Most people can always use a little extra cash. Unfortunately, unless you’re the heir to a fortune, set to receive a large inheritance or be offered a promotion, the chances of increasing your income can be somewhat limited. There are easy eays, however, that you can actually increase your wealth, simply by spending less. Here are some ways that you can do that.
Use Loyalty Cards
Supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco run their own loyalty schemes. Every time you shop you are rewarded with points for every pound that you spend. You can either use these points as cash to pay for your shopping, however Tesco, for example offers 4 x the value of the points if you use them for theme park tickets, cinema tickets, hotels and restaurants, saving you even more!
Pay Less Interest
Check the interest you’re paying on credit cards or loans. Swapping your debt to a 0 percent credit card then you can avoid paying interest – sometimes for up to a year or more.
Light Your Home For Less
By switching to energy saving light bulbs around your home you will see a big reduction in your lighting costs. Although the initial outlay will be slightly more expensive than that of ordinary light bulbs they will last around 12 times longer. As well as saving money you will also reduce your carbon footprint. For every bulb you replace you will save around £9.00 per year.
Save Water
By swapping to a water meter you could save on your water bills. If there are fewer people in your home than there are bedrooms the chances are you could save up to £200 by switching to a meter!
And, because you will be paying for what you use, you will be more mindful of exactly how much water you are using – for baths, showers, wash loads and dishwashers. There are also things such as ‘water hippos’ – which are placed inside the toilet cistern and save up to 3 litres of water per flush – that can reduce your water consumption even further. You could also collect rain water in butts to use for watering the garden.
Unplug Your Electrical Appliances
Some electrical equipment, such as cable TV set top boxes, can use just as much energy when on standby as they do while in us. So, unplug all appliances you can when they’re not in use, or fit timer switches to do so automatically, and reduce your electricity bill.
Take a Packed Lunch to Work
A shop bought lunch can cost up to £6.00 these days so it’s no wonder that more of us are making our own. Taking your lunch to work could save you up to £100.00 a month – that’s a massive saving. Plus you’ll know exactly what’s going into your sandwiches or your salad. And it doesn’t have to be boring – fill your lunch boxes with such tasty delights as pasta with pesto and pine nuts, couscous, brie and walnut salad or falafel with hummus and soon your work mates will be eyeing up your lunch enviously!
Of course, the above suggestions are not going to make you a millionaire overnight. But by adopting are more frugal ifestyle, in general and changing your approach to spending, you will be surprised at how much richer you will find yourself.
http://www.hippo-the-watersaver.co.uk/
www.tesco.com
www.sainsburys.co.uk