City Living: Curtailing the Costs

Educate yourself, they said. Get a good job in the city. Live where it all goes down. All great advice, and I can’t say I haven’t lived my fair share of life in the fast lane. BUT. The one thing they don’t tell you, is how expensive that lifestyle can be. City living is expertly designed to put money in one hand and take even more money out of the other. That’s why I had to learn to be smarter with money – there’s no faster way to learn to swim than being thrown in at the deep end! Some of my advice might be obvious, some of it might be new to you, either way, it’s always nice to have these things put down in writing by someone who’s been there and lived it.

Down with debt

The absolute first thing you’ll notice about city living is the quite ridiculous step up in basic living costs. Whether you’re renting or buying, expect to be shocked at the relatively diminutive living space you’ll get in return for your money. Second, transport. Getting around the city is pricey, and it’s everyday. On top of that, you can steep the cost of your social life and clothing and evening and weekend entertainment. The allure of a credit card to soften the blow is all too much to take, and you may find yourself two or three credit cards deep before you realise what’s happened. The thing is, help is out there. Try Creditfix as a way to help analyse your debts and figure out sensible ways to get back on track.

Discount is your friend

Several major high street home-and-clothing retailers process returns and update sale items online at around 2AM – 3AM. If you have a particular favourite store from which you tend to buy your clothing or home items, this is well worth keeping in mind. I also recommend keeping on top of popular discount apps for digital coupon discounts. From restaurant discounts, cheap flights, birthday gifts, and drinks vouchers for local bars that could save you a tidy packet, to normal everyday disposables, it’s amazing what you can find with a few minutes of flicking on your phone.

Whatever you buy, buy it in bulk

My last money saving tip for city living is to stock up. This can be easier said than done, as space can be at a premium in city centre accommodation. But there are lots of things you can do. Toiletries is one. Buying in bulk wherever possible for your toothpaste, shower gels, and whatnots is a solid start. Next, take a look in your food cupboard. Tins, pasta, condiments, noodle, packets of rice and even sauces can all be bought in bulk for major savings. The advice here then is simple: forget the weekly shop. Weekly shopping is granular and quite possibly the most ineffective way to stock your cupboards as far as cost-cutting is concerned. Shift to a monthly shop and see how much you could save.