Secrets to Saving: The Ultimate Couponing Guide is a book/ebook about saving money on your shopping by using coupons. I had heard good reports about it for a while, so decided to buy a copy for myself to find out more.
Secrets to Saving – as I’ll call it for short from now on – is written by a young man named Jordon Cox (also known as The Coupon Kid). Jordon claims it’s possible for anyone to save over £1,000 a year on their shopping by this method, with larger families obviously having the potential to save even more.
If you’re an oldie like me, the chances are you will already be familiar with couponing. In the past this typically involved cutting out coupons from newspapers and magazines and taking them to a local shop or supermarket to redeem them. The coupon might give you a discount or (if you were very lucky) a free product.
In Secrets to Saving, Jordon reveals that this method is still going strong, but even more offers are available online if you know where to look. He lists a number of websites where you can either access coupons directly or find links to sites where coupons are available. You will clearly need a computer with an internet connection and a printer to benefit from these sites, but I guess most readers of this blog will have those things anyway.
Jordon also discusses smartphone apps, which allow you to make big savings in the form of cashback on selected products. An example is the CheckoutSmart app, which regularly offers freebies from well-known brands. You just have to scan a picture of your receipt with the item in question on it (you can use your smartphone for this) and the price will be refunded to your CheckoutSmart account. From there you can transfer the money to your PayPal account. As long as you wait until you have earned £20 or more, no fees are charged for this.
Secrets to Saving also looks at advanced techniques such as ‘stacking’, where you combine offers to generate bigger discounts or even get items for free. Jordon explains that you can even make a profit in certain cases which can be set against other items in your shopping (though don’t expect to leave the store with more money than when you went in!).
Any criticisms? Only very minor ones. I found out that the link to the Money Saving Expert couponing page didn’t appear to be correct (somewhat ironic as Jordon works for them, but perhaps the URL has changed recently). Anyway, here’s a link that does work: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/
In addition, the book has a very short chapter about entering consumer competitions, which as Jordon says can combine very well with couponing. It would have been nice to see a bit more about ‘comping’, although it’s probably unfair to criticize Jordon for this, as that isn’t what Secrets to Saving is about. Maybe Jordon is saving his advice on this subject for his next book!
Overall, I was very impressed with Secrets to Saving: The Ultimate Couponing Guide. Although some of the methods I knew about already, it opened my eyes to a range of others, including some pretty weird ones (who knew that writing poems about your favourite products could be so profitable?!). As a writer myself, I was also impressed by how well written (and edited) the book was.
With its modest asking price – £10 for the print book or £2.49 for the Kindle e-book version – it shouldn’t take long to cover the cost of buying Secrets to Saving through the money you save on your shopping.
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
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Today I am pleased to bring you a guest post from my fellow UK money blogger (and freelance writer) Ruth Hinds, who blogs at Ruth Makes Money.
Ruth’s post is about blogging, a subject I haven’t previously got around to covering on Pounds and Sense. But, of course, it’s a major way I make money myself these days, and it’s also an option that is both accessible and appealing to many older people.
Over to Ruth then…
Have you ever thought about starting a blog as a way to create an extra online income stream? Or do you have an existing blog that you write just for pleasure, and sometimes toy with the idea of turning it into a money-making machine?
Though I’ve been a freelance writer for the past seven years, it’s only around 12 months since I took the leap and created my own blog, dedicated to documenting my journey towards creating a full-time income online, and what’s worked for me along the way.
Whilst it’s relatively early in my blogging journey, I’m happy to admit that monetization was on my agenda from day one. As well as help people to create their own freedom away from the constraints of a traditional job, I was eager to learn the ropes quickly and add another income stream to my box of tricks.
It’s safe to say that I’ve reached that goal, and I’ve also learned a ton of valuable lessons along the way when it comes to creating a profitable blog. Here’s what you really need to know if you’re thinking about taking a similar path…
1. It’s a steep learning curve, and it pays to get started ASAP
I often see people saying that they intend to monetize their blog one day in the future, but they don’t yet feel ready to make that leap. They feel that there’s more to learn, or more experience they need to get under their belts, or they just find it all a little overwhelming. Though I completely understand – because there’s certainly a lot to get your head around – I do also disagree with waiting.
