lower than what I had been sent in the post!

Cancel direct debits

You may have set up a Direct Debit a number of years ago for that magazine you loved. You might have lost interest but the Direct Debit is still set up pocketing money you can’t afford to lose. Make sure you regularly review your Direct Debits so you don’t lose money on stuff you don’t use anymore.

Switch mobile phone provider

If you’re using more than your allowance or even less then what you’re paying for, it may be worth looking for a better deal. Alternatively it’s worth considering sim only deals, they’re a lot cheaper then you would pay if you were getting the phone and the sim and you can still get large allowances on data, texts and calls.

Plan expenses

Paying things like insurance monthly is a lot more expensive then if you were to pay it annually. The reason being that insurance companies put on a premium for the luxury of you paying it monthly.

To avoid this put  money aside for large purchases so you can pay it off in full.  You’ll save money and you won’t have to worry about finding enough to pay it each month.

 

Get a Money management app

There are a number of free money management apps available that will help you work out what you spend your money on each month in comparison to what you earn. It will help you work out what you’re wasting money on, where you can cut back and what’s essential. Emma app is a great place to start.

Buy own brand products

Often you’ll find that own brand products are made in the same factory as more premium products. Now I wouldn’t say every cheap product is better than the pricier version but it’s worth trying them out to see how they fare.

Compare supermarket prices

Mysupermarket.co.uk is great for comparing the cost of a basket of food amongst the big four supermarkets – Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Tesco. It will let you know what you’ll save by shopping around.

Make your own lunch!

Whether it’s a smoothie or a sandwich you will undoubtedly find one of the best ways to save money is by making it yourself, rather then buying it in the shop. Experiment with fruit, vegetables and meat to find food and drink combinations you’ll enjoy.

Look for price match promises.

Big retailers like Tesco and Asda always offer the price match promise. If your shop was cheaper elsewhere they will often refund you the difference or offer you points to make up for it. Don’t forget your loyalty cards!

Buy in bulk

If you can try and buy in bulk. Buying more items at once will help you save money. Make sure you only do this for items with a long shelf life, or ones that can be frozen.

Don’t be drawn in by discounts

Discounts are fantastic and can offer great value – but only if you intend to use the item. If you’re getting a buy one get one free on soup you’ll never eat it’s a waste of money. Items like toothpaste and toilet rolls are however a great way to use discounts like this.

Book your meal out online

By booking your meal out on sites like Lastminute and 5pm you can take advantage of discounts like 2-for-1 meals and 50% off. You simply book online then let the server know so you can take advantage of the offer.

Join a dining club

Loyalty schemes like Taste Card and Gourmet Society can offer you large discounts at participating restaurants. Tastecard costs £34.99 a year and is accepted at 6,700 restaurants whilst The Gourmet Society is £34.99 and can be used at more than 6,500 restaurants.

Avoid buying bottled water

If a restaurant serves alcohol they have to by law offer free tap water. This will save you loads in the long run on buying expensive bottled water.

Don’t pay through the nose for fuel

Petrol prices seem to get more expensive ever year, but you will find it’s available a lot cheaper at some retailers. Supermarket chains like Morrisons often have the cheapest petrol, whilst Shell, often found near motorways are a lot pricier. Check around to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Avoid expensive sat navs

If you can avoid paying a lot for your sat nav. Often you can use apps like Google Maps and Waze on your phone as a Sat nav. Alternatively there are a lot of good value apps available that will help you get from A-B.

Buy your car insurance online

Buying your car cover online is actually a lot cheaper then buying over the phone. Make sure you take advantage of that online quote the next time you’re renewing.

Join a car sharing scheme

Car sharing not only saves you money on fuel but it’s also kinder to the environment too. By sharing a car you can save more than £1000 a year.

Go green – buy an eco car

Did you know your car tax varies based on how green your car is. If your car is a pollution offender, and if your engine is large you can expect to pay up to £505.

Get a electric car and you can be exempt from car tax charges.

Rent my drive

If you’re lucky enough to have a parking space you don’t use much then why not rent it out? There are many websites that will allow you to do this – and often the only cost is the registration fee. Locations like London and residences near concert arenas are the perfect place for renting out your space. This is one of the perfect ways to save money.

I hope this post shows you some of the best ways on how to save money all year round. If you think your friends and family would love some tips for how to save money, please give the post a share on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

I’ve collaborated with Quick Rebates on this post