Save yourself some money by following the money saving ideas outlined below.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Power saving

You can save money on your electricity and gas bills by

1. Turning down the heating by as little as one degree will save you a tidy sum and your body is unlikely to notice the small difference in temperature but your wallet should;
2. Unplug your television, DVD and video at night as they use power even on standby. This not only saves you money but reduces the risk of fire;
3. Never heat rooms that are not being used as it is just a waste of heat and money;
4. Turn off the lights when you leave a room;
5. Use energy saving light bulbs, they are slightly more expensive than ordinary light bulbs to buy but overtime they will save you a small fortune;
6. Having a shower uses less water than a bath and therefore uses less power to heat it;
7. Just put enough water into the kettle as you are going to need. Overfilling the kettle means you end up heating water that you are not going to use and is just money down the drain; and
8. Avoid using a tumble dryer as although it is more convenient it is very expensive whilst hanging your washing out is free;

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save on food

1. Never go shopping for food on an empty stomach as you will end up buying more food than you need. Try to make a list in advance and stick to it;
2. Take advantage of buy one get one free promotions;
3. Collect and use money off vouchers from magazine, the internet or on the products themselves;
4. Make sure you are a member of your supermarkets reward scheme if they have one to earn yourself vouchers and other rewards;
5. Buy the supermarket own label products as these will be cheaper whilst at the same time tasting similar to the more expensive household name brands;
6. If you shop online use reward sites to obtain a further discount on your shopping;
7. Try to buy fresh produce from a market as opposed to a supermarket as it is likely to be cheaper;
8. Cook large quantities of food and freeze any that you do not use. This is more cot effective in terms of ingredients and also in terms of the energy required to cook the food; and
9. Water from the tap is free and is much better for you than drinking fizzy drinks.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save money on interest free credit

Several retailers offer you products with interest free credit, but on some of these deals the products are only free if you pay them off within an agreed period. If you have not paid the whole balance off then sometimes you end up having to pay the full rate of interest on the whole amount, so please be careful and make sure you read the small print and take a note of when your final payment is due.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save money shopping

You could save money by buying products from charity shops. The quality of clothes, books, videos and other items from some charity shops is fairly good. You can also save money by buying items at car boot sales or on internet auction sites such as ebay.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save money on petrol

Buy the cheapest petrol in your area by using the AA’s free Petrolbusters service which tells you where the cheapest petrol station is.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save money by haggling

You can always try to ask for a discount on the price shown by a shop. This is unlikely to work in the larger highstreet stores but can be very effective in smaller stores especially if the person serving you is the manager/owner as they are in a position to reduce the price to get the sale. Larger high street shops often will reduce their price if the same product can be bought cheaper locally or if the packaging of the product you want to buy is slightly damaged.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save money by avoiding taxes

Save more money by being tax efficient with your savings by taking advantage of tax free savings and investments such as ISAs.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Save on baby sitting

Join a baby sitting circle this entitles you to free baby sitting if you fancy a night out.

                     ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££