How to make your money go further in 2024

There can be few of us who have not been affected by the 'cost of living crisis'. Even as the Prime Minster issued a statement claiming inflation was back to normal, that still means that prices are going up, not down. Rishi Sunak claimed that,

"Today marks a major moment for the economy, with inflation back to normal. This is proof that the plan is working and that the difficult decisions we have taken are paying off. Brighter days are ahead, but only if we stick to the plan to improve economic security and opportunity for everyone."

However, regardless of what politicians say, the cost of everything just seems to keep going up and up. From our mobile phone contracts to energy bills and food shopping, the price of everything has increased dramatically, and our wages and savings have not kept up. So how do you make your money go further when there just is not enough to go around? Prices are generally up by 20% since 2021 and food is almost a third more expensive than it was three years ago.

As the old Simply Red Song reminds us, sometimes "Money's too tight to mention". However, we are going to highlight some cost-saving offers and money-saving tricks available right now.

Money Saving Expert

A great place to start looking for ways to make your money go further is to head over to Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website. The website offers tips for all kinds of savings and points users to which bank account will earn the most interest or incur the lowest charges, for example. One area that the website has championed in recent times is helping people find ways to afford to pay their energy bills. The site advises that consumers can request any or all of the following from their energy supplier:-

A payment plan review
An affordable repayment plan
A payment break
Reduced payments

Additional time to pay
Access to hardship funds

While none of those will reduce the bills, they may help give you some breathing space. The important thing is to get in touch with your supplier and ask for help.

Honey Gold

Honey Gold is a rewards program that helps you save money when you shop online. It also rewards you for your purchases by crediting your Honey Gold account. When you have enough "Gold", you can trade it in for an online store voucher for use at places like Amazon, Target and more. The scheme is straightforward to use. If you install the Honey Gold extension in your browser, the technology automatically finds coupons and codes that can be tried on the target shopping site. The advantage of this kind of online coupon is that it only shows offers for things you are already interested in buying rather than trying to tempt you to buy more or try something new.

Comparison Sites, bonuses and offers

If you do not know precisely what you want to buy or where you can get the best price on offer, you might want to go to a more generic comparison page to compare one brand against another. There are loads of these websites out there, like Compare The Market and Money Supermarket, and these can be useful if you are renewing insurance, looking for a mortgage or considering applying for a credit card. Every penny saved here will help your money go further and means you might have something to spare to spend on leisure pursuits.

There are also websites to compare leisure offerings and highlight special offers and bonuses. These can be on a wide range of pursuits, from gym membership to theatre tickets and online casinos. For people who enjoy playing at online casinos, a bonus offer can help make your gambling budget stretch a little further. You might even be able to add to your pot if you are lucky, so look out as a casino can run a great promotion, and you can get to play for longer.

Travel and holidays

Even when money is tight, it is good to get away. Sometimes, a change is as good as a rest, and staying with friends or family can give you a real boost and keep costs down to a minimum. Other great options for low-cost holidays include camping trips (as long as you have the equipment) or a home swap. If the thought of letting total strangers stay in your house makes you feel uncomfortable, do you have friends or family elsewhere in the UK who would appreciate a few days in the South West? After all, Devon is a holiday hotspot, and a house swap could be the perfect solution for you and your friends. In addition, you can have someone you trust in your home while you are away, and if you are lucky, they will feed the cat and water the plants to boot!

Free Days Out

Not everything has to cost a fortune, and if you are a little canny, you can enjoy days out that do not break the bank. The golden rule of inexpensive days out is to be prepared and take a picnic and drinks with you – that way, you will not have to splash out on expensive meals. Exeter has a good choice of free activities, including:

Exeter Red Coat Guided Tours, where you can learn about the city's turbulent history, run daily walking tours throughout the year.
Haldon Forest Park is open 364 days a year and is a perfect spot for a gentle stroll or an exhilarating mountain bike experience.

The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Gallery has stunning displays and galleries, fabulous exhibitions and great amenities. You can find out about Devon's rich history and global connections, or the children can delight in discovering exotic animals, birds and insects.
The historic quayside is one of the most attractive parts of the city and a perfect spot for that picnic you packed earlier!