Enjoying the Good life on a Budget

Life is without a doubt becoming increasingly more expensive and in most cases wages are just not going up at the same rate as inflation, meaning many households are having to tighten their belt. The thing is we only live once and life shouldn't have to be a struggle all the time or be shrouded by constant missing out because of financial constraints. If you work hard it's only fair to be able to treat yourself every now and then and this is also important for one's mental and physical wellbeing. The one positive though is the internet and with a little research, it's possible to make some sustainable savings which it comes to eating, shopping and traveling so it's always worthwhile checking beforehand. I truly believe we can all lead full and exciting lives that don't have to cost a fortune or cause us strain or financial stress and I thought I would share a few tips on saving money on the fun stuff as I am all about frugality, especially since having kids.

Travel

There are a variety of ways to save money while travelling. First of all it's always worth booking your transport in advance, we all know that the cheapest train, bus and airfare are booked early and it's worth of taking advantage of any sales, such as the Eurostar sale which happens around twice a year. Another must is always doing a price comparison when it comes to hotels with my personal favourite is Trivago or Expedia. If you are really struggling to save enough for that family holiday it's always worth considering a staycation, the UK has such brilliant places to explore such as Cornwall and camping or glamping can be a really affordable option that kids love and still feels like your away from it all and if your travelling as a couple why not try out a boutique hostel - I worked in a few before I had children and some a really fantastic. If you are a fairly frequent traveller or want your daily purchases going towards travel then getting a credit card that offers could points or cashback towards travel is a good idea. Check out more budget saving tips in a post I wrote last year.

Home

There are plenty of ways to save money in the home with the first port of call to go through all your outgoings and checking for areas you could save such as your gas and electric, broadband, house insurance etc never just automatically renew instead always check for comparison savings and use sites such as Topcashback to get cashback on any switches. If your looking for a few luxury touches than it's worth checking out places like HomeSense which sells discounted designer items at up to 60% off and ebay as well as gumtree are great places to pick up nearly new sofas and homeware.

Eating out or staying in

I have to say eating out for most is a real treat but can be a very expensive one. What I tend to do when I am in the city is budget for a nice cup of coffee and cake at a stylish and hip coffee bar, that way I still soak up the atmosphere without shelling out for an expensive meal, I am also a frequent user of vouchercloud when we are out and about as you can often find vouchers on the go for high street restaurants. If you do love cooking in there is no shame in using coupons on your weekly shop, use can also find online coupons for those who opt for online shopping and making your own cocktails at home for those al fresco days and embracing the good weather with a feel-good picnic.

Get Social and Embrace the outdoors

If you really tight for money that doesn't mean you have to sit indoors for fear going out means spending money. Our favourite weekend activities usually involve going for a walk in the forest, city park or hiking up a trail, all of these things are free and make you feel good too. Getting social with friends is also a good idea, ask them to come along or meet up with each in a park and have a picnic, this way you still feel like your being social, enjoying friendships without the costs that can sometimes go along with that.

Wardrobe

There are a few options when it comes to your wardrobe but the first rule is always "Less is more" but moving on from that if you do find something you really love in a sale than take advantage of that. You can often also find online discounts, coupons and cashback to help with any purchases and it's always worth popping into your local charity shop as they really can be treasure troves. Ebay is also a great place to sell, make a little money and buy some essentials at a saving.

These are just a few tips for living better on less and remember it only takes a few minutes to research online before making a purchase to check for any discount codes.

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