We all want our money to stretch as far as possible and finding new ways to save money can feel like too much work with very little reward.
But by being aware of everyday changes you can make to your finances you can reap the benefits with hardly any effort at all.
From keeping on top of your pet’s vaccinations and your travel reimbursements, to different ways of using household goods…
Overpay your mortgage
Want to overpay your mortgage but never seem to get around to it? The Sprive app links to your bank account to give you an easy way to put any extra money towards overpaying your debt.
In months where you have more surplus cash, the free app will take extra from your account. And when money is a little tighter, Sprive will leave more.
Most mortgage lenders allow customers to make additional payments on their mortgage by ten per cent of the outstanding debt each year.
It’s important to keep this ceiling in mind, or you may be hit with charges.
Sell your skills
We all have something that we are good at, but few of us think to cash in on those skills outside of the workplace.
But there are online platforms where you can advertise your talents – anything that can be completed online, such as virtual assistance, proofreading or recording video testimonials.
Search online for ‘virtual assistant’ and you’ll find a string of companies on the lookout for people wanting to earn a bit of extra cash in their spare time.
Wash your paint brushes easily
No one wants crusty old paintbrushes but sometimes water alone doesn’t do the job of keeping them tip-top. However, mix a bit of fabric softener with the water and leave your brushes to soak for an hour and they’ll be as good as new.
Fertiliser for pennies
Epsom salt (hydrated magnesium sulfate) is known for its home remedy uses but the garden might be the place where it really comes into its own.
Like store-bought fertilisers, Epsom salt contains magnesium which aids in seed germination, chlorophyll production and absorption of vital nutrients such as nitrogen.
Most plants grow better with a ratio of two tablespoons per 4.5l water. You can also dilute the Epsom salt with water in a bottle and apply as a spray for your foliage.
Misting the plant greatly increases its growth and works especially well for veg and roses.
Help if you’re struggling with mental health
If you are struggling with your mental health but are worried that you can’t afford to seek professional help, your workplace may offer you support for free – and it’s completely confidential.
For instance, an employee assistance programme (EAP) can provide valuable support for employees who may be struggling with mental health, loneliness, debt and financial matters, or even child and elder care concerns.
These schemes are free, confidential, and available 24/7 and often offer immediate access for employees and eligible family members.
For those that don’t want to talk to someone directly on the phone, there may be online support, and for those with a specific counselling need, an EAP may provide several structured counselling sessions to help explore/resolve the concern.
Be vigilant with vaccinations
Don’t drop the ball when it comes to the health of your pet – always ensure you keep up to date with their vaccinations and, whatever else you do, hang on to those certificates.
Doing so might make you eligible for cheaper premiums, as some insurers take this into consideration.
But there is also a chance that if their jabs have expired you may void your policy – meaning that you would have been paying monthly for a policy that will never pay out.
Get your money back
According to Moneysavingexpert.com, in 2018, Transport for London charged passengers a total of £60million after they failed to tap their card and ended up paying the maximum fare – on average, there were more than 30,000 such ‘incomplete journeys’ every day that year.
But the good news is that you can quickly check and get a refund online.
All you need to do is sign into your account (or create one for free) on the TfL website to check your journey history.
Link your Oyster, contactless card, or the card you use for contactless mobile payment, for example, via Apple Pay, to your TfL account if you haven’t already.
You should be notified of possible incomplete journeys when you sign in.
While you can view payments going back 12 months, you can only claim refunds as far back as eight weeks.
Discounts that work… or free meals
Are you getting fed up searching online for voucher codes, only to get to the checkout to find they are invalid?
But there is now a good reason to give these discounts another try – Vouchercodes.co.uk now guarantees that all their online voucher codes will work or they will buy you dinner.
To make a claim, send your online order confirmation or receipt by email to [email protected] within 24 hours of making your purchase and they will send you a gift card.
The small print is that you can only make one claim per person every three months and a maximum of four claims per year. Find out more at vouchercodes.co.uk/codestested.
Get the timing right
If you are fed up with shoddy customer service, make sure you time it right when you call the company up to complain.
Always call the organisation at the start of the day or around 10am – and not at a busy time during lunch when everyone else is likely to be calling as well.
Never phone five minutes before the lines close for the day with a long, complicated issue as it’s more unlikely to be resolved.
What’s more, set a deadline for the company to respond – 14 days for a letter is fair. Make a note of the date so you can increase the pressure if that deadline is missed.
Hairspray hack
Nothing ruins a white board faster than a dry erase marker stain that just won’t go away, no matter how much cleaner you put on the board.
But you can say goodbye to stubborn stains with a bit of… hairspray.
After spraying and erasing, wipe down the board with good old-fashioned soap and water to get rid of the remaining sticky residue.
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