Most people I’ve met assume that in order to live a healthy lifestyle, you must spend more to get there. They envision fees mounting up for everything from the gym to their weekly food shop. However, I know it can cost nothing to adopt a healthy lifestyle and it’s entirely possible to get healthy for free.
I’ve always cringed when I see experts advise reusing tea bags to save 10 pence a week or why you should never pay for coffee.
By working to reduce your biggest expenses you can find you end up with far more cash in your pocket than if you’d spent a lifetime restraining yourself from ever purchasing coffee and only ever using the same tea bag!
While I absolutely love saving money, in any which way possible, there are some things I will occasionally treat myself to. I have an iphone, even though there are cheaper options available. I love Hotel Chocolat and food from M&S even though it is more expensive.Continue Reading
Today I have guest post from fellow blogger Nick Daws who writes over at Pounds and Sense . He has quite a bit of experience with investing so I was keen to see what he had come up with for me as a newbie investor who doesn’t have a clue what she is doing! Investing can be a great way to make money long term and while there are risks involved it is still something that is worth looking into. Here Nick talks about making money with food and drink by investing with Primestox.Continue Reading
Today I have a guest post from Vicky over at www.Ibeatdebt.com all called ‘Debt made me desperate’ all about how she got out of debt, but most importantly how it made her feel. I don’t talk about debt much on this blog – while it’s something I understand a lot of people struggle with, having never truly experienced it myself I don’t feel I’m the best person to be giving advice on it. That’s why I’m so glad Vicky has decided to share this piece with me.
As someone who has always struggled with my weight and self-esteem, choosing to go on daytime TV on a quiz show, where I could quite possibly make a fool of myself seems rather crazy. The short version of the story was that I was desperate. I was in debt. Barely making my repayments, and had recently started the process of debt management. At that point, I really felt I had nothing to lose. I knew people who had been on quiz shows before, some were successful, some not, but it never appealed to me in the slightest. Then one day the penny dropped – at best this could be free money, and at the very worst it would be a day out where you are looked after really well (assuming you even got chosen which I never in a million years thought I would).
I’ve written a lot about my experience of going on quiz and game shows and you can find out more over at https://ibeatdebt.com/i-cleared-half-debt-one-day/ but that is not what this post is about. Very badly I’m making the point that debt can make you desperate. You can feel helpless, hopeless, and not know where to turn. I’ve never in my life, even for a second, wanted to go on TV or be famous, but I reached the point where I felt I had nothing to lose as I had hit rock bottom. I could not see a way out of debt, and I certainly didn’t foresee the route out of debt I took.
The amount of debt I was in might seem huge to some of you, but I’m sure to others of you it will seem like a tiny drop in the endless and relentless ocean of debt you find yourself in. It doesn’t matter so much how much you earn, or how much you owe, it’s (in my opinion) how you feel about yourself and the situation you find yourself in. If you, or someone you care about, find yourself in debt and are struggling, I would highly recommend checking out Mind’s resources about “Money and Mental Health”.
There are far too many stories in the press about people who have taken their own lives as they can’t see a way out of the debt they find themselves in. Whether they are being chased by bailiffs or the lenders themselves, even a letter can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and pushes someone over the edge. That has to stop. It breaks my heart every time I see another story. If you or someone you know ever feels suicidal at any point and for any reason, please remember you can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day for free on 116 123 (UK).
To go bring this post to a positive end, I am pleased to share that although at the time I couldn’t see a way out, I am now debt free (apart from my mortgage) and it was done in a much shorter time than anyone expected. I am also slowly but surely rebuilding my credit rating and I have learnt a lot about money management on my journey. I owe most of that to CAP – for their money management course and their debt management programme. Their services are 100% free and you don’t have to be a Christian to access them. There are other free debt management services out there – I just only have personal experience with them. Just remember that you should never pay for a service like that (you are trying to improve your finances after all) and The Money Advice Service can give you more information about other good ones that are available. Admitting you need help is very hard because of the stigma of debt, but it is an essential first step!
I appreciate that going on a TV quiz show might not be for everyone, but another point I was trying to make was that it’s good to think outside the box and try something different in order to make a change that you need to make in your life. There are some great money bloggers out there with top tips on ways to make extra cash and save money, and they might be a great place to start.
I’m not a financial adviser or debt counsellor, but I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about my debt journey. Feel free to contact me at vicky@ibeatdebt.com
Annelies Paris, also know as The Frugal Teen has been sharing her thoughts about living and studying abroad and how the costs stack up compared to studying here in the UK – you might well be surprised at the difference.
