*Collaborative post.
As you all know, buying a house has been something we’ve been planning to do for quite some time but the timing has always been against us! We know we will get there sometime soon as all of our ducks seem to be forming a nice row, but I’d like to have a pound for every time I’ve said that before!
We all know that buying a house is really bloody expensive so I’ve been working really hard to save as much as I can to make the move as easy as possible. I wanted to share with you a few little hints and tips that have helped me smash every target I set!
Use Round-Up Pots
These types of pots are so handy to have as you don’t even realise you’re saving money! Round-up pots work by setting up a side account that will quite literally round up what you’ve spent to the nearest pound, so for example, when you pay £2.75 for a coffee, it will automatically take £3 and pop the extra 25p into your new pot! I’ve saved over £400 this way and it’s so crazy as you don’t miss the odd 5p or 10p moving over and it all adds up!
Use Cashback or Couponing Sites
Using cashback sites are such a great way to earn money without really doing much! I use the likes of QuidCo and TopCashback to earn money when I am spending online. Using both websites means I’ve earned over £300 in real hard cash just for checking if any of the sites I usually shop on such as New Look, ASOS, Just Eat etc offer cashback and clicking through their website. When I hit a good amount, say £50, I request the money earned to be transferred into my account and it’ll appear after a few days.
Additionally, using a couponing site such as Raise can make it easier to find coupons and vouchers for stores like Home Depot to help you save more money on the items you really want to buy!
Check your Interest Rates
Oh gosh, Interest Rates can really make a difference to your savings! After doing a little research I’ve managed to go from £2ish a month to over £15 a month which does all add up as it’s essentially ‘free’ money for having your money sitting in an account. I’ve switched my savings over to Monzo as they had the best rates when I was looking, but do shop around to make the most of what you can earn.
Work out Ways to Reduce Costs
If you’re a sucker for brand names like myself, then an easy way to save money is by switching to your supermarket’s own brands or even switching to a cheaper supermarket. We’ve all seen the Aldi comparison adverts!
This doesn’t just work with food, it can work for your mobile phone plan, your internet provider or even your gym! There’s bound to be offers out there so keep an eye out and it can save you a hell of a lot of money per month.
Seek Help!
So when you’ve hit your savings targets, I’d really recommend talking to a mortgage advisor and broker to help you get the best value for money. I’ve checked every single mortgage calculator out there, but having someone to talk to on the end of the phone has been far more help than they were!
They are able to find you deals, talk you through any questions you have and explain everything – there was so much I didn’t understand that even when I read up on it via the internet, it still wasn’t quite making sense and it has been so handy to have someone that really does understand it all at the end of an email! They’re basically there to make sure that your experience of obtaining a mortgage is as simple, stress-free and enjoyable as possible, which is what we all want, right?
Have you got any hints and tips to add?
I'm Squibb Vicious, better known as Haydy!
Happiest with a craft beer in hand, eating til my heart is content or exploring somewhere new.
Here you can read about my adventures!