You see, making money from your blog takes trial and error. There are strategies to become familiar with, tactics to master, and you’ll undoubtedly get plenty of things wrong along the way. This is why I believe that it pays to start that learning journey sooner rather than later.
There’s also a valid point here that as you build your audience, it makes sense that they’ve seen your monetization efforts from the beginning. This way, you’re being transparent from the start, and there’s not a point where your readers can suddenly bring your integrity into question.
2. You don’t need a gigantic audience to start making money
We’ve all heard about the big name bloggers who are pulling in hundreds of thousands of pounds every year, and of course, these people often have millions of followers. It’s important to recognise though that there are plenty more bloggers with relatively small readerships who are earning a decent chunk of cash along the way.
What it really comes down to is the methods that you use. I personally decided to really drill down on affiliate marketing, and put my efforts into promoting my favourite matched betting software. By creating content that explained the matched betting process, answered common questions, and gave an insight into my own successes with leveraging free bets from online bookies, I started earning commissions within my first few months as a blogger, and they’ve continued to grow throughout the year.
3. Though some monetization tactics are definitely more realistic than others!
Though I’ve had great results from affiliate marketing, there are still some blog monetization techniques that my readership is simply too small to tap into effectively. A great example of this is running adverts in the sidebar. These typically earn me about $15 per month. They’re never going to make me rich, though they do cover my hosting and domain costs.
When you’re blogging, it can seem like your to do list is never ending. There are posts to write, content to promote, social media channels to keep on top of, and the reality is that you need to selective about what you do and don’t dip your toes into. Based on my experiences, I’d definitely suggest that new bloggers get super focused, and really run with just a couple monetization techniques so they can see the best possible returns.
4. Blogging can be a great way to get started with freelance writing
When it comes to the various money-making methods that go hand in hand with blogging, the possibility of starting a freelance writing business is definitely discussed less often. Perhaps it’s because it’s more hands-on, and couldn’t be classed as passive income. Still though, it’s worth discussing because it can be highly profitable, and also hugely rewarding.
When you’re putting your writing out there online on a regular basis, other bloggers and business owners start to pay attention. They get a feel for your style, your expertise, and the value that you could bring to their own content creation processes. And of course, you’re building a portfolio that you can use to pitch for projects that catch your eye.
I built my freelance writing business without the power of my own blog behind me. With hindsight though, I can tell that I definitely missed a trick. Starting a blog is a legitimate way to start a writing career, whether that be copywriting for businesses, or even feature writing for newspapers and magazines.
5. It won’t make you rich overnight, but building a generous income is very achievable
If you’ve been around the block a few times with side hustles, then you’ll know that things take time. There are no overnight millionaires, and if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. And so if you’ve read income reports from big bloggers who claim to be pulling in massive amounts of money, then you may be a little bit skeptical. Is it all smoke and mirrors? Have you missed the chance to do the same? Or did they just get lucky?
What I know for sure from my year as a blogger is that it’s very possible to start earning money within your first few months, and if you commit to being in it for the longer term, the rewards are there for the taking. It takes time, and a dedication to learning the ropes, but I’m pleased to be in a position now where my blog consistently generates in excess of £800 per month. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s not too shabby for something that I only dedicate part-time hours to!
My only regret with blogging is that I didn’t start sooner. It earns me an income, it’s opened up countless opportunities, and knowing that I’m helping other people with their money-making adventures brings me a huge amount of satisfaction.
If you’re thinking about starting a blog, then why not bite the bullet and get stuck in?
Ruth blogs about genuine ways to make money online at RuthMakesMoney.com. She covers blogging, eBay reselling, and freelance writing, and loves helping people to build profitable income streams on their own terms.
Many thanks to Ruth (pictured) for an interesting and inspiring article.
I have been blogging myself for a number of years, both here at Pounds and Sense and at Entrepreneur Writer and the former My Writing Blog (now closed).
