Page 50 - TODAY magazine Issue 1 2021

Making your money
GO FURTHER
Do you find you are always
short of money towards the end
of the month? The good news is that you’re not alone; even better news is that Mandy Freeman has a few suggestions that could help to stretch your budget.
SAVE ON SHOPPING
Waste less
The reality is that there is nothing wrong with a
lot of the food we throw away. If you’re trying to save, make a point of it to use everything you buy. Worried about food safety? Packaged food like biscuits, coffee and tinned food found on shop shelves are perfectly safe up until the ‘use by’ date, and sometimes even longer. The ‘best before’ date is about quality and not safety.
Skip the basket
If you’re running into the grocery shop to pick up a few items, carry them in your hands instead of using a basket. That way, you’ll be less likely to add things you didn’t plan to buy (and probably don’t need) to your shopping basket.
Follow the 30-day rule
Thinking about making a large purchase? Before you do, use the 30-day rule. How it works is simple. If after 30 days you still want the item as much as you did before, then buy it. We tend to make impulse buys that are often emotionally driven. When you give yourself time to think about it, you might realise you no longer want it. Of course, if it’s something you need, for example your fridge has stopped working, then shop around to find the best deal. And, if there’s
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