In this fast paced life we lead where it feels like everyone is trying to extract money from us for something, every little thing we can do to save money as a mum is worth doing in my book. So I’ve put together a round up of 20 things you should and can do to save money from fellow bloggers – some might be things you are aware of but perhaps haven’t been proactive enough to do, and some might be totally new to you! Either way, I hope all these suggestions – which are all very easy to do – help you to save money:

Switch energy suppliers

Switch energy suppliers annually, or at least check to make sure you are getting the best deal! I just switched and saved myself £298!!! – Real Mum Review  

Meal plan

That way you’re never tempted by “offers” and you buy exactly what you need for the week so you don’t have to do a dreaded midweek shop where you then inevitably come out with more stuff that you don’t actually need.  – Mummy Burgess 

Set up a direct debit for savings

Set up a direct debit to pay into a savings account at the start of each month. Even if it’s only £20, it soon starts to add up and if it goes out with all your other bills, you don’t miss it! – Devon Mama 

Detox your payments

Check bank statements for payments that are still coming out that are no longer valid. I didn’t realise I was still paying for Kindle Unlimited for over a year. They refunded it all as they could see it hadn’t been used. – Country Heart and Home

Shop at charity shops

Shop at charity shops for kids clothes and toys. It really makes a difference to buying new. – Scandi Mummy  

Shop online

Do all your food shopping online, you’ll save a fortune by refraining from all those treats that you would add to your shopping trolley if you went to the supermarket – The Pramshed

Use voucher sites

Use voucher codes from sites like dealsplanet for online purchases! You can make some great savings across clothing, accessories, shoes, home decor, furniture, pet supplies and more. – Five Little Doves 

Use cash

Use cash for day to day spending, you’re less likely to add a muffin with your coffee when paying in cash. – Dancing in My Wellies

Make mindful purchases

Think about what you really need to buy. What do you not need? Thinking about what can you reuse first can save you money and also help save the planet. – My Boys Club

Use cash back sites

Use cashback sites every time you make an online purchase (especially when you renew insurance or switch energy suppliers) and set your debit card up with them to do that you can earn cash back in certain shops when you spend. The amount you get back really adds up and you would have been making the purchases anyway! I’ve had over £200 cashback from purchases in the last six months alone. – My Mummy’s Pennies 

Track your outgoings

Have a monthly spreadsheet where you record all our known outgoings – it really helps you assess how much spare income you have left to save or spend so that you don’t overspend! – 3 Little Ladies and Me

Do a daily account skim

Each day check your online banking and tidy it up. So, if you had £217.23 in your current account, then you’d transfer the £7.23 into savings. Adds up fast! – The Frugal Cottage 

Max out on points cards

Sign up for points cards to all the places you shop at. Think Tesco Clubcard, Boots points etc. I’ve got over £100 now in points to use which will massively help out come Christmas time. – Then There Were Three  

Know your freebies

There are apps that have loads of good offers and even free stuff. O2 Priority if you’re with O2, Wuntu if you’re with Three, FreePrints allows you to print 45 free photos each month. There’s also cash-back apps like Shopmium and Checkout Smart that sometimes offer free products too. Finally, if you have time and love to eat out, maybe consider joining a mystery shopper programme where you can dine for half the price or free. – My Everything Beautiful

Batch cook

Batch cook meals – this saves you buying Ingredients and meals you don’t need as you then have a load in the freezer. Chilli, lasagne, stews, casseroles, curry’s and soups are so handy to have in. You can also freeze slow cooker meal ingredients together and label them so you know you can just bung them in the slow cooker and have a chilli ready for when you get home! – Ready Freddie Go

Bulk buy

Bulk buy essentials like toilet roll when they’re on offer. You know you’re going to use them and it helps save funds in the long run.  – Devon Mama

Skip the travel agents

Travelling can be expensive but if you arrange holidays yourself instead of using agents you will save a fortune, check out Skyscanner and Momondo to get the best prices on flights, with Skyscanner you can choose your airport and then click everywhere to get some inspiration and the cheapest upcoming destinations for your time slot, you never know just what an amazing destination you might discover. – Mandy Charlton Photography Blog 

Avoid the sales

Don’t buy in sales unless you really need it, a discount isn’t a bargain if it’s something you don’t need! – Are Pops

Barter

Try to lower existing contracts such as Sky packages. Barter for better deals on car lease. I saved £50 per month by doing so! – Sticky Mud and Belly Laughs 

Always check if it’s on ebay first

If I need to buy something, I always head over to ebay to see if I can find it for cheaper first. Even if you’re not bidding and buying now instead you can get things at a fraction of the price. Check out this guide to finding bargains on ebay. – Motherhood: The Real Deal

Of course, we all do our best to save money but for those times when you need a little extra helping hand you can also compare loan terms as an option.

What do you think of these money saving tips above? Do you already do some of these? Or perhaps you have some of your own money saving tips to offer? Do leave a comment and share. And if you found this useful you can check out more money saving tips from me here . You might also find this post about why you need a financial emergency fund and tips for starting one useful.

This post was featured by Twinkl in their Cost of Living Crisis blog