10 lifestyle changes that will make you richer!

Saving and Making Money

Emma Roberts
Updated on 23 August 2010 | 14 Comments

Emma Roberts uncovers 10 lifestyle changes that will boost your finances.

Recent teen-queen lottery winner Stacey Bywater made the simple lifestyle change of buying a lottery ticket and now she’s a millionaire.

Lucky her.

Unfortunately for the rest of us, the chances of scooping the big bucks in the lottery are slimmer than a supermodel’s waistline.

But don’t fret, there are other lifestyle changes you can make that will help you along the road to riches.

Downgrade your supermarket

Marks and Spencer often tempt the masses with their delicious food in television adverts but beware, this isn’t just food; this is very expensive food.

Yes, there comes a time when you should review which supermarket gets your precious pounds.

A recent survey by Santander revealed that 25% of Brits have decided to switch to a cheaper supermarket in order to save cash. So if you aren’t one of these thrifty individuals, then it’s time to jump on the budget bandwagon.

An easy way to do this is by using mySupermarket.co.uk which compares the prices of products from four of the major supermarkets online - ASDA, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose. This means it's easy to see where your basket of goods will come out cheapest and you can then simply make your purchase from that particular supermarket.

What's more, shopping online also enables you to take advantage of online voucher codes so that you can get a discount on your shopping! Good websites to use if you're looking for a voucher code include:

Web wonders

The internet can be a frugal paradise if you know where to look and 28% of bargain-bagging Brits are using ebay to buy cheap clothes and goods.

But the money-saving potential of the web doesn’t stop at ebay, as there are loads of other sites that’ll save you cash too.

A favourite here at lovemoney.com is freegle, where you can get your hands on a wide range items for free. There are also lots of online swap shops, such as GABOOM!, where you can swap video games with other users free of charge, and SwapStyle where you can swap clothes, accessories, cosmetics and shoes with people all over the world. Find out more about what you can swap in Stop spending, start swapping.

Green fingers, green wallet

Sprucing up your garden doesn’t have to involve spending loads of cash, as Emma Roberts shares some budget gardening tips

If you’re a fan of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, then you are probably one of the 12% of Brits who grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Not only is this a really healthy option, it’ll save you bundles of cash. Check out Cheap gardening for beginners as well as Grow your own for tips on how to get started.

Luxurious vouchers

Everyone needs a little luxury in their lives and I think abandoning all luxury items is probably a bad idea.

So if you’re cutting back on cash but still need your monthly haircut, then your saviour comes in the form of money off vouchers.

Believe me, you can get pound-shaving vouchers for just about anything, including professional haircuts, spa treatments, hotel breaks, gym passes and days out. Check out vouchercloud or My Voucher Codes for some delightful discounts.

Websites such as Groupon and Groupola also offer some fabulous discounted deals up and down the country, providing enough people sign up for it (which usually isn't a problem)!

Pack it in

Gone are the days where people could merrily eat their way through their budget every lunchtime. Instead, one in five of us now bring a packed lunch into work to save money.

But a packed lunch doesn’t have to consist of soggy ham sandwiches. Check out this brilliant article on how to make a posh packed lunch on a budget.

Ditch the coffee shop

Why exactly has Starbucks got the word ‘bucks’ in its name? Probably because coffee shops grind up a load of our cash every day.

Yes, that Java-chip frappuccinno, with cream, sprinkles and oodles of loveliness may look tempting but it’ll leave you with little change from a fiver. 10% of caffeine craving Brits have ditched the coffee shop altogether and now bring in their own coffee into work to save money.

Turn it off!

Here at lovemoney.com, we always stress that being green around your home will save you money and 50% of Brits agree, as they always turn off electrical equipment and lights when they’re not in use. Here’s a useful article on how turning your home green will earn you cash.

Cut the cleaner

Having a cleaner can make your life easier and your home a lot more sparkly but paying for their services can be expensive.

