The 'Save 12k in 2014' Thread!

geoffers4

Just musing over my top ten tips for saving, if anyone else would like to share theirs?

1. Track every bit of money in/out in a spreadsheet, it's the first step towards keeping to a budget. Here's an example of what we use... link
2. @ldi!...we've more than halved our groceries bill by switching to a 'pile em high' shop...over a year that's around 3 grand saved
3. Drive more gently...petrol is a big bill for us as we're miles from any shops, or work. So well worth squeezing the max out of each gallon
4. Don't buy stuff! Possibly a bit controversial this one...but my motto is don't buy it unless you really need it
5. Christmas on a budget...just following Martin's advice really, so token presents for immediate family only. I do still treat OH though!
6. Free days out... weekends are based around walking the dog to a viewpoint, bike ride to the coast, etc. All free.
7. Credit cards for cashback and interest free purchases. But pay off before interest due.
8. Packed lunch for work. I stay away from the work cafeteria now as the daily lunch, cappucino, cake was really starting to add up massively
9. Pension. Probably the most important type of saving..and it's a tax break and employer puts in too.
10. Be a Switcher. Whether it's electricity, insurance, mobile tariff..anything really, constantly on the look-out for a better deal to switch to.
That's about it. What are your top tips?

YoungBusinessman

Becky_Boo wrote: »

Just realised - for any of those people who pay council tax 10 x monthly rather than over 12 months - there is nothing to pay this month or next! For me that means that I can add £115 extra to the savings pot this month and next :j

Me and oh pay same into joint account for bills each month but taking the £240 council tax money out as spends for our little trip to Paris for valentines!

Wentthedaywell?

geoffers4 wrote: »

Just musing over my top ten tips for saving, if anyone else would like to share theirs?

1. Track every bit of money in/out in a spreadsheet, it's the first step towards keeping to a budget. Here's an example of what we use...
2. @ldi!...we've more than halved our groceries bill by switching to a 'pile em high' shop...over a year that's around 3 grand saved
3. Drive more gently...petrol is a big bill for us as we're miles from any shops, or work. So well worth squeezing the max out of each gallon
4. Don't buy stuff! Possibly a bit controversial this one...but my motto is don't buy it unless you really need it
5. Christmas on a budget...just following Martin's advice really, so token presents for immediate family only. I do still treat OH though!
6. Free days out... weekends are based around walking the dog to a viewpoint, bike ride to the coast, etc. All free.
7. Credit cards for cashback and interest free purchases. But pay off before interest due.
8. Packed lunch for work. I stay away from the work cafeteria now as the daily lunch, cappucino, cake was really starting to add up massively
9. Pension. Probably the most important type of saving..and it's a tax break and employer puts in too.
10. Be a Switcher. Whether it's electricity, insurance, mobile tariff..anything really, constantly on the look-out for a better deal to switch to.
That's about it. What are your top tips?

A great, comprehensive list, geoffers.

I also stopped all memberships of things I don't get corresponding value out of - gym membership (I went about once every couple of months ), National Trust, V&A etc. I am saving about £600 p.a.(I know NT etc is good to support even if you don't visit, but it's a charitable luxury I can't afford at the mo and it's not like taking food out of starving people's mouths).

I've also been a lot more careful about my food spending. Yes to L!dl and Ald! (very pleasantly surprised how good they are) and using up leftovers to make another meal. A roast chicken now does me two meals, a week of sandwiches and a scrummy pie that gets frozen into another four portions. I haven't resorted to making soup out the carcass, but that might be next!

adam68

£2700 target for me!

floella80

Oops, I thought I had handed in my total for Jan but checked, and I hadn't. A;; done now though. #93 £4,305.19. It won't be as high this month, but my savings from before are being counted towards the amount I need to save!

slowlyfading

Spreadsheet updated

TrustyOven

Sold two items on eBay tonight, so that will go towards my Feb total. A nice £7.50 for that. I'll add Council Tax later on, that'd be another £78, and when my salary gets paid in that'd be more money too.

One of the biggest changes for me is that I'm sticking money in an ISA (yes, it has rubbish interest), rather than sticking it in a 0% current account, and the biggest is that I've made sandwiches at home for the last week, which means I've spend about £25 less on food last week.

I've got KMyMoney tracking my expenditure so I'll hopefully see the size of the saving as I progress through the month.

I'm hoping to get as close as I can to the current ISA limit this financial year, but I'm still about £2000 off from that.

Good luck to everyone!

nat21luv

The car is playing up again. This time it needs a new clutch, 2 new tyres and *hopefully* just needs a gearbox oil change as it's really tough to shift gears. My friend who works in a garage has quoted around £250 for the parts and labour as mates rates but that means driving 140 miles to his work. Ill have to ring around for quotes to find out if it's cost effective and then I need to try and see if I can wangle the time to do it this week. It's going to damage the car if I leave it too long and I have students next week. Such a pain

YoungBusinessman

Needing work on your motor is one of the worst most expensive things that pops up at random times. I had a clutch gearbox and steering column all sorted within about 2 months of each other, that stung the savings big time. Feel so skint right now as paid for Paris, can't wait to go on Wednesday. When I'm back next week I'm working 13 days straight, get some money made for march. Need to up income as much as possible which means hardly any Saturdays off. Need most Sundays off as I have a pysical job if I work flat out more than 5 or 6 days I end up shattered for 2 or 3 days all stiff and sore so ends up outdoing any gains of working the Sunday. Hoping I can end this month with enough in bank to cover all of march expenses then look to build that at end of march into April expenses + £x amount above and keep building that up monthly. Looking forward to lighter nights aswel so can work longer days, becoming obsessed with this saving challenge this year, I now have a 5 year plan!

115K

I can't wait until the 19th as it's payday. I'm hoping to put another £800 towards savings.:)

I have two credit cards (0%) with a low balance of £600 and I'm thinking of paying the £200 one off in full after payday as it's easier just to remember about paying one credit card bill.:T

Becky_Boo wrote: »

Just realised - for any of those people who pay council tax 10 x monthly rather than over 12 months - there is nothing to pay this month or next! For me that means that I can add £115 extra to the savings pot this month and next :j

Mine is already spoken for as we have to take the dogs for their annual injections.:D