best for CASH ADVICE
1 SAVE FIRST, SPEND LATER Around 60 per cent of us save money either every, or most, months, according to research. If you are struggling, try using the 50/30/20 approach to budgeting. This means allocating 50 per cent of your take-home pay on your needs (bills, food, minimum debt payments), 30 per cent on wants (eating out, leisure, sport, etc) and 20 per cent towards future you (saving for emergencies, short term and long-term goals). This split may not work for you when money is tight, so simply adjust the ratios as you go.
2 SPENDING DETOX Have a weekly no-spend day or monthly minimal spend week. It’s no bad thing to have the occasional spending detox – not only will your bank account feel healthier for it, it will make you more careful with your cash. Turn off any app notifications you have that are likely to lure you back. Unsubscribe from marketing emails and change the ad settings on your social media accounts – less targeted marketing should help you put a stop to impulse buys.
3 SWITCH IT! You might not find as many attractive energy deals on the market at the moment, but you can still find better deals for broadband and mobile contracts, streaming services and insurance. In a survey by Topcashback, those who haggled said they had a 39 per cent success rate – saving £155 per person – with broadband (59 per cent), mobile (55 per cent) and insuranc
