Are you looking at the year and wondering how you’re going to pay for everything? Chief financial officer Laura Linden reveals how to up your game when it comes to saving moneyThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Laura Linden is a money expert(Image: )
Perhaps you have a big event like a wedding or dream summer holiday to save up for and you haven’t a clue where the money is going to come from? The first thing is not to panic – you have more control over your finances that you realise. The next step is to become a detective, investigating your own money, going through your bank accounts and credit cards to understand exactly what you’re paying for and why.
I’m a chief financial officer and author of UnF*ck Your Business Finances, and I’m going to show you how you can use a little planning and some know-how to fully understand your financial situation, cut the leaks and build a buffer to ensure you’re always in the black. Here is my month-by-month plan for saving money, based on a family of four. You’ll be amazed by how much you can achieve in just one year.
JANUARY
Do a household profit and loss: List your income such as wages, side hustles and benefits and all your outgoings (mortgage/rent, bills, childcare and food) so you can clearly see if you’re spending more than you’re bringing in.
What’s your financial forecast? Following the budget, your year may be shaping up to be more expensive than you hoped. Meanwhile, you’ve got holidays, a car MOT and new boilers to pay for, even trips to the dentist and Christmas. Treat them like projects and plan for the expense, rather than deal with them when they happen. Create your own 12-month forecast, which you’ll use to prepare for the year ahead and anticipate any problems that could come up, for instance your mortgage rate going up.
Saving : £0 (but you’ll be able to sleep at night, knowing you’re getting a clear picture of your finances)
It’s time to get to grip with your finances!(Image: Getty)
FEBRUARY
Start building a rainy day fund: Aim to have three months cover for your essential costs tucked in a savings account. A cash ISA/stocks and shares ISA can earn you some extra money too. Work out how much money you’d need in reserve if you experienced three months without any income. If your P&L shows that you spend £5,000 a month, make sure your cash balance doesn’t fall below £15,000.
Worth: You could earn from £300 in interest.
MARCH
Exorcise phantom home costs: Review and negotiate your household costs as they can add up without you realising. For instance, if you’ve paid to watch your streaming TV without adverts, downgrade back to the cheaper version with ads. If you’re paying for a huge data allowance on your mobile contract that you don’t use, reduce the package, you can always increase again later. If you ticked “yes” on appliance insurance cover, even though that would be covered under your home insurance, cancel that policy – it’s a classic silent leak. Audit your direct debits twice per year and cut anything you don’t need.
Savings worth: From £316 a year.
APRIL
Become obsessive about your bank account: Late fees, overdraft interest, and credit card minimum payments quietly cost hundreds and compound fast. A premium bank account can cost £18 a month, credit card interest could be costing you £500 a year while maintaining a £2000 overdraft for 20 days a month can result in £448-worth of fees. Check your banking app weekly, move your direct debit payments to be timed with your salary and make sure you have enough cash in the account to pay them all so you avoid bounced direct debit fees and unnecessary overdraft interest.
Budgeting is easy with a bit of knowhow(Image: IMAGO/YAY Images)
If you think you might not be able to make a payment, ask for an extension – don’t just ignore the problem. Are you paying for a premium bank account with benefits that you don’t use? If so, drop to a basic one. If you’re using a credit card, make sure you’re only spending what you can pay off in full each month to avoid racking up charges.
Savings worth: £1165
MAY
Address your ‘nice person’ spending: Being generous is wonderful but not if it’s causing you financial hardship behind the scenes. Do you always buy more rounds at the pub or get the coffees on the way into the office and wave off any offers to pay you back? Let’s look at the numbers: a round of drinks for four people once a month could set you back £360 a year and picking up two coffees for your colleagues three times a month adds up to £250 annually and paying .
Do you always split the bill equally on a night out because you don’t want to appear cheap or difficult even when you’re the only one not drinking? And what about spending a little more on gifts than you intended because you want to get the “perfect” gift (£5 extra on presents twice a month costs £120 a year)? This is about having boundaries, being confident in saying no or not putting your hand in your pocket first.
Savings worth: From £850
JUNE
Turn downtime into discount time: Before arranging a day out, check first whether your local theatre, museum or restaurant has ‘off-peak’ times or tickets. Many have quiet-day pricing, often hidden behind the ‘access’ or ‘community’ section of their site. It’s the equivalent of flying mid-week – the same experience for half the cost. A £35 saving on mid-week tickets for a family of four just twice a year, saves £2180. Meanwhile, platforms such as First Table offer 50% off restaurant meals, which could add up to £480 a year (with £40 saved per meal).
Savings worth: £760 a year
There are lots of options to dine out with the kids(Image: Getty Images/Stock photo)
JULY
Turn points into experiences, not groceries: We often use loyalty points to shave pennies off the weekly shop, but converting them into days out, cinema vouchers or hotel stays often gives double or triple the value. Think of it as investing points where the return is highest.
Savings worth: £500
AUGUST
Audit your direct debits (again): Take another look at your direct debits and CPAs (continuous payment authorities to your bank and credit cards). Don’t waste money on unused subscriptions, overpriced utilities and insurance. With one of my clients, I went through their subscriptions and direct debits and found £300 a month of pointless spending. I immediately cancelled them. That’s now £300 in their pocket every month they didn’t have before. There are budgeting apps – such as Emma – that can help you to track your subscriptions.
Savings worth: £400
SEPTEMBER
Bulk-buy fun: If you know you’ll eat out or go to the theatre regularly, look at season passes, dining memberships or local loyalty schemes that give you discounts in bulk. Think of it as a “leisure Costco”! Buying entertainment in bundles instead of one-offs saves a surprising amount. For example, National Theatre membership pays for itself after two visits – and many cinemas now have midweek double offers hidden in their small print.
Savings worth: £750
A theatre show from Chickenshed, an inclusive theatre company(Image: )
OCTOBER
Turn your wardrobe into a revolving fund: For every new occasion outfit you buy, sell or rent out one old one. Services like ByRotation or Vinted can fund your next purchase. Think of it as a “clothes cashflow” – outfits don’t have to sit there depreciating when they could be earning their keep.
Worth: £100
NOVEMBER
Be your own event planner: Got friends who love the same things? Take turns hosting themed nights in – film club, mini tasting menu, £5 challenge. It scratches the same social itch without the service charge. If you’re able to cut £60 a month on eating and drinking with friends, that adds up to £60 a month.
Savings worth: £650
DECEMBER
Use a ‘social ROI’ test: Before you spend on an outing, ask yourself whether you’ll talk about it next week. If not, is it really worth the money? This “return on joy” test helps you prioritise experiences that are actually going to create memories, rather than simply filling an evening.
Savings worth: £300
*UnF*ck Your Business Finances: Unlearn the Shame, Reclaim the Power and Change the Game by Laura Linden is available at feistyfd.com