MONEY SAVING TIPS

As the cost of living continues to rise, try our money saving tips to get more organised, reduce your spending and discover alternatives options.

Getting Organised - Take a stock take of everything in your cupboards, fridge and freezer to make an accurate list. Make a meal plan for the next 7 days as this can help you list extra’s you need to make a full meal, avoid buying something you already have plenty of. It can also help to identify any food that is getting close to it’s use by date to avoid any wastage.

- Avoid going shopping when you’re hungry as your attention can sometimes wander to sweet treats. Remember, supermarkets want you to spend more money so they promote and place products in key locations to tempt you to buy on impulse. Only buy what’s on your shopping list or you’ll regret it at the till.

- Most supermarkets now have a loyalty/offer scheme. Keep an eye out for any time limited vouchers or offers but don’t be fooled by the spend £x to get £x off. While you may save money, they are forcing you to spend more than usual.

- Buddy up with your friends & family and go shopping together. This can help share the travel costs and bulk buy offers can be split between you so everyone benefits from the saving.

- Shopping with a buddy can also help you identify brands you may not have tried before. Set yourself a challenge to only buy own brand/own labels products for one week. We can get stuck in a routine of only buying a specific brand product when other alternatives are available which can sometimes save you a considerable amount of money. Try the own brands/labels and see if you can notice the difference. Other than the label and price, a large majority of products are made in the same factory so you may be surprised that you don’t notice any difference in taste but are managing to save money every week.

Don’t let anything go to waste

- Every time you take a stock take you may find food that needs using up quickly.

Think about batch cooking several meals and freeze them . If it’s vegetables that are looking a bit limp, why not make your own soup, stock or pasta sauce.

When soft fruit such as berries start to turn soft, whizz them into smoothies and have them as a power breakfast or a yogurt topping.

- Fresh food can be frozen right up to the use-by date. Cheese, milk, eggs, bread, pasta and fresh herbs can be frozen in usable portion sizes to prevent waste. Freezing meat on the day of purchase and taking it out as and when you need it is a good habit to get into. Just make sure you wrap it in freezer bags or freezer-proof plastic boxes to prevent freezer burn.

- Label products before putting them in the freezer with the date and what they are, so they can be easily identified. Get a freezer-safe marker pen to make sure you can mark your meals clearly. - Ensure meat, fish or prepared dishes are thoroughly defrosted before cooking or reheating.

Vegetables and fruit are usually best cooked straight from frozen. Defrost food in the fridge overnight to completely thaw it. Avoid leaving it at room temperature. - Vegetables and fruits with a high water content (such as tomatoes and strawberries) may be better puréed before freezing, particularly if that’s what you plan to do with them in the long run. - The day you buy a loaf of good bread, slice whatever you won’t eat for lunch and freeze it in a resealable bag. Toast slices directly from the freezer when the urge strikes. Any stale bread, buns or rolls can also be used in a bread and butter pudding or whizzed into breadcrumbs and frozen.

Being Travel Smart

- Filling up when you get your supermarket shop can bring benefits - a litre of petrol at supermarkets typically costs a few pence less than at other fuel forecourts and reward points can be used for your food shopping. - While there's no harm in using super unleaded, there's usually no benefit either – unless you drive a high-performance or imported car that specifically requires it. - Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure as stated in the car's handbook (or often on a sticker on the driver's door pillar). Under inflated tyres develop more rolling resistance than correctly inflated tyres, so your engine has to work slightly harder . - Only buy what fuel you need as filling up a full tank can add considerable additional weight. Imagine the weight of 40 litres of bottled water in your boot. Also have a tidy up and remove anything that could be adding excess weight. - Choose between opening windows or air conditioning. When driving on the motorway, air con is most efficient as open windows can cause additional drag due to the speeds being travelled. However, in local driving where speeds are up to 30mph, crack open a window as this won’t generate drag and air con can is the biggest sapping item of equipment in most modern cars. - If you’re travelling somewhere you’re unfamiliar with, make sure you have planned your route well to stop you from getting lost and wasting fuel. Sat navs apps on your phone or a dedicated device, will show you the quickest route to your destination.

Email our Psychics for guidance…