AN ongoing cost of living crisis has made setting cash aside for savings a luxury many of us can ill-afford.
The upcoming Budget is also reported to bring more financial pain – and is unlikely to free up cash in the run-up to Christmas.
But with the clock ticking down to December, many of us will be striving to save whatever we can for the Festive season.
The good news is with UK Savings Week falling in September (9-15), now is a great time to soak up some inspiration.
Many Brits are getting involved by embarking on Zero Spend September – where the aim is to strip back on all unnecessary spending.
Those taking part include consumer expert Jane Hawkes, who is one of the country’s leading voices on moneysaving tips.
“Creating a savings plan can be daunting,” Jane admits, “Especially at a time when many of us are struggling each month to simply keep our heads above water. But it is possible to make a number of small changes which, when combined, add up to an awful lot.”
Here, Jane shares her own plan for Zero Spend September and details how she plans to cash in this month. By following her plan you could end up sitting on a savings pile of almost £1,300
1.THINK SMART
Set SMART targets, SMART being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound.
My one clear specific goal for this challenge is not to spend any money on non- essentials. Alternative mini goals could be ‘save money on eating out,’ ‘save money for a family day out,’ ‘top up an emergency fund’ or ‘spend less money on alcohol.’
Then measure targets by tracking your progress and know when they have been achieved. How much do you want to save in total over the given period of time?
Achievable – remember the goals need to be realistic to give you the best chance of success. If it’s your first time doing a savings challenge consider setting a mini goal.
Relevant- Ask why are you setting this goal? The answer in my case could is ‘because summer was such an expensive time and I can’t carry on spending like that.’
Time bound- be sure about the time frame you are setting for completing the challenge, in this case 1st -30th September.
My SMART target is to save hundreds in September by spending money only on necessary expenses because I spent too much money in the summer holidays – and I am on track so far to hit the target.
Total saving: I’ve estimated a £500 monthly saving through my SMART goals, and so far I’m on track.
2. Free downloadable spreadsheets and tools
There are lots of great tools out there. Create your own document in Excel, I record all income and expenditure in mine and it shows in real time what disposable income I have even before all direct debits have come out. Purchases can also be categorised so you can see where savings can and need to be made.
Alternatively, download free spreadsheets from websites and debt charities.
Some of the best are
3. Clear the larder
I’ve recently carried out a stocktake of my kitchen cupboards and cannot believe the number of potential meals available. A lot of produce was very close to the sell by date so would have eventually been wasted. By emptying the freezer and making good use of pasta sauces, tinned vegetables, curry pastes, rice, pasta and pulses I can create a good two weeks’ worth of meals without spending a penny.
So make September the month to clear that larder and cupboard. My favourite five larder meals are pasta with tomato sauce, cheesy pasta bake, curry with rice, risotto, and three-bean casserole. For any fresh ingredients, make use of local food sharing app Olio to pick up produce which would otherwise be thrown out.
Total saving: Up to £150 shaved off my monthly grocery bill
4. Freebies websites.
There are lots of great freebie websites now to get hold of a range of items. My go-to’s include
There are also a number of Facebook groups where people can find lots of free stuff.
Total saving: I’ve earmarked £20 of items including free toiletries, gifts and snacks.
5. Time/skills swap
Just one day a week care for my two dogs is £40 so I could save £200 in September through a time/skills swap. Based on the premise that you trade in skills rather than cash, it’s a great way of saving money for unavoidable expenditures. Examples could be household chores/ garden maintenance/help with electronic devices, shopping and errands.
Good examples can be found online like this one.
Total saving: £200
6. Loyalty points
It’s well worth having loyalty cards for your favourite retailers and stores not just for the points but also for access to discount deals and prices. Research by Which? has shown that shoppers can save between 50p and £10 for every £100 spent by making the most of loyalty schemes. If I cash in my accrued Nectar points, I will be able to fill my car up with fuel- for free.
Total saving: At least £50
7. Put 5 items back at the end of each shop.
If it’s not on your meal planning shopping list, back it goes. The most tempting items are usually at the checkout, ignore those too.
Total saving £20
8. Do I really need it?
In September ask this question repeatedly. It’s good practice to adopt a saving rule to avoid impulse purchases. Make a note of what you would like and within your set cool off time frame, work out how you can make the money to pay for it or whether you really do want it after all.
Total saving: At least £30
9. Direct Debits
Check that what is going out should be going out and that you have no duplicate policies. This happened to me once with mobile insurance I had forgotten about but a bigger whoops moment was when a friend told me she had been paying for two much bigger insurance policies.
10. Make staying in the new going out
A night out at our local restaurant sets us back about £75, yet we can make our own pub tea for under £15 with air fryer meals such as scampi and chips.
Weekly curry takeaways average £165 per month, making our own for free using jars and pastes from the larder would be a 100% saving.
According to Statista an average cinema ticket costs £7.96, stream watch free films online instead.
Total saving: At least £200
11. Reuse and repair
Find your nearest repair café to take broken items to be fixed as opposed to chucking in the bin. If a kitchen gadget fails, check to see if replacement parts can be bought rather than splashing out on a new appliance straight away. Watch online videos to see how to fix just about anything.
12. Free activities
This month I’ll be off to the Forest of Dean to enjoy one of their free
Heritage Days. More info here https://www.
There are countless other events across the UK where you can enjoy the countryside, walking, art and cycling trails – and it won’t cost a penny.
Total saving: Money saved on paid for days out £30
13. Cash in cash back
I’ve just requested a payout of £75 which will be winging its way to my account.
Total saving: £75
14. Sell sell sell!
Ebay pricing and terms and conditions have become increasingly more convoluted.
But popular alternatives for local sales are Gumtree, Next Door and Marketplace. Online marketplaces including Vinted and Preloved are great as well. Alternatively consider renting out your best togs on sites such as HURR hurrcollective.com and By Rotation byrotation.com.
Car boot sales can also work out as a good free shopping day out especially if you do make some sales too.
15: Ditch the coffee
We all love a shop-bought coffee. But our bank balances don’t. Buy one less each week through September and save at least £10.
Total saving: £10
TOTAL SAVING: £1,285
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