UK SAVINGS WEEK: EXPERT SHARES HER TOP TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY IN NO SPEND SEPTEMBER & BANK £1,285 IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

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

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.

Alternatively, download free spreadsheets from websites and debt charities.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.