Tag: saving

How to save money when shopping for tech

How to save money when shopping for tech

Most of us wouldn’t be able to run our lives nearly as effectively without the use of technology. From smartphones that keep us in touch and help us to make notes, plan schedules and even monitor who’s calling at our homes to computers and laptops that enable us to earn a living, there’s a real need for technology in everyday life.

Of course, tech devices are by no means cheap and it can be a struggle to find the money to replace them when there’s a need to do so. The good news is, there are several things you can do to save money when shopping for tech as you’ll see below:

Try fixing it instead

If you’re in the market for a new piece of technology, you may find that it’s cheaper to try fixing it first instead. It won’t always be possible, but there are lots of issues, like internet problems on your MacBook or a computer that won’t boot that you can fix yourself at home, and many more troubles such as cracked screens and jammed buttons that you can have a professional fix for you. If it’s cheaper to fix than buy new, do that and you could save a lot of money.

Buy online

It’s not always the case, so do check before you buy, but it’s often cheaper to buy electrical goods online than it is in person from a bricks & mortar outlet. This is because the companies selling phones and laptops, etc., won’t have to factor in the costs of running a shop so they can afford to offer you much lower prices overall.

Consider a refurbished device

Refurbished devices are always cheaper than brand new tech, and often it’s hard to tell the difference between the two. Refurbished devices have usually been sent back to the manufacturer due to a fault. The fault is then repaired by the experts and the device is resold at a discount, many even come with warranties, so it’s pretty silly to buy new if you have the option to buy refurbished instead. No one but you will know!

Know what you need

You can save money by buying tech that meets your specifications without unnecessarily exceeding them. So, whenever you need to buy a new device, work out what functions and features you need and spend some time finding a device that offers them without offering lots of fancy extras. By doing so, you’ll almost certainly be able to save money.

Trade-in your existing tech

Even if your existing phone or tablet is no longer working, you can almost certainly make a little money by trading it in for a lower price on a new device. If it’s in good working order, then you may get more money by selling it on to someone else via Facebook Marketplace, eBay or similar.

When it comes to saving money on tech, there are lots of things you can do to make it happen, so never spend more than necessary!

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4 invaluable ways to save money on your home costs

4 invaluable ways to save money on your home costs

There are so many costs for the average home, and a lot of people find that they end up struggling to make it all work out. If you’re in a position where you’re genuinely struggling to keep your outgoings down, then you might be keen to look out for some alternative ways to do just that. The good news is that it’s more or less always possible to save money on your home costs, as long as you think outside of the box and try new methods for doing so. In this post, we’ll take you through some of the best of these to try out for yourself.

Illustration of a bulb and a hand at a light switch

Turn it off

If you’re keen to save money, it’s always worth remembering that it’s actually the small and apparently insignificant changes that add up to make a considerable difference. For instance, if you’re trying to reduce your energy bills, you’ll find that you can do that simply by making a point of turning things off when you’re not using them. Leaving your computer on all night, for instance, drains a lot of energy and ends up costing you a lot more over the course of a year.

Electricity illustration

Switch energy supplier

Sometimes you can lower your costs by just changing who it is that provides your energy. If you’ve not checked in a while, you might not realise that there are many other cheaper tariffs out there, and it’s definitely worthwhile looking, especially if you’re now out of contract with your current provider. Often, it’s worthwhile even if the contract is still running, but be sure to double-check any exit fees they might have. Finding a cheap energy provider can really release a lot of the burden of energy costs.

Illustration of a man having a bubble bath

Be water-conscious

People often think of water as practically free, however, if you’re living in an area where your water use is metered, you’re obviously going to be able to save money simply by being a little more water-conscious. Ask yourself whether your garden plants really need another water today or if you could reduce your showers by five minutes each time. These are really going to make a huge difference, so it’s definitely something you’re going to want to think about if you’re keen to save a lot of money on water.

Illustration of a painter/decorator

Go DIY

When you need home improvements to be carried out, try to do as many of the jobs yourself as you can. You’ll find that it’s often not actually necessary to call in the professionals, and instead you’d be able to get a lot done simply by tackling the task yourself. What’s more, you’ll be learning along the way, which means you’ll improve your skills and be able to attend to more & more DIY projects in the future. This will likely save you a huge amount of money in the long run.

Do you have any tips you can share on reducing your household bills?

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Ways to prepare for the future by saving money

Ways to prepare for the future by saving money

Everyone is looking for ways to keep stress about money away. Everyone is also looking for ways that they can retire and not have to worry about anything. In order to have a safe and secure retirement, there are a few things you need to do first. Here are five things you can do now so that you can prepare for the future and have a great retirement.

