Saving Money Archives - With love from Lou

How To Set Up A Family Budget

08/06/2022 by Louise Leave a Comment

Budgeting becomes hugely vital when you have a family. It is necessary even if you live alone, but it becomes critical when you have other people to worry about and pay for and when they depend on you to handle the household spending and income properly.

However, creating a budget can be challenging. There is a lot to ponder and many different factors to consider. With that in mind, here are some tips for creating a family budget that could be useful to you.

SET FINANCIAL GOALS

Setting up a budget might often seem meaningless, which is one of the biggest drawbacks. After all, the purpose of a budget is to keep you from overspending, not only to keep track of your finances. If you don’t know why you’re saving, it might be difficult to stay motivated.

As a result, it’s crucial to establish monetary objectives – your own financial goals. Everything from saving for education to building a nest egg to purchasing a home might fall under this umbrella. Your savings and budgeting will be simpler if you know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish and what your motivation is for cutting down and not splurging the way you used to.

GET OUT OF DEBT

Even while everyone should save more, there is one aspect of financial planning that should take precedence over all others. In most circumstances, it’s a short-term project that will pay off in the long run by providing you with more money and financial flexibility to save even more. What are we talking about? We’re talking about getting out of debt.

The first step in creating a family budget is to figure out how much money you have available each month to pay down your obligations. As long as you’re paying more than the minimum and devising a strategy to get out of debt fast, you’ll be able to start saving money after the debt is paid off. In the end, you’ll have a lot more money and a lot less worry.

PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES

When making a family budget, you’ll need to know what your essential expenses are, how much money you have coming in, and how much is left over. The money you have left over can be put into savings, “fun money,” and an emergency fund.

It might seem like the emergency fund is just another way to save money, and on the surface, that is true. But you should keep this account separate from your main savings account and use it only for emergencies. Maybe your car breaks down, your boiler stops working, and you need help from All Seasons Energy, or you get a ticket for speeding and have to pay a fine. You don’t have to empty out your main savings account, which can be discouraging and might make you stop saving after that. Instead, you can use your emergency fund. As long as you keep it full, this can be very helpful, and make sure that everything else in your budget stays on track.

Do you have any other tips for setting up a family budget?
If so, be sure to let me know in the comments below.
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10 Easy Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding

25/05/2020 by Louise 2 Comments

With the average cost of a wedding now well over £30,000, it’s not always easy for those of us who don’t have loads of cash to splash to afford our dream day. Not all hope is lost, though. Here are ten easy ways you can save money on your wedding without compromising your dream day:

01. AVOID PEAK WEDDING DAYS/DATES

Choosing a popular date to get married on is likely to add a fair amount on to all aspects of your wedding. Be sure to avoid Valentine’s weekend and bank holidays if you have a small budget. You could also:

Opt for a winter wedding – Demand for wedding venues and entertainment is much lower in the autumn and winter months so your money could go much further. You may also want to consider when you’d like to celebrate your wedding anniversary each year as this could also influence your decision.

Steer clear of Saturdays – The cost of hiring a venue for your wedding and reception can be cut by opting to tie the knot on a Friday, Sunday or another weekday rather than the traditional Saturday. This is because many of the most popular wedding locations get booked up years in advance for Saturday weddings, and as a result of the high demand, they can afford to charge much higher prices.

Marry in the morning or late afternoon – If you’re happy to move your ceremony forward to the late morning you will benefit from cheaper ceremony costs. If you choose a lunch meal rather than a more formal sit down wedding breakfast in mid-afternoon, you will lower catering costs as well. And a later wedding time could help you cut costs by paying for just one wedding meal – rather than a wedding breakfast and additional food in the evening.

02. OPT FOR PROM DRESSES FOR YOUR BRIDESMAIDS

Bridesmaids dresses can be expensive, but they needn’t be. Have you ever noticed that bridesmaids dresses and prom dresses often look very similar? Yet prom dresses tend to be a hell of a lot cheaper! You can easily save money here by opting to buy your bridesmaid’s prom dresses that suit you, and no one would know any different. To cut costs even further, you could ask your bridesmaids to wear shoes and accessories they have already.

