Money Tips

Money, cash, dosh, bucks. Great fun when your student loan/payday hits, but not so fun when you’re trying to scramble all of the numbers into an excel to try and budget for a pair of platform uggs, a bottomless brunch with the girls and the general cost of adult life. As a fellow girl in her 20’s,(who for full disclosure hasn’t hacked the world of finances) I wanted to share with you some saving tips that I’ve put into practice to help me navigate my way through the crazy world of money.

For clothes shopping…

Now I, for one, have a serious clothes obsession. I’m the first to search for new additions to my wardrobe as that payday cheque hits my account, but in changing where I shop I’ve noticed a serious impact on my spending habits. All hail, Vinted, a second-hand online market place, this is the best place to be for fashion on a budget. With the current ‘wear it once’ culture, there’s a plethora of latest trends for a fraction of the price. And if you want to earn a bit of cash too, you can set up an account and sell your items as well. 

For travelling…

From being a long distance relationship girly, I have learnt the expense of trains the hard way, but there was one thing saving me a significant amount of money on my travels - a rail card. For £30 for an annual subscription you can save ⅓ of the price on each of your tickets. TrainPal is also a great app to find discounted train tickets on split journeys. 

For budgeting…

When budgeting, use the 50, 30, 20 rule. Put 50% of your income aside for your must-do expenses, 20% aside for savings/debt repayment and 20% for anything else you might want. 

For earning some extra cash on the side…

Focus groups are a simple yet effective way of earning some extra money, and sometimes can be done from the comfort of your own home. Askable.com is a great website to sign up for some groups on. Simply complete some questions, join a virtual focus group or complete another task set and get paid via Paypal or gift voucher. 

For working from home… 

If you’re worried about the cost of bills whilst working/studying from home, invest in a Pret subscription for £25 a month, you can get up to 5 coffees a day and work from the comfort of a warm cafe (if your job permits you to) - it’s also nice to have the option to switch up your scenery. 

For food shopping…

Now this one may seem pretty simple, but how many times have you forgotten to take a bag to the shop with you and the 20p ones aren’t available? £1 here, £2 there, it can add up. Also, it’s much better for the environment. Win win. TikTok is also a great resource for finding delicious recipes for home cooking on a budget.