January survival guide

surviving january

I don’t know about you, but come January and we feel the pinch… after all of the expenses that December brings money is tight and we’re trying to cut back on expenses. Add in a new baby this year and it’s not fun! January is my least favourite month, the excitement of Christmas has passed, the weather is miserable, our paychecks don’t seem to stretch far enough and we’re yearning for spring. Here are a few tips to get through January without further stretching your finances.

1// Meal Plan – one of our biggest expenses is food. I cook from scratch 90% of the time, we eat free range, organic meat, and lots of fruit and veg – it’s not cheap to eat healthily! One way I keep my food costs down is to meal plan. Mapping out main meals and lunches each day means that I know what I need to buy, it means less wasted food and I’m less likely to impulse buy when we’re grocery shopping.

2// Get creative with leftovers – we tend to get a little carried away with food in December, our Christmas shop probably gives us enough food for most of January! Rather than leave it go to waste, why not put it to use? All those Christmas cheeses can be used to make quiche, or a delicious macaroni cheese.

3// Get outdoors – yes it’s cold, but we still need to get out of the house. Packing a thermos of soup, another of hot chocolate, wrapping up warm and heading outdoors for a long walk gets us all some fresh air and some much needed exercise. It’s also a cheaper alternative to soft play, or a coffee in a cafe, or the cinema – or any other activities we do in the winter when we need to escape our four walls.

4// Empty your cupboards – after an influx of Christmas gifts, the chances are you have shelves and cupboards full of toys and clothes you no longer want. Sort them out and pop them on eBay to raise a few extra pennies.

5// Compare your utility bills – use the online tools offered by The Money Advice Service to help you out – such as a budget planner and credit card calculators. Using a site such as The money Supermarket to check your utility bills, you could save as much as £360 a year!

6// Take advantage of the sales – come January, most high street and online shops have sales – you can stock up on next years Christmas essentials at a fraction of the cost, and you may even be able to pick up some bargains to put aside for birthdays later in the year.

Do you have any tips to survive the pinch of January?

This is a collaborative post

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