MILLIONS of households are feeling the crunch as the cost of living crisis deepens.
Experts have warned that energy bills could reach £5,000 in 2023, while hard-up families are already struggling to keep up with soaring food and fuel prices.
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Earlier this year, a £37billion package of support measures were announced and further plans are reportedly being drawn up for the next Prime Minister.
But in the meantime, we all need to save cash wherever we can.
Here, Lynsey Hope offers a handy A-Z guide to help shave the pounds or pennies off your bills.
APPS: Olio and others allow you to pick up free food and household items from local shops and supermarkets.
BULBS: Switching to more energy-efficient bulbs, such as compact fluorescent types or LEDs, will help to trim your energy bills.
COUNCIL TAX BAND: You could be in the wrong council tax bracket and vastly overpaying. It only takes a few minutes to check.
Go to gov.uk/council-tax-bands.
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DIRECT DEBITS: Many of us waste thousands of pounds a year paying for unnecessary subscriptions.
Get tough and cut the ones you don’t use.
EXTRACTOR FANS: These burn energy in bathrooms and kitchens if left on longer than required.
Adjust the timer or switch them off manually to stop the waste.
FACEBOOK: Unlike eBay, local Facebook groups and Facebook Marketplace don’t charge a fee when you sell your unwanted items, so are great for pocketing some extra cash.
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GROW YOUR OWN: Growing fruit and veg at home is great fun for the whole family and it will save you money.
For example, a cucumber plant will cost around £1.50 — but can produce 30 to 40 fruits, meaning each cucumber only costs about 5p compared to more than 50p in supermarkets.
HAGGLE: Haggle down your mobile phone bill.
A poll by moneysavingexpert.com found that 69 per cent of customers managed to successfully negotiate a better deal.
INFLATE TYRES: Lower tyre pressures increase drag on a car, meaning you need more fuel.
Regularly check the pressures are correct.
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JUNK FOOD: Ditch expensive and unhealthy takeaways and cook tasty and nutritious meals from scratch.
Keep reading The Sun to stock up on loads of easy recipes.
KETTLE: Boiling your kettle three times a day will cost you £32 a year.
To become more energy efficient, descale yours regularly and only ever boil the amount of water that you need.
LOYALTY CARDS: Many shops offer loyalty cards, with Tesco Clubcard one of the most generous as you bag one point for every pound spent.
MIX CLEANERS YOURSELF: Ditch expensive cleaning products and make your own.
Four tablespoons of baking soda in one cup of warm water will make one for all purposes.
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NO-SPEND DAYS: Exercise self-discipline and try not to part with a penny one day a week.
It might mean making your own coffee, avoiding the shops or walking or cycling to work.
OWN BRANDS: Supermarket own brands are often just as good as pricey big ones.
For example, a 250g block of Lurpak costs around £2.50 but Sainsbury’s butter is £1.
PARKING SPACES: Plenty of websites, including parklet.co.uk or justpark.com allow you to rent out your empty driveway for a bit of extra dosh.
QUIDCO: Cashback sites such as quidco.com and topcashback.co.uk can be lucrative.
You can currently get ten per cent cashback at Very via Quidco and 12 per cent on Asos through TopCashback.
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ROOF RACK: A roof rack adds wind resistance to a car, meaning the engine works harder.
If you don’t need it, take it off.
SWITCH BANK: Switching banks is quick and easy and five banks are currently paying for your custom — with up to £160 cash.
TAP WATER: It’s free!
Some restaurants charge more than £3.50 for a bottle of mineral water, but those that serve booze are required by law to offer free tap water.
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UNIFORMS: Employees who wear a uniform may be able to reclaim tax of between £12 and £74 a year for the past five years.
Check this list to see if your profession is included: gov.uk/guidance/job-expenses-for-uniforms-work-clothing-and-tools
VOUCHERS: Oxfam will give you a £5 Marks & Spencer voucher if you donate at least one item of M&S-labelled clothing to one of its charity shops.
Schuh also offers a £5 voucher when you bring in old footwear.
WORLD FOOD AISLE: Shop in the world food aisle to save money on household staples such as kidney beans and curry powder.
Chopped tomatoes are 10p cheaper in Sainsbury’s and chickpeas are 20p cheaper in Tesco.
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XMAS COMES EARLY: It may be boiling outside but get ahead of the pack and start your festive shopping early.
Look for discounts throughout the year and buy online to make use of free postage to pals.
Post-Christmas sales also offer some huge bargains . . . if you can face snapping them up a year in advance.
YOUTUBE: Before making a big purchase, check out review videos on YouTube.
This will help you save money by avoiding stuff that isn’t fit for purpose.
ZZZZZ: A 43in TV costs nearly £20 a year to run.
Switch it off an hour earlier and go to bed to save money on your energy and lighting bills.
