8 spending habits that will save you money

There’s usually a money-saving angle to be found on most things if you look a little closer, so check out some of these top tips.

Make sure you don’t miss out on hidden savings when you shop online. Always check cashback websites like Topcashback and Quidco for offers. Try Honey too – it’s a handy tool that finds the best deals available online for you. And don’t forget, paying online with a credit card gives you extra protection if something goes wrong with your purchase.

Whether you’re working from home or the office, prepping your lunch each day can add up to huge savings. You’d be amazed how much you can spend on takeaway lunches during the week, so taking the time to make your meals in advance will keep your wallet – and stomach happy.

Having a no-spend day sounds really simple but can be surprisingly difficult. Think about it, you probably spend money on at least one thing every day – things like a drink, snacks or transport. But with a bit of forward planning, it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

Keep your eyes peeled for free nights out in your local area, particularly if you live near a city. Whether it’s a comedy show, gig or quiz, there’s usually always something going on that you can attend for free. You can sign up for mailing lists, like the BBC’s, to be kept up-to-date with local shows and TV recordings like Live at the Apollo and Later… with Jools Holland.

In the mood for a takeaway, but want to save some pennies? Try making a fakeaway, instead. Whether you’re in the mood for a Chinese, Indian or Italian, there’s a range of fakeaway recipes you can try for a fraction of the cost of a takeaway. You can also whip up a delicious meal in just 30 minutes – quicker than waiting for your delivery!

Cut down the running costs of your car with a few simple steps. Like keeping it free of any extra weight – the heavier your car, the more fuel you’ll use. It’s also worth rolling down your windows rather than using the air con, as this uses more fuel too.

There are a few tricks to getting the best airfares. Booking early for a getaway deal isn’t always the cheapest way to do it. Prices will change over time and can go down as well as up. Set up price alerts if you have a destination in mind to keep tabs on things. Or if your plans are flexible, use Skyscanner’s Everywhere tool to find bargain seats on flights to random destinations.

Shops, cafes and restaurants often have their own loyalty schemes which could save you money.

They’re often free to sign up to and give you access to all sorts of rewards, including the odd freebie. So keep an eye out for them.

With Clubcard you can collect points, turn them into vouchers for money off your Tesco shop, or get up to 2x the value with 100+ Tesco Reward Partners. Helping you save on meals out, family trips away and loads more.

While we really hope you find this page helpful, please know it’s for information only and not financial advice. Any facts or figures we’ve used were checked at the time of publication and came from a range of sources.