There are so many phrases that are flung around when it comes to talking about money and saving. None of them sound much fun, which I think is half the problem when it comes to needing to save up or cut down on your spending.
Tightening your purse strings, cutting corners, every penny counts, waste not want not. I’m bored just by typing them out.
I think it was Sophia Amoruso who said “Money looks better in your bank than on your feet”. Clearly she has never owned a pair of Louboutins. (Never have I TBH, but one day…….)
What I wanted to do today is share some tips that you can incorporate into your everyday life that will save you money and also cut down on your spending in the long run.
So let’s start with the fun tip to begin:
Go shopping to save more
Yes. I did tell you to go shopping in order to save money.
Every day on my lunch break I walk into town to look around the shops.
Whoever you are, there are always things in your life that are the staples that you use time and time. Skincare, haircare, makeup. It can be anything really that you use on a regular basis. The rule is simple, regardless of whether you need one or not, if it is on sale at a great price, buy it. But only if it is something that you use regularly.
That does not mean that new shade of nail varnish that Sally Hansen brought out that you are convinced you will wear all the time. This means the moisturiser that works for your skin that you use every day. The BB cream that brightens up a tired work day face. The expensive shampoo/conditioner that you love but is now on three for two.
This will not only save you money in the long run. It also enables you to continue using the products that you love, keeping that extra luxury, but at a more affordable price.
For example, I love John Frieda products (not a recommendation, everyone’s hair works better with different products. I like the range for what it does to my hair, but also that there are a wide range of products).
So, my staples from the range are the regular shampoo, conditioner, the blonde shampoo and conditioner, the hair serum and the frizz ease product (I do recommend that last one for anybody, I love it).
All of that costs £37.00. Not cheap. Buying them in bulk on three for two means I buy two of everything (£74.00). Averaging the price of each item at £6.17, knocking four products off I get for free, means the price goes down to an average of £4.11, £49.16 total. A saving of nearly £25.00.
I can justify a price of £4.11 per product much more than £6.17.
Store Advantage Cards
Get them. Get them all and use them. But don’t just get the card, download the app. Stores like Boots regularly have an offer such as extra points when you spend a certain amount of money, or things like double points on certain products.
But again, only buy what you need and ideally, try to use these offers in conjunction with the offers already on in store, such as three for two.
I try my best to save these points for Christmas year which I can then use to buy presents, perfume, that Clinique moisturiser I love that is NEVER on sale. Last year I had saved £90.00 worth of points.
Go Through a Cashback Site Online
Every time I go online now, even when I am not intending to purchase something; I open up a tab with my go to cashback site provider, in my case, TopCashBack. A lot of the cashback you get can be minimal, like 2% on purchases at a clothing store; but it does add to your total.
What you can really make money on are the larger purchases that you need to buy every day. Home insurance, car insurance, holidays. Everything you buy on the internet, you can usually get some form of cashback on.
Recently I needed to renew my VPN. Instead of paying £120.00, I ended up paying £60.00 with the offer, plus 55% cash back. Meaning that instead of paying £120.00, I will have spent around £36.00.
Over the past couple of years, even with forgetting sometimes to use the site, I have got £275.00 in cashback. That’s nearly one Louboutin right there. Or a good payment towards a holiday (whenever we get to go away again).
Save Your Change
When I first thought about saving the cash in my purse, I started with saving pound coins and fifty pence pieces. Don’t do this. Because at the end of the month I inevitably opened up my savings jar to raid the money to pay for my lunches for the week before payday.
Instead, do this. Save only silver. Every few days when you come home from work, open your purse and spread out your coins. Put back the pound coins and the fifty pence pieces (unless you have a lot). Put away in your savings any tens, twenties and fives.
Today I put away 85p. Not a lot, but it adds up. Every few months I accumulate around £40 - 50.00.
For the Product Lovers
Again, another fun one. Subscribe to a beauty box. There are many out there, I am currently with Glossybox and pay £11.75 a month.
Most boxes have a minimum value of £50.00 worth of products, sometimes I have had a box worth over £100.00. Last month I got a face serum worth £43. Another month I received an Illamasqua highlighter worth £27.00.
My skincare has definitely improved with the products that I have received and saves you buying items at the regular price. I can’t remember the last time for example I needed to buy face serum.
What I love is that they also put up regular short surveys for the products that you receive. which then gives you credit to spend. Again, it all adds up.
Click on this link to subscribe (if you wish, I am not pushing you) and you will receive £5 credit which you can then spend on the Look Fantastic site.
I know that this has been a long post, but I hope that it helps someone like me who likes the nice products in life, but would like to cut down on spending.
If you use all of these tips in your life, you will save a decent amount of money in the long run. That first pair of Louboutins may not be that far away!
I was not paid to write this piece, all comments and suggestions are my own