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Spending & Budgeting
Budgeting is an important life skill you need to make ends meet. When you budget, you control your spending and how much is saved each month. Think about what motivates you and upgrade your money mindset, starting today.
“When you budget, YOU control where your money goes”
Eman – Founder OnestopSave
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Track your spend
Look at the last 3 months bank statements or scroll down on your banking app to see where your money is going. Make notes of all your essential, regular costs like rent or utility bills, plus anything inessential like takeaways or those trainers you bought on a whim (nobody’s perfect!)
This will help you break down and could help you see where you can cut back.
You may find moneydashboard.com useful to see how much money you have left until your next payday and new fintech or digital banks like Starling or Monzo have great apps to see immediately what you’re spending and in what category (bills, eating out etc.)
Needs vs Wants
The money you spend breaks into two types; needs or wants. I need £30 to pay for gas/electric and I want £20 to pay at McDonalds.
You should separate your spending into needs and wants, then work on trying to reduce your wants so that you have more money left (this is sometimes called disposable income.)
If you have more money left each month, you can build up your savings or keep it for big needs that come up unexpectedly – like a broken boiler or new tires for your car. It’s nice to have a little bit extra left to put aside each month.
Split bank accounts
We all have fixed costs such as direct debits for bills or rent that we pay regularly. These needs are fixed costs, and could all be managed in one account which you keep topped up to cover off all essential bills.
Having a separate account for savings or an emergency fund will help keep your spending and saving separate. You can do this easily with one of the new digital banks like Starling or Revolut, its easy to open and account and set up so you can split your outgoings.
More about Budgeting
Find out how to start Budgeting & how to get a good deal with Wise on Foreign currency
Saving
It’s tough to start putting money aside, but if you can it will be there to help you when you need it the most. Start an emergency fund and get your money working for you and earning interest with a savings account.
“Saving is one of the most important financial habits you’ll ever develop”
Eman – Founder OnestopSave
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Why save money?
If you lost your job how long could you last before you run out of money? You could be one pay day away from not being able to pay your bills or rent.
Your emergency fund
We recommend you save 3 months living expenses. Once you have this you can save even more.
Saving towards goals
On social media there’s a lot of pressure to buy gear not to mention BNPL. It’s better to work out how much you need to buy something, then save a bit towards it each month.
Try not to dip into your savings
Its good to have a purpose for your savings.
If its for a family holiday or a new kitchen
Then you’ll be less likely to dip into your savings.
Top tip try not to dip unless you really need the money
Try to become a regular saver and you’ll soon have your emergency fund ready to deal with any unexpected bills or costs that might hit you this year
Get started with our savings guide today
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Which savings accounts are right for you?
The key question is access to your money.
If you need to use it often at short notice – then an easy access account might be a good option for you.
If you can put it away for longer then higher rate fixed accounts might be a better option for you (often 12 months minimum).
To get started check out our new savings guide for those who are new to saving money
Borrowing
There are many ways to borrow money. You need to know about each one and whether its right for you or it will cost you more money in interest repayments. Let’s explore credit cards and loans two of the most popular ways to borrow money.
“Only borrow what you can afford to repay and make the repayments on time to avoid late payment charges”
Eman – Founder OnestopSave
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What’s the right credit card for me?
Credit cards can be a flexible way to borrow, to get you through to the next pay day.
There are lots of types of credit card from different providers, so before you get one think about what you’re most likely to use the card for and then shop around for the best deal on this type of card
Our guide can help you find the right credit card for you
Essential guide to getting a loan
Loans can help you pay for big ticket items like a new kitchen or a roof that needs fixing before winter.
Sometimes it’s a way to consolidate debt and make it more manageable if you have too much on credit cards. It can save you money by paying less each month as you can spread the cost over a few years. You may end up repaying more over the whole term of the loan.
See our essential guide to getting a loan that’s right for you
How can my credit score help?
Your credit score is important as companies use it when deciding to give you credit or not and at what rate of interest.
It’s basically a credit file on you based on data they capture from many sources and includes bills, loans, and utilities.
Credit score providers include Experian and Credit Karma where you can get a free report to see your score
More about Borrowing
Credit cards, loans, credit score and more...
OnestopSaving.com Limited (trading as OnestopSave) is acting as a credit broker , not a lender and is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Creditec Limited and is entered on financial register under reference number: 1006061
Creditec Limited a credit broker not a lender is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is entered on the Financial Services Register under reference number: 971164
OnestopSaving.com Limited will introduce you to Creditec Limited to provide you with an information-only comparison service for loan and credit cards from a range of providers. Creditec is acting as a credit broker, not a lender and will not charge you a fee for using their services.
OnestopSaving.com Limited will receive a commission from Creditec Limited if you subsequently purchase a credit product through Creditec’s service as a broker. More information about this commission can be provided on request.
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