With “financial crisis” being the most common term in the news over the past few weeks, we thought we’d try to ease the stress with our top five ways to save money whilst working in the office.
Leaving the House
Switch off your electrical appliances! Lights are easy to remember – you’d soon realise if your house emulated Blackpool Pleasure Beach when you pulled off the drive, but what about your TV, chargers, and computer? Leaving these plugged in at the wall every day will amount to a substantial cost over the course of the year.
The Commute
Many to get to work is by car, but there may be cheaper alternative options you can use to help save some money on fuel. Look into bus and train routes and take advantage of any discounts offered by using a travelcard or annual pass. If there is no suitable public transport, a particular problem for those working in rural areas, can you consider the option to carpool with a co-worker who lives close by. Your employer may even have a cycle to work scheme, or if they don’t it may be worth enquiring to see if it’s something they can set up.
If those options aren’t feasible and you must drive, don’t forget to check your insurance costs. Money can be saved every year through looking at comparison sites – it’s not always cheaper to automatically renew with the same provider every year.
Parking
Not everybody is lucky enough to have onsite parking. For many parking is something that must be incorporated into the monthly budget. There are a huge amount of parking apps available to download on your phone which can help locate the nearest car park to your office, as well as the cheapest.
Coffee
As much as that caffeine craving itches, try to avoid buying takeaway coffee. £3 here and there doesn’t seem like much, but even having a couple a week can add up to the cost of a monthly phone contract. Invest in a trusty flask and make your hot drinks at home before you leave. There are filter coffee machines that can be set to make your drink when you get up in the morning, and they only cost just over £eight-takeaway-coffees!
Lunch
How does katsu curry, pasta salad or burrito bowls sound for lunch? It most certainly beats a cheese sandwich and a pack of ready salted crisps for me. Prepping meals for the week will not only save you money but save you time. Thousands of easy money saving recipes can be found online to help keep your work lunches more varied and interesting. Doing this is certainly more cost effective than picking up a meal “deal” on a regular basis.
Let us know if there are any crucial tips we’ve missed in the comment section. What’s your number one way to look after your pennies during the week?