How we saved £2500 and how you can too!

The results are in and since we have started this blog we have saved £2500 ! Follow our blog to find out how we did it. Here are our money saving ideas that really work.

1. Check your bank statements and find out what you are actually spending your hard earned cash on. This can be painful but necessary. Also find a bank that sends texts to you when you have so much left. Again boring but very useful.

2. With these results plan a budget and stick to it. Ask yourself where you can cut back and where your money is really going. The results might surprise you. We found direct debits for old phone insurance, magazines etc and cancelled all the unnecessary ones.

3. Draw out cash for purchases. It feels much more real then passing over a card for payment.

4. Swap gas guzzling 4x4's for diesel cars. I saved £50 per week on fuel by buying a diesel estate which does 50-60 mpg that could still tow a trailer to meet our family's needs and was much roomier too.

5. Don't be snobby about food shopping and go to Aldi, Lidl and other more basic supermarkets. Write  a menu and shopping list and don't shop with the kids otherwise you'll end up with costly purchases such a sweets, pop and dvd's .

6 Learn to cook family meals and treats. This is healthier, much more economical and fun than buying ready meals and take aways. Dig out your slow cooker. They are on offer for £12 in Tesco and can create lovely meals ready when you walk in the door.

7.Get creative and use crafts to make individual and unusual gifts. Persevere with the basics of knitting,crotcheting or sewing if your initial efforts look ready for the bin. We made fab items with practice that friends and family were delighted to receive. We cut out Christmas shopping by half and had a lot of fun in the process.

8.Recycle clothing and upcycle to make individual items. By adding some unusual buttons, braiding you can really alter the appearance of an item.

9. Set a realistic amount you can save each month for holidays, big purchases and try to stick to it. This way you'll start to see the money mount up and avoid extra loans and credit.

10. Ban the tumble drier except in emergencies. Instead of piling wet clothing on radiators use an airer situated upstairs and take advantage of heat rising to dry clothing.  If properly arranged this can save on ironing too. When the weather improves rig up your washing line and dry clothes the old fashioned way!

Follow our blog for many more money saving tips throughout the year. What have you got to lose?