Money Saving Sarah

I've written a few times about where I've been saving money lately, you'll find the posts here and here.

However I've since found a few other ways to save some extra pennies to allow me to continue with my luxuries. I thought I'd share them with you here...

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First up was my car insurance. It was due for renewal this month and being totally short of time, the easiest option would have been to continue on with my current supplier who would automatically renew the policy for me. However, I spent 10 minutes shopping around on the internet and managed to save myself a whopping £100. A quick call to the company to cancel my renewal and I was able to sign up online with the new insurance company in 5 minutes. It was much easier than I had expected and I'm really pleased that I took the time to do this.

Next up is my mobile phone. I have moved to a Pay Monthly Sim which is saving me £30 a month. There's nothing wrong with my current iPhone 5. Yes, it's a bit scratched and it's not the latest model, but that really doesn't matter. It's functional. So for now I'm happy with my contract and if anything does happen to my phone then I at least know it's insured through my contents policy. This is something else to bear in mind... make sure you're not doubling up on policies. At one point I had mobile phone insurance through my phone provider and through my bank!

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Finally, there's my student loan. It turns out that I am very close to paying this off. It's certainly worth checking if, like me, you feel you've been paying yours off forever! So instead of getting to the situation where I'm overpaying, you can change to pay the remainder as a direct debit rather than it coming off your salary. I reckon that by May I'll have this paid off, and that's going to give me an extra £70 each month. Result!

My next tasks are to shop around for my gas and electricity and my other insurance policies that I hold.

Planning & Looking to the Future

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I'm a planner.

I love to organise my time, know where I'm going to be and when... 

I don't like the uncertainty of not knowing what's around the corner.

In my head I have a clearer career plan. My new job has helped with that and I feel focussed in this area of my life.

I also have a fitness plan, and I'm feeling motivated to reach my goal. Next on my list is to manage at least one full, proper press-up. So far I can only do press-ups on my knees. I also need to lose a few more pounds.

What I don't like is the uncertainty of my personal life... relationships, money, health... I'm not feeling very settled for some reason and it's making me stressed and emotional.

Things with my divorce are starting to progress again in the right direction, and at a better speed than before. So hopefully I'll have some resolution in this area soon. I do think this will help dramatically with things. Plus it will be good when those lawyer bills finally stop!! Which leads onto money, or lack thereof. I've been saving where possible to allow my luxuries to continue. However I'm really feeling it this year and I've borrowed money from my dad and my sister. It should all even out eventually as my student loan repayments are going to stop this quarter - that will help hugely! All this stress is making my Crohn's symptoms worse and I'm feeling pretty exhausted most of the time. However I'm great at 'putting on a good show' as my doctor put it, and I carry on regardless.

I have an Easter holiday organised which I'm really looking forward to. My sister and her boyfriend have booked a luxury lodge in Scotland (I will pay you back eventually...promise!) and we've been planning what to do with our week off. There will be the four grown-ups plus our four kids. I'm hoping for dry weather so we can BBQ, play in the park and have some quality time together.

So for now, I'm going to breathe... (try to) trust... let go... and see what happens!

Money - Saver Stories with RBS

As part of my New Years Resolutions to get organised & get fit, I've been giving a bit of thought to my finances which also need to get in better shape!

Past

I vividly remember getting my first current account and debit card with RBS when I was a teenager. My mum came with me into the branch on Union Street in Aberdeen and we successfully managed to get the account set up - it was all very exciting and grown up. I was soon going on my first solo trip abroad!

At the beach in Boston :)

I had various part-time jobs through school and university (chamber maid, shop assistant and lifeguard if you're interested!) and was able to save money each month. I had a cash ISA and used to try to save my maximum allowance each year (interest that you earn on the balance of a cash ISA is tax-free). I was rather sensible in my teens and twenties!!

At my graduation with my gran

I purchased my first property when I was 21 and used my savings to help furnish the flat. I was really pleased to get on the property ladder and having my savings certainly helped somewhat (as did the various family members that donated furniture and other bits and pieces and I also couldn't have done it without the help of my dad who guaranteed my mortgage for me - thanks dad).

What advice would I give to my younger self now if I could?

Hmmm... this is a tough question as I think I was possibly a bit more savvy when I was younger than I am now when it comes to savings!

My top tip, which I should pay attention to now, is to not spend money unless you have it. It's really disheartening having to pay fees for using an overdraft or paying interest on a credit card; I make sure that I pay off my credit card balance in full each month so that I don't have to pay interest.

Present

Over the past few years I have tried to save money where possible.

A big spend each week for me is food. On the advice of a friend I've tried Money Saving Expert's Downshift Challenge. Items in the supermarket fit into four levels - premium (finest, extra special); branded (e.g. Kelloggs, McVities); own brand; and value (basic, savers). The theory is that you drop one brand level on everything then see if you can tell the difference of not. If not, stick with the cheaper one. I've also been shopping online and meal planning which has also helped me save my pennies.

