The best money saving tools!
By Sylvia Nankivell from Student Money Saver
Two things are guaranteed when living in London. First, you will spend money. And second, you will inevitably struggle. But try not to worry, because help is at hand.
Many others are in your situation, and so apps and resources are springing up to take the strain off living in one of the world’s great capital cities. We’ve compiled the best of these.
We’re also giving out some tried and tested tips on day to day living. London life isn’t a piece of cake, but reading this article can make it as easy as pie…
Food
Food costs are one of the top expenses to have. London has its fair share of eye-wateringly expensive food, with prices generally higher due to your location.
Fill up the right way. Eating in rather than eating out is clearly more economical.
Handy and, most importantly, free apps teach you the art of wallet friendly home cooking.
Pic taken from Pixabay
Of course the only thing better than cheap is free. The Olio app connects you with people in your area, wanting to share quality food that’s going spare and up for grabs.
Away from apps, there are no shortage of recipes for tasty and cost effective meals to inspire you.
Travel
As any London commuter will tell you, getting from A to B in the capital is costly. Public transport is surprisingly cheap in some ways, but definitely not in others.
This is great. The famous 16-25 Railcard has been a life saver for students and graduates over the years. Even better are the deals you can get on a Railcard.
Pic taken from Pixabay
Pricey train tickets have led to people considering plane travel as a cost effective route in and out of London. There are a range of apps to help you make the right choice.
Coach travel provides reasonable comfort at a discount, as long as you don’t mind the long hours. And for a freebie, how about walking or cycling to your destination…?
Check out some more tips here.
Bills
It doesn’t matter where you live, the appearance of a bill will always strike fear into your heart. In London, where a lifestyle is already costly, bills can be especially worrying.
Pic taken from Pixabay
Don’t panic! Managing bills requires a clear head and the right approach. Minefields such as finding the right energy provider can be easy if you know where to look.
Getting your finances in order is essential. Apps can be vital in wrangling those pounds and pennies, particularly if you find that numbers give you a headache!
Daily, weekly and monthly bills like shopping pile up easily. Fine tune your budget by shopping smarter, taking advantage of comparison sites and other activities like wombling!
Making Money
So far we’ve mentioned things that take chunks out of your hard-earned income. But what about that income itself? You can do more than get a job to make money in London.
Log on and cash in. Putting unwanted, quality items on selling platforms can raise extra cash. Options range from eBay to Etsy, Facebook Marketplace to musicMagpie.
You can even earn spare cash on top of shopping purchases, via cashback. It works by paying you a small amount back whenever you check out. Read more here.
Or, if you fancy exercising your mind, online survey sites can top up your income in return for sending you questionnaires, videos to watch and products to test.
Socialising
Pic taken from Pixabay
Last, but by no means least, is socialising. How does this help when you’re trying to survive? Well, everyone needs a break and to let off steam, or you’ll soon go off the rails.
Here’s the thing. London is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. It may be expensive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go out and have fun on a budget.
It doesn’t have to be pubs and clubs, though pub quiz nights are often good value. Something as simple as a yoga class can work wonders for stress. Some are even free!
Plenty of cheap or free events are happening on your doorstep, and are perfect for catching up with friends and enjoying what’s left of the British summer…!
