Trying to save money this year - any clever tips?

Do sign up to Topcashback if you don't already use it. It is so easy just click on button and then click through to wherever you wanted to shop. Many retailers give you a percentage back for your online spend. If you buy insurance products like house or car insurance including through comparison sites then you can often get a cashback amount up to £100 per product. utilities to get cashback too. I only started Nov 2018 and have now got over £400 I can claim back.

Look out for money off fuel when you shop.

Go through house and put anything you don't want on to ebay for collection.

Italy is a beautiful country and if you can it’s well worth extending your visit. I can only say decide on a sum you can afford and put that amount away at the start of every month (before you have a chance to spend it). Book flights in advance because they get more expensive the closer to the date, and enjoy the wonderful opportunity to see your granddaughter get married.

Congratulations and what a wonderful place to have a wedding!
We ended the last months of 2019 on a budget due to early retirement. The most important thing we have found is to right everything down to keep track of spending. It makes us think, "Do we really need this?"
Also, we are less wasteful but more careful with heating, food, petrol etc. We also looked for alternatives to things like our SKY package and pet insurance. Going out for meals has also been curbed.
I'm sure in a year or so you will have saved enough money to at least buy your outfits and pay for your holiday expenditure.

Shop at Lidl or Aldi if you don't go there already. Try shop's own alternatives to the well known brands - some you'll like, some you won't. Some people time their supermarket shopping to coincide with when the reduced price goods are put out.

Don't buy premium unleaded fuel for the car, use the ordinary one. There was a programme on TV some months back which showed no benefit in buying the premium one unless you drive a high end vehicle like a Porsche.

Lots of great suggestions so I don't have much to add, except that being retired and now on a somewhat limited income I have several small savings accounts separate from our regular current account.
Each month a certain amount is paid by bankers order into each one - eg: House account and Holiday account. I have one little account called the 'cushion' account - it receives a little each month like the others but anything left over or unexpectedly received each month also goes into that one.
Being a 'cushion' it also works the other way - if there is a little too much month left at the end of the money it can be used.
Having these small accounts doesn't raise much interest but then nothing really gives great interest these days does it!
Good luck and enjoy the wedding !

I save £40 a month to add to my usual holiday savings, then every 3 years we go somewhere special and more expensive.
If you can just set aside a smallish amount each month it does grow. Smaller points - I transfer the odd pence in my current account into my savings account everytime I look on line at the balance. Be sure to use your Nectar and Tesco Clubcards for every purchase. Don't buy new clothes on impulse - impose a cooling off period and decide if you really want them. Also all the usual stuff recommended like menu planning does work.

Lots of good ideas. One thing I find very useful is to plan meals for the week and check what you have in the cupboard and freezer before you shop.
Sometimes meals get swapped around but it has certainly cut down on waste.

Save a pound a day each. You won't miss it and will have a few hundred pounds holiday spending. Put it away in an account that will give you some interest. It all adds up.

Some banks have an account that round up every expenditure to the next pound and put that amount into savings. An alternative is to give yourself an amount for each day/week and anything left over at the end of the day/week put it away.

If you’re prone to impulse buying, pay with cash instead of card. It does make you more aware of your spending.

Congratulations to your granddaughter! There's been loads of good ideas already, but I'd have to say shopping at Aldi/Lidl has made the biggest difference! Meal planning is also a great way to make sure you only buy what you need too.
We generally have a lot of insurance renewals and bits due in January so we use comparison sites and voucher code sites to get a bit of a discount. My Favourite Voucher Codes is a great one as they donate 20% of their profits to charity every month too so it's a nice way to do your bit at the same time: myfavouritevouchercodes.substack.com/p/cast-your-vote-in-januarys-2020-charity

Look for a bank account such as Santander which pays the most interest. It pays 1.5% up to £20000 for a current account.

You can also open another savings account with them and gain 5% a month but the amount paid in is limited. I think it is £200 per person each month but with two of you, you would soon notice a difference.

Good luck.

Congratulations. I find that if I put my mind to it I can save a fair bit mainly by not impulse buying anything. Also Aldi prices are really good and I save loads by shopping there.

When you look into your insurance use Compare the Market. You can then get a "meerkat" app for two for one meals and cinema on certain days.

Put an amount away into a savings account when your pay goes in, don't wait to see if there is any left at the end of the month. Then forget you even had it! Have a great time at the wedding.

Has anyone seen or remember that tip of putting away (forgive me if I have this wrong) 1p a day for a week, then 2p, the 3p etc etc.

Probably got this wrong, so suggest googling to check.

(I would do it, but am supposed to be cooking lamb steaks for supper!)

My daughter is a financial advisor she has told me few easy things to stop spending for the sake off it.

Do you need it
Will you use it
Or do you just want it

The other is
If your shopping online your bound to see other things
Put them in your basket
Leave them in it until the next day
9/10 times your delete things or not order at all

It’s surprising how little things add up
Using these 2 motto’s I’ve payed off my overdraft

Contact your mobile phone provider.
I reduced my phone bill yesterday from £20 per month to £6! Result!

The simplest way - if you don't need something, don't buy it!

T agree with those talking about Aldi. I have only just started shopping there, just before Xmas, and i can not believe the difference it is making to my shopping budget. I truely am only spending about half the amount of money and i cant believe how that can be, whether its because they dont have lots of different brands to tempt you and dont have special offers glaring you in the face i am not sure. But what ever it is it is now my go to supermarket for everything.

Don't live near any shops, shop alone and do not shop unless you need something.

I live in a village, find shopping boring, even online, and go to my local town once a week to go to the supermarket.

Comparison shop every time a utility bill or insurance bill comes in.

Neither Aldi, nor Lidl, have branches in my usual shopping town, but I have disliked almost every item of food I have ever tasted that I discovered (later) came from Aldi that I am disinclined to shop there. I would rather pay more and be confident that every item I buy will not have me screwing upmy mouth with distaste or, as in one case feeding it to the birds (they wouldn't eat it either).

Charleygirl5 mentioned Santander - 123 account

We're with them. Have a joint account and one each and the savings account.

current account - 1.5% interest on up to £20,000. £5 month fee though! You have to have at least 2 direct debits to open the account. Some DDs have cash back e.g. council tax, phone and utility, so that can offset the account charge and earn you lots.

Savings - £200 limited each month. 2.5% interest. It dropped last year. Must leave it in for the year.

You'll have a great time in Italy. A place I would love to go to.

Since my DH has been very poorly I have barely gone near any shops except to take my dad for his usual shopping and to pick up my own essentials (mainly food) . I am worrying that with DH at home 24/7 with the heating on very high we might be in for a HUGE shock when the next gas bill roles in .

I think if you avoid temptation (ie avoid the shops) then you can probably save a fair bit.

I also used to save £2 coins for the DGC and had an agreement with DH that any coin we got went into a special savings pot. I was amazed how much this added up to, although I admit to having trouble getting rid of them as my own bank wouldn’t take them

Good luck and I hope you make it to Italy and enjoy that special holiday .

Perhaps a side hussle? Dog walking, babysitting.
Competitions- I made £6000 last year. Not actual cash but goods and vouchers. It is harder than it used to be but worth a go.