I also previously had accounts with BT, Sky, Virgin and Orange for my landline, TV, broadband and mobile respectively. I've streamlined this now and just have one account with Virgin which covers them all. I've also ditched premium channels on the TV - I wasn't really watching them anyway.

One final thing I've done to save money is that I've stopped having my hair cut and coloured as frequently (I went brunette for a while and was dying my hair in the house as blonde was proving to be too high maintenance).

All of these 'everyday savings' have allowed me to spend money each week on some luxuries. Everyone is different, but for me at the moment my luxuries are my personal trainer and I've also hired a cleaner. The exercise is so important for my wellbeing and I'm slowly getting motivated to keep up with it in my own time. The cleaner is already making my life so much easier. I also have extra outgoings these days because of our kittens, Rhubarb & Crumble... but they're worth it!

I keep track of my finances in an Excel spreadsheet on my computer. However I've recently discovered the RBS Budget Calculator which does the job for you... all you need to do is enter your income, and then input your monthly expenditure (mortgage/rent, food, bills, childcare costs etc.) and it will tell you what your saving potential is each month. It's really straightforward to use and this way I can see if I can afford any of my other luxuries, like a night out or some new clothes.

RBS are on a fairer banking mission. To prove they mean business, they are offering the same savings rates to both new and existing customers, as well as waving goodbye to the short term teaser rates on savings accounts. 

Future

I'm hoping that with the increased hours at my new job I will be able to save a bit more each month as my take home salary will be a little bit more than I'm used to. I think the easiest way to commit to this is to set up a Standing Order to a separate Savings Account. If the money is in my Current Account then I'm more likely to spend it! When I was a bit more flush I had an ISA, and this is something that I'll need to start using again.

My ultimate goal is to have our first family holiday in the sun. I'm yet to venture out of Scotland with the kids, so we are all looking forward to an adventure somewhere new this year. The kids went to Turkey with their dad last summer, and I'd love to be able to take them somewhere myself. I'm going to use the RBS Savings Goal Tool (only available to RBS customers) to create a savings plan and assign it to my RBS Savings Account. I'll then be able to track my progress really easily when I log into my digital banking.

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go ;)

I also have a few debts that I need to pay off, and this is on my to-do-list for the future. I've still got a student loan despite having left university over 10 years ago now! I'd like to get this cleared asap.

What are your savings goals?

Disclaimer - This paid/sponsored post is in collaboration with RBS.

Review - FoodSaver

My main resolution or goal for 2015 is to get organised. A big part of this for me will be getting back into meal planning, shopping online & batch cooking meals for the freezer. So when I was asked if I wanted to review a FoodSaver I jumped at the chance.

The FoodSaver is a vacuum sealing system that sucks out the air from the bag, sealing in flavour and quality.

The FoodSaver Model: FFS002 has an integrated roll storage and it genuinely is so straightforward to use and easy to clean (the instructions state that it can be used by children aged 8 and over!).

We waste a lot of food and I'm hoping that this gadget will help us keep food longer as it won't perish as fast. I tend to find that food in my freezer gets 'freezer burn' and I can't seem to control the temperature in my fridge very well either, so using the FoodSaver will protect my groceries.

The other added benefit is the reseal function. This means that if I open a big bag of crisps I can reseal the bag before I make my way through the lot so it's great for controlling portion sizes for dieting. 

I thought it would be easier to show you the FoodSaver in use, so here's a little vlog for you. I ended up demonstrating the functionality of the machine by marinading some chicken in a green curry paste. You can marinade in minutes rather than overnight, another huge plus point. As an aside - I do totally realise that you don't need to marinade chicken for a Thai Green Curry but it just happened to be what we were cooking for dinner and it was a good way to show you the FoodSaver in action!

The FoodSaver FFS002 costs £74.99 on Amazon with free delivery, and it comes with 10 bags and a 3m roll plus an accessory hose (for use with FoodSaver canisters). You can then buy replacement rolls, 2 x 5m for £17.80 on Amazon with free delivery. It may not be the cheapest gadget, but I think in the long run it will help me save pounds (& hopefully lose pounds in weight too!).

It's also not the smallest of machines, but it can be stored upright which takes up less space, and it's got a sleek design so it looks good on the counter-top.

I was sent a FoodSaver FFS002 to review. All opinions are honest and are my own.

{#JanuaryJoy - plan your savings}

It just so happens that yesterday I created a spreadsheet with my income and all my outgoings, which is perfect for today's #JanuaryJoy prompt, 'plan your savings'.

Unfortunately, what my spreadsheet has shown me is that I don't really have any spare cash to start a savings plan... Every penny is pretty much accounted for.

