Working with a tight wedding budget and need to save funds fast? We reveal how making small sacrifices now can mean big savings for your wedding day!
Cut down on coffee
Whether it’s a weekly catch up with friends or your daily caffeine fix, the cost of those trips to Starbucks can soon mount up. If you’re heading for the coffee shop just once a week, those take-away cappuccinos could be costing you around £130 a year! In terms of your wedding budget that could be your shoes, accessories or even your hairstylist. So stick the kettle on instead, at home or in the office, and reap the saving rewards!
Ditch the gym
Most brides are keen to get in shape for their special day, but getting fit doesn’t have to mean expensive gym memberships. Fees can often be around £35 a month for a year’s membership, adding up to a whopping £420 a year! Ditch the gym and get outside – go for walks, join a running club, or even get together with friends to do an exercise DVD – a fun way to shed the pounds, and save money at the same time. After a year of saving you could afford a string quartet, florist or suit hire.
Lunch for less
Are you a little lazy when it comes to lunch? Think again. Buying prepared sandwiches and snacks every day at work could be costing you around £15 a week, which over a year can mount up to over £700! For that you could pay for your entertainment, fireworks or wedding rings. Getting organised and preparing your lunch the night before is not only great for your wallet, but your waistline too, because you know exactly what’s gone into your sandwich or salad. Happy days!
Film fanatics
If you’re a real film buff and love to catch the latest movies in the cinema, then you could be shelling out over £20 per outing, once you’ve bought tickets and snacks! Swap this for a subscription service such as Netflix or LoveFilm and exchange your monthly film fix for as many movies as you like for as little as £5.99 a month, with a 30-day free trial thrown in. That’s a saving of £174 a year! In the world of weddings that could equate to your favours, stationery or even a make-up artist.
Costly contracts
Your phone contract may seem like a monthly essential, but when it’s up for renewal consider whether you really need the latest upgrade. If you’re happy with your current phone model, why not switch to a sim only contract instead? You can pick these up from as little as £9 a month from O2 depending on your usage. Compare this with an Apple iPhone 5s, which costs from £38 per month for a 24-month contract, with an up-front charge of £39.99. Over the course of a year that’s a saving of around £388! Splash the extra cash on bridesmaid dresses, your wedding cake or a why not treat yourself to a designer pair of shoes?
Drive down costs
The cost of fuel can be crippling if you drive to work every day, so why not cycle or walk to the office instead? Or, if you live a bit further away, car sharing is an excellent way to save some extra cash in the run-up to the big day. Check out websites such as liftshare.com, blablacar.com or carpooling.co.uk to find local people to share with. Liftshare.com also have a handy savings calculator too, which estimates that for a 15-mile daily trip in a small petrol car, you could save around £435 a year if you lift share with just one person! Book your transport, a DJ or mini-moon with the savings.
