With the price of petrol and diesel beginning to drop a few pence this week, many of us remain shocked by the rising cost of living. It's prompted many people to seek better value, with more than a third of those surveyed (38 per cent) actively looking for ways to save on everyday purchases. In a poll for Samsung, around two thirds (66 per cent) of those surveyed said they often or always check reviews before buying anything. We are becoming a nation of "smart spenders", but we still like a little treat every now and then.
Let's have a look at the top ten ways in which we are becoming smarter...
10 Prioritising quality over quantity (24%). Personally, I'd rather buy a really nice chocolate bar that has higher cocoa content and isn't full of palm oil, compared to a cheap multipack of something that's described as "chocolate flavour". My current favourite brand for a little bit of luxury is Tony's Chocolonely, which is high in cocoa content and also Fairtrade certified. There's always a bar or two of it in my fridge.
9 Choosing low-cost social plans like walks, home dinners and going to the park (24%). We've just bought some new tennis rackets for the spring, with the intention of playing in the park. Whilst I don't expect to be giving Tim Henman a run for his money any time soon, it's good exercise, and one of the only sports which I quite enjoy watching on the telly. I'm also on a mission to get my step total up, and so far have hit my 10,000 steps on all but two days of April. I'm aware this is an artificial target set by a pedometer company in Japan in the 1960s, but it seems a reasonable goal, and I'm starting to shift a couple of pounds. There was a bit of drama earlier this week when I encountered a badger on my evening walk too, but my shriek sent it scurrying.
8 Only heating the rooms you are actually using (28%). I perhaps need to get better at this, but luckily Colin our cat hasn't worked out how to work the heating, as he'd definitely be cranking it up a few degrees.
7 Batch cooking (28%). Never done this. To be honest, I'm not much of a cook. I blame the Home Economics teacher who shouted at me once for breaking a mixing bowl at school. I cried my eyes out, and have barely cooked since this date. I can heat stuff up if that counts.
6 Making meals which use the same ingredients (28%). Do fish fingers count? No? What about microwaved green veg? Forget it, let's move on.
5 Walking or cycling (34%). I describe myself on Twitter as a lapsed cyclist. I've also been called all the names under the sun on there recently. It seems a lot of people get very angry at the slightest opinion that doesn't tally with theirs. Ah well. Perhaps they need to chill out and get on a bike.
4 Making coffee at home rather than buying in a cafe (37%). A read of the newspaper or a good crime novel in a cafe is one of life's treats. However, the price of coffee in such places has rocketed, and I have to remind myself I own two coffee machines when contemplating another Americano when out and about. Meeting friends for a coffee is one of life's great things though.
3 Checking reviews before buying something (42%). I'm always amused by the extreme one-star reviews for products such as paper clips and post-it notes. How bad can they be? I do always scan reviews, but my wife saw a report recently that said many of them are created by bots in click farms (or something), so maybe it's best not to pay too much attention to them.
2 Doing more research (44%). Impulse purchases can be a bad idea. One of my worst was a Karma Chameleon-themed landline telephone that lit up red, gold and green when somebody called. I think I paid £65 for it in the 1990s. Even at today's prices, that would buy at least ten coffees!
1 Using discount codes or cashback offers (47%). If there's a box asking for a discount code, I always figure there must be one. I don't give up easily and will search for one more forensically than a Peter Mandelsson vetting procedure. We all love saving a few quid!
Alex Cann's weekly blog - 9th January