One in 20 people are saving money by cutting back on home help and doing jobs, such as cleaning and gardening, themselves.

Pocket money pay cut

With 3% of parents cutting the amount of pocket money they give to their children, it seems kids are getting a pay cut too.

Why not get your children to do the cleaning, gardening or clean your car so they can earn their pocket money?

You won’t have to pay them nearly as much as a professional service and it’ll teach them to earn their money through hard work.

Shop around

The simplest lifestyle change that’ll save you money is to make sure you shop around thoroughly before you ever hand over your cash.

55% of frugal fanatic Brits always hunt around for the best deal whenever they buy something.

This doesn't just apply to purchases either - you should also shop around whenever you're looking for a new financial product.

If you’re looking to get insurance, a credit card or to open a current account, don't forget to check out the lovemoney.com comparison centres to get the best deals.

So follow these simple lifestyle changes and one day you’ll be sipping champagne with lottery winner Stacey Bywater. Until then, you might want to add ‘buy the odd lottery ticket once in a while’ to this list.

More: 20 things you can get for under £5 | Slash your supermarket delivery costs

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Comments

Crispvs
02 September 2010
Pedro143, if you want to take that course in mediaeval history I can teach that too, and I would charge a lot less than the local college ;)
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Crispvs
02 September 2010
Being on a low income right now I am having to be very careful about how I spend money. My nearested supermarket is Tesco and when I shop there I always take the clubcard with me along with a couple of shoping bags. I take advantage of the 'value' ranges but check all of the ingredients before putting anything into the shopping basket, so therefore I am buying cheap but not cheap and nasty. This means that I am spending less than I otherwise might and the points generated by the clubcard result in cashback in the form of vouchers, which reduce the cost of shopping further. Taking and using my own shopping bags earns extra 'green' clubcard points. I also buy much of my petrol at the local Tesco station and use the card to gain clubcard points then too. I only buy certain things at the supermarket as thanks to living in Birmingham I can also shop at the market. I get most of my fruit and vegetables there, meaning I pay less and get better quality than I would expect to get at the supermarket and by visiting the market close to closing time I can often negotiate very good deals on meat and fish as the butchers and fishmongers reduce their prices in order to get whatever they can for stock they might otherwise have to throw into the incinerator if it is not sold by closing time, as it may not be able to be legally saleable by next day. When I get home it is divided into the portions we expect to use it in and then put straight into the freezer in individual freezer bags, meaning that we never de-frost more than we need to. One trip to the market can generally get us enough meat and fish to last about three weeks for the expenditure of less than £20. I also make my own pastry, my own bread and thanks to my father in law having a plum tree I also make all my own jam. I no longer throw suitable jars which previously contained other things into the glass recycling box but instead keep them for re-use as jam jars. For gardening I no lnoger buy ready made compost but instead compost my own grass cuttings and hedge trimmings and use the resultant compost to grow new seedings. Most new plants are grown from cuttings or seeds recovered from earlier fruits, rather than spending money at a garden centre. Also being fairly handy with wood and tools I can make such things as a sledge, a new ladder for the slide and toy cars to keep the children happy without having to spend money we don't have. Offcuts of wood and steel plate can often be got for little more than the price of asking politely.
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shzl400
26 August 2010
I first got a cleaner when I was a temp and the math was simple - my hourly rate was about three times that of the cleaner. Hmm, which would I rather do - sit in the office for an extra hour or spend three hours cleaning my house? Now, as a full time working mum, I still have a cleaner, as I spend at least half my weekends cooking, shopping, doing laundry and ironing. If the house at least has a basic level of cleanliness, then I can take some quality time with my kids too. It also acts as an incentive for my boys to tidy their rooms, as the threat of having their precious Lego sucked up by the cleaner's dread hoover is a great incentive to clear the floor at least once a week. Finally, don't forget that employing a cleaner also contributes to the economy - it gives someone a job and money which they in turn spend etc. etc. - that's sound economics in a recession. Ditch the cleaner? Over my dead body!
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