Personal Finance Expert at CashLady.com, Paul Wilson, has released eight tips to help save money during the warmer weather and longer nights.
We’ve all been there – at the first signs of summer, we rush to a beer garden with friends or splurge on picnic supplies without a second thought. However, with months of sunshine and lighter evenings to come, it’s important to not get ahead of ourselves and spend beyond our means.
There are lots of little things you can do to make your money go further as Daylight Savings begins and the days get longer, and you’ll soon find that you can budget effectively whilst still having fun.
1. Waste less food
With the warmer weather incoming, who doesn’t enjoy a spontaneous picnic in the park? However, over-buying food can lead to an increase in food waste. According to recycling charity WRAP, the UK throws away 6.6 million tonnes of food waste a year- three-quarters of which could have been eaten.
Save your money and save the planet by packaging up any food you buy and repurposing it later as leftovers.
Stick firmly to use-by dates, but for items with best-before dates, trusting your taste and smell to determine food is still good to eat rather than rigidly sticking to the dates means your food stretches further, and so do your finances.
2. Round up your savings
One of the most commonly used methods of saving money is the ‘skimming’ method, where each time you get money into your account, you automatically ‘skim’ some off the top and deposit it straight into a savings account – acting as though it never existed.
Banking providers such as Monzo offer ‘pots’ where you can deposit money into separate locked away ‘pots’ and see your main funds separately. Throughout Daylight Savings, you could set a goal of depositing spare change into savings every time you spend, and by October you’ll be set for Winter.
3. Check your taxes
The tax year officially ends on the 5th of April, just one week after Daylight Savings begins, so now may be a good time to check your tax code with HMRC and ensure you are paying the right amount of tax.
If you’ve been overpaying on your tax for a period of time then you could be due a rebate, putting money straight back into your pocket.
4. Take advantage of the long nights
Instead of running home to escape the cold and curl up on the sofa, use extended daylight hours to enjoy the outdoors. You’ll save money on electricity by not running indoor lights and gadgets and benefit from the fresh air and sunshine.
After work, why not use these long nights to walk or cycle home if possible? Make use of the improved weather and save money on petrol, whilst also getting some easy exercise.
5. Keep track of your house’s heating
The return of Spring often brings with it sudden heat waves in stark contrast to freezing winter nights. Make sure that your thermostat has been adjusted for the weather, and that you’re not paying for automatic heating whilst you’re sweltering in the garden.
You can even go one step further and ensure that you’re getting the best possible deals with your energy provider by using comparison sites such as energyhelpline.com or uswitch.com.
6. Get cheap flights
Hotter weather and longer nights will have you lusting after a getaway before too long, and the temptation to book a spontaneous holiday might grow. If this sounds like you, make sure you’re getting the best possible deals on your trip by using price comparison sites and flight alerts.
Skyscanner allows you to search everywhere in the world for the cheapest destination and compare flight prices.
Making use of websites such as lastminute.com makes all the difference in saving your money for the actual holiday.
7. Dress smart
A new season may have you yearning to shop for new season clothes, but ask yourself – do you need to? Upcycling your old clothes and re-inventing your previously loved styles could save big bucks on unsustainable ASOS orders.
If you decide you do need some new styles, then try shopping in your local charity shop. Places like the British Heart Foundation even stock old Pretty Little Thing stock for less than half the original price!
8. Save on nights out
An increase in socialising often leads to spending your money in pubs, bars and clubs. There are many ways to save when out partying, for example, only take cash on a night out.
This will stop you from tapping away on your card without really adding up what you’re spending. Use free ATMs and avoid buying rounds whilst you’re out to manage your budget effectively.
Paul Wilson is a consumer finance expert at Financial Conduct Authority authorised and regulated credit broker at Cash Lady.com