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Cutting your monthly outgoings even by a few pounds each week can go a long way over the course of the year. Here's how to do it:
Household bills
Using websites you can work out the best way to shave pounds off monthly bills. This may require a bit of legwork initially – but it will be worth it in the long run. After all, why pay more than you have to?
For broadband, phone and TV packages you can get advice from companies such as Simplifydigital.com which offers advice over the phone too should you need it. Older deals are likely to be costing you more so there are savings to be made by switching. The more you bundle together, the higher the savings are in most cases. BT have joined Virgin Media in adding mobile phone calls to such packages.
Energyhelpline.com can help you save money on gas and electricity bills by showing you the cheapest supplier in your area.
Save on costly directory enquiries calls by using internet search engines to find telephone numbers. A quick search on Google, for example, can save you calling expensive 118 numbers.
You could also check your insurance policies – and not just home and motor cover. You could find there is a cheaper option. Those who have had the same policy for years may be able to get a much better deal by switching, especially if your circumstances or health has changed.
Fuel
It's up to motorists to keep a check on their own petrol costs. Finding the cheapest station in your area can be done with the help of website www.petrolprices.com. Tap in your postcode and the site will show you the address of the cheapest places to fill up.
There are a few things you can do to make sure your car is driving efficiently too.
Check your tyre pressure - poorly inflated tyres put more strain on the engine and use more fuel.
Make sure you are not keeping unnecessary items in your car. The lighter your car is, the less effort it needs to make to accelerate, so remove your golf clubs rather than leaving them in the boot all week.
Remember that the air conditioning unit in your car is powered by fuel too, so turn it off when it's not necessary.
Food
The cost of grocery shopping is still climbing which means its important to get the most for your money by finding the best deals. Avoid being temped by supermarket 'offers'. Discounts could turn out to be a saving of just pennies. Use mysupermarket.co.uk to find where to bag the cheapest items on your list.