03. GO FOR A HIGH STREET WEDDING DRESS

High street doesn’t have to mean boring – department stores have cottoned on to the ‘wedding on a budget’ business and now sell some amazing wedding dresses at affordable prices. What’s even better is if you can snag them in the sale or with a discount code. Here’s what some of the big retailers offer:

ASOS – You can pick up gowns from £39.50, as well as a selection of bridesmaids’ dresses.
H&M – There’s a range of wedding dresses available from £85 and bridesmaid dresses from £40.
Next – Stock Lipsy wedding dresses starting from £135, as well as bridesmaids’ dresses and mother of the bride outfits.

04. UTILISE YOUR FRIENDS TALENTS

One way to avoid the price-trebling effects of getting married is to use the talents of your friends and family. Ask for their help in lieu of a wedding present. It’ll cut the cost of saying ‘I do’ and perhaps save on a gift for them too. Plus, it will make your big day all the more personal and memorable. For example:

Do you know a keen baker who can make the cake?
Do you have a friend who is a DJ, musician or even magician?
Is your mum a florist in the making?
Will your sister do your hair or make-up for you?
Does your grandad have a posh old classic car he’d be willing to chauffeur you in?

05. DIY WHEREVER YOU CAN

By DIY-ing as much as you can, you’ll leave plenty of room in your budget for splashing out on other things that really matter. Examples of things you can easily DIY for your wedding include:

Save wedding date cards and wedding invitations
Placecards
Centrepieces
Confetti
Bouquets and flower arrangements
Wedding favours

06. DON’T MENTION THE ‘W’ WORD

When dealing with suppliers, if there’s one thing guaranteed to increase the price, it’s when they know you’re buying for a wedding. So when negotiating flowers, food and wine etc, try to avoid using the word ‘wedding’. Call it a party or celebration, and only once the price is agreed should you mention what it’s actually for. Having said that, if you’re eloping, or after smaller bits and pieces, such as makeup, then mentioning you’re getting married can mean freebies galore!

07. GET YOUR GUESTS TO HELP WITH THE PHOTOS

One of the best things about a wedding is how the day unfolds for your guests, the wedding party and the happy couple. Every group has a slightly different experience–allow your guests to capture their viewpoint of your special day by collecting your guest’s photos on Wedding Photo Swap.

If you haven’t heard of Wedding Photo Swap before then you should definitely check them out! They provide a simple, yet elegant solution to collecting and sharing the photos taken by your guests at your wedding. You get a live feed from your guest’s photos of your day from their app or website, so you can relive more of the moments that made their day – and yours – so special.

Using Wedding Photo Swap’s guest manager you can invite guests by email before the big day (through the app or website), or you can print cards pre-filled with your guest access details to add to your invites. These can be sent to the guests with the wedding invitations, or you could have them available at the event – for example on your tables. You can save on the cost of a photographer this way, and it’s a much cheaper option than handing out disposable cameras and having to get the films developed at a later date!

08. BUY SECOND-HAND TABLE LINEN

Many hire companies and hotels periodically have sales to shift old, but usable table linens. Buy your linen like this for cheap and resell it after the big day. The same can be done for chair covers, organza sashes, and drapes etc.

09. SERVE WEDDING CAKE AS DESSERT

Catering costs can soon spiral out of control when you’re planning a wedding. And, quite a lot of the time, people tend to be full after their starter and main course, so they don’t have dessert. You can, therefore, save a significant amount of money by not ordering desserts and serving up a piece of your magnificent wedding cake instead. Just make sure you get photos of you and your other half cutting it first!

10. AND FINALLY, DON’T OVER-INVITE

Think very carefully about guests. The numbers soon add up: 70 sounds a lot, but it’s only 15 members of each person’s family, then 10 friends each with partners. Narrow down your guest list. Stick to close friends and family. And if you want to invite more, just do it to the evening disco.

