Budgeting - Your Financial Future Depends On Setting Budgets 

Spending more than you have is a recipe for disaster, so budgeting well, whether you are a single mum or a high-flyer, can make all the difference to your financial well-being. Getting this wrong as a student, can affect your life for longer than you think too.

The most important thing to do is be realistic about what you have coming in and what you have going out of your bank account each week or month. Once you have established this, you can guage far better whether you are overspending each month.

If you find that you are, then try to cut down on the cost of certain items where you can. Food is a good start, as often you can go to a cheaper supermarket, or buy a cheaper brand - they really do not taste that different to the most famous ones, and sometimes can be even better. Try not to buy ready meals, as these work out to be more expensive than buying fresh food and simply creating something from scratch.

Shop around for the cheapest of everything too, do not just buy the first thing you see. For example, you can use our product search in the Deals section to check whether you are overpaying on everything from your home insurance to your mobile phone and utility bills.

Getting bundle deals for your home phone, satellite TV and broadband can also save you a packet, so check out what is available in your area.