Budgeting and reducing your spending
Managing your money can feel challenging, especially when household costs are rising. A budget can help you stay in control of your finances and identify opportunities to save. Explore practical tips, money-saving ideas and sources of support to help reduce your everyday spending.
How to create a budget
A simple budget can help you see where your money is going and where you might be able to save.
- Write down all your income and spending.
- Use bank statements, bills and receipts to make sure nothing is missed.
- Check your spending regularly and look for costs you could cut back on.
- Keep a spending diary to spot habits that may be costing you money.
- Put a little money aside every month for unexpected costs if you can.
Reduce your spending
Small changes can make a big difference to your household budget.
- Check if you can get a Council Tax discount or reduction.
- Review your broadband, mobile and TV packages and switch to a cheaper deal if available.
- Ask about social tariffs for broadband, phone, water and other services if you receive benefits.
- Look at ways to reduce energy use and check if grants or discounts are available.
- Apply for a water meter if you don't have one and only use a small amount of water. You can apply through your provider: Anglian Water or Essex and Suffolk Water
- Plan meals, shop with a list and make the most of offers and own-brand products.
- Check if you can save money on travel through railcards, season tickets or cheaper insurance.
- Check if you qualify for help with school costs, prescriptions or other everyday expenses.
- Avoid impulse purchases and deals that tempt you to buy things you do not need.
- Pay bills on time where possible to avoid extra charges.
Tips to reduce food waste
- Food Savvy is a website that provides advice about how to waste less food
- Love Food Hate Waste is another website that provides advice about how to waste less food
- Too Good To Go is an app where users can buy 'Magic Bags' of food, directly from businesses, at a heavily discounted rate
- Kitche is an app where users can find recipes according to what they already have in their cupboard
- Five Dinners is a free online, personalised meal planning service from Feel Good Suffolk. It will provide you with new evening meal plans, every week, designed just for you and your family. You’ll get healthy recipes for 5 dinners and a shopping list every week, focusing on healthy and affordable meals.
Travel costs
We know that getting around can be difficult without access to your own vehicle, particularly in some of our more rural areas where there is limited public transport.
Connecting Communities offer community transport across Suffolk to help residents get where they need to go, they also have accessible transport.
Some Good Neighbour Schemes also offer community transport.
Find a list of participating neighbourhoods.
You can also search for community transport operators on Suffolk Infolink.
Where possible, using alternatives to a car can reduce your household fuel expenses. 'The Way to Go Suffolk' helps you plan journeys within the county.
Where driving can't be avoided, consider car sharing to split the expense. Suffolk Car Share helps you look for drivers who are travelling where you are.
You should check if you are eligible for any financial help. Explore our Cost of Living pages or speak to Citizens Advice who can help you check what you could get.
If you are a council tenant, you can also contact the housing team to ask about tenancy sustainment support.