The Frugal Teen is very active on twitter and hosts a weekly chat all about saving money, making money and other frugal related subjects. It’s a great way to share ideas and learn new things and anyone can join in – you don’t have to a blogger. Just search the hashtag #savvysunday each week at 7pm and answer the questions. Make sure you add #savvysunday to your posts so everyone in the chat can see them!
You can find The Frugal Teen on Facebook and Instagram too.
I chose to study abroad because the idea of debt was haunting for me. All my family is from France and Belgium and there, debt isn’t considered acceptable or normal. You’re either expected to pay yourself or your parents to contribute. We weren’t in a place financially to do so, so I decided to move abroad to save money.
There is an enormous difference in cost between UK and other countries. I’m studying in the Netherlands at the moment and I pay less than 2000 euros for my tuition fees a year. In the UK, the price has been raised to £9250 a year! As a matter of fact, there are some countries in the EU that allow you to study for free, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden and some places in Germany. If you speak those languages or find the course you like in English, then it’s totally worth applying there!
I do have a little job alongside my studies. I personally think that, for a student, it’s the best job I could ask for. I get paid for writing my own notes for my own I write all the notes that we need to know, submit all notes two lessons in advance (that’s the tricky bit as it’s up to me to decide what’s relevant before receiving any confirmation), it’s published and then I get paid!
I would love to earn money from blogging when I finish uni, or even beforehand! I wouldn’t see blogging as a career but I think when I have children (I like thinking ahead), it would be a great source of income to fall back on if I need to stay at home or am unable to work anymore.
What I miss most about life in the UK is money saving. Since 14, I have been applying to freebies, learning to use cashback apps etc. but the moment I moved abroad none of this applied anymore! I haven’t found cool money saving hacks here really, so rely solely on money makers that I can do online internationally; mainly surveys
It’s difficult for me to judge the difference between the cost of living in UK and abroad really. Firstly, there’s the conversion rate that’s always changing so that makes it hard to find the “equivalent” cost in pounds. Secondly, I never lived independently in the UK so never appreciated the cost of rent or food bill etc. It’s all new and it all started abroad. I must admit I still am not aware of the cost of water bills or electricity as that’s all included in my rent, so it shall be a surprise when I return to the UK
As I mention before, I don’t manage to save money as easily so focus more on making money. As I mentioned before I have my job but have also done some freelance jobs editing posts, working on their SEO and making thumbnail pictures for posts. I also sometimes do babysitting/English tutoring and surveys
The biggest money saving tip I’d give to students is to not associate saving money as “not living.” Do all the things you were planning to do anyway: go out drinking, buying clothes etc. except try and find a way to reduce these costs. Make use of your student discounts, treat yourself to some fancy food but just check the reduced sections first, have a shopping spree on Amazon but try earn some gift cards via surveys first. Things like that. They tend to get excited with their student loan (which I don’t have either) and then just go mad! Don’t stop living, just be careful how you live. It’s a good habit to get into for the future when you are more restricted financially.
In this Guest Post, Franceca from ‘From Pennies to Pounds’ talks about why an emergency fund is a necessity for financial security and how you can start building yours – even if you don’t think you have any spare cash. Make sure you check out her blog for advice on debt, making extra cash and saving money too. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Most people tend to think that they are doing well with their finances, that is, until they are not. Emergencies pop up throughout life, and if you are not prepared financially to deal with these, it could lead to a lot of stress and unnecessary debt.
An emergency fund is quite simply, a fund for an emergency. I believe that it is an essential part of managing your finances that everyone should have just in case. Anti-debt charity Step Change says that, if every household in the UK had £1,000 saved, it would reduce the number falling into problem debt by half a million.
An emergency fund isn’t there to dip in to whenever you spot something that you would quite like to buy – it should rarely be touched. If you think that you would be tempted into dipping into it for other things, make sure you set up separate accounts for things that you will want to spend your money on.
I’ve learnt through my studying at Uni that us human beings find it quite hard to look into the future. There have been studies that show that people would rather have money straight away, even if they know that they could have lots more further down the line. This is the same for emergency funds and any savings really – if you have it stored somewhere with high interest rates, it will grow bigger over time.
Picture this – you lose your job. No warning, or maybe you have to take a lot of sick leave. When this happens, your car breaks down. And then your washing machine. They say that bad luck comes in threes! Typically, when you have no spare income, things will probably start to break on you. It’s rarely just one problem either, and these can quickly escalate.
For your loved ones. Emergencies aren’t just limited to yourself – if a member of your family or friend has something bad happen, chances are that you will want to help and need funds on hand quickly.
If there’s something that is a good thing to avoid, it’s the feeling of stress and worry.
Imagine you have a real emergency come up, and instead of descending into panic and the feeling of dread, you breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you have money in your emergency fund that will cover it.
