For inspiration on how to spend less without losing your social life, take a look at the following ways to save money:

• Self control - if you're on a budget, stick to it. Before buying something, ask yourself, ‘Do I need it?’, ‘Can I afford it?’ and ‘Can I get it cheaper elsewhere?'
• Buying sandwiches every day, whether at work or for your children’s school lunches, can add up to over £15 a week each. Making your own sandwiches and taking them with you costs very little. The same for ready meals – you can make your own for much less.
• If you’re not using all those minutes and texts included in your monthly mobile contract, consider buying a pay as you go SIM card. This way you only pay for what you actually use, which can save £100's over the year.
• Little expenditures, like drinks after work or cigarettes, add up surprisingly quickly. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day amounts to £2,000 a year - so if you were able to cut down, there’d be spare money to use where needed.
• The chances you will win the lottery are very slim, yet spending £2 a week on tickets costs over £100 a year. Consider putting the money in a jar each week, and treat yourself at the end of the year.
• If you have a cupboard full of things you don’t use, you might want to make some money by selling them on EBay, or at a car boot sale. These places are also great for buying what you need at a low price.
• Where possible, walk or cycle short journeys to save money on petrol or bus fares. Our tips on driving economically can also help cut down the amount you spend on petrol.
• Buying regular items in larger quantities, such as squash, washing tablets and multipacks of crisps, gives greater value for money. The saving on each item may be small, but with a number of products the savings stack up.
• Try to plan ahead as much as possible. Buying train tickets, for example, is much cheaper if you do so in advance.