Ways To Make Your Family Budget Go Further | #cp ... The Yorkshire Dad Blog ...

Family budgets are stretched thin by the demands of raising a family today. Just

when you seem to have a handle on things, unexpected expenses crop up and throw a spanner in your budget.

We are all getting very good at looking for bargains when we’re shopping. Batch cooking has become popular as a way to feed the family on a budget. Voucher sites are becoming increasingly popular too.

To make your budget go even further, here are some changes you can make that could potentially save you thousands of pounds per year.

Make Sure You Are Receiving The Best Interest Rates

If you have a mortgage, credit cards or loans, then you’ll be paying interest rates. Shop around to see if you can get a better rate. Switch your credit card balance to a 0% interest card and try to pay it off before the offer ends. That way, your money is paying off your debt rather than the interest around it.

If you need to make a large purchase, like a new family car, then look around for the best deals on car loans from providers such as Direct Car Credit or an online loan comparison site.

If your fixed-rate mortgage deal is coming to an end, you might be able to switch to a better one and fix it for a term of up to 5 years.

If you do have any savings, make sure that you are getting the best saving rate on them.

Use Price Comparison Sites

Most people aren’t getting the best deals on things like utility bills, insurance policies, mobile phone tariffs and broadband. Companies rely on us to be too busy or lazy to switch.

This is where price comparison sites come in. You can add a few details and within seconds find out if you can save money. Some of the most popular ones to try out are uSwitch, CompareTheMarket and MoneySuperMarket.

Don’t Be Afraid To Haggle

Haggling on price is a lost art. Most people feel too awkward to do it. Now, no one is suggesting your try and persuade Tesco to know some money off your next shopping bill, but there is definitely a place for it. As the saying goes “shy bairns get now.” If you’re buying a car, places like Pentagon Motor Group are always prepared to give good prices. Similarly, if you’re buying something second hand from a site like Gum Tree or Facebook Marketplace, you’re expected to haggle a bit. It could save you even more money on a good deal.

Check Your Entitlement To Tax Credits

Depending on you and your partner’s circumstances, you might be entitled to tax credits from the government. There is an online calculator you can use to check if you are entitled to financial help.

You’ll need details of income and childcare costs to get a more accurate calculation https://www.gov.uk/tax-credits-calculator

Use Cashback Sites

Cashback sites are one of the most underused ways of making money without changing your buying habits.

Simply sign up to a cashback site such as TopCashBack, Quidco or OhMyDosh and whenever you are going online to shop, have a look on the site to see if there are any offers, simply click through the link and shop as you would normally. For example, you might be looking to change your broadband provider, simply look on the cashback site for any current offers, when you see the one you like, just buy it in the normal way and you’ll receive up to £50 (or whatever they are offering) back into your account.

These sites offer cashback on everything from grocery shopping to family staycations.