The Ten Best Credit Crunch Survival Ideas

Every morning it seems to be that we get out of bed you reach to the sky and say,  please be a better day than yesterday. You go down stairs turn on the TV, the news reader says bad news I’m afraid, the country is not getting any better,  the Banks are not lending any money, the mortgage is getting harder to pay and the cost of living is getting out of hand, and you think will I still have a job at the end of the day.

Money worries and fears about the cost of living are starting to impact on almost everybody’s daily life, affecting most decisions about even the most normal of our daily events.  So we’ve put together a list of 10 simple things that are quick, easy ways to cut back and save money.   Don’t despair this is what to do, read all ten, they might help you.

1. Make sure all the family have a good breakfast before they leave the house, a good breakfast will fill you up and should help stop any snacks.   Be sure you keep the leftovers for the dog.
2. Always try and make packed lunches to take with you, soup and home made sandwiches are cheap and filling, and have a banana or apple for late afternoon.
3. Most families spend over £100 per week at the supermarket.  There are lots of ways to shave some of that off.  Plan a weeks worth of meals, so you know what you are buying for which meals.  Make a list and only shop for items you need, try the super markets own brands, don’t be distracted by the “buy-two-get-one-free” offers, if you really only need one you are not saving money by buying three.  
4. If you like a glass of wine etc, try to cut back to having a drink at the weekends only.  And if you smoke stop it now, just think of the vast amount of money that your wasting never mind your health and your families, by stopping you could save thousands of pounds. The money from the fags could pay for a good family holiday, and you which of those your family would prefer.
5. When traveling to work and school try walking, using a bicycle or public transport this will be the cheapest way to travel and will keep you fit. You could also invest in a family railcard, this should save about a 30% of the normal price. 
6. Fuel bills are the hardest to control, with the rising cost of oil, gas and electric its hard to decide how to heat your home, you just have make sure the kids don’t leave the doors or windows open,  lights are not on when they are not needed, set the timer for the heating and water to come on when you are up and not left on thermostat. Make sure that all washing machines and dishwashers are full before you use them. Always switch of every thing that on standby when not in use and change you light bulbs to energy savers.  And the easiest of the lot, put on a jumper before you turn that heating up.



7. You need to keep your finances in check,  the best way to do this is to work out a budget for the month. You need to look at every thing that you spend to get a true picture, look at your credit cards you maybe able to find a lower rate, look at how much your car costs you, how much you spend on clothes, entertainment, insurances etc.  Also keep an eye on those large number of small amounts that we all have set up on the direct debits, things such as the TV license, Sky television subscriptions, contact lens schemes, donations, magazine & newspapers subscriptions, DVD rental clubs, gym memberships.  Individually these items are usually only a few pounds each, but add them up and you are maybe spending a couple of hundred pounds a month.  Do you really need them?
8. Try to go on bicycle trips or walks on the beach or in your local parks, this you can do for free. By starting to walk or cycle everywhere you will start to see thing that you havent noticed before.  There are loads of free things that you can do as a family for entertainment.  Give up those weekend shopping trips and instead get out and about in the fresh air, go and see family and friends, spend some time baking with the children.  Entertainment doesn’t need to be expensive.
9. Check your suppliers and your policies.  Prices of Life insurance have plummeted over the last 10 years, if you arranged your life insurance as part of your mortgage then the chances are you are paying over the odds.  Get some quotes, check the alternatives, and move suppliers and save money.  Same goes for electricity, gas, credit cards, household & car insurances, breakdown etc.
10. I could go on for weeks suggesting to you how to save money, but before i was finished you would have gone mad. All the experts tell you to save, save, save,  but that’s not fun, and we need some treats in a credit crunch to make us feel better.  Go out for meal once a month, make sure that you spend some good time together because when finances get tight it can add a lot of stress into the family environment.  So treat yourself to a bar of dairy milk chocolate, buy yourself a lipstick as a reward for not spending £100 on those lovely new boots etc.  But the best value out there is the Internet,  spending time on Google will help you and your family gain knowledge about the world a round us. (Just stay away from the shopping sites!)  Try an online business games, choose one where you can play against your partner, get some friendly competitive rivalry going. Playing games provide a more affordable alternative to many other family leisure activities, and provides a sometimes welcome distraction from those brown envelopes sitting on the doormat.