Cost of Living Tips

With household budgets under pressure, small changes across multiple areas of spending can add up to hundreds of pounds a year. Here are practical, tested tips — not vague advice, but things you can actually do this week.

Food Shopping

• Switch to own-brand basics — Aldi and Lidl often match or beat branded products in taste tests, at significantly lower prices
• Meal plan for the week — write a list before you shop and stick to it. Reduces waste and impulse buys dramatically
• Shop in the evening — yellow reduced stickers appear from around 5–6pm. Freeze reduced meat and fish straight away
• Use Too Good To Go — app where restaurants and cafes sell surplus food for £2–£5
• Olio — free app where neighbours share spare food
• Buy frozen veg — nutritionally identical to fresh, lasts longer, and significantly cheaper
• Use loyalty points strategically — Tesco Clubcard and Nectar give 3–4x the value redeemed on days out vs. shopping
• Food banks — if you're in real difficulty, find your nearest at Trussell Trust or GiveFood.org.uk

Energy

• Turn down the thermostat 1°C — saves around 10% on your heating bill
• Heat the room you're in — use a small electric heater in one room rather than heating the whole house
• Hot water bottle — costs pennies to heat and keeps you warm for hours
• Free insulation — check if you qualify for free loft or cavity wall insulation under ECO4 at GOV.UK
• Register for the Priority Services Register — free extra protections if you're elderly, disabled, or have young children

Bills & Subscriptions

• Audit your direct debits — cancel anything you don't actively use. Gym memberships and subscriptions add up fast
• Negotiate on renewal — broadband, TV, and phone contracts almost always have retention deals. Call and say you're thinking of leaving
• Compare your broadband — switching provider can save £200+/year. Use Uswitch
• SIM-only mobile — dramatically cheaper than contracts. MSE SIM comparison regularly finds deals under £5/month

Transport

• Compare car insurance every year — loyalty doesn't pay. Use Confused.com or Compare the Market, then call your insurer to match the cheapest quote
• 16–25 or 26–30 Railcard — saves 1/3 on most rail fares
• Senior Railcard — also saves 1/3 for over-60s
• Split ticketing — sometimes buying two tickets for parts of a journey is cheaper. Try splitticketing.com
• Check petrol prices nearby — PetrolPrices.com shows the cheapest forecourts near you

Benefits You Might Be Missing

• £19 billion in benefits go unclaimed every year in the UK. Check what you're entitled to at Turn2us — takes around 10 minutes
• Council Tax Reduction — if you're on a low income, apply to your local council
• Single person discount — 25% off Council Tax if you live alone
• Free school meals — check eligibility at your local council
• Healthy Start vouchers — if you're pregnant or have children under 4 and receive certain benefits

Health & Prescriptions

• Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) — if you need more than 3 prescriptions in 3 months, a PPC (around £111/year) saves money
• Free dental treatment — check if you qualify via the HC1 form if you're on a low income
• Free eye tests — free for over-60s, children, and those on certain benefits