It can be difficult not to cave in to pressure from friends and family members that have an idea about what your special day should be like. Just remember that it’s your wedding and not theirs so keep this in mind when you’re planning it.

Do you have any other tips for saving money when planning a wedding?
If so, be sure to let me know in the comments below!
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7 Great Reasons To Give Kids Pass A Try This Summer

21/07/2019 by Louise 16 Comments

Taking the kids on a day out can be expensive. Just going to a zoo or wildlife park as a family of four can easily cost us around £100. And visiting a theme park is way pricier. Cinema tickets are ridiculously expensive these days too – coming in at more than £10 per adult at our local venue!

Luckily there are loads of simple ways to cut costs on family days out, restaurant bills and cinema tickets nowadays. And in this post, I’m going to be talking about one of the ways we save money on our days out thanks to a little something called Kids Pass.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve tried to look for money off vouchers to save a bit of cash whenever we’re going out. Especially if we’re planning on going to a chain restaurant or well-known attraction. And, to be fair, there’s almost always a voucher code flying around which can be used to save some money. But it can involve a lot of scouring the internet to find a legit code (if I can even find one at all) and I usually end up getting stressed out in the process.

But thanks to Kids Pass, who have thousands of money-saving offers in one place, it makes the whole process much simpler and less time-consuming. And that’s something I really like. So, without further ado, let me share my top 7 reasons I think you should give them a try this summer. I promise you won’t regret it …

01. YOU CAN GET DISCOUNTS ON FAMILY DAYS OUT

All the major UK theme parks are listed on the app with savings of up to 57%. We recently visited Drayton Manor and got a discount of £42.50 off of the gate price! They actually had a special offer on on the day we went but the Kids Pass price still beat it. We were amazed!

There are also loads of other activities you can save money on in each area such as bowling, go-karting, trampolining and more. Along with discounted entry to nature centres, wildlife parks, zoos and farms. There is so much to choose from, and also a great way of finding something fun to do with the family at a great price!

02. THEY OFFER HUGE SAVINGS ON FAMILY HOLIDAYS

Last year we booked an amazing 7-day holiday at Parkdean Resorts in Norfolk and managed to save a massive £280 by using our Kids Pass when we booked. But there are even bigger savings to be found on family holidays when you book with them. One that particularly stands out to me is a saving of up to 50% off a Eurocamp holiday. I’ve wanted to take the kids out of the country for years but have never been able to afford it.

It would be an absolute dream to take a trip to Europe and possibly to stay at a Eurocamp in France. And being able to cut the cost of our holiday in half by using Kids Pass will be amazing! Just this saving alone will recuperate the annual membership fee and more. And at the time of writing there are discounts available at Haven, Butlins and Hoseasons too!

03. YOU CAN GET UP TO 40% OFF AT CINEMAS

If there’s one place my kids like to go for a special treat, it’s the cinema. But, my goodness! It isn’t half expensive these days! My local Odeon charge £11.50 per adult, £10.25 per teen and £9.75 per child. Which means it usually costs £31.50 per visit. However, Kids Pass offers up to a 40% discount at over 500 nationwide cinemas, which significantly reduces the price we pay to get in. It’s fantastic!

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve been to see twice as many movies than we usually would since we discovered Kids Pass. It’s made such a big difference. And the kids want to go and see all the new Disney movies this summer too, so it will get a lot of use over the next month or so!

04. KIDS EAT FREE

Eating out can be another huge expense with kids, so any money off vouchers I can find are always appreciated. With Kids Pass, there are plenty of restaurant savings vouchers or takeaway offers to choose from. Just in my area, I can see we can currently save 25% at Frankie & Benny’s and kids can eat for free with one paying adult at Giraffe and Barburrito! We love eating out so will certainly make use of these. And if you prefer takeaway’s to eating out then there are BOGOF offers to be found at both Pizza Hut delivery and Papa John’s at the moment. Perfect for a little treat over the summer holidays. Yum!

