At this time of year I normally plan and organise what I am going to do and where I will go in the next 12 months, summer holidays, local trips etc but one thing that will always determine where I go is whether or not I have the funds. I have decided to write a blog post on the easiest ways to both make and save money this year. My plan is to take a longer holiday this year in a better resort than last year and with this I will have to make some sacrifices on certain things. Here is my list of tips to help you save and make money quickly without much effort.
Cut Down Bills – Change providers.
t is estimated that over 50% of people are paying too much for a particular service they have signed up to and as a result are on the wrong tariff. For example I looked at my previous 6 months telephone bill statements and realised that I no longer need 5000 text messages and 4000 minutes. By changing tariff I was able to save around £25 per month and therefore be on a tariff that suited me more. The next step is then to analyse all the other services that one pays for to determine if I am paying the lowest possible cost for what I use. Be sure to track how much water you use every month with technologies from Flowmeters.com. By analysis of Gas, Electricity, Water, Car and House Insurance, roadside cover, travel insurance I will save close to a thousand pound this year which is definitely worth the day spent researching for all my services.
Cutdown on Takeaways
Not only are takeaways bad for your bank balance, they are also bad for your health. My next tip therefore is to cut down on takeaway food and instead of phoning the local pizza delivery company simply look at what is available in the fridge/freezer to eat. By cutting down on takeaway food not only will you feel a lot healthier but you will also save money. If you spend around £15 per weekend on takeaways then that calculates to over £750 per year or more that you spend. This saving is enough for you to go on a week’s holiday abroad without having to worry about finances.
Sell Your DVDs
Whilst clearing some space in my apartment I noticed that I had DVDs that I never even watch or intend to watch in the next twelve months. I then decided to sell DVDs for cash as I thought that not only could I get some cash that I was desperate need for, I could also gain extra space in my small apartment. One of my greatest ever purchases was the boxset of Friends with over 50 separate DVDs taking up as much room as my television but I realised that I have not watched a single episode of this series since 2010. So rather than have empty money lying around my house I decided to sell them and get some cash in.
Sell Old Clothes
We all have clothes that we never wear and will not wear once this year, therefore we should just sell these clothes to make both money and space. Unless you only have a few pieces of clothes which are not worth much and are not designer then simply donate them to charity. If you however you have many items then you could simply sell them by the weight to certain places in every city. For the people that have tons of designer labels that are still in good condition then why not take them to your local market stall, they will sell in an instant. Another sure way to earn money for old stuff that you do not need.
And hey, whatever you don’t sell, you should consider donating to charity. While that may not seem like a way to make money, it actually is! In the United States, donations can be written off when
efiling at tax time, which can lead to significant savings dependent upon the amount of clothes and other items donated. Plus, even if there was no financial gain to be had, donating items creates a positive impact on those who are less fortunate.
Based on the above I have now earned and saved over £2000 this year which is a lot of money and can definitely be used to get a better summer holiday in the latest resorts.
