Rhiwbina Living Issue 55

Shop differently
Savvy shoppers are the ones that
head straight for the Reduced
Items section in the supermarket,
often picking up things that they
actually need instead of paying for
full price versions.
After the reduced aisle, head
to the frozen and tinned aisles
next. Goods here tend to be
less expensive than their fresh
counterparts and are often
packed, tinned, or frozen within
hours of being picked.
Sell unwanted stuff
If you take a quick look around
your home, there is likely to be
a range of things that no longer
serve you and can be exchanged
for cash with someone who needs
them more than you do.
Social media market places are
a good place to sell a lot of stuff
locally, giving you space and
funds at the same time.
Walk where you can
The rise of fuel costs is something
that can't be ignored so if
possible, walk to places instead
of using the car, especially if it's
local. Walking is a lot healthier for
starters, plus you'll be saving on
both fuel, and the wear and tear of
your vehicle.
Dining out
It's perhaps too easy to suggest
a blanket ban on eating out,
especially since many of our local
eateries rely on our custom to
keep their doors open.
But you can save money when
going out by working with your
favourite venues. Join their mailing
lists to receive their latest deals.
Ordering takeaways directly from
your local restaurant can also
save you money on the third-party
companies that cream off a small
profit for organising a delivery.
If you also find that you've overordered
at the restaurant, most
venues will be more than happy to
provide a doggy bag - giving you
leftovers to munch on later.
Buy second hand
Millions of Brits are turning to
buying second hand clothing
(Confused.com, 2022) as the cost
of living crisis bites into day-to-day
living.
Buying second hand doesn't
just save you money. It helps the
environment by reducing the need
to create new goods. The fashion
industry is notorious for sending
unwanted items to landfill sites, in
addition to the costs and energy
used to create the garments in the
first place.
If you have little ones, buying preloved
toys means that you extend
the life of that toy - and provide
your youngsters with a good
example of recycling.
Second hand goods can be found
in charity shops plus online listings
and social media.
Find a new income
stream
Converting your knowledge and
expertise into an income is a great
way of boosting your salary.
If you have any particular skills
that are needed locally, why not put
them to good use and generate an
income from it?
The internet also provides a great
way to top up your wages, whether
it's selling goods or services
online, or even offering courses in
your specialist area. Either way, if
you can't do anything about your
outgoings, the only way you're
going to balance it out is to level up
your income.
finances
Save on energy bills
In normal times, experts would
be recommending that you look
around for the best deal when it
comes to your energy bills. The
problem that we are all facing is the
unprecedented rise in costs, with
more rises predicted in October.
As a result, most energy companies
have withdrawn their special offers,
leaving some households in the
lurch as we head into autumn.
If you do foresee trouble ahead, it's
always best to contact your energy
company as soon as you can so that
you can come to some solution.
Around the home, there are actions
you can take to help save on your
bills - turning off unnecessary lights
and appliances is a good start.
Making sure that your house is
properly insulated for the winter will
also go some way to reducing your
reliance on energy. Leaky windows
and poor loft insulation are often
the main culprits when it comes to
higher energy bills.
Save on phone bills
Most us have mobile phones these
days and these can be an expensive
drain on our financial resources. With
that in mind, it's worth checking your
current deal to see if you're paying
over the odds, and to see if there are
any savings to be made.
Phone companies are used
to customers haggling as most
companies would rather throw in a
few goodies or reduce a monthly
tariff if it means that you stay loyal
to them. Be careful too that you're
not paying over the odds for internet
data. Paying for unlimited metering
when you mostly use Wifi is a classic
example of customers paying
through the nose for something that
they don't need.
The technology used in mobile
phones also means that in some
cases, the specs on some phones
come close to matching those of the
more expensive, high-end versions.
Finally, check to see if you have any
useful perks in your contract, like
data rollover.
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