05. THEY HAVE AN EASY TO USE APP

The Kids Pass app is super easy to use and allows you to search for ‘offers near me’ allowing you to see all the nearby attractions, restaurants and activities with a discount that are most local. You can also search by categories such as Restaurants or Family Days Out if you’re looking for something in particular or don’t mind going further afield for an attraction.

I’ve been using Kids Pass for just under a year now and I’ve saved £402.50 altogether as whenever we’re going somewhere I just whip out my phone, tap the app and then search for it to see if there are any discounts available. I find that 9 times out of 10 there is, and this has meant that the cost of my membership was covered by the savings I made. It’s just brilliant!

06. ONE KIDS PASS COVERS THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD

One thing I really like about the Kids Pass is that you only need one subscription to cover everyone in your household! I hate it when companies insist on you buying a pass for each different person as the cost soon adds up and eats into any savings you might make. So I think it’s great that one Kids Pass covers everyone, making it perfect for both large and small families alike. Well done, Kids Pass!

07. YOU CAN GIVE KIDS PASS A TRY FOR JUST £1

At the moment Kids Pass are giving everyone the opportunity to trial their services for 30-days for just £1. And, with the summer holiday’s in full swing, I think it’s the perfect time for you to put them to the test. Don’t you!?

There are plenty of testimonials on the website from families saving enough to justify the £2.99 monthly cost or £39.99 monthly cost of membership after the trial. And if you find it’s not for you, you can simply cancel your membership and you won’t be charged anymore. As I mentioned before, I saved £402.50 during my first year with Kids Pass, so I was thrilled to bits with that!

If you fancy giving Kids Pass a try for yourself then you can sign up for a 30-day trial for just £1 by clicking here.

Have you ever tried Kids Pass before?
If so, let me know what you thought of them in the comments below!Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest

Post contains my Kids Pass Referral Link.
All opinions are my own.

How To Invest In Your Children’s Future

31/05/2019 by Louise 11 Comments

Every parent wants to give their children the best start in life, and our kids’ future financial stability is something that we will have all thought about at some point. Nowadays there are plenty of easy ways to start saving up for your children’s future, which can also help to teach them more about money and eventually managing their own finances.

Here are a few things that you could start doing to help invest in your child’s future.

SET UP A JUNIOR ISA FOR THEM

One of the best places to start is with a tax-free savings account. Junior ISAs allow you to save up to £4,368 per child per year in an account that they are unable to withdraw from until they are 18.

Wealthify offer a fantastic junior stocks and shares ISA where you can choose from 5 investing styles – they will build a junior stocks and shares ISA plan, which you can monitor yourself online. This helps you to build a nice pot of money for them to access when they turn 18.

This can be a great help when your child is looking to buy a house, pay tuition fees or buy a new car.

START THEM OFF WITH A YOUNG SAVER’S ACCOUNT

Opening a savings account for your children differs slightly from an ISA as they have access to these funds as and when they like, meaning that they don’t need to wait until they are 18.

You can open a young saver’s account quite easily by visiting your local bank or applying online. Once you’ve opened the account you can encourage your son or daughter to save away any money that they receive for birthdays, Christmas, or even from the tooth fairy.

Regular trips to the bank with the contents of their money box can also be a good way for them to watch their money grow, and because they have instant access to this (unlike with an ISA), they can set goals for themselves to buy themselves little treats here and there. You could also encourage them to take on additional tasks and chores around your home in exchange for pocket money that goes towards their savings account.

CONSIDER A JUNIOR SELF-INVESTED PERSONAL PENSION (SIPP)

Wait, my child hasn’t even started working yet and we’re thinking about a pension? A Junior SIPP can help to secure your son or daughter’s long-term future, saved away in an account that cannot be accessed until your child is 55.

Junior SIPPs are very similar to adult pension schemes, and as such are eligible for tax relief. This means that you can save up to £2,880 a year, which will be topped up to £3,600 by the taxman (which is the annual limit).

One thing that is important to bear in mind is that tax benefits and legislation may change between now and when your child reaches the age of 55, as well as their personal circumstances.

