Tech and apps have hugely improved our lives, but the service they provide often comes at a cost – be this in the form of fees in exchange for the convenience or requiring you to lock into a contract or rolling subscription. 📱
So while it can be tempting to sign up to anything and everything that makes life that little bit easier, it’s worth thinking twice. Especially if money is tight or you’ve set your own financial goals.
Cutting back on these four areas of convenience might mean an adjustment and require a bit of effort in the short term, but is sure to save you money in the long run. Try to remember that it's about the bigger picture.
Grocery delivery apps 🛒
Deliveroo and Uber Eats have paired up with supermarkets, while apps like Zapp, Getir and Jiffy have also become popular because of the convenience they offer. Instead of having to go to the shop when you want something, you can order it on an app and it’ll arrive in minutes. Pretty tempting, right?
On the odd occasion, having the option to get an essential ingredient delivered to your door could come in handy. But in general, it’s a good idea to skip these apps and avoid falling into a cycle of doing your food shopping in this way – especially if you’re looking at ways to reduce your spending.
Because even though grocery delivery apps often boast supermarket prices, there’s always going to be a markup due to delivery fees, drivers’ wages – and the fact that they’re saving you lots of hassle!
Since inflation is still on the rise and food is getting more expensive as it is, using a grocery delivery service and paying the extra costs in exchange for convenience makes it only more likely that your grocery bill is going to sting.
Writing a shopping list before you go shopping each week will help to make sure you don’t forget anything, reducing the need for these apps.
If you mostly use these apps when you have a craving, it might be worth committing to only having a treat if you go and buy it yourself at a shop. This means you won’t have to go without your favourite drinks and snacks, but you’ll save yourself lots of money as you’ll probably end up having them less often.
Next-day/same-day delivery 🚚
You go your whole life without something, but as soon as you discover it you feel you need to have it as soon as possible. Sound familiar?
Not long ago, three working days was the standard delivery time, but the rise of next-day delivery has made it harder to wait for new purchases.
Whether you’re using Amazon Prime, ASOS or any of the other services that offer next-day or same-day delivery, you might want to consider skipping this and trying to think ahead when you need or want something, saving yourself some money.
And while it can be tempting to get your hands on your purchase as quickly as possible, try to pause before you press confirm and ask yourself whether you really need it the very next day, or if you can wait that little bit longer. There are times when fast delivery is needed (you didn’t forget their birthday again, did you?), but this is usually the exception rather than the rule.
Being willing to wait for your deliveries will also have a positive effect on the environment as fewer vehicles will be needed on the road. 🌍
Paying for premium delivery also takes money out of your pocket that could be going towards savings or investments.
Uber & other ride-hailing services
Rather than ordering a cab, is there another option you could take? Maybe there’s a bus instead? Or could you cycle or walk, getting some exercise while you’re at it?
These options might take a bit longer, but they can save a lot of money. Plus, they’re better for the environment!
Of course, we’d never suggest prioritising saving money over safety. Don’t walk home alone at night in a place you’re not familiar with just to save a few pounds – you always need to put your safety first and a taxi is the best option in this scenario.
Ordering takeaways 🥡
Ordering a takeaway can be extremely appealing. But you could end up spending 10 times as much on a takeaway as you would on the ingredients for a home-cooked meal.
Takeaways are great as a treat every now and again, as long as they don’t become a recurring theme in your week.
There are other benefits to cooking at home too; you’ll learn/practise a valuable skill that’ll be useful for the rest of your life and you’ll also likely eat healthier if you cook your meals from scratch. 🥗
BBC Good Food is your friend here as they have a ton of simple recipes, while Mob Kitchen has some more adventurous ideas.
Of course, there will always be a limit to how much you can cut your spending and sometimes, no amount of budgeting is enough to fill a financial gap. Check out these 5 ways to make money as a student. 💸
Further learning
5 ways to build a strong financial foundation
