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Metro
4 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
We're halfway to Christmas — start this savings challenge now to put away £2,850
The UK is currently enjoying a glorious heatwave so, understandably, the last thing anyone wants to think about is Christmas. But hear us out. As of right now, we're over halfway through the year, with 180 sleeps until the big day. While that may seem like light years away as you slap on the sunscreen and hit the pub beer gardens, it'll come around sooner than you think. This means the dreaded yearly panic will too — when you realise you haven't bought any of your loved ones' presents yet, nor do you have any disposable cash to do so. So, in the spirit of Christmas, and to make the stressful parts of the festive season easier, we thought we'd give you a financial helping hand in the form of a 150-day savings challenge. It's exactly what it says on the tin really: you save a slightly higher amount of money each day for 150 days, bringing you to up to the festive shopping season (just before the Black Friday sales, in fact) with a healthy few pounds in your back pocket. Maxine McCreadie, personal finance expert at UK Debt Expert, can't recommend starting to save early enough, commenting: 'It's easy for the huge costs associated with festivities to creep up on you, so planning ahead can make all the difference.' Before you begin the challenge, Maxine recommends working out how much you typically spend on presents, food, travel, and events. Then, divide it by the number of weeks until December. 'Saving even a little each week helps avoid the last-minute financial squeeze,' she adds. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video If you're feeling anxious about saving money each day, the first thing to do is find a vessel for your cash, or set up a separate account if you prefer to keep things digital. Certain banks also allow you to automate deposits (such as Monzo's Pots feature), which is particularly useful for those who struggle to stick to a plan due to sheer forgetfulness. Once you've sorted where your money is going to go, look at your finances and see how much you can afford. This challenge sees what you put away increasing by a set daily increment, but you can choose what that looks like for you. For example, if you wanted to start with 50p and increase the amount by 50p each day, it would leave you with over £5,660 in the bank by December. That said, towards the end, you'd be putting away £75 a day, which isn't doable for many. So, for the sake of this article, we're going to increase the amount daily by 25p. See the table below for an example of how much you need to save each day, plus the amount you'll have at the end. If you started tomorrow, going up in increments of 25p, this is what your savings schedule would look like… June 29: £0.25 £0.25 June 30: £0.50 £0.50 July 1: £0.75 £0.75 July 2: £1 £1 July 3: £1.25 £1.25 July 4: £1.50 £1.50 July 5: £1.75 £1.75 July 6: £2 £2 July 7: £2.25 £2.25 July 8: £2.50 £2.50 July 9: £2.75 £2.75 July 10: £3 £3 July 11: £3.25 £3.25 July 12: £3.50 £3.50 July 13: £3.75 £3.75 July 14: £4 £4 July 15: £4.25 £4.25 July 16: £4.50 £4.50 July 17: £4.75 £4.75 July 18: £5 £5 July 19: £5.25 £5.25 July 20: £5.50 £5.50 July 21: £5.75 £5.75 July 22: £6 £6 July 23: £6.25 £6.25 July 24: £6.50 £6.50 July 25: £6.75 £6.75 July 26: £7 £7 July 27: £7.25 £7.25 July 28: £7.50 £7.50 July 29: £7.75 £7.75 July 30: £8 £8 July 31: £8.25 £8.25 August 1: £8.50 £8.50 August 2: £8.75 £8.75 August 3: £9 £9 August 4: £9.25 £9.25 August 5: £9.50 £9.50 August 6: £9.75 £9.75 August 7: £10 £10 August 8: £10.25 £10.25 August 9: £10.50 £10.50 August 10: £10.75 £10.75 August 11: £11 £11 August 12: £11.25 £11.25 August 13: £11.50 £11.50 August 14: £11.75 £11.75 August 15: £12 £12 August 16: £12.25 £12.25 August 17: £12.50 £12.50 August 18: £12.75 £12.75 August 19: £13 £13 August 20: £13.25 £13.25 August 21: £13.50 £13.50 August 22: £13.75 £13.75 August 23: £14 £14 August 24: £14.25 £14.25 August 25: £14.50 £14.50 August 26: £14.75 £14.75 August 27: £15 £15 August 28: £15.25 £15.25 August 29: £15.50 £15.50 August 30: £15.75 £15.75 August 31: £16 £16 September 1: £16.25 £16.25 September 2: £16.50 £16.50 September 3: £16.75 £16.75 September 4: £17 £17 September 5: £17.25 £17.25 September 6: £17.50 £17.50 September 7: £17.75 £17.75 September 8: £18 £18 September 9: £18.25 £18.25 September 10: £18.50 £18.50 September 11: £18.75 £18.75 September 12: £19 £19 September 13: £19.25 £19.25 September 14: £19.50 £19.50 September 15: £19.75 £19.75 September 16: £20 £20 September 17: £20.25 £20.25 September 18: £20.50 £20.50 September 19: £20.75 £20.75 September 20: £21 £21 