Do you have any other tips for helping your children save money for their future?
If so, be sure to let me know in the comments below.
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10 Easy Ways to Save Money in 2019

01/01/2019 by Louise 55 Comments

Finding ways to save money is kind of my thing. Over the last few years, I’ve put a lot of effort into finding little tips and tricks that can add up to big savings. And, as today is the first day of a brand new year, I decided to compile a list of 10 things you can do to save yourself a little bit of money – and none of them includes making a budget and sticking to it! From small changes like bringing your own coffee to work, or even subscribing to a site like https://ironandfire.co.uk/coffee-subscriptions/ for a convenient and cost-effective way to enjoy quality coffee at home, there are plenty of ways to make your money stretch further. Make sure you read on to find out more …

01. Check Coupon Sites Before Making Any Purchases

Before I buy anything that I want or need, I always do a quick Google search to see whether or not there are any coupon codes I can use to get myself a little bit of money off. And, to be fair, there usually are! When searching for coupons, I use search terms such as ‘Feel Unique Discount Code’ or ‘New Look Coupon Code’, and Google then brings up loads of websites offering a range of different coupon codes. I have to admit that it can be a little time-consuming to find ones that work, but it’s most definitely worth the effort. I’ve scored some seriously big discounts by searching for coupon codes before buying something.

I also recommend signing up to Kids Pass if you’re a parent. They are currently offering a 30-day trial for just £1.00 for new members, and they offer big discounts on things such as cinema tickets and family days out, as well as showing you where you can find places that have ‘kids eat free’ offers. I saved a ton of money using my Kids Pass last year, and will definitely be continuing to use it during 2019.

02. Use Cashback Sites When Making Online Purchases

Before making any online purchases, I always check my favourite cashback sites, Quidco and TopCashback, to see if the retailer I’m buying from is offering any cashback. 9 times out of 10 I find they are, and even if the amount they’re offering seems quite low, it’s still worth clicking through and buying from their site, as it soon adds up to a nice little payout.

03. Buy Necessities in Bulk Whenever You Can

One thing I’ve learned over the last 12 months or so is that if you visit your local supermarket late on in the evening they will often have significantly reduced the price of any products that are nearing their use-by date. And this is a great time to stock up on things you use regularly, such as pre-packed meat and vegetables. I buy as much as I can in bulk and then freeze it until I need it at a later date. As I cook almost all our meals from scratch, it saves me a small fortune. I also tend to buy misshapen canned goods, as they are usually reduced too.

04. Utilise Your Amazon Wishlist

If you’re like me, and have lots of people to buy birthday and Christmas presents for, I highly recommend making an Amazon wishlist of things you’d like to buy them in advance, and then check it every. single. day. Prices on Amazon fluctuate daily (sometimes hourly) and Amazon wishlists show you exactly how much an item has gone up or down in price since you added it. I find this tactic works brilliantly when your kids are invited to a lot of parties, as you can often grab those must-have toys at just a fraction of their recommended retail prices.

And, I’m sure this goes without saying, but if you shop at Amazon a lot, it’s definitely worth investing in Amazon Prime, as you can order until fairly late on in the day and get free next day delivery. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times having a Prime Membership has gotten me out of a pickle when I’ve totally forgotten the kids have a birthday party to attend the next day! LOL.

05. Switch To Energy-Saving Light Bulbs and Unplug Old Appliances

Switching to energy-saving light bulbs is a fairly obvious way to save yourself a little bit of money, but it’s easy to forget about those rarely used appliances you have plugged in around the house. Make it your mission for the day to go around and see if you can unplug some things you’ve totally forgotten are there, such as that alarm clock or television in the spare room. It might not make a big difference, that much is true. But any saving on your electricity bill is better than no saving at all!

06. Shop Around For Insurance

I know it may seem time-consuming, but don’t take this one lightly. Every year when Nathan’s car insurance renewal comes through, you can guarantee it will be a lot higher than it was the previous one. So, he always gives them a call to ask if they can give him a better deal. And most of the time, they can. On the rare occasion they say no, we’ll visit Compare the Market to find another reputable company who can give us a better deal, and go with them instead. It can often mean a difference of over £100 a month, which isn’t to be sniffed at! We also try to get a better deal on our home insurance through Compare the Market every year as well.