There are varying amounts that are batted about, it could be anything that makes you feel comfortable though. A good amount would be a few months worth of expenses in case you lost your job – so the bare minimum that you would have to pay each month to get by.
Dave Ramsey, a US favourite for financial management, suggests that you create an emergency fund of $1000. I think that this is a good amount to start off with – I want to build up a £1000 emergency fund personally.
If you lost your job, an unfortunate effect of this can be you being unable to find another job for months. Hopefully, you will be able to get one straight away, but even if you do – it’s unlikely that they will pay you in the first month.
If you would like to save a lot of money quickly, bear in mind that this may not be possible. If you put too much money in your savings, you may find that you need it for something else and withdraw it – which is no good for reaching your goal.
Don’t set an unreasonable goal because you can run out of steam quickly and get de-motivated. It may be easier for you to break down your goal into chunks – say £10 a week. That’s much easier than looking at your £1000 or whichever amount you’ve chosen. However, don’t set the amount too low!
First off, you should create a budget. I am a huge fan of budgeting, even though it usually meets a lot of resistance whenever you mention it to people. I think it stems from when you hear people say “Sorry, I can’t do that, because I’m on a tight budget” – now a tight budget is not the same as a budget!
When creating your budget, the first step is to list all of your expenses. If you are unsure what these are, the easiest thing to do is to check your internet banking as it will list all of your direct debits and the dates that they come out. You can also go back through your internet banking or bank statements to see what you spend on variable expenses – such as food shopping.
Studies have shown that when people try and guess how much they spend on things, they are usually way off the mark!
Once you have listed all of your expenses (don’t forget things like birthdays, insurance that you pay annually etc), list all of your income. Your income minus your expenses is how much you are able to save! Lots of personal finance bloggers recommend saving money first, but I recommend to get your essential expenses as low as possible, and then you can see how much you have left to save/live on.
If you don’t have a lot of money left after doing your income minus expenses, you may want to think about earning some extra money on the side. You could get an additional job in the evenings or weekends, or do some things on the side such as dog sitting or mystery shopping.
Today I have guest post from Nikki who blogs about her life as a full time comper at www.glamandgeekymum.com
Here she shares a typical day in the life of a comper, how it fits around her family and some top tips for anyone looking to get started with this lucrative hobby.
I’m whats known as a comper. Not someone who gets lots of complementary freebies at hotels or casinos – but someone who enters lots of competitions! I’d like to think I’m a moderately successful one too, but I’ll let you judge for yourself! From winning holidays, Playstations to experiences like chocolate making workshops – winning all these prizes give me the opportunity to do things I wouldn’t be able to do with my usual budget. I’m often asked how do you win so much, so I’m here with a post all about my daily comping routine!
Having three kids (one of which has additional needs) means my comping time can be limited. I’ve come up with a schedule that works for me and my family and still seems to bring in the prizes (which are always welcome!). Having a lot of medical appointments for my eldest means I need to be flexible sometimes but comping is just that. Entirely flexible and there is no right or wrong way to enter competitions!
Once the eldest has gone to school and the youngest has her first nap of the day that’s the start of my comping day. I use this time to have a flick through my favourite competition listing site competition database and enter as many of these as I can. This is the core of any of my comping routine and I always try to get through these first before I attempt anything else.
I have to admit although I prioritize this, it’s definitley not the best way to win lots of competitions, The reason for this is that 1000s of other compers will be on this website also entering the same competitions. This greatly reduces the chances of winning. It doesn’t however mean you wont win so I still like to include it. Also it’s a very hassle free easy way to enter lots of competitions quickly without any effort. It also allows for distractions such as the 3-year-old deciding she wants a dance party with me or the 1-year-old waking up suddenly!
Straight after lunch it’s time for an hour-long nursery run (deep joy!) But once back it’s usually time for the youngest second nap of the day. Provided I’ve managed to get some house work done I’ll usually jump on my laptop at this point and start having a look for some creative competitions. I usually bookmark these on my browser to come back later. If I’ve already got some bookmarked I’ll get started brainstorming and jotting down in my notepad what I’m going to do for my entry.
I do love competitions that require a little bit of creative effort. I particularly like it when they include the children in some way. Whether it’s making a video together or something simple like a drawing competition. It’s a great bonding experience and it gives them the opportunity to also be creative. I will usually do these as and when we have the time around nursery, school and medical appointments.
Once the kids are in bed and the housework has been done this is where the real fun starts! I’m currently very lucky to have all three children sleeping through the night which means I can dedicate most of my evenings to comping.
