How to save money in 2025.

On the theme of heating the home (& thermostats), turning your boiler’s flow temperature down has been proven to improve efficiency, thereby reducing your gas bill, whilst still heating your home to a comfortable temperature. The Energy Saving Trust suggests that setting your boilers central heating flow temperature to 60c is often the sweet spot, but using trial & error is best.

Plan your weekly meals, write a shopping list and only buy what you need. 
 

less food waste, and no last minute shopping trips needed. 
 

allow the meals to be flexible so if you find a bargain in the reduced section, you can swap the protein (chicken fajitas but with turkey or pork instead) 

Cash back apps are brilliant great way to collect and save. Servey for cheapest and dearest supermarkets is out with  two money  saving winners, look them up and use.

You can compare prices of most of your shopping list on Trolley App or Trolley.co.uk thereby knowing which shops have the best and lowest prices for the products you want to purchase. 

LED light bulbs, cavity wall insulation, close blinds and curtains on an evening and shower instead of bath. ✅

Spend time planning your meals for the week before you do your weekly shop. Then check what foods you need, against what you have in your freezer and pantry/ cupboards. This will reduce food waste and help in your budgeting. Draw up your weekly meal plan. Check sell by dates of meat/fish to avoid food spoiling. Buy more and over produce so you can freeze meals and save money on energy in the long term. If you are going out or working, make a packed/ hot lunch to avoid spending money on highly processed, convenience lunches. Use a refillable water bottle to avoid unhealthy fizzy drinks and buy a reusable coffee/ tea insulated mug, not only to reduce paper wastage but also to earn more of those bonus rewards when visiting your favorite coffee shop. Win Win. Love a bit of thriftiness !

Jane Cafferky

Put a lock on my fridge to prevent it being emptied by the kids every time I top it up

I'm a pensioner who unfortunately doesn't qualify for help with my heating bills as I'm just over the threshold by a few £'s. I used to go to bed around 10 pm but have had to start going a lot earlier to save electricity. My children clubbed together and bought me a TV for my bedroom. It's smaller than the one in the living room and cheaper to run. I save around £10 a week doing this, which means I can spend that tenner on food. I also fill a flask to save boiling the kettle too many times.

I buy what I need in the sales or in 2nd hand shops and websites. 

We’ve recently started using cash for all our purchases. You can then monitor how much you are spending. Rather than tap a card everywhere which can get out of hand. We also turn the heating right down when we go to bed. So it only comes on if it gets really cold.

Use a heated throw instead of turning the central heating up. Heating less costs less. Heating a whole room/house costs more. 

Only fill your kettle for the amount of water you meed. 

Each month you’re with ID Mobile, put the money you are saving from your previous supplier aside - and by the time you’re due for an upgrade buy with your savings, switch to a SIM only deal and save even more money 😁

I use an on-line savings bank account that lets you create as many child accounts as you like under the one login.

I have one set up for car expenses and transfer in a fixed amount every month from my wages. It helps budget as it keeps the money away from your regular account / spending (and you earn some interest on it!). Then when servicing or insurance etc comes around, I have the money available and it’s less of a shock!

A key tip is to focus on purchasing only what is absolutely necessary. This helps avoid impulse buys and ensures your money is spent wisely. Additionally, take the time to shop around and compare prices. Knowing the average cost of items can help you spot the best deals and save money in the long run. With discipline and careful planning, budgeting can make a significant difference in your financial health.

Use shopping apps such as Shopmium, checkoutsmart and Greenjinn to get vastly reduced or free items, via cashback when uploaded receipt and in exchange for some reviews. Use cashback sites esp for large purchases. Use freebie site latestfreestuff-sign up for a daily email with freebies/comps. Shop around and use loyalty programs for all shops. Just this week I got £10 free shopping at Lidl.

Budgeting it must do then have a separate bank account to cover all bills/expenses, a savings account and money allowed to spend each month.  If you have any spare in money allowed to spend or bills account move it to your savings account.

I close my curtains to hold the heat in my house also have joined my EDF Sunday saver which if you cut back on elect use age in the evening you get free hours on the Sunday I have had 2 Sundays with 8 hour and 12 hours free electricity also 8 hours on Christmas day. I have just been told I have 8 hours on this Sunday coming.

Only buy what you need. A 50% saving is only a saving if you needed the item in the first place, otherwise it is unnecessary expenditure. The exception to this is for items you regularly use that have a long shelf-life where buying more can save you in the long run.

As a young adult trying to save for a home I feel I have to cut back on most wants and only get what I NEED. I always make a note of my monthly outgoings that are necessities then see what I am left with and put 70% in savings and live of the other 30%. If I still have money left over I then also transfer the remainder to savings. I always put the exact amounts or round then up to the nearest pound as sometimes fuel, bills, etc can be higher meaning some months you are left with less than expected. I find being accurate helps massively and you should always shop around for the best prices. 

The Hive Smart hub is a great way to keep your heating at the optimum temperature for your home. The best way I have been able yo achieve lower gas and electric bills so far is to have had the best double glazing and home insulation I could afford. I lose much less heat to drafts and ventilation tiles on the roof help air circulation in the insulated loft. 

I also run my washing machine and dishwasher at night, when required, to ensure using off peak electricity.  

In a hermetically sealed home there is one big problem and that is, we all breathe.in air and breathe out carbon dioxide and water vapour which in time with no proper ventilation leads to mould and a bad house atmosphere plus it’s detrimental to healthy living.

If this is you, check your house ventilation bricks and don’t forget your roof ventilation as well and this will save you money and a healthier lifestyle and kick that annoying fungi out.

Make your own lunch at home rather than buy prepackaged lunch from a shop daily. You will save hundred over a year. 

Avoid takeouts and reduce eating out.

Batch cook and freeze! It’s a win win. But always plan your meals ahead and shop with a shopping list. Only buy what you need that way, knowing that you have already checked what you have in the fridge and cupboard.

If you see something that you like in an online sale, put it in your barrow, then leave it there for a day or two, if the item is still available then buy, if it’s gone, it wasn’t to be. 

oh, and use ID on the lowest tariff that you need!

I’d automate savings so my money behaves better than I do after payday, plan meals like a pro to avoid those “oops, takeout again” moments, and squeeze every penny with cashback apps—I’m a little obsessed with them! I actually love signing up to apps that turn steps into vouchers because I make money whilst being healthy. Not going to lie, sitting and budgeting/ penny pinching is so boring to some and my partner hates it but I think I’m practically a financial genius. 🤣 ….I just wish I knew how to turn these little savings into more 🤑