07. Call Your Internet Provider and Energy Companies

Another time-consuming task, but one with the potential to save you a lot of money! A few years ago, we noticed the amount we paid for Sky TV and broadband had increased significantly since we first joined them, and we couldn’t really afford to keep up with the payments. So I gave them a call and explained that we’d been loyal customers for the best part of 10 years and wasn’t really happy with the increase. The customer service team were amazing and reduced our bill so we were paying just a little more than when we first joined, and we could enjoy using their service again without worrying that we were paying over the odds for it.

I did the same with my mobile phone provider last month, and they gave me triple the amount of data I usually get for a lower monthly price! And I’m currently looking at switching energy providers too. I just know there’s a better deal out there for me than the one I have at the moment. I just need to knuckle down and find it!

08. Stop Using Electricity During Peak Hours

Check with your electricity company to see when usage is the cheapest. Doing your laundry and running the dishwasher during off-peak times only can seriously affect your monthly bill.

09. Walk Short Distances Instead Of Driving or Taking The Bus

If you often find yourself jumping in the car or hopping onto the bus to pop somewhere that’s within walking distance, then stop! Not only will the exercise do you good, but you’ll notice that you save yourself a fair amount of money too. I only live in a tiny village, but if I catch the bus to the supermarket and back, it costs me a massive £3.80! It’s ridiculous. I’d rather walk and have extra money to use for other stuff.

10. Make Your Own Takeaway Coffee Instead Of Buying One

And, finally, if you regularly buy a takeaway tea or coffee on your way to work, why not make it at home and take it with you instead? You can get some really nice travel cups these days that will keep your drink nice and warm until you’re ready to drink it. And you’ll find you save yourself a small fortune over the course of the week.

And there you have it – 10 easy-to-implement ways to save money in 2019.
Will you be giving any of them a try? If so, sure to let me know in the comments below.
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Eating An Organic Diet On A Budget

18/12/2017 by Louise 1 Comment

Organic food is a bit of a contentious subject, some people maintain that it’s far healthier for you while others will tell you that it’s just a big marketing ploy and you’re just paying over the odds for food that isn’t really much different. The price is the main thing that puts people off buying organic because people have a bit of a skewed perception of it.

It’s true that a lot of organic foods are more expensive than their normal alternatives but eating an organic diet doesn’t always have to be more expensive. If you want to eat a completely organic diet but you’re put off by the price, here’s how you can do it on a budget.

Choose Your Luxuries

People often end up spending way more on an organic diet because they simply replace everything they normally eat with organic alternatives. The thing is, there are quite a lot of organic products that aren’t any more expensive. You need to cut out most of the organic products that are very expensive and just pick a few things that you are willing to spend a little more on. Buying things like organic cheese is way cheaper than buying organic meats so if you swap out the luxury of meat for cheaper products like cheese and vegetables you can massively cut your grocery bill while buying organic.

Reduce Waste

This is a good tip for anybody that wants to cut their grocery bill but it’s especially important for people on an organic diet. The average amount of food that people throw away each year is around £470 each year but that number goes up if you’re talking about organic food. Without all of the additives on their, the shelf life of organic food tends to be shorter. That means you’re more likely to throw stuff away because it’s gone off. The way around this is to just do more shopping trips during the week and buy less each time. You should also be labelling stuff so you know when you’ve bought it and always use older produce each time. You’d be surprised just how much less you’re spending.

Avoid Supermarkets

One of the big reasons that people think that organic food costs way more money is because it does, if you go to a supermarket. They know that people who eat organic food aren’t likely to compromise so they’ll be willing to pay more. The supermarkets ramp up the prices and everybody thinks organic food is always really expensive. But if you go into smaller stores and farmers markets, you can get all that organic food for the same price or even cheaper. It’s worth going around the supermarket and noting down the prices then comparing them with smaller independent places. In most cases, you’ll find that organic food isn’t actually that expensive.