First task of the evening is to finish off any entries on competition database that are ending that day. I like to filter by prize amount making sure I enter the highest value prizes first to make sure I don’t miss any. I will always make sure I get the big prizes entered and then if I’ve got time I’ll go through the smaller prizes entering the ones I’d like to win.
One this is done it’s over to my facebook. I’m lucky enough to belong to some excellent comping groups which share a lot of competitions. I scour through and enter any I like the look of as well as bookmark any that will require an effort entry for me to fit in at some other point. Once I’ve had enough of looking at my comping groups I then pick up my Compers News magazine. This is a monthly magazine that you can subscribe to with a wealth of information on comping as well as listings of several competitons too.
The final part of my comping routine of the day is probably also my favorite. On the days I have enough time and energy I go looking for my own competitions. This means finding competitions that are not listed on a competition listing website. I love finding these type of competitions as typically they wont have anywhere near as many entries. This means a much higher chance of winning. The other benefit to finding your own comps is sharing them with your comping groups. I feel this gives me a little bit of comping karma- besides it’s only fair to share competitions back to a group that I’ve been actively entering competitions from!
There are several ways to find your own competitions, but by far my favourite is Tweetdeck. Tweetdeck is a powerful organisational tool for twitter users enabling you to view several timelines in one simple interface. Most importantly with the right working knowledge of it you can use it to quickly filter through a huge amount of information to find not only twitter competitions; but instagram, facebook and web entry competitions too. If you’re interested in learning more about how to use Tweetdeck there will be a ‘how to’ guide launching soon on my blog.
So that’s it! a typical days comping for me. If you think that sounds like a lot of work then you’re not wrong. Entering a few small competitions here and there isn’t going to win you a lot of prizes ( but it might still win you some!). I started off small and worked my way up to the routine I have today. There’s always days that I can’t follow this routine and that’s ok. The reason I love comping is it’s a fantastic hobby. I love finding and entering competitions and the buzz I get from winning is fantastic. Comping has allowe me to pay for christmas and birthdays as well as experince things I wouldn’t have otherwise afforded to. If i have days when i dont get the chance to enter as many as I’d like that’s ok as there’s always tomorrow!
If you’re reading this and thinking ‘this is great, how do I get in on this action?’ carry on reading for my top 5 tips for getting started in comping!
Finding a comping group is a great start to this hobby. You could look on Facebook or join a comping forum such as MSEs or Loquax. There are loads out there and they will contain a wealth of information and competitions. Most will have very helpful members who will be able to answer any questions you may have!
This is particularly important. As you enter competitions you will notice that a lot of them may require you to sign up to a newsletter. That or you accidentally miss the tick box and end up agreeing to receive junk mail. Having a dedicated email means your normal inbox wont be getting clogged up with possible junk mail. It also means you wont miss an important winning email!
ALWAYS read the terms and conditions. This is especialy important on effort competitions or prizes of large value. If it’s a holiday are there required dates to take it? does it include flights? does the prize require collection? If it’s an effort competition how are the winners picked? I could probably write an entire blog post dedicated just to this subject so I’ll just leave this point as make sure you read them!!
Entering many different types of competitions, across many different platforms has worked best for me in terms of winning. Don’t just stick to entering competitions on facebook, or twitter or Instagram. Look for chances to enter anywhere you can. I found when I went out of my comfort zone and started entering competitions that required more effort I started to win more!
It could be 1 day, it could be 3 months (or even longer!) until you get your first win. Typically when you first start entering competitions it may be some time until you get your first win. This is usually because you’re not entering as many whilst you figure out what you’re doing. Or maybe you’re not finding as many low entry competitions. You will have dry spells where you don’t win anything but the key here is persistence you will win eventually!
If you want to see more of what I win then please check out more of my blog. I update monthly with what I’ve won and how I’ve won the prizes!
As most of my regular readers will know by now, I love spending as little money as possible on my monthly groceries shop. I try to stick to a budget of around £50 per month. I am able to do this by picking up reduced items, shopping around and making cheap meals.
When I started following Reduced Grub on Twitter I felt like I’d found a kindred spirit. Kelly loves grabbing food from the reduced section and turning it into mouthwatering meals. Her website is full of fantastic recipes she has created for very little money and that look like they came straight out of a restaurant kitchen. Kelly also posts loads of great hints and tips over on her twitter page, like how to make a sauce from the last bits in the bottom of a peanut butter jar.
While sticking to a tight food budget, I still like to try and sneak a few treats. There are some higher end products that I absolutely love, such as Hotel Chocolat, Krispy Kreme Donuts and Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream. You can find my post for Reduced Grub all about how save on these items here.
How we cut our food bill down to just £50 a month
Looking to save money on the weekly shop? Find all my supermarket savings hacks here