Like Ruth, I would never claim that blogging is a get-rich-quick proposition. It takes time and effort to build a successful blog, and only then will the big rewards start to come.
But blogging is also a creative and fulfilling pastime that can help keep your wits sharp and generate at least a useful sideline income. And it’s something you can fit in as and when you have the time (and energy), so again it can work well for many older people. For all these reasons – and more – I plan to cover blogging again on Pounds and Sense before too long.
As always, if you have any comments or questions, for me or for Ruth, please do post them below.
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A few months ago I came across a smartphone app called MobileXpression. It offered the opportunity to generate a sideline income by sharing some details of your mobile phone usage.
The company behind MobileXpression conducts research on mobile internet use. On their website they say:
The goal of MobileXpression is to develop a better understanding of the trends and patterns affecting the mobile Internet. Just as television uses ratings to determine which programs are the highest rated and most watched, MobileXpression uses the knowledge of its members’ mobile Internet habits to determine the popularity and importance of various mobile web sites and applications. Companies can then use this market research to make informed decisions regarding their mobile marketing strategies.
In exchange for letting MobileXpression access your mobile phone data, the company offers incentives. In the US these include a range of vouchers, but as a UK user the only one I have ever been offered is for Amazon UK. Amazon gift vouchers are almost as good as cash, of course, so I am perfectly happy with this 🙂
UK users of MobileXpression receive a £5 Amazon voucher by email after using the app for just one week. After that you are allocated 2 ‘credits’ every week you remain a member. Once you have 20 you can exchange them for a £20 Amazon voucher.
This has been working well for me, and I have now accrued over £100 worth of Amazon vouchers for very little effort. The only problem occurred on one occasion when there was a delay in issuing my voucher. I raised a support ticket about this via the app, and the voucher duly arrived a few days later.
Pros and Cons
Based on my experience using the app, here’s my list of pros and cons for MobileXpression.
PROS
Rewards arrive reliably.
Anyone can join (you don’t have to be a heavy mobile internet user).
Once the app is set up, there is little else to do (just log in occasionally to claim your credits).
Amazon vouchers are a good reward and can be used to fund a huge range of purchases
MobileXpression will have access to data about your smartphone usage, although they say they don’t monitor your calls.
Some people have reported that the app slows down their phone, although I haven’t noticed this myself.
Summing Up
Overall, I have been very happy with MobileXpression. Clearly nobody is going to get rich from it, but based on my experience it can provide a regular source of hassle-free, passive income in the form of Amazon vouchers.
If you have a suitable phone and aren’t too concerned about the privacy aspect of having your usage monitored, I therefore recommend giving it a go. The app is available for both Android (in Google’s Play Store) and iOS for iPhone.
If you have any comments or questions about MobileXpression, as always, please do post them below.
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Today I am pleased to bring you a guest post by Araminta Robertson, who blogs at Financially Mint.
Araminta is a university student and she writes from a young person’s perspective. Today she shares some of her top tips for eating healthily on a budget.
One thing many older people have in common with students is that they need to watch the pennies. Araminta has some great advice for all of us on how to eat both frugally and healthily.
Over to Araminta then…
It’s not easy to combine healthy, cheap, delicious and quick. And yet, it is still possible. As a student, I’ve always had to figure out the best combination, and through a lot of practice I’ve realised that the methods I used could also be very useful for anyone in a similar situation.
So – here are four steps get that sweet combination of exactly what you’re looking for when you eat. Here we go:
1. Plan it
The first step is to figure out your ‘magic number’; how much are you willing to spend? What is your budget for food for one month/week?
Start with that number and work your way back. Then make a list of cheap healthy food that you and your family enjoy. Some examples are:
Beans
Eggs
Tomatoes
Frozen veggies
Pepper + onions
Almonds
Lentils
Squash/pumpkin
Oats
Canned goods
Yoghurt and cheese
Quinoa
Carrots
Aubergine
Kale
Sweet potatoes and potatoes
Now you’ve got your magic budget number, some general ingredient ideas. What’s missing? A recipe. And it’s at his point that I whip out Google and simple type in ‘ingredient recipe’, so ‘carrot recipe’ for example. I do a bit of research, look for something simple and cheap to make. Some great websites to find these are BBC Good Food and All Recipes UK.
