I’ve realised over the years that it’s often the little things I do without really thinking about them that make the biggest difference to how organised I feel with money.
None of these are going to magically save thousands of pounds overnight and they’re definitely not groundbreaking, but they’re habits that either save us money, spread the cost of things or just make life that little bit easier.
And honestly, anything that makes life easier while saving a few pounds along the way is a win for me. 😂
I meal plan around what we already have
Before I plan our meals for the week, I try to have a good look through the fridge, freezer and cupboards to see what we’ve already got that needs using.
It sounds really obvious, but it’s so easy to write a meal plan, make a shopping list and buy everything you need without thinking about the random half bags of things in the freezer or the tins and packets that have been sitting in the cupboard for months.
I try to build at least some of our meals around what we already have and then only buy what we need to turn those things into actual meals. It saves money, cuts down on waste and stops the freezer getting so full that I have absolutely no idea what’s hiding at the bottom.
I buy things in bulk when there’s a genuinely good deal
If something we use regularly is on a really good offer then I’ll happily buy more than one.
I’m not talking about buying enough toilet roll to fill an entire bathroom or having a garage that looks like a supermarket stockroom. 😂 I just mean buying enough to take advantage of a good deal on something I know we’re definitely going to use.
Things like toiletries, cleaning products and cupboard basics are ideal for this because I know we’ll get through them eventually.
The important bit for me is that it has to be something we’d have bought anyway. Buying six of something I don’t really need just because it’s half price isn’t saving money – it’s just spending more money on something because it has a yellow sticker next to it.
I used to have a present cupboard
When the kids were younger, I always had a present cupboard because there seemed to be a stage where there was a birthday party pretty much every weekend.
If I spotted something that would make a good birthday present at a great price, I’d buy it and put it away ready for the next invitation. It meant I wasn’t rushing around at the last minute trying to find something suitable and paying whatever it happened to cost because I needed it there and then.
I don’t really need a present cupboard these days, but it saved me so much time, money and last-minute faffing when birthday-party invitations seemed to be coming home every other week.
I batch cook for the freezer
I love having homemade meals or the building blocks of meals in the freezer ready for the days when I really can’t be bothered to cook.
I’ll make extra when I’m cooking something that’s easy to double up and freeze the spare portions, or I’ll batch cook things specifically to make life easier another day.
For me, this isn’t just about saving money on the ingredients. It’s about making the easy option on a busy day something that’s already in the freezer rather than a takeaway.
There’s something very satisfying about having one of those days where cooking is the last thing you want to do and remembering that past-you has already sorted tea. 😂
I start thinking about Christmas early
I know there are people who don’t even want to hear the word Christmas until December, but that’s definitely not me. 😂
I much prefer starting early and spreading everything out rather than trying to buy presents, food, decorations and everything else out of one or two paydays at the end of the year.
I have a basket in one of the big cupboards in our dining room where I put Christmas bits as and when I buy them. It means everything is together in one place and, more importantly, I don’t put something somewhere ‘safe’, completely forget about it and then find it the following Summer. 😂
I pick things up throughout the year when I see something that’s perfect for someone or when I spot a really good deal. I also save my supermarket vouchers for Christmas rather than using them as I earn them through the year. By the time Christmas comes around, I’ve got a nice little amount there to put towards the extra food and other bits we inevitably buy.
It spreads the cost and gives me plenty of time to shop around rather than feeling like I have to buy something because Christmas is two weeks away.
I split my money into different pots
I have different pots set up in my bank account so I can split money up rather than having everything sitting together in one big balance.
It makes it much easier for me to see what money is actually available to spend and what I’ve already mentally allocated for something else. Putting a bit aside regularly also means that when one of those bigger expenses comes around, at least some of the money is already sitting there waiting for it.
I also have round-ups switched on for my everyday spending, so whenever I buy something the amount is rounded up and the difference goes into a savings pot for Christmas.
They’re usually tiny amounts that I wouldn’t notice individually, but they gradually add up in the background without me having to think about it. I really like that kind of saving – something happening automatically that future-me will be very pleased about when Christmas comes around. 😂
Little habits add up
None of these things feels particularly dramatic on its own. I’m not going to retire early because I bought three bottles of something while they were half price or because there’s a homemade dinner sitting in my freezer. 😂
But that’s not really the point.
These little habits make everyday life easier. They mean we’re less likely to pay more because we’ve left something until the last minute, less likely to waste food we’ve forgotten about and less likely to have one big expense land all at once.
And for me, that’s often what managing money well looks like. It’s not always about making huge changes or cutting everything back. Sometimes it’s just doing a few small things now that make life a bit easier later.
I’d love you to follow me on Twitter and it would be amazing to see you over on my Facebook page and on Instagram. If you’re interested, you can find out more about me here and while I’ve got your attention, if you’re wondering why some of my posts lately are a little bit less frugal then have a read of this post. 😉
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