Money Savvy - Money Mum discusses finances and economising for families

Money Savvy

Gemma Bird aka 'Money Mum' continues her crusade to drop the shame around discussing finances and economising. Here are her top tips!

Digital content creator, author & Mum of two, Gemma Bird helps others to save money with her practical and savvy money-saving tips which have made her a social media sensation. With 286k followers on Instagram and over 68k on TikTok, Gemma’s legions of fans can’t get enough of her helpful and relatable advice! So here are a few of Gemma's top tips to get you started.

£ Check out 'Kids Pass' – it's the no.1 family savings membership club in the UK and offers up to 57% off family days out and has some great Free Trial offers.

£ When selling your unwanted items on eBay especially children's clothes, maximise your selling potential by ironing the items nicely and hanging them on matching wooden hangers. Always use the full free 12 photos allowance with close-ups of any logos and photograph your items in natural light.

£ Review your subscriptions – is there anything you can do without or aren’t using?

£ Be sure to join loyalty schemes – not just for supermarkets but for your favourite coffee shops.

£ When grocery shopping – grab a scanner if your local supermarket offers them. It’s also too easy to guesstimate your overall bill wrongly and throw items in the trolley without realising the price. The scanner will help you stay on budget.

£ Invest in good-quality backpacks for you and the kids to carry water bottles and snacks for days out.

£ Parking on days out can be expensive, so I use Your Parking Space app – it tracks where you are and finds cheaper parking alternatives. I recently spent £3 instead of £10 on parking in Devon and Southend just by using this app. £ Check your cereal packets before you recycle them – there are often money-off vouchers for activities. Free apps like Too Good To Go allow you to purchase unsold food at a big discount from top eateries at the end of service; it prevents it being thrown away.

Money Mum is actively instigating change, dropping the perceived shame and secrecy around being strapped for cash, in debt or economising and saving, challenging peer pressure and anxietyinducing financial choices. She says, “There is a pride & empowerment that comes with being in control of your money”. Gemma is also an advocate for Money Management classes to be included in UK school’s National Curriculum. She believes introducing an understanding of good financial choices early is key: “If we change our mindset from short-term cure to long term prevention, we will become the change we want to see in our world”. Gemma Bird’s book ‘Money Mum Official - Save Yourself Happy’ is Out Now, with a new book launch coming soon too. For instant tips and tricks follow her at: tiktok.com/@moneymumofficial or instagram.com/moneymumofficial