With many families in Swindon already feeling the cost of living crisis hitting their pockets, the news from the Government about another rise in household energy prices this autumn is very unwelcome.
Right now, energy bills and petrol prices are soaring, and people living in Swindon are worrying about the cost of heating their homes this coming winter. The news headlines warn that many families may choose between heating and eating as the nights draw in and temperatures start to drop.
Swindon parents seem to be very cautious about spending in the run-up to Christmas in the face of an expected 30 per cent increase in energy bills from October. Financial experts predict this coming Christmas will be one of the leanest on record for customer spending, mainly due to the cost of living crisis.
What can Swindon parents do to save money?
Swindon residents are being advised to consider every single thing they buy or spend money on and ask themselves if there is a way to do this cheaper.
We have put together some top tips to help you save money during this cost of living crisis, and even going to the effort of saving a few pennies here and there can quickly add up to a decent saving when money is tight.
1: lower your broadband and mobile bills
Did you know that 16 million people in the UK are out of contract on their mobile and broadband supply? If you are one of them, you could quickly reduce your mobile and broadband costs by up to half using free broadband and Sim price comparison tools found online.
These comparison sites sort through 18 of the largest UK providers and flag special deals you can take advantage of. Some savvy customers have saved over £200 per year by moving their families to cheaper mobile and broadband deals.
2: Heat the person, not the home
With unaffordable energy bills at the forefront of everyone's minds, energy-saving experts recommend we look to the past to help us reduce our heating costs. Before central heating was standard in most homes, families used to layer up with woolly jumpers, cardigans and thick socks to cope with chilly temperatures.
Heat pads, footwarmers, a hot water bottle in a sleeping bag and electric blankets are easy ways to warm you up and are cheaper to run than heating the whole house with central heating. Turning down the thermostat by a couple of degrees is hardly noticeable but will significantly lower your heating costs over a year.
Camberley Glass & Windows Posted some valuable tips on effectively saving your household energy bills.
3: Pension credit for Swindon pensioners
Pension credit is a tax-free, means-tested benefit aimed at people over retirement age on a low income. It can help to top up your money if you rely on the state pension as your only income, and it can be worth £1,000s a year.
Swindon pensioners who qualify for pension credit may also be eligible for discounts, such as free TV licences for the over-75s and council tax discount.
4: Sign up with Olio
One of the first things Swindon families do to reduce their outgoings is to cut their food budget. If you struggle to feed your family, you can access free food through the food-sharing app Olio. The Olio network has partnered with supermarkets such as Tesco and other food outlets across the country to distribute surplus food. You can browse free food and drink from neighbours, restaurants and stores near you.
Some other partners include Pret, Costa, local bakeries and many more stores. You can sign up for the app, see what is available locally, and arrange to collect surplus food for free. Over 1.2 million users are now signed up to Olio, and all you need to do to join is to download the Olio app for free from Apple's iOS App Store or the Google Play Store or access it via the Olio web app.
5: Save on prescription costs
If you are on repeat prescription medication, you may be better off using an NHS prescription prepayment certificate. With prescription costs currently set at £9.15 per prescription, it may work out cheaper for you to pay a single payment of £108.10 for unlimited prescriptions.
This is especially useful for patients on multiple medications as paying for single prescriptions can cost you an average overspend of around £40 a year.
6: Switch to supermarket own brands
Many Swindon residents love their branded products, but did you know that by simply choosing supermarket-brand food, drink and household products, you can save up to 30 per cent off your weekly grocery costs?
In blind taste tests, many people couldn't tell the difference between branded and supermarket food and drink sold at a fraction of the branded price. Many testers prefered some supermarket brands, especially laundry and cleaning products such as fabric softeners, washing up liquid and household cleaners.
We hope that Swindon residents can save some money during the cost of living crisis by utilising our top money-saving tips!