September 21: £21.25 £21.25 September 22: £21.50 £21.50 September 23: £21.75 £21.75 September 24: £22 £22 September 25: £22.25 £22.25 September 26: £22.50 £22.50 September 27: £22.75 £22.75 September 28: £23 £23 September 29: £23.25 £23.25 September 30: £23.50 £23.50 October 1: £23.75 £23.75 October 2: £24 £24 October 3: £24.25 £24.25 October 4: £24.50 £24.50 October 5: £24.75 £24.75 October 6: £25 £25 October 7: £25.25 £25.25 October 8: £25.50 £25.50 October 9: £25.75 £25.75 October 10: £26 £26 October 11: £26.25 £26.25 October 12: £26.50 £26.50 October 13: £26.75 £26.75 October 14: £27 £27 October 15: £27.25 £27.25 October 16: £27.50 £27.50 October 17: £27.75 £27.75 October 18: £28 £28 October 19: £28.25 £28.25 October 20: £28.50 £28.50 October 21: £28.75 £28.75 October 22: £29 £29 October 23: £29.25 £29.25 October 24: £29.50 £29.50 October 25: £29.75 £29.75 October 26: £30 £30 October 27: £30.25 £30.25 October 28: £30.50 £30.50 October 29: £30.75 £30.75 October 30: £31 £31 October 31: £31.25 £31.25 November 1: £31.50 £31.50 November 2: £31.75 £31.75 November 3: £32 £32 November 4: £32.25 £32.25 November 5: £32.50 £32.50 November 6: £32.75 £32.75 November 7: £33 £33 November 8: £33.25 £33.25 November 9: £33.50 £33.50 November 10: £33.75 £33.75 November 11: £34 £34 November 12: £34.25 £34.25 November 13: £34.50 £34.50 November 14: £34.75 £34.75 November 15: £35 £35 November 16: £35.25 £35.25 November 17: £35.50 £35.50 November 18: £35.75 £35.75 November 19: £36 £36 November 20: £36.25 £36.25 November 21: £36.50 £36.50 November 22: £36.75 £36.75 November 23: £37 £37 November 24: £37.25 £37.25 November 25: £37.75 TOTAL SAVED: £2,850 After seeing the figures laid out, this savings challenge still seem daunting. But remember, it's more of a guideline than a hard and fast order, and you can tweak it to suit your circumstances. That may mean skipping a few days, reducing the incremental increase, doing it for fewer days, or splitting the deposits with a partner — whatever works. Alternatively, if you're looking for some more general advice around saving up for Christmas, Maxine has shared her top tips to help families spread the cost. This includes making the most of cashback rewards and early deals: 'It's not just the gifts – food, travel, and social events can quickly add up,' explains the expert. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, she recommends creating a simple breakdown to track what you'll need for each area, adding: 'This gives you a realistic view of your total spend and makes it easier to stick to your budget.' According to Maxine, two-thirds of Brits start Christmas shopping as early as August. However, for those a little less eager (yet still eager enough to be prepared) she advises spreading out your purchases, alongside looking for early offers or discounts, so you can tick items off your list bit by bit. 'Even just picking up one or two gifts each month can help you avoid panic buying and inflated prices later on,' Maxine notes. 'There's no need to overhaul your spending habits, just be smart about how you shop,' says Maxine, adding that cashback apps and loyalty schemes can earn you money back on everyday purchases. More Trending Simply redirect those rewards into your Christmas savings pot to give your budget a helpful boost. Maxine has some strong words of advice here, and they couldn't be truer: 'Christmas is about joy, not debt.' Ultimately, if the numbers don't add up, don't be afraid to scale back. A 'thoughtful, well-planned Christmas' can feel just as magical – if not more – than if you burnt through your entire bank balance. View More » Plus, your future self will thank you for starting January without the stress of overspending. Because let's be real, many of us enter the New Year with a regular type of hangover, we don't want a financial one as well. Looking for another way to make a bit of disposable cash for Christmas? Anna Cash Davidson, from Margate in Kent, has a very fitting moniker. The 27-year-old works in the music industry, but significantly increases her income by buying vintage items in bulk and reselling them online. She's one of a growing group of Britons who are earning money from second-hand clothes, children's old toys and abandoned household items worth hundreds of pounds. Read Metro's full article, plus find advice for aspiring fashion side-hustlers here. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Credit card customers can save up to £1,679 with a simple debt 'spring clean' MORE: Pride doesn't come cheap — the LGBTQ+ 'queer tax' has cost us thousands MORE: Make money from your living room with these 7 investing tips for absolute novices Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
