Work & Money 

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Small savings, big difference

There's no harm in tucking into a healthy shop-bought sandwich every lunchtime, right? Wrong. But one thing is for sure: there's nothing delicious about a depleted bank balance!

Believe it or not, with a little effort, you have the power to make small lifestyle changes that could save you big bucks. Read on for tiny changes that will save you lots of cash!

Take a sandwich to work instead of buying one. Even if you only spend £5 a day (and if you add up all the extra snacks and coffees honestly it's more likely to be double that), that's £100 a month and a massive £1,200 a year. In six years, that could buy you a new car!

Cycle to work instead of catching the train or get off one stop early and walk. Not only will you save cash, but you'll also get loads of exercise, completely free.

One night a week, swap your glass of wine at the pub for a couple at home with friends. Even better, give up one night a week altogether.

Don't buy lottery tickets. Just face it - it won't be you! Instead, put the money you would have spent into an ISA, and build up your own lottery fund.

If you don't use all the minutes your mobile contract offers you, consider swapping to a pay as you go phone and maybe using other methods of communication - like emailing - to cut down the bill even further. You could also save huge amounts by shopping around and swapping to a better value landline provider.

Save electricity by switching off lights and appliances and unplugging mobile phone chargers when you're not using them. Not only will you minimise your carbon footprint, but you'll also slash the bill.

Make a shopping list before you go shopping and only buy what you need. Stick to own-brand products rather than name brands and don't simply shop at one shop because you have a loyalty card, look around for the best price.

Even better, shop around on the internet for the best deal, or visit your local market for fresh, organic food at half the price. Even a saving of as little as £10 a week adds up to around £550 a year.

Drink tap water. If you can't stand the taste or are afraid of bacteria, buy a filter. This will save you around £500 a year.

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