Even though the economy is recovering, which in theory means we should all end up with a bit more spending money available, it is still good to try and save where you can on essentials and basics – it leaves more of your money free for the fun things in life, like holidays, nights out, and of course shopping for clothes! By making some simple substitutions and planning ahead a little, you can save a surprising amount per week on the things you really need. Here are some ideas:

Switch to Ecigs if You Smoke

Smoking is hugely expensive, but it is also very hard to quit, and in some cases nicotine replacements like patches and gums can be as close to the cost of smoking as to make very little difference to your wallet (though they do of course make a difference to your health). If you are finding it hard to quit but want to save on the amount you spend on your habit, switching to ecigs (find out more about ecigs and eliquids here), can be a good idea. While there are set up costs involved in terms of buying a device, once you have done this the cost of your nicotine habit each week will drop dramatically.

Use Your Freezer

When it comes to saving money on food, your freezer is your best friend. No, this doesn’t mean you have to eat poor quality frozen meals, but you can pick up meat whenever you see it on special offer or buy it online, and keep it in the freezer until you need it. This works out far cheaper than buying meat as and when you need it and keeping it in the fridge, because you can always take advantage of offers. Get in the habit of freezing and defrosting meat and keeping your freezer well stocked!

Use Coupons

You can find coupons online for all kinds of things, from clothes and tickets to essentials like groceries and products for kids. Just by having a check around on the web for deals you can often find opportunities to save a lot, but also look out for things like coupons from your supermarket loyalty card scheme, and make sure you actually use them – just with that little extra bit of planning you can make big savings.

Switch to Supermarket Own Brands Where You Can

OK, so you may not be willing to switch to supermarket own brand cola or ketchup, but think about the things where it makes very little difference. Do you really mind if your dried rice and pasta is the supermarket’s own brand? Or your kitchen towel? Or your sugar? There are lots of products where it makes no difference at all whether they are branded or not, and in these cases, pick up the own brands and you’ll save a lot at the checkout without sacrificing anything.

Use these simple ideas to save money on your weekly essentials, then enjoy using the money you’ve saved to have some fun!