Reader reveals her top tips for giving up your expensive takeaway coffee habit — plus how you can get a free fiver
WE all have them – those bad spending habits that break the budget each month.
For reader Maryse Godden it was buying coffee every day before work.
She was spending £2.70 on a flat white, which worked out at £13.50 a week and over £700 a year. She said: “That’s a week’s luxury holiday — so I quit my caffeine addiction, to put money away each month for that.”
Here’s Maryse tells how she did it and how you can too . . .
- Switch to herbal: I went to my local Tesco and bought a box of 20 Tesco Green Tea bags for just 75p. I keep it on my desk at work and not only is it good for you, it’s a lot cheaper than going on trips to buy coffee.
- Resist temptation: I decided to bring my own lunch to work and leave my bank cards and cash at home to resist the impulse to pop in at a coffee shop. It also stopped me from spending more money, as I have a tendency to give in to a snack machine treat occasionally.
- Get an early night: To get my beauty sleep, I made myself get into a routine to be in bed by 10.30pm so I don’t wake up feeling like I needed an emergency stop at Starbucks or a coffee hit to get through the day.
- Stash an emergency supply: If your work doesn’t have a free coffee machine to use and you really cannot start your day without getting a dose of caffeine, pay a visit to your local supermarket, buy a shop-branded coffee and take it to work with My local Tesco has its own range of coffees, from a bargain 79p.
- Energy-boost brekkie: I used to skip breakfast but I found a bowl of warm porridge with honey really kickstarted my day and boosted my energy levels. I buy Tesco Everyday Value Oats Porridge 1kg for 75p, and a jar of Tesco Everyday Value Clear Honey 340G for 99p then I use water instead of milk.
- What bad spending habits have you overcome? And how have you done it? Email [email protected] with your tips.
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Reader's saving tip
JAN IVEMY from WATERLOOVILLE, HANTS, says: “For stained tea and coffee cups, put 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a mug of hot water. Leave for one hour and wash up as usual.”
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TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!
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