Do a bit of a rough plan – find some ingredients, do some research and pick some recipes you’d like to try out during the week. Then write down the list of ingredients you’ll need to complete that plan. It’s always fun to try some exciting recipes and do some experimenting. More on this later 😉
2. Shop it
Time to do some exploring! If you want to stick to a small budget, go to discount supermarkets such as Aldi, Asda and Lidl. Bring your ingredients and grocery list and do the shopping!
A little tip: Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry, you’ll probably end up buying unnecessary stuff
What I normally do is one big shopping day a week and then some additional stuff from time to time. Pick a day to do your shopping for the week and buy it all at once. You’ll see batching is a huge productivity booster – no need to do mini shopping trips anymore! It’s also easier to budget week by week, this way it’s easy to know how much you spent on the shopping trip.
3. Cook it
Now to the exciting part.
What prevents most people from cooking is the ‘I’m rubbish at cooking’. We were all rubbish at cooking at one point, and you get better by doing more of it. The first pie you make might be a disaster, but the tenth one will be pretty tasty.
Once again, batching: pick a day to do all the cooking for the week (I like Sundays). Make it a fun activity; include the kids, the family, the dog, even. A proper event, an afternoon where everyone gets together to prepare meals for the week. Of course, if that’s not possible then simply cook it yourself – but an event is always nice.
Have your meal plan ready and then cook and freeze stuff for the week. Soup, rice and beans can last the week – whereas meat and potatoes aren’t very good at that. As you cook more and more you’ll figure out what can be stored and what can’t, and you’ll also end up preparing some more delicious recipes.
I normally produce large quantities of rice/pasta/sauce/ and freeze it or leave it in the fridge. Then when it’s time to eat I just have to make the meat/veggies
4. Try it
The most important when improving your cheap/delicious/healthy meals is to keep experimenting (I even do fancy Money Experiments). Try new ingredients (I’ve got an interesting vegetable called a ‘swede’ in my kitchen), new recipes and new dishes. You’ll slowly get better at it. Now I consider myself an expert at making something out of scraps – stir-fry it all.
Here are some examples of cheap budget meals I like to do:
Soup – mushroom soup, pumpkin, lentil, tomato
Curry – could be vegetarian
Pie/quiche
Tacos/wraps/quesadillas
Jacket potatoes
Chili
Fried rice – literally just veggies, eggs and rice
Omelettes/scrambled eggs
Stir-fry
Also keep on the lookout for discounts, sales and chances to save a little bit of money. Here are some good websites to get started: Money Saving Expert, Super Savvy Me and CheckoutSmart.
There you go! Four steps to eating well on a budget. The hardest part is simply sticking to it and being willing to try new things. But if you make it a fun event every week, you can turn it into a family activity and be held accountable to do every week. Next thing you know you’ll be cooking fancy quiches and amazing risotto. Keep trying!
What’s your favourite recipe? Comment below!
Bio: Araminta is creator of Financially Mint, a personal finance blog for university students written by an actual student. She interviews experts, does weird experiments and a ton of research to help her and others graduate financially intelligent.
Many thanks to Araminta (pictured) for an interesting and useful post. Do check out her Financially Mint blog as well!
I guess some of my older readers may be amused by her reference to the “interesting” vegetable called a swede. Swedes are a vegetable many of us baby boomers remember well from childhood, and not always fondly! I must admit I haven’t cooked with swedes for a while, but promise to put them on my shopping list again during the winter months 😉
Like Araminta I enjoy looking for recipes on the internet, and I often use the websites she mentions, and various others. My personal tip would be to take a few moments to read the reviews and comments that are often left by people who have tried the recipes. This feedback is invaluable, especially the ideas for tweaking/improving the recipe.
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, for Araminta or me, please do post them below.
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