Retirement fund

Think about your retirement plan

This is the first place you need to start. How much do you need to retire? How long will it take you to amass that amount of money? Where do you want to live when you retire? How much do you get paid now? Putting all of these things together will help you determine your retirement plan. Once you have that figured out, everything else will fall into place easily.

Piggy bank

Start saving a little amount each pay day

This isn’t something that you should start doing in a month, or in two months time. This is something you should start today. If you have a spare £10 laying around, stick it in a piggy bank and put it somewhere safe. This will be the beginning of your fund. This is one of the best ways to start preparing for retirement. Also, an important note you should think about is to not touch these savings unless it’s an absolute necessity. These funds are for your retirement and should only be used if an unforeseen emergency arises with your home or family.

Debt

Avoid debt at all costs

Try paying off those student loans, credit card bills and car repayments as quickly as you can. You don’t want to have lenders coming at you when you’re approaching retirement. You’ve worked very hard to build up what money you’ve saved. You shouldn’t have to turn around and give it to someone else. You’re entitled to a comfortable retirement. In order to achieve the retirement you deserve, you’ll need to stay on top of the bills and debts that you may have.

Shopping

Wait a few days before buying

If this tip seems vague, let us explain. You might be in a shop or on a website and spot an item that you really want. When you see something you desire, sometimes you don’t consider the price or the toll this object will have on you financially. If you want to buy something, give it a few days. Think about how often you’ll use this item. Do you still want the item as much as you did when you first saw it? Frequently, these are just impulses and the craving will fade in time. But if you still want or need the item after a few days, you can buy it guilt-free because you’ve paused, thought about it and still want it as much as you did at the time.

Men's clothes shop

Buy higher quality

Higher quality is going to cost more, but it will  save you money in the long run. You can buy a cheap shirt for £5 right now, but after a few times wearing it, you’ll need to buy another shirt. However, if you buy a shirt that costs about £50, you probably won’t need to buy another shirt for years. This also goes for electronics, appliances, mattresses, cars and even homewares. If you spend money on higher quality now, you’ll still have that item years down the road. It might be harder to outlay the money now, but it will help you later in life.

There are a lot of ways that you can prepare for your retirement. Talking to your employer about benefits, setting up a 401k, and even more ways than you can begin to imagine. These five options are some of the easiest and cheapest ways you can start saving money to set up a comfortable life for yourself in the future. Trust us, you’ll be thanking yourself for following these steps once your retirement finally kicks in.

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Your guide to saving money each month

Your guide to saving money each month | H is for Home

Most people have one thing in common: we’d all like to save a little more money. But with the cost of living on the rise and the average income always struggling to keep up, saving money isn’t always a top priority.

However, although many of us are feeling the pinch, there are ways that you can save a little more money each month. Whether that’s saving for a rainy day, saving for a holiday, a house deposit or just so you have a little breathing room in your bank account in case you have a sudden unexpected expense, saving is something everyone should try to do. Wondering how it can be done? Read on for a simple guide to saving money each month.

Invest money in ISAs

Check out a stocks and shares ISA

Saving is one thing, but actually making your savings work for you is something else you should consider. A stocks and shares ISA from Wealthify is a great way to get the most out of your money – over time your investment or savings gain interest and you don’t pay a penny in tax. You can save/invest as much as £20,000 each year, so click the link to find out more.

Hand holding a coin

Pay yourself first

Many of us consider savings as more of an afterthought. We’ll pay all our bills, have some set aside to enjoy a treat or two and then whatever is left we might save or allow to roll over into next month’s funds. This attitude to saving usually means that progress is slow, which again makes us feel discouraged to save anything at all! Next time you get paid, consider saving as high a priority as paying your bills. Therefore, pay yourself first. Whether it’s £10 or £200, as long as you dedicate yourself to saving, you’ll make progress.

Checking prices on a mobile phone

Use price comparison websites

They’re advertised constantly, so there are plenty of sites from which to choose. From your insurance policies to your utility bills, broadband and mobile phone providers, if you haven’t compared prices in the last 12 months, start now.

Cancel unused direct debits

Cancel unused direct debits

Many of us are paying for a monthly service that we don’t even use. From gym memberships to online magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Go through your monthly expenses and cancel anything that you don’t want, need, or use. It’ll free up some extra cash that you can put directly into your savings.

Supermarket shelves

Plan your weekly meals

Food is a huge expense. So, never hit the supermarket without a menu in mind and a shopping list. It prevents any unexpected surprises at the till and unnecessary food wastage in the bin.

Follow these tips and you’ll find that you’re saving money each month without too much effort.

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