Saving money is something that we all try to do, but it’s not something that we can do successfully. In the current financial climate we are all trying to live a more frugal life, however difficult it may be.

Obviously there are a lot of articles and (sometimes conflicting) advice out there.  Here is a top ten of the best simple ways that you can save money and stop your current accounts from running dry at the same time.

1. Keep a tab – At the beginning of each month why not make a list of all your expenses, make sure you know how much you can afford to spend without having to struggle. It’s a simple but effective way of keeping tabs on what you spend.
2. Spend wisely – Once you know how much you can afford to spend, don’t think that you HAVE to spend that money, that money is there if you need it. Of course, don’t deprive yourself of all life’s luxuries but try to budget and spend wisely, whatever you are left with at the end of the month is a bonus.
3. Think ahead – Have an aim for yourself; set yourself a target of how much you want to save in the coming months. Having something to aim towards helps get you motivated in your mission to save.
4. Credit card payments – If you regularly use your credit card, make sure you check what your monthly payments are, and make sure you are not being charged too much interest. If you find a better credit card deal elsewhere then don’t be afraid to switch providers.
5. Credit card rewards – If you use your credit card regularly make sure you are being rewarded for it. There are so many different types of card available on the market that there is a card for everyone. Different card providers offer different rewards, for example if you’re a shopaholic, you might want a card that will offer you a percentage off your next purchase.
6. Shopping – When you go shopping take a list with you of what you need. Try and stick to your list by avoiding any unnecessary or impulse purchases. This method can help you save more than you think.
7. Cycle to work – If your place of work is not too far away from home, why not cycle for a week? You’ll save yourself the cost of fuel and help the environment in the process. This is not the most obvious form of saving money but it is becoming more and more popular.
8. Price comparison websites – These are fantastic for saving some money on many necessities, from checking your gas and electricity bills to checking your phone tariff. Price comparison websites do all the hard work, so you don’t have to; they are a top way to save some money.
9. Loyalty cards – If you regularly use the same supermarket to do your weekly shop then see if they have a loyalty card. If they do, it can be a quick way to save some finances or build some in-store credit.
10. Savings accounts – Set a specific amount of money each month to put away in a designated savings account. If you are based in the US the Lifetime Savings Account offers fantastic benefits. Whatever you put in your account is not tax-deductible, but whatever returns you earn from your LSA are tax-free.

Sometimes people raise an eyebrow when I tell them that I am interested in fashion. It’s not that I don’t make the effort its just that for men it is simple. If you are attending something that requires formal dress, you know exactly what to wear. Providing your waistline isn’t expanding too fast you can just take the same dinner jacket to the dry cleaners to clean of the vol-au-vent stains and wear it again. It is not this way for women. If you show up in any of the right places wearing the same dress you have been seen in before people will say things. Not nice things, either.

Of course the high street has plenty of dresses to choose from, but of course anything or the peg and you run the risk of someone turning up in the same outfit. This of course is a disaster of unparalleled proportions, and the humiliation will stick with you if you happen to be in the public eye. The solution is of course to go for the unusual, the expensive and the exclusive.  Take a look at this dress by Givenchy:

Givenchy Skeleton Dress

Australia is the most popular country for British people wanting to leave an start a new life in a different country. You might think that it would be Sidney or Melbourne that would be drawing us in, but it turns out that it is Melbourne that is the destination of choice.

So many Britons have been taking flights to Brisbane and relocating there permanently that an incredible one in ten of the population are of British origin there. Actually it is not just British people who are keen to move there, it is proving popular with Aussies from other areas to – which is why it is Australia’s fastest growing city.

Brisbane, it looks like it is from the Future.

The climate seems to be the main attraction.  A cousin of mine moved over there with his wife a few years back, and he never misses an opportunity to let me know how good the weather is every time we talk on Skype.  Financially too,moving to Brisbane can make sense for British people. The exchange rate is very favorable, and  combined with the very reasonable cost of living can make a lot of money sense. Beware though, things like Mobile Phones and Internet access cost a whole lot more than they do in the UK.