This 15″ Travel Monitor Is Nearly Free, Amazon Clears Out Its Stock With an Early Prime Day Deal
Portable monitors have quickly become a necessity for anyone who wishes to have an extra screen on the go, and now they're one of the best-selling items in the Electronics section on Amazon. If you've ever shelled out cash for a 15-inch 1080p portable monitor, you'll be well aware that the price usually ranges between $60 and $150, with the $60 price mark usually being set for the biggest sale days such as Black Friday or Prime Day. But Amazon has just released a deal that's hard to swallow: the Yxk portable monitor is now only $47, down from $59 (which is already down from its $82 original price). See at Amazon The Yxk portable monitor boasts a 15.6-inch full HD IPS display with a 1920×1080 resolution. This screen delivers sharp visuals and vibrant colors which is a great option if you're looking to add a second display to your laptop, desktop or even game console. The 178-degree viewing angle ensures that the picture remains clear and consistent from almost any position which is especially useful if you're sharing your screen during meetings or presentations. The monitor also comes with HDR support and a low blue light mode to decrease eye fatigue. Only 1.43 pounds in weight and just 0.31 inches thick, this travel monitor is designed for traveling and everyday portability. It slips perfectly into a laptop sleeve or backpack and you can take it to work or business trips. The built-in kickstand makes it simple to deploy anywhere and the angle is adjustable to fit your workspace. Regarding connectivity, it has two full-size USB-C ports and a mini HDMI port which allow you to connect to a lot of devices. Regardless of whether you're using a laptop, Mac, Android phone, PlayStation, Xbox or Switch, you can begin with one cable alone. To connect via USB-C, your host device will need to be Thunderbolt 3.0/4.0 or USB 3.1 Type-C DP Alt Mode compatible. At $47, this deal is truly exceptional: It's rare to see a portable monitor with these features at such a low price. See at Amazon
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Better than Black Friday! Visible unlimited data plan is down to $20 a month for a short time
I've been on Visible for more than two years now and I thought it was one of the best cheap cell phone plans around. That's until I checked out Visible today when I saw that the carrier is offering the $25/month unlimited plan I'm on right now for $20/month. That's a better deal than its Black Friday offer. For a limited time, new customers can get Visible's unlimited plan for $20/month for the next 12 months via coupon "SAVE5". This is actually $35 cheaper than going with its annual plan that costs $275/year. Usually you pay more with a monthly plan as opposed to a yearly one, but this deal makes it the opposite. Visible: $20/month @ VisibleVisible is offering its best plan of the year with its $20/month unlimited data plan that actually beats its Black Friday offer. Not only do you get unlimited data, but it also comes with unlimited mobile hotspot and international calling and texting to Mexico and Canada. Don't wait because this deal is only being offered in June. Note: Use coupon code "SAVE5" at checkout to get this price. You'll have to think fast about snagging this deal because it expires at the end of the month, so that's 4 days from now. If I weren't a Visible subscriber already, I'd snag this deal because it comes out to a savings of $48 over what I pay now in a calendar year. That's enough money to splurge on early Prime Day deals going on now. In addition to its base unlimited plan, you can opt to upgrade to the carrier's other two options: Visible+ and Visible+ Pro. You can see what they offer over the base $20/month Visible plan, like having access to premium data that ensures you're prioritized and get the fastest speeds. Visible+ Pro also packages in smartwatch service as well, which supports Apple Watch Series 4 or newer, as well as the Pixel Watch 2 or newer. Ever since I ditched my traditional cell phone plan and opted to go with MVNOs like Mint Mobile and now Visible, I have saved so much money on my cell phone plan. I still can't fathom how I was paying $60/month for unlimited data, especially when I compare it to the $25/month rate I'm on now with Visible. During this time with Visible, I've had nothing but good service. From streaming my favorite shows, to sharing my data connection to my laptop when I'm on the go using my phone's hotspot, my Visible service has convinced me to never go back to a traditional wireless carrier. I'm just upset that this deal beats what I'm paying for right now. Regardless, you should take advantage of this deal while it's still here.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
