In today’s world, where the cost of living is ever-rising, it’s vital to manage our money wisely. Whether it’s slashing unnecessary costs or making the most of what we have, our community is a treasure trove of practical advice.
Recently, members of the RiseUp community shared their top money-saving tips on bills, pensions, insurances and subscriptions. Here’s what they had to say.
1. Save smart on bills
Daniela shared a tip for reducing fixed bill costs – negotiating at the time of contract renewal. “Threaten to leave and go to another service provider. This works particularly well with broadband and mobile phone providers.” Companies often respond with discounts to retain loyal customers. “I got £15 off my Virgin broadband bill every month a few years back when it was time to renew,” Daniela added.
Darren shared that switching supermarkets can make a big difference to your food bill. He decided to swap Tesco for Lidl. Alice backed this up by adding, “I’m always so surprised how much cheaper my Lidl/Aldi shop is than Tesco.”
For those with cars, Darren also shared a useful hack to save on fuel costs: “If you have an older car, I’d recommend using Eco fuel saving mode. It saves me a lot on motorway driving.” Joanna also suggested using the PetrolPrices app, which can save you up to £200 a year by finding the cheapest fuel nearby.
2. Leveraging offers on insurance
Pensions and insurance might not be the most exciting topics, but getting the best deals can result in big savings. Daniela had an insightful hack for getting more from your insurance policies. Buying travel insurance through Compare the Market, even a cheap policy, unlocks a year’s worth of 2-for-1 cinema tickets. “So what is meant to cost in the £40 region for a trip to the cinema for 2 is now under £20!,” Daniela explained.
3. Cutting down on subscriptions
Subscriptions are sneaky expenses that can quickly add up. However, our community had plenty of creative solutions to keep these under control. Matt uses the subscriptions tracker Subly to notify him of his upcoming subscriptions, and said this used to work well for him in Google Calendar, too.
For those using meal kit subscriptions like HelloFresh, Daniela shared a savvy way to avoid paying full price: “I cancel one account, use another, and then wait for the first account to send me offers to lure me back. So I never end up paying full price for a box.”
The wisdom shared by the RiseUp community highlights the importance of being mindful and proactive with our money. Whether it’s as simple as switching supermarkets or as strategic as negotiating a better deal, there are countless ways to save money without compromising your lifestyle.
