Saving Money Tips for Autumn

When I first started this blog, many years ago, I was very interested in finding out ways we could save money. It always seemed that we didn't have a lot to show for our joint income, and I wanted to be proactive about changing that. As time progressed, partly due to this blog, we found ourselves in a much better financial position, and although we are not by any means rich, we are certainly a lot more comfortably off than 5 or so years ago. I must admit I'm not quite so hot on money saving these days, since it does take a bit of research and time, but with a recent trip to Florida and some house renovations, it definitely wouldn't hurt to be a little more careful in the run up to Christmas. Here are my top tips - this is more for myself! 

1) Take advantage of 'hot deals' websites  - these are a great place to find discount codes and various other offers, I never buy anything without a code!

2) Look at your direct debits - is there anything going out you don't make use of, or need anymore? For example Amazon Prime or your Sky/Cable subscription? These can easily creep up if you don't keep an eye on them.

3) Sell anything you don't need! I always declutter in the run up to Christmas to make room for more plastic tat, I mean lovely presents, so why not make a few pounds in the process?

4) Shop around. I personally support local business where I can, even if it means paying a bit more. But if that's not possible, then definitely do a bit of research before purchasing - it definitely pays off.

5) If you need to make a bigger purchase, look for 0% payment deals (unless you are about to take out a new mortgage or something in which case you probably wouldn't want to take on extra credit!).

6) Certain things I always buy second hand - football boots and wellies are prime examples. They get trashed pretty much instantly anyway, so where's the harm?

7) Look at things like energy providers -  use compare websites to see if you can get cheaper deals.

8) Investigate current accounts that have cash back and/or other benefits - they can make a big difference.

What are your top saving money tips?