Work out how to save money on household bills
Think about expenses such as your phone bill, utility provider and broadband. Is there a way you could reduce the cost of your bills?
For example, many people save money when they have a water meter. You may also find that you’re paying more than you need on monthly contracts such as your mobile phone and broadband. If that’s the case, you could potentially get a cheaper service elsewhere.
Budgeting tip: With utilities, make sure you’ve budgeted for the amount you’re actually spending, rather than the estimated amount.
Regularly compare what you pay now to what competitors are offering. Check if it’s worth switching to a new service at least once a year. You might be surprised by how much money you could save.
Encourage your family to be energy conscious. It’s a great way of saving on your energy bills, as well as helping the environment. Get them to unplug items when they're not in use, and keep doors and windows closed to retain heat in the colder months.
Save money on food by planning ahead and batch cooking
By planning your meals, you can save time and energy as well as money. Try cooking enough food to cover your meals for a number of days, and freeze it for later.
Get the whole family involved in meal planning. It’ll help your kids understand how to save money and prepare healthy meals.
Before going food shopping, make sure you write a shopping list of what you need. This’ll help to prevent impulse buys because “if it’s not on the list, we don’t need it”.
Budgeting tip: Keep your receipts, and compare what you’re spending against what you expected to spend. Then you can be sure you’re allowing the right amount of your shopping every month.
For more great tips on food shopping on a budget, read our guide on how to save money on meals and your food shopping.
If you ever find yourself struggling to cover the cost of your family meals, emergency help with money and food is available.