When it comes to money, January is officially the worst month… ever. Getting paid before December 25th is all well and good at the time but when you’re staring into the bottom end of your overdraft two weeks later, getting paid early (and spending it all on festive cocktails) seems like a really, really bad idea.
But you can make your pre-Christmas paycheque last until the end of January, and there’s no need to sell a kidney to do it. We’ve pulled together some top tips to help your budget stretch right through January… take a look!
Do Dry January and/or Veganuary
Not only is giving up drinking and/or meat during January a great way to feel healthier, it’s also a real money-saver. Even if you don’t fancy going completely cold turkey (geddit), cutting back on alcohol, meat and dairy for most of the month will save you some cash.
Use those Christmas gift cards
If you got a stash of gift cards for Christmas, spend them on the essential rather than the frivolous. Many cards can be used in multiple shops, and there are even websites dedicated to exchanging unwanted cards – so if you’d rather spend yours on food than clothes, see if you can swap with someone and save yourself some money.
Check your reward points
Gather up your store reward cards, check your balances and use those points to restock toiletries, do the weekly shop or buy birthday presents for those annoying January babies.
Switch to sandwiches
When you’re back at work, it’s so easy to blow £7 a day on lunch – a fancy salad bowl here, a bag of posh crisps there and boom, your weekly budget is suddenly gone. For January, commit to making your own lunch every day, whether it’s a classic cheese sandwich or reheated leftovers from last night.
When you’re back at work, it’s so easy to blow £7 a day on lunch – a fancy salad bowl here, a bag of posh crisps there and boom, your weekly budget is suddenly gone. For January, commit to making your own lunch every day, whether it’s a classic cheese sandwich or reheated leftovers from last night.
Try public transport (or a car share)
If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with decent public transport, look into buses, trains, tubes or trams for your daily commute to save on petrol and parking. Or try a car share – ask people at work if they fancy sharing lifts, or look on a car sharing website – your local council will have details of verified sites.
Have a clear out
Dig deep into your wardrobe, sort out your old tech and… dare we say it… flog a few unwanted Christmas presents – list it all on eBay or Depop and make yourself some money to see you through till payday.
