Did you get paid early before Christmas? For many people, payday is still a long way off, and with the cost of living continuing to put strain on household budgets we need all the help we can get! So we took to the streets in a city near you to ask the people we found there for their best money-saving hacks for the new year ahead.
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00:00 The cost of living crisis, I don't think it can get much worse.
00:06 Do I have any budgeting tips?
00:08 Not particularly, although I am a member of a frugal site on Facebook and there are some
00:12 people out there that have got some amazing hacks.
00:15 You know, no spend months, yellow stickered items from shops, big fan of that.
00:21 And perhaps just testing in terms of food, which I think is something you can't really
00:25 reduce, trying to find stuff that's nutritious, try different recipes.
00:30 What am I going to do?
00:32 Oh, I don't know.
00:33 Go visit your friends and family and catch a few meals.
00:38 Yeah.
00:39 Do not spend money because you are looking at the payday, right?
00:48 Well, spend money as if you are already in debt.
00:51 And with that, you will never overspend.
00:55 You understand?
00:56 So that's one of the things I like doing, whether it's payday or not payday.
01:02 You know, I don't really look forward to my payday.
01:06 That's one of the mistakes people make.
01:09 I've always made a point of I don't buy expensive ready meals and things like that.
01:14 I'll cook from scratch and things.
01:15 And that's quite easy to do things like that.
01:18 I don't have the heating on all day long.
01:19 I'm quite happy to put an extra layer of clothing on.
01:22 And that can make a difference.
01:23 And little simple things around the house, like you don't boil a full kettle when you're
01:27 just making a cup of coffee.
01:29 Just tiny things can make a difference, really.
01:33 I can't see how it will.
01:34 Maybe next year it might get a bit better.
01:37 But I can't see how it's going to be any better this year.
01:39 I mean, everything's just doubled.
01:41 And it's just ridiculous.
01:42 And I can't see how this year is going to be any different unless something drastic happens.
01:46 And I can't see that being the case.
01:48 I would say the best budgeting tip I have is to ask myself the question, do I need this?
01:54 If I don't need it, I don't get it.
01:58 And I always put a portion of my salary away, no matter how much I was earning, a portion
02:03 of it went away, even if it was a small amount.
02:05 Dry beans, cooking pots of stews, bean stews, you know.
02:14 Do your Sunday roast, but make it bigger to last longer.
02:19 And freeze food.
02:22 You have to go get that survivalism book.
02:25 I don't get affected by it.
02:28 My income is much the same all the time.
02:31 So I'm a pensioner, of course.
02:33 So it just comes and it goes in the bank.
02:36 And I spend it as and when I need it.
02:39 I would say our thing is food in our house.
02:42 We have two children and my husband does all the cooking, so that's really good.
02:47 But I think it's just go out and buy your fresh food from your local people.
02:53 For us, it's like meal planning.
02:54 That's a really good way of budgeting, I think.
02:57 You know what I mean?
02:58 Bring in lunches at lunchtime and cook your nice fresh food.
03:03 And it does really help.