First time buyer? Here are 5 tips to save money in your new home

So you’ve finally got a firm foot on the property ladder and now find yourself sitting at a kitchen table that you can call your own – congratulations! All that saving has proven worthwhile, and so begins the enviable task of unpacking the mountain of boxes that line various rooms throughout the house. Lucky you.

Of course, such an occasion clearly warrants the ordering of a takeaway to christen the new place in style, but we recommend that you don’t make a regular habit of it. For most homeowners, it’s essential to maintain a tight handle on finances to keep up with mortgage payments, bills and to rebuild a nice little nest egg for all those home improvements already in your mind’s eye.

We’ve put together this neat little list of tips, tweaks and changes that could help you put away a few extra pennies each month in your new home. Have a read through and see which ones might work for you…

Handling the heat

While it may not seem like the most attractive of tasks, it’s well worth popping up to your attic and having a root around the insulation you have between the beams up there. Is it installed correctly? Is it at least 6 inches thick?

These are key considerations that may save you money on your heating bills during the winter months. If your house is poorly insulated it means that heat is able to escape more easily, and therefore your central heating system is likely to be working overtime to keep the temperature up.

Lightbulb moments

If you’re looking to cut down on the cost of electricity in your household, conducting a full-scale review of your lightbulb situation is an integral element.

You may want to consider switching to LED bulbs. While they’re definitely more of an immediate investment than standard bulbs and will set you back a few pounds more, they use very little energy, contain no mercury vapour and last at least 10 years. Financial savings aside, imagine not having to change a lightbulb for an entire decade!

Forget the tumble dryer

When the tumble dryer first started becoming a fixture of British homes back in the 20th century, the technology was considered to have spurred a small household revolution. Finally, the days of hanging out clothes to dry on a washing line were over. Joy!

But are tumble dryers really that necessary? Compared to their washing machine counterparts, we’d have to say no. Hanging clothes out on a line (preferably under shelter from potential rain) may take a little longer for them to dry, but it’s certainly far cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Cook up a storm

A really simple tip that is more like common sense than rocket science. You remember what we were saying earlier about the takeaway curry? Of course, it’s okay to treat yourself every now and again, so long as you avoid falling into the trap of ordering food every other night.

Technology hasn’t helped in this respect because there are a whole host of newfangled apps designed to make ordering a takeaway a piece of cake. Well, don’t give in! Make sure you stick to your weekly shopping schedule and force yourself to whip up a quick meal in the kitchen, even when there’s a slight feeling of ‘I can’t be bothered’.

Back-to-School: The bits and bobs you can pick up for a bargain

With the summer holidays now in full swing, no doubt you’ve been enjoying some extra time with the kids, and plying their free time with as many activities (and chores!) as possible.

For parents who like to plan ahead as much as possible, thoughts will soon turn to the new school year, only a month or so away. We know all too well that the cost of sending your child into the next year at school can soon rack up, especially if you’ve more than one little darling in your ranks. But while certain essentials, like a new pair of shoes, are obviously better-bought brand new, there are plenty of bits and bobs that you can pick up second-hand for a fraction of the retail price.

A good idea would be taking a full inventory of your requirements before starting the big push, as this will allow you to get a clearer view of where you could potentially save a few pennies. Here’s a choice handful of our best back-to-school bargain tips…

Textbooks

With each new school year comes a fresh curriculum, and a fresh set of textbook requirements. The total cost of that book list can seem a tad daunting, particularly if your child has reached GCSE level and beyond.

Scouting around on online directories like BookFinder, or even Amazon, which cleverly compile a comprehensive list of used textbooks from a wide range of online vendors. Just make sure you’re getting the correct edition of the title in question, and you’re good to go!

Laptops

Whether completing assignments or coursework, or making regular use of interactive revision tools, a good quality laptop or PC is now absolutely essential for the 21st-century high school student.

Fortunately, there’s more choice than ever when hunting down the best bang for your buck, providing you know what to look for in a solid spec. You won’t need anything higher than an i3 (or equivalent) processor, 250GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM, which will set you back somewhere around the £200-300 mark.

Musical instruments

Got a keen violinist, trumpeter or, heaven forbid, drummer in the household? Before you go forking out top dollar on a brand new instrument, it’s well worth checking any local classifieds and notice boards to see what’s available.

Even if it means replacing a few strings or two, chances are you’ll be able to pick up something decent for a fraction of the price, especially if your child is still at a fairly beginner level.

PE kit

Any parent will know that sports gear is one of the main back-to-school expenses that they’re likely to face each year. As with school shoes, it makes sense to have a good quality pair of all-purpose trainers that your child can use for PE, but beyond that, you should be able to pick up a few bargains when scouting around for shorts or shin pads or a second-hand tennis racquet.

Before you head into your nearest sports megastore, why not get the feelers out on social media to see if any friends have any unwanted items or scout around local thrift shops and discount stores to see what you can find at a good price.

A beginner’s guide to haggling in the UK

In many countries, cities and marketplaces dotted all over the planet, haggling is a way of life. No doubt most of us will have been caught up in the excitement of haggling at some point, probably on holiday.

The rudimentary process of buying and selling is less of a soulless transaction in these places, and more of a ballet that has been going on for centuries. There’s no danger of looking cheap for wanting to get a fair price for something, particularly if you think it’s far more expensive than what it should be. In fact, if you choose not to haggle in countries with ingrained haggling tendencies then it’s almost certain that you’re going get ripped off. It’s a necessary game that people must play, and enjoy.

But not so much in the UK, right? Think of the way that any major supermarket operates and you might say it’s indicative of our way of life. We now rely on fast-paced services that require as little human interaction as possible. We’ve replaced humans on the till with optimised robots who almost rush you into gathering your bags and change, and leaving the shop.

The very idea that haggling could become a part of our day-to-day life seems more unlikely now than ever before. We’d argue otherwise.

Location, location, location

Okay, so while haggling over the price of a cheese and onion sandwich in Tesco isn’t likely to get you very far, there are plenty of independent shops, butchers, bakers, grocers etc. where you can strike a deal with the proprietor, particularly if you’re looking to buy several items.

In this sense, twenty-first-century life has been built on convenience in favour of best value for money, or quality. By seeking out the more informal shopping atmosphere that tends to be found in an independent shop, it’s far more natural to engage the shopkeeper in conversation. If you find an item with a slight issue, a shirt with a button missing or a cushion with a slight mark, then it’s likely you can talk your way into saving a few pounds.

The online haggler

If you thought the art of haggling would soon bite the dust in the digital age, think again. The Internet has afforded shrewd shoppers with more opportunities to sniff out a deal.

Live web chats are a great way to interact one-on-one with a member of staff and ask for discount codes, promotional offers and free delivery. Certain social media platforms like Twitter also allow people to broadcast their views on a particular product or customer service experience to the general public, which can often prod the business into getting in touch with the customer with a discount or some sort of freebie.

Point out your loyalty

As a customer who spends money regularly with a certain business, it’s only fair to expect some recognition for your ongoing loyalty. Fortunately, many businesses do make efforts to reward their regulars in some way, even if you have to ask for it.

For instance, the next time you’re in the market to upgrade your mobile phone then it’s worth pointing out how long you’ve been on your contract for. This could easily land you a discount, a better tariff or more 3G data each month.