I love a good spreadsheet!

However, in August, my son turns 5 and he also starts school. This will reduce my monthly outgoings on childcare by approximately £350.

So my plan for just now is to just get through the next 6 months as best as I can, but then in August I will re-think my savings and come up with an actual plan for the future as I should hopefully have a bit more disposable income.

I've cut my costs as far as practicable... but I know there is more that can be done. Selling my car was a start... my road tax has dropped from £490 a year to £30! I need to look at my mobile phone contract. I don't think I'm on the best package for my requirements. I also need to make more of an effort to do meal planning. This will hopefully cut my food expenditure as there will be less waste. There are also things I can sell... my old iPhone for one. It's been sat in a drawer for nearly a year, whereas I reckon I could probably get £100 for it if I was to sell it. I also have some clothes I no longer wear that I could eBay...

There are so many things I'd love to do in the new house (paint, carpet, new light fittings...), and I'd also love to go on holiday abroad (my last trip abroad was nearly 4 years ago). But of course this all costs money... so the savings plan is really important.

Watch this space to see how I get on.

{#ShareAdvent - Been putting this off}

Today's #ShareAdvent prompt is "been putting this off".

I've been putting off... dealing with my finances.

In January I had a plan of action to look at my budget and make a savings plan. By March I was doing quite well and I had put into place a few money saving exercises, like scrapping Sky TV and the Downshift Challenge.

But with the house move I've become disorganised and my finances are in a bit of a state again.

I've not been shopping online as I had planned...

Weekly meal planning hasn't been done for months now...

I've stopped running to work and I'm taking the car again... (in my defence, it's too dark now!)

It's time to get back on track. Especially with the expense of Christmas this month.

I will take the time to jot down my outgoings and work out what I can realistically save each month (if anything!). I've already managed to cut a number of my costs now that I'm in my new, smaller house. I will do the gardening myself, I will wash my windows myself, and I will clean myself (yes, I know, it's OTT but I used to have a cleaner). I'm also hopeful that my gas and electricity bills will drop and this month I'm going to sell my car and get something more economical.

I will stop putting this off and get on it. No more excuses. As of now, I vow to be more organised and savvy with my money.

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{Money Saving Sarah}

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get a better handle on my finances. I'm trying to be more savvy with my spending and I'm hopefully making small changes that will make a difference to my bank balance!

My work colleagues have been great at giving me some tips. First up was to sign up for Money Saving Expert emails (and then actually take the time to read them).

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I also had accounts with Virgin, BT, Sky & Orange for internet, landline, TV and mobile... silly when you think about it! I've ditched the Sky TV and invested in a Freeview box instead. I managed to get a little one that you plug into the scart at the back of the TV and so there is no ugly box on view. I also cancelled Virgin and now have internet & landline with BT. Makes sense I think (and hopefully saving some pennies!).

A big spend each week is food. On the advice of a colleague I've tried Money Saving Expert's Downshift Challenge. Items in the supermarket fit into four levels - premium (finest, extra special); branded (e.g. Kelloggs, McVities); own brand; and value (basic, savers). The theory is that you drop one brand level on everything then see if you can tell the difference of not. If not, stick with the cheaper one.

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There are certain things that I'm not willing to compromise on, such as cold meat, meat & fish, bin bags (I hate the cheap ones that rip easily), baby wipes (Huggies all the way - the others I've tried are rubbish in comparison), washing powder (it's Persil non-bio for us!), Heinz low-salt baked beans, free range eggs, Tetley Extra Strong tea and extra virgin olive oil.

However, for the majority of the usual items I've gone down a brand level and am happy enough. I'm no longer buying 'Taste the Difference' bread, and instead am buying branded bread (I really should just make my own artisan bread!!); I'm buying own brand milk, yoghurts, raisins, crisps, breadsticks, smoothies etc for the kids snacks (I do still buy Mini Cheddars - not spotted an alternative yet but I'm maybe not looking hard enough); I now buy own brand nappies instead of Pampers; and even Onion the cat has been down-graded from specialist cat food to Whiskas.

Another thing I'm trying to do is shop online rather than in store. I always get distracted by the clothes, toiletries, DVDs, magazines and other things that aren't necessary. If I shop online then I'm likely to just buy what I actually need. I've also had a look at mysupermarket for the first time... to be investigated!!

Which is where meal planning comes in. I now do weekly meal planning hosted over at Mrs M 's blog. This means that I know in advance what I'm eating for dinner eat night and I avoid wasting food. It's made a big difference.

One final thing that I've just started doing is running to and from work. I'm not going to do this every day, but I used to spend £7 per day on parking and on top of that I'd have the expense of diesel too. By running I'm getting exercise & fresh air which is great for my soul and I'm saving money at the same time! Ideal!!

What are your money saving tips? I'd love to hear from you :-)