7 Money saving tips

7 money-saving hacks you will wish you knew about sooner

Sometimes staying on top of your finances can seem like an unmanageable task. There’s always missing paperwork and hidden costs, or even worse, something unexpected you have to cough up for. But with a little bit of forward planning, you can learn to stay on top of your money before it gets out of hand. From easy money-saving household hacks to knowing when you deserve compensation, here are some of the savvy adjustments you can make this week.

Maintain appliances to save on bills

The seals around refrigerator and freezer doors need to be replaced periodically to avoid energy loss. Test for a tight seal by closing the door on a banknote. If you can pull the note out, the seal needs replacing, and your money is being wasted on an inflated energy bill. And keep your tumble dryer vent clean and free from blockage at all times. A clogged dryer vent reduces the appliance’s energy efficiency and could cause a fire.

Do laundry zipped up

Always zip up jeans and other garments that have metal zippers before laundering them. Those little metal teeth are like miniature chainsaws, tearing up and ruining other clothing in the washer and dryer.

Nail the shop layout

You probably already realise that every item on a shop shelf has been specifically placed there to get you to buy more. New research from logistics specialist Whistl shows 60–70% of what we buy is unplanned and the chances are, the retailer has played a part in getting you to impulse buy.

For instance, retailers ‘hide away’ essential items such as milk and bread at the back of the shop so that you are forced to walk along the rest of the aisles to get to it – and past shelves laden with enticing special offers and other goodies.

When your car goes to pot, seek compensation

Potholes have cost UK councils more than £3.7million in compensation in the last 18 months, says the AA. While it costs £39.80 to repair the average pothole, the cost of repairing the car is £140-plus, finds Citroen UK. Hitting a deep pothole, even at quite a slow speed, can damage steering alignment, tyres and wheels. It may not be worth an insurance claim, but you might get compensation from the local council. To make a claim, you’ll need to provide details of the location, the size of the pothole – take a photo with a familiar object in the shot to give a sense of scale – as well as copies of all repair quotes and receipts. For more information click here.

Figures show that people with a credit card balance of £2,000 who repay only the minimum amount each month will take 22 years to clear the debt – and will be charged an extra £2,275 in interest along the way. Avoid these charges by moving your debt to a credit card that offers an interest-free deal.

Check lockdown return policies

Have your beloved GHD hair straighteners died a slow death? Well, don’t throw those bad boys in the bin – you can get paid to recycle them and earn some cash towards a new set. Websites such as GHD Spares, for instance, specialise in spares and repairs, and will pay as much as £10 for a broken set. Similarly, recycle any qualifying Apple device online or at an Apple Store and you’ll receive a gift card.

The retailer will either refurbish the device for resale, or recycle its materials responsibly to be reused. Not all Macs qualify though – only models from 2007 onwards are eligible. However, it is important that you do your maths in advance as Apple certainly doesn’t necessarily pay the highest rates –and you might be able to find a better deal by selling on eBay.

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