Finance Round-up: Saving the pounds

We all know the saying – “Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.” It’s a nice thought that just by saving a few pennies here and there it will make a big difference to our finances. Sadly times have moved on and with inflation we need to be thinking about saving pounds now. Whatever our income level and lifestyle we can all find an extra way to save some money each month.

To kick things off we turn to Cass from Diary of a Frugal Family who reveals the five habits that are leaving us with no money at the end of month. Cass has realised that most of this comes down to planning or lack of it. She has found that many us have no idea exactly what we spend each month and don’t make allowances for events such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Do you pay for most things on credit and debit cards? Have you any idea of what you spend on your supermarket shop or takeout coffee? If you find it difficult to keep track of what you spend then Emma from Emma’s Savvy Savings has been trialing a new app. The clever thing about it is that it breaks down your spending into categories so you know exactly where and what you have been spending your money on.

One way to save money is to commit to the physical act of putting money into a savings account each. Rebecca from All about u has started doing this since the new year and found it has helped her already build up a substantial amount in preparation for Christmas. Another great tip to find some extra money is to apply for the Marriage Allowance if eligible. If you are legally married or in a civil partnership and one of you doesn’t earn enough to take up the full tax-free earnings allowance for the year you can pass on the extra allowance to your spouse or partner.

Whilst many of know we should be cutting back in order to save money for some of us we need that extra motivation. Becky from Family Budgeting has suggested some ways to save in order to boost that holiday fund. If you swear by buying brand name groceries each week try swapping one at the time and see the savings build up.

Finally, Mummy vs Work has been investigating the world of matched betting. It’s something I’ve only heard of recently but seems to have become a popular and fun way to make some money. As you are betting can you really win? Is it a mug’s game, a scam or a safe and easy to make some money? Find out how she got on.

What things do you think you could do to save some money? Have you got a favourite way of making a little extra cash? If you would like to be featured in a future round-up contact me through my Facebook page or via Twitter.