Did you set yourself any New Year’s Resolutions? Stop spending so much money on food, start a budget sheet or just stop taking your card on nights out, many of us make resolutions around money but not a lot stick to them.
2018 is arguably the best year to start saving yourself some cash, with technology playing a big role in how we spend our money, isn’t it about time it starts helping us save some?
Cashback apps
These have been around for a while now and while it’s hard to choose a favourite, TopCashback and Quidco seem to come top of the list – both of which are free!
Download discounts and vouchers, monitor your cashback balance, make withdrawals and even earn extra bonuses! The TopCashback app also lets you earn some pounds when doing your food shop, all you have to do is snap and upload your receipt.
Chip
Do you keep saying hello to your overdraft at the end of each month? The Chip app<could be the answer, it’s free and compatible with most UK banks.
Once connected to your online banking, it collects information about your spending habits and uses that data to see how much you can afford to save. Every few days it transfers the amount it thinks is affordable into a separate savings account, but don’t worry you can withdraw whenever you like!
Squirrel
If you’re finding it hard to make your salary last till the end of the month, let alone make savings, you may want to research the Squirrel app. To you use it you’ll need a separate bank account (run by Barclays) which your salary gets paid into and then it releases money gradually back into your account so you don’t run out!
You can tell the app when bills are due so it pays the money into your account on time, but it can also help you save money! There’s a monthly fee of £3.99 but it can be overridden in emergencies.
Stocard
Loyalty cards are a brilliant way to save money, and even though as a nation we’re great and stuffing our wallets and purses full of them, when it comes to actually using them we’re not so great.
This digital wallet app allows you to store all of your loyalty cards on your phone, meaning you can free up your actual wallet! Just ask the cashier to scan the relevant barcode when you’re shopping and your points will be sent straight to your card!
Money Dashboard
To take control of your finances in 2018 and beyond, you first need to know what you’re spending your money on.
Money Dashboard is a really handy way to work out what you’re splashing out on and where! Safely connect the app to your bank account(s), and when you start spending money it appears on the app’s dashboard! All spending is sectioned so you can see where you’re spending the most and where you can cut back. It’s like having your very own accountant! If you’re still interested in sorting your finances with an accountant click here.
MySupermarket
Probably the most popular of saving apps, MySupermarket lets you know if you’re really getting a good deal, especially if you’re relying on memory to check whether discounts like “two-fers” are actually any good.
This app takes all the hard work out by showing you all the recent prices for the item you’re searching!
And if you’re a bit more old school and prefer to have everything on paper and not electronically then you can still download my Free financial planner free of charge.
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