CLYDESDALE Bank carries out regular surveys of customer spending habits to work out how we handle our money.
Given the current squeeze on consumer spending, the bank’s researchers have also been looking at ways we can all make our money go further. Here are their top tips.
1 Flash the Cash
Well, not exactly, but physically spending money in cash rather than on a card is a good way to keep a track of your outgoings and remain in your budget. Clydesdale Bank’s research also found that 8 per cent of people didn’t take out any of their income in cash, so were reliant on making sure they carefully tracked their spending.
2 Embrace the voucher society
While the thought of cutting coupons out of the paper may make some people recoil in horror, technology has moved this concept along somewhat with the introduction of the likes of Voucher Cloud, Groupon, itson and the various other sites that, on a daily basis, email and text offers available from food outlets, cinemas, days out experiences etc.
3 Cover your more extravagant purchases
If you buy anything for more than £100 on your credit card, it’s legally protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which means that if anything goes wrong – like the company going into liquidation before you receive your goods or service, or your purchase is faulty upon delivery – you can still claim your money back from the card company.
4 Pick your time
The early bird catches the worm, but so, too, can the late booker in some cases. Buying in advance or at the last minute can be advantageous in terms of cutting costs, so choose your moment and see what savings can be made.
5 Find your voice...
… and barter. It may not be in our nature to haggle over a price, but if you don’t ask, you won’t get.
6 Go Vintage
Mary Portas, Lily Allen and even the Duchess of Cambridge have all done their bit to help brush aside the stigma attached to second-hand or charity shopping, and grabbing yourself a vintage bargain has become an admired hobby.
7 Loyalty schemes
Or maybe not-so-loyal in most cases, as most of us will have a vast array of cards from retailers, petrol stations etc. Making sure you claim your points after all your purchases can soon add up, with money-off vouchers, travel miles or even a free lunch from the pharmacy.
8 Scour the market
Price comparison sites are in abundance nowadays, so go online and find out who has the best deal available for you. Clydesdale Bank’s research found that 35 per cent of people use price comparison sites to make sure they’re not spending any more money than necessary – but that still leaves 65 per cent who aren’t. Someone else has already done the hard work, all you need to do is enter a few details and hit search. You’ve got nothing to lose – and savings to gain.
9 Weekly vs Daily
Although it’s unlikely that everyone has time to plan their weekly menu, doing a “big shop” is a good way of making sure you’re not inadvertently overspending on groceries. In addition to making the most out of the Buy One Get One Free deals on offer, stocking up the freezer and having a vague idea about what you’re going to eat will save you from having to throw away perishables that you spent good money on and never got around to eating.
10 Grab a freebie
Sometimes actually buying something isn’t needed at all. With websites such as Freecycle and Gumtree you can find people giving away things you might need for free – you just need to arrange to collect it.
