Start by finding out where your money’s being spent. It sounds obvious, but most of us don’t realise exactly how much we’re spending each month – and what we’re spending on – until it’s laid out in front of us.
Keep a spending diary for a month where you write down everything you spend, or monitor spending using your phone. Many banks now have features on their mobile apps that you can use to track spending. Monitoring your money can help you build a picture of exactly where it’s going.
Grab your last three bank statements and credit card bills and spend some time going through them, highlighting any areas where you think you’re spending money unnecessarily or spending too much. This could be on anything from a top of the range broadband package that you don’t need, to a mobile phone contract where you’re paying for data you don’t use.
Brits waste £39 a month on average on unused subscriptions, according to NatWest bank. The most common wasted money is on gym memberships, followed by phone contracts and video streaming plans like Netflix or Amazon Prime. Even magazine subscriptions of a few pounds a month are money down the drain if you don’t have time to read the magazine! Take a few minutes and cancel any subscriptions you don’t really use to save yourself a bit of cash.
Switching your energy supplier used to be a good way of saving money on your household bills, but with energy prices soaring, you may be better off staying on the standard tariff with your existing supplier once your fixed rate tariff comes to an end. That way you’re protected by the energy price cap. Royal London's article How to save money on your energy bills has more information on what you can do to keep your energy costs down.
You may also be able to save money on your water bills by having a meter if you don’t already have one. It will depend on the size of your home and how much water you use. You can check whether you’d save money by going on the Consumer Council for Water’s website and trying its water calculator.
Take a look at your spending and see if there are areas where you’ve fallen into bad money habits, such as buying a coffee or lunch every day. Cutting that takeaway coffee to once or twice a week, or preparing more of your meals at home, will add up to meaningful savings over a year.
Drawing up a weekly or monthly budget will help you get your finances under control. There are plenty of templates online to get you started, like MoneyHelper or Money Saving Expert budget planners. Alternatively, budgeting apps can also be used to plan what you want to spend and keep track of it. There are plenty available, including Money Dashboard and Moneyhub.
If you owe money on an expensive credit card, it may be worth considering whether you can transfer the balance to a credit card charging 0% interest. Although these cards are interest free, you will normally be charged a balance transfer fee of between 1% and 3% of the amount you transfer. Because you won’t be charged interest on your balance, more of your money can go to repaying what you owe.
These cards aren’t right for everyone, and it’s important to make sure you can pay off your balance by the time the 0% interest deal runs out. It may also affect your credit score, especially if you do it multiple times.
If you are struggling to pay for the essentials, you are using one credit card to pay off another, or your debts are causing you worry, then contact a debt advice charity, such as StepChange. They will be able to give you help with your debts, free of charge. They may also be able to tell you whether you are able to claim any state benefits.
Read Royal London's guide on debt
Your credit report is a snapshot of the information that’s on your credit file. And this information is used by companies you already have a credit agreement with, and lenders you apply to, to make decisions about how good a risk you are. You have the right – by law – to see a copy of your credit report free of charge. It’s worth doing so you can see what information lenders you apply to will be able to see, and so that you can correct any mistakes you find.
There are several different credit reference agencies, but the main ones are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
More from Royal London on why your why your credit rating is important.
Billions of pounds of state benefits go unclaimed each year, and you could be missing out. The national charity Turn2us has a free and confidential benefits calculator on its website which can help you work out which means-tested benefits you’re entitled to. It also has a grant search tool or information on grants you may able to apply for.
Taking control of your finances may seem like an impossible task. But by following these steps, you can keep your finances on track and start building your savings.