9 Money Saving Habits to Actually Save Money This Year

Posts contain affiliate links, see disclosure for more details.

The start of the year is when people often think about making changes. Social media fills up with goals and plans, like getting fitter, cutting back on drinking or doing Dry January, losing weight, taking up new hobbies, and generally trying to improve things.

These are all great intentions, but when goals are vague or open-ended, they can be hard to stick to. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve resolved to “lose weight” or “be better with money”, only to look back later and realise nothing much changed.

The good news is that you don’t need it to be January to start making progress. The best time to start making changes is whenever you’re ready; right now is just as valid as the beginning of the year!

What really makes the difference is turning good intentions into specific, actionable habits. For example, deciding to exercise three times a week is far more effective than simply resolving to “get fit”. It’s a plan of action, not just a hope.

For many of us, one of the biggest goals is to save more money. As much as we’d like to say money doesn’t matter, it plays a huge role in day-to-day life; paying the bills, covering essentials, and having the freedom to do things we enjoy. When money feels tight, it often becomes the biggest barrier.

That’s why focusing on small, practical money-saving habits can be so powerful. Instead of one big, overwhelming goal, breaking things down into simple actions makes saving feel more achievable and much easier to stick with.

Simple Money Saving Habits You Can Start Today

Saving more money is a goal that makes sense at any time, not just at the start of the year. Instead of focusing on one big, vague resolution, it’s often more helpful to look at the small habits that make saving easier in day-to-day life.

Before you start, it helps to be clear on why you want to save. Having a specific goal or reason gives you something to come back to when motivation dips or spending temptations creep in.

That might be a holiday, paying down your mortgage, saving for a car, building a buffer in your savings account, redecorating your home, or getting out of debt. There’s no right or wrong answer, it just needs to matter to you.

Here are some simple, practical changes you can start straight away. You don’t need to do all of them; even one or two can make a noticeable difference over time.

Meal plan to cut food costs

Meal planning is a great way to save money when it comes to the amount of food you buy and waste.

Planning in advance means it’s easier to shop for exactly what you need and leads to less food being thrown away. You can start meal planning with three easy steps:

Take time each week to sit down and decide on the meals you’re going to have the following week.
Check your fridge/freezer and cupboards to see if you already have anything you need for those meals.
Write down the ingredients you still need for the meals on your meal plan and add them to your shopping list.

Meal planning and shopping to your plan saves you money by reducing your grocery spend, as you only buy the things you need and means you usually use more of what you buy.

Reduce food waste and spend less on groceries

Try and be more purposeful about avoiding waste. One way to do this is to adopt the FIFO system when stocking your fridge and cupboards – First In, First Out. Getting in the habit of rotating your food so that shorter date items are towards the front can save things getting left to go off.

Another way to do this is to shop and cook with fruit and vegetables that are in season – these are generally in better supply and cost less money.

Here are some more frugal food hacks to save money.

Buy in bulk (when it actually saves money)

If you’ve got space, buying things in bulk can save quite a bit compared to buying smaller amounts. Things like toilet paper, tinned beans, dishwasher tablets and similar usually are much cheaper the more you buy.

Check prices when you shop, often bigger bottles of things such as shampoo work out cheaper per ml.

Cut Down on Takeaways

It’s estimated that many people spend hundreds of pounds a year on takeaways. I love love love a Domino’s pizza, but if you can’t find a discount (and I won’t order without one) a large pizza costs uowards of £20! Even sharing with my husband, that’s over a tenner each for half a pizza. Pretty crazy.

If you normally spend a lot on takeaway food, cutting down is a good way to save money. You could decide to have one takeaway a month or fortnight, instead of one a week. And, as below, always if you are getting one, always check for a discount first!

If you still want the takeaway taste without the cost, the ‘fakeaway’ recipe ideas below will save money and are healthier too – Just click to view.

Homemade KFC
Kebabs
Slim Friendly Fakeaways
Indian Family Feast
Homemade Pizza
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Salt and Pepper Chicken
Egg Fried Rice
Syn free Piri Piri ‘Nando’s’ Skewers

Use vouchers, cashback and discount codes

Before buying something online, it’s always worth checking whether you can get it cheaper. A few minutes spent looking for a discount or voucher code can easily save you money, especially on things you buy regularly.

If you don’t want to manually search for codes every time, Coupert can make things easier. It’s a browser extension that automatically searches the web for available discount codes and applies them at checkout for you.

This can be particularly useful for everyday online shopping, where small savings quickly add up over time. It’s a simple habit to build, but one that can help you keep more money in your pocket without changing what you buy.

Another way to save on everyday spending is through cashback apps that work with shopping vouchers. Cheddar lets you earn cashback by buying gift cards or shopping vouchers for brands you already use, which can then be spent like normal.

It’s a simple way to save a bit extra on regular shopping without changing what you buy, and especially useful for groceries or household essentials.

Buy second hand to save on everyday purchases

When you’re thinking of buying something, consider saving money by buying it second hand. You could use charity shops, or buy online using Facebook marketplace, eBay, Gumtree or buy/sell apps such as Vinted.

You can find loads of things second hand such as furniture, toys, clothes, all sorts!

I’ve bought most of my daughter’s clothes second hand and they’ve been in such great condition that I’ve been able to reuse them for my two younger daughters as well, so it’s saved loads of money!

You can even make money selling on your own things, so it can be a win win!

Walk more to save on travel costs

This is a really simple one, but effective! Think about which of your journeys you currently take by car or public transport that you could walk instead, and save the money in fuel or ticket price.

If you have more than one car for your household, could you consider becoming a one car family?

If you have a longer commute that’s not walkable, you could consider carpooling instead.

Switch providers to lower your bills

Switching providers for things such as energy or your mobile phone is a great way to save money because a lot of companies will offer good deals for new customers.

Don’t automatically just renew your existing contract; always shop around first.

Use energy-saving bulbs to reduce electricity costs

If you’re still using standard lightbulbs, switch them for energy saving ones; LED bulbs are probably the best choice.

I might seem like a small change, but this can significantly reduce your electricity usage over time.

Even factoring in the initial expense of buying new bulbs, given they should last more than 15 years, it’s a long-term continuous saving.

Other energy saving habits:

Switch off lights when leaving a room
Put on extra layers instead of turning up the heating
Wash up in a bowl rather than under running water

Save little and often with automatic transfers

Saving little and often is a great way to save without feeling the pinch. Automating your savings takes the pressure off having to remember to move money manually.

Many banks now offer features like round-ups or automatic transfers that move small amounts into savings whenever you spend. For example, accounts like Monzo or Chase let you set up pots and automatic rules so saving happens in the background.

The key is flexibility; being able to pause or access your savings easily helps make the habit feel more sustainable.

You might also like:

Pin it!

Money Saving Habits to Save More Money This Year