There is still a lot of debate about whether organic food makes you healthier or not and a lot of people don’t want to pay more money for food that isn’t giving them any benefits. However, eating an organic diet doesn’t have to be expensive so there’s no reason not to.

Do you guys usually buy organic produce? Or do you tend to opt for the cheaper alternatives?
Let me know in the comments below.
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10 Excellent Thrifty Tips That Help You Live For Free!

21/09/2015 by Louise 30 Comments

Did you know you can enjoy a fun and active lifestyle absolutely free? Whether you want to keep fit, eat out at the best restaurants or enjoy lots of great stuff, my 10 top thrifty tips can help you enjoy life for free!

Combine my great tips with a hot new app, WOW FreeStuff, that pulls together all the best deals in free stuff throughout the UK.

1. Go to the Gym for free!
Watch for free one day passes to gyms like L.A Fitness, The Gym and many more top names. Some of these passes include access to classes as well. If you plan carefully, you can enjoy a session a week at a different gym for free for an unlimited period of time. You can also get double passes from a single gym by signing up with several different e-mail addresses.

2. Get luxurious beauty treatments absolutely free!
You can get some excellent free beauty treatments administered by trainees at the Salon GuineaPig! Take advantage of free offers for:

Semi-permanent Makeup
Waxing
Facials
Tattoos

Have fun, and walk away a whole new you absolutely free. There are also many sites online that offer free health and beauty samples.

3. Have a free cuppa!
Just sign up to get a free loyalty card at Waitrose and IKEA and you can have a free cup of tea every day absolutely free. Sign up for John Lewis’ free loyalty card and watch for their free tea vouchers too. And McDonald’s also offer free tea occasionally. Just download their app.

4. What’s better than a free massage?
When visiting London, be sure to stop in at the North London School of Sports Massage (NLSSM) to get a free sports massage administered by a trainee. They offer these massages as a way of meeting exam or class requirements. In other areas of the UK, you can visit Salon GuineaPig for a free massage from a trainee.

5. Grab some free clothes!
Clothing and accessory swaps are very popular both online and in the real world. Find a swishing website or join a swishing party to swap clothes with others – no money required! Here are some suggestions:

Swap in the City UK
Swap Style
Swishing

These are well organised swap events; however, you can also set up your own private event with your friends.

6. Learn for free!
There are many great programs in the UK that offer free online courses. FutureLearn is just one of them. While you will not earn a degree for taking these courses, you will gain a great deal of knowledge and have access to some of the best educational resources available. Other free learning resources include:

The VirtualInstructor.com
Free-Online-Art-Classes.com

If you want to learn a new language, download free apps such as Busuu and Duolingo.

7. Get free samples!
Take a few moments to write a letter or send an e-mail complimenting your favourite businesses. Before you know it, you’ll be getting samples by post along with coupons for money off. To sweeten the pot, let the companies you write to know that you are singing their praises on your blog or social media sites. They love that! Just make sure you follow through with your promises. Taking this bit of extra effort is sure to gain you more free stuff and coupons.

8. Travel for free!
Earn free credits by referring friends and using only the Uber app when you have built credits. By doing this, you’ll never have to pay high prices to travel by taxi again. You can travel for free around the world by volunteering. Make yourself available as crew on a private vessel by signing up at:

CrewBay
FindaCrew
CrewSeekers

9. Enjoy pets for free!
Volunteer with the RSPCA to enjoying playing with cats, walking dogs and helping out at the rescue centre. You can also go to Gumtree and use the Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers section.

10. Get free meals in restaurants!
Mystery shoppers visit restaurants and enjoy meals for free. Afterwards, they review the restaurants for the purpose of market research. The more reviews you complete and the more reliable your services are, the more work you will get. I used to work as a Mystery Shopper myself and it was lots of fun! The following companies are always looking for new Mystery Shoppers to join their teams:

MarketForce
TNS Global
GapBuster

By using these top 10 thrifty tips, you are sure to save yourself some money.
Did any of them grab your attention? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading.

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