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Money Savings

This is a guide to give you a bit of guidance and also some helpful links on money savings for when you are settled in the United Kingdom.
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Salaries in the UK in general are above average – but your earning power will vary a lot depending on where in the country you live. Typically salaries decrease significantly as soon as you move away from the capital and the South East of the UK. Take a look at our helpful money savings links.

Whilst London is arguably the destination of choice for South Africans arriving in the UK, the living costs in the capital are significantly higher than in other parts of the country. The cost of living in the south is typically higher than the north, but the salaries also reflect that. London house prices remain high, meaning if you decide to move to this area, it often requires a bigger budget.

Rents, in particular, push up overall spending – but day to day expenses tend to be higher too. Choose a city, such as Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester or Birmingham, and you should find cost of living is cheaper. Life in a smaller town or village typically comes with a much smaller price tag than can be found in the large cities.

Regardless of what country you live in, there will always be household bills and utilities to consider and budget for. If you’re considering moving to the United Kingdom, it is advisable to research the cost of living in the UK, including house prices, childcare costs, and food prices before you land on British soil.

Household Bills Savings

Utility Warehouse (UW) is a UK-based multi-service provider owned by parent company Telecom Plus. It bundles essential home services—including energy, broadband, mobile, and insurance—into a single monthly bill, serving over one million customer accounts using a network of independent distributors.

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Managing multiple household bills can be expensive and time-consuming. With Utility Warehouse, you can bring your essential services together into one simple monthly bill, making it easier to manage your finances while potentially saving money.

TV

5 Easy Ways to Save Money Watching TV

Watching TV does not have to be expensive. With a few simple changes, you can cut your entertainment bill significantly while still enjoying your favourite shows, films, and live TV.

1. Cancel channels you rarely watch

Many households pay for large TV packages but only watch a handful of channels. Check your viewing history and remove premium sports, movie, or entertainment add-ons that you do not use regularly.

Official Sky TV packages: https://www.sky.com/tv

2. Use free streaming services

The UK has several excellent free streaming services funded by advertising or the TV licence. These offer thousands of hours of TV, films, documentaries, and box sets at no extra subscription cost.

3. Rotate your subscriptions

Instead of paying for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and other services all year, subscribe to one service at a time. Watch the shows you want, cancel, then switch to another service the following month.

4. Share household plans legally

Some streaming services offer plans designed for people living in the same household. If family members in your home are paying separately, consider using a single household plan where permitted by the provider’s terms.

Check the provider’s sharing rules before doing this:

5. Buy a streaming stick instead of upgrading your TV package

If your television is older, you do not need an expensive set-top-box upgrade. A low-cost streaming device can add apps such as iPlayer, ITVX, Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video to most TVs.

Popular options:

A one-off device purchase is often cheaper than paying monthly equipment rental fees.

    Bank Accounts

    5 Easy Ways to Save Money with UK Bank Accounts

    Many people keep the same bank account for years without checking whether it is still the best option. In the UK, changing how you use your bank account can save hundreds of pounds each year in fees, interest, and everyday banking costs.

    1. Switch to a fee-free current account

    If you are paying a monthly fee for a packaged bank account and do not use the included benefits, consider moving to a standard fee-free current account.

    Official current account information:

    Use the official Current Account Switch Service to move your account safely:

    2. Avoid overdraft charges

    Arranged overdrafts can be useful, but they often charge interest. Set up low-balance alerts in your banking app and keep a small emergency buffer in your account.

    MoneyHelper guide to overdrafts:

    3. Earn interest on your savings

    Do not leave large amounts of cash sitting in a current account paying little or no interest. Move spare money into a competitive savings account.

    Compare savings accounts:

    Even a few percentage points of interest can make a noticeable difference over time.

    Potential saving: Extra interest rather than a fee reduction.

    4. Use cashback banking rewards

    Some UK banks offer cashback on household bills, debit card spending, or direct debits. If you already pay those bills, cashback is effectively free money.

    Examples:

    Check the current eligibility rules and reward limits before opening an account.

    5. Stop paying for unnecessary foreign card fees

    If you travel abroad or shop in foreign currencies online, use a bank account or debit card that charges no foreign transaction fees.

    Examples:

    Using a fee-free travel card can be much cheaper than a standard debit card.

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      Mobile Phones

      UW offers mobile SIM plans (on the EE network) and gives its best prices to customers who take other UW services such as energy, broadband, or insurance.

      Ways to save

      • Bundle services: Mobile is usually cheaper when you’re also a UW customer for energy and/or broadband.
      • Choose a SIM-only plan: Keeping your current phone and switching to a SIM-only tariff is often the biggest saving.
      • Use family discounts: Additional mobile lines on the same UW account can be cheaper than separate accounts.
      • Pick the right data allowance: Don’t pay for unlimited data if you regularly use only a few GB each month.
      • Check for cashback or bill-credit offers: UW sometimes runs introductory promotions for new customers.
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      To find