The cost of living squeeze is biting hard

The cost of living squeeze is biting hard.But that doesn’t mean there aren’t simple tips and tricks to help navigate your way around it.

Each Friday, one of our expert team of personal finance journalists round-up five tips we think are worth noting that can go a little way to helping you save money, or make money in the midst of sky-high inflation and rocketing bills.

This week, it features a way to cut down on your monthly food shop, save money on your phone bill and make some money by renting your unused equipment.

1.Make the most of discounts and save on food bills

If you’re anything like me food is one of the biggest outgoings every month and with inflation rocketing it is only set to become more expensive.

While a lot of money saving tips tell you to scale back on spending, cutting out food isn’t an option. But there are ways to get it discounted and free.

I confess, I am a sucker for rapid grocery delivery apps. Gorillas, Getir, Gopuff, I’ve got them all. 

There has been so much competition in this industry that they are constantly battling to retain customers with discounts and offers.

There are usually introductory offers and you can earn money through referrals. I often get a percentage off the bill and/or free delivery too, www.solitaryisle.shop which means a £30 food shop costs me just £10. 

Of course, it isn’t anywhere near as cheap as buying in bulk or going to your local Lidl but it’s a good way to save a bit of money on a small shop.

Another way to save money on food is to use an app like Too Good To Go.It partners with cafes, shops and restaurants which put leftover food in a bag and sell it at a cheaper price.

So you get to enjoy the likes of Pret, Costa and Yo Sushi for a fraction of the price and you get to feel worthy because you’re fighting food waste.A win win.

2.Save money on your monthly phone bill

If you want to keep up to date with the latest iPhone, it can get very pricey. Even with networks offering decent introductory deals, more often than not you become locked into 24 month contracts which can be a real strain on your finances.

Getting a sim-only deal and buying an old phone from somewhere like Music Magpie can save you a significant amount of money.I bought a phone for £100 and now only pay £20 a month for 100gb of data.

<div class="art-ins mol-factbox floatRHS money" data-version="2" id="mol-f90777b0-e7f6-11ec-a66e-bb9646a8561f" website money saving tips: Cut food and phone bills and rent stuff out