The recession may be over, but the current frosty financial climate still represents a gauntlet of debts, bills and spiralling costs for countless folks. Saving money is rarely an interesting subject, leaving most folks rapidly deflated at slow initial savings (“I’ve put in the effort for five weeks…don’t I deserve a treat now!”) The key to reducing living costs is to focus long-term, keep up motivation and steer clear of the quick, easy answers that rarely prove beneficial in the long run!
Shop Online
In the majority of cases, shopping around online really IS cheaper. Online shoppers are commonly able to seek out discount codes and money-off vouchers via a cursory search engine hunt. Alton Towers, for example, often has some fantastic online-only offers in the form of discount codes capable of halving the entrance fee.
Be Brave
Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts or negotiate prices. A great example is insurance. Pushy as it may sound, those who threaten to take their business elsewhere are often awarded the best deals.
Set-up and connection payments can be a real killer. Scour the web for fee-free set-up deals covering everything from broadband to Sky TV. Promotional voucher codes websites can be great places to spot furtive offers.
Feeling “cheap” or making the assumption that money-off vouchers aren’t worth the bother figures significantly in most people’s spending habits. Nevertheless, utilising negotiation, discount codes and money-off vouchers could save considerable sums of money in the long run. Stay focussed on the long-term goal of saving money!
Be Brutal with Direct Debits
Gym membership, holiday payments, car payments, mobile phone bills, magazine subscriptions and wine clubs! A £9.99 saving here, £18.99 there; annual savings from cancelled unnecessary direct debit payments could potentially save more money than any other step (including giving up that £25 a week designer coffee habit!)