How to save money in 2025.

Try the brand swap challenge to help reduce your grocery bills. Swap branded products for the stores own brands and see if you can tell the difference, and if you can is a big enough difference to justify the cost of the branded product?

One of my top tips for saving money in 2025 is to take advantage of loyalty programs and cashback apps! Many retailers and services now offer points or cashback for everyday purchases, which can add up quickly over time. Combine these with meal planning and buying in bulk for extra savings—every little bit helps!

Use apps such as too good to go where not only will you save money but also help sustainability and reduce food waste. Food pantrys also offer good value for money with bags costing £5 for various items of food and again is a way of reducing food waste but also provide good recipes for making healthy basic meals. There is no criteria for using a food pantry all are welcome and is a good way of socialising with a cuppa😁

We buy dog food when it’s on special in the supermarket and stock up, so we don’t have to buy it when it’s at the normal, much higher price. We get enough so that it lasts until it’s back on special again.

My best tip for saving money is buying a 15Tog duvet to save you turning on the heater while a sleep.

Meal planning is key. Know before you go shopping what you are going to eat each day before you go shopping. Sounds daunting but it quickly becomes natural. Doesn’t mean that real life won’t occur and changes need to be made to accommodate but shopping to a plan and knowing what you already have in your store cupboard/freezer and fridge will help to reduce your food waste.

Get a id mobile account  turn your boiler down to 60 degrees  turn router water down between 50 and 60 degrees 

Keep an eye on the little things, they soon add up. Minimise non essential spending, £10 a day on coffee & lunch is £3,650 per year!

Search for discount codes when purchasing online. I've saved money doing this plenty of times

Saving money effectively starts with energy efficiency—installing smart plugs and bulbs, sealing windows and doors, and lowering your thermostat by just 1-2°C can significantly reduce your bills. Batch-cooking, meal prepping, and running appliances during off-peak hours help save both time and money. Shopping smartly is key: buy second-hand, use cashback apps, wait 24 hours before making impulse purchases, and opt for store brands instead of name brands. Decluttering your home and selling unused items on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace can generate extra cash. Track your expenses with apps, automate savings, and negotiate better deals on bills like phone, internet, and insurance. Transport costs can be reduced by walking, biking, carpooling, or using public transport passes. Cut entertainment costs by hosting game nights, borrowing books from the library, or canceling unused subscriptions. Invest in energy-efficient appliances, reusable products, and long-term upgrades like insulation or double-glazed windows to save in the future. Additionally, start a side hustle or take advantage of government grants for electric vehicles and energy-efficient home upgrades. To win a Hive Thermostat & Hub, research the contest rules, maximize your entries, and engage with organizers on social media. With these habits, you’ll not only save money but also increase your chances of financial and contest success!

Planning a budget, compare and reduce spending on food and other items, combat waste.

Saving money effectively starts with energy efficiency—installing smart plugs and bulbs, sealing windows and doors, and lowering your thermostat by just 1-2°C can significantly reduce your bills. Batch-cooking, meal prepping, and running appliances during off-peak hours help save both time and money. Shopping smartly is key: buy second-hand, use cashback apps, wait 24 hours before making impulse purchases, and opt for store brands instead of name brands. Decluttering your home and selling unused items on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace can generate extra cash. Track your expenses with apps, automate savings, and negotiate better deals on bills like phone, internet, and insurance. Transport costs can be reduced by walking, biking, carpooling, or using public transport passes. Cut entertainment costs by hosting game nights, borrowing books from the library, or canceling unused subscriptions. Invest in energy-efficient appliances, reusable products, and long-term upgrades like insulation or double-glazed windows to save in the future. Additionally, start a side hustle or take advantage of government grants for electric vehicles and energy-efficient home upgrades. To win a Hive Thermostat & Hub, research the contest rules, maximize your entries, and engage with organizers on social media. With these habits, you’ll not only save money but also increase your chances of financial and contest success!

What has worked well for me in terms of building up savings is creating a zero-based budget. This means you Allocate every pound of your income to a range of categories/pots, that include not just your monthly outgoings but also allocating/saving money towards annual/one off spends such as Xmas, house, pet, and car expenses, kids’ birthdays, holidays etc. Work out how much you spend on them per year and then divide by 12, and put this money away each month. This means that you will build up the cash for these spends ready for when you need it, and you will also have a clearer (more accurate) idea of how much ‘spare’ (meaning ‘unallocated’) money you have to save or spend each month for fun/frivolous things, towards long term goals and for an emergency fund. It is also so reassuring to have your pots fill up, ready for when you need them. For example, my car needs servicing and has its MOT every March but I already have a pot with £700 in it ready to go, and it’s only Jan. I also have a pot for my house insurance for April with £300 in it, have just re-started my Xmas pot after spending it on Xmas 24, etc etc. Budgeting this way means you don’t have ‘boom and bust’ months where you spend all your cash on one thing (like Xmas) and you don’t find yourself randomly raiding your savings to buy silly stuff, as you have already pre-decided what the money will be spent on. 

My pots are:

car maintenance, mot, tax, insurance

pet food (I buy in bulk every three months)

house and pet insurance

water bills (billed every 6 months) 

holiday 

birthday and Xmas 

House maintenance/replacement white goods 
Ring subscription, Amazon prime 

long term savings (overpay mortgage, update bathroom, kitchen, stocks and share isa)

Emergency funds - to cover 3-6 months outgoings 

Monthly essentials - groceries, petrol/travel to work 

monthly fun spends - eating out, coffee shops, clothes, 

you will be shocked by how quickly your pots add up, even if you can only put aside a little every month, and saving becomes ridiculously addictive and satisfying!  

That old adage 'if you don't need it, don't buy it's.

Put money away each month.

Pay with cash (when you can). This assists with your budgeting because you know exactly how much you have got for your budget and how much you have left. Instead of just constantly tapping your card which mentally does not have the same effect at reducing costs then having cash in your hand when spending.

Check all the bills for gas, electric, internet, phone, subscriptions, ect and check to see if switching would be cheaper. Long term and over multiple different bills, this can help save a lot of money and you still get the same value, sometimes better!! That's why I switched to ID mobile, the monthly cost was much lower AND it includes extras like roaming abroad and rolling over data.

My best idea is to budget and stick to it. On excel input all bills and payments out. You can then plan what to do with any extra money. Add to savings or a rainy day fund.

Shop around for the best deals on all insurance, subscription TV and utilities. Just half an hour on one thing could save you over £100+, not bad for a half hour's effort.

Price comparison sites for items that are needed aswell as more Google searching.

Work out whether store "offers" work out cheaper buying a bundle.

Thermostat down a degree of 2.

Oh and get a SIM or contract from I'd mobile!😄

Plan your meals for the week, then do your shopping sticking to the list you've drawn up from your meal plan.  This takes away the temptation to impulse buy.

Comparing prices before purchasing anything to make sure you're not paying more than you need to. Making use of cashback sites and cashback debit/credit cards to earn a little back on purchases you'd be making anyway. 

Set a budget and live below your means. Compare utilities and insurance. Shop for necessary stuff such as insurance and other online purchases through topcashback : https://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/Jasonsimms1/?source=App-Android-TAFPage this adds up the cashback throughout the year and usually pays for Christmas gifts or a treat at Christmas. Use a budget mobile service like ID mobile excellent service and great value for money. Good luck in 2025 may you all improve finances and be healthy 

J.S

Always shop around when renewals are due. Instead of staying with the same supplier, investigate others to gain more bargaining power with your current suppliers or decide to switch to an alternative supplier.

Keep heating a couple degrees lower