‘I stopped using Google Pay…': Sania Mirza's sister Anam Mirza quits UPI apps for mindful spending, sparking mixed reactions on social media
Anam Mirza, Sania Mirza 's sister, recently posted her strategy for money discipline by deleting all the UPI-based digital payment applications from her phone. It was announced through a video that was uploaded to her Instagram series called Little Changes, Big Impact , in which she described the real changes she implemented to manage expenses and create savings. In the video, Anam declared, 'This year, I stopped using Google Pay. No UPI. No instant payment. This year, I emptied my UPI accounts, deleted my UPI apps, no balance, nothing.' Her choice, she said, was to make spending less convenient and more thoughtful. Though the step made day-to-day life a little difficult at first, such as having to request friends to pay for minute things like coffee, Anam got used to it eventually. Her post went viral within no time, garnering attention not only from followers but from a greater portion of social media users talking about digital payment behaviour. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Black Friday de Hyundai Hyundai España Más información Undo Anam Mirza quits UPI for financial control As per her description in the video, Anam Mirza's first step was to remove all digital payment apps like Google Pay, literally shutting off her means of making immediate transactions. That way, she expected to avoid impulse purchases, which, in her opinion, were being facilitated by the convenience of UPI-based systems. Mixed reactions on social media Anam's declaration soon turned into a subject of discussion on Instagram and other platforms. A few people were amazed by the strategy and complimented her on posting a trick that they believed could be helpful to other users as well. Comments such as, 'Makes a big difference, been doing this since 6 months and oh boy we don't overspend now,' and 'Absolutely correct to keep control on expenses,' were left behind by the fans who repeated the success of her choice. One user posted, 'This is definitely make very very big impact for sure,' while another said, 'Little things really matter. I started doing this too. It works.' But not everyone responded positively. Many users questioned whether it was even possible to avoid UPI totally, particularly in a nation where digital payments are such an integral part of everyday life. One user commented, 'Suits you because you're already rich. Only middle-class people like us could relate, how convenient it is to have UPI. People should definitely think before doing unnecessary expenses but deleting UPI a/c for that is too much.' Another user wrote, 'Kaha jaoge itna paisa bachake udao dusro ko bhi kamane ka mauka do,' which implies that excessive savings may truncate economic circulation and avenues for others. Also read | S. Jaishankar launches Passport Seva 2.0 in India: Know how to apply for e-Passport online, eligibility, and other information AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
NBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
Sale alert: Get 25% off Liquid I.V. electrolyte packets on Amazon right now
Have you noticed just how popular electrolyte drinks have gotten? If it seems like everyone is drinking them, you're not alone. My grocery store is filled with packets that you can add to a standard water bottle to boost hydration. But do they actually work? Research has shown that drinking beverages with electrolytes can help hydrate you after a particularly sweaty workout or other times you're at risk of becoming dehydrated (like a really hot day or when you're sick). One of the most popular electrolyte brands is Liquid I.V. and right now, its passion fruit flavor is 25% off on Amazon. Get all the details below. This box of Liquid I.V. Hydration Mixers has 10 single-serve packets of passion fruit flavored electrolytes that you can mix into 16-ounces of water. From there, stir it together and once the packets are dissolved you can drink it to boost hydration. Along with electrolytes, the powder formula has 100% of the daily recommendation of four B vitamins — B3, B5, B6 and B12, according to the brand. It's also gluten- and dairy-free and non-GMO. Right now, this box of Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier is 25% off, bringing the price to $15 for 10 packets. Other on-sale items from Liquid I.V.: Why trust NBC Select? I'm a writer at NBC Select who covers various topics, including home, tech and beauty. I've covered sales and major shopping events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday for over a decade.
