The art of saving money has become more important than ever. Mild austerity and a state of post-economic recession has made our financial plight harder than before and surviving economically isn’t helped by rising housing and fuel prices. With economic forecasts anticipating a worsening of the Eurozone crisis in 2013, the upcoming year may not see things change much for the better. Here then, are a few invaluable ways by which we can save money for ourselves.
Quit Smoking
Now, there are of course many people who won’t be prepared to make this crucial step. However, quitting smoking can save you huge amounts of money. In fact, a 20-a-day smoker can save nearly 2000 a year by quitting.
If quitting smoking entirely proves challenging initially, you may consider exploring healthier and cost-effective alternatives like vape devices. The vaping market offers various options, such as smoko disposable vapes, which can effectively help curb the urge to smoke. Moreover, they also come in a variety of flavours and strengths to suit different needs and preferences, so it may not be difficult to find the most suitable alternative.
Alternatively, you may want to explore the world of cannabis. Whilst smoking cannabis can be just as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes, using a bong can help to reduce the number of toxins you’re exposed to. Cigarettes are full of chemicals like tar, hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde, which not only damage your lungs but slowly poison you. Smoking from a bong, on the other hand, burns nothing other than the cannabis itself, which is a natural product. You can buy bongs online, but they’re increasingly easy to buy on the high street too. Over time, as you progress, you can gradually wean yourself off vaping or cannabis and embrace a nicotine-free lifestyle.
Forget Readymade Meals
Readymade meals may be incredibly convenient but knocking up a meal yourself will save you lots of money. The initial cost of buying the groceries needed to prepare your own meals may burn a bit of a hole in your pocket, but in the long run, the cost of 3 or 4 meals every day will add up and cost you more.
Tax Refunds
Thousands of British businesspeople lose out on thousands of pounds each year, due to a failure to claim what is rightfully and legally theirs!
When the tax liability for something is less than the taxes you’ve paid, you’ll most likely be owed money by the HMRC in the form of a tax refund.
There are many circumstances by which this may be the case. Thankfully, there are also many specialist teams to be found online (try www.RIFTUK.com) that can discern if you’re owed anything, how much you are owed and help you claim that money back.
Use the Internet to Shop
We are now in the age of the internet, and as a result, there is a wide range of online shops for you to buy from, eliminating the need to leave your house and use your tired legs. In fact, due to the high level of online competition, prices are generally cheaper. So, if you are looking for affordable furniture or appliances, it’s a good idea to explore online options before heading to a physical store. Similarly, if you are in the process of phasing out your smoking addiction with vapes, you can check out the DIY e-Liquids vape shop or a similar alternative that offer budget-friendly prices.
Furthermore, there are also a range of handy price comparison websites to help you find the cheapest prices.
Extended Warranties: Say No!
When we buy new things, we can become so attached to them that we find it difficult to say no to extended warranties on them. However, the reality is most of the products we buy are efficient and reliable enough to last beyond their warranty terms and if they’re not, then they’re not exactly the best products for you.
Car Washes: Say No
It never ceases to surprise me just how lazy we’ve become as a nation. Car washes are a key demonstration of this. Rather than spending a fiver or even a tenner for your car to be cleaned, how about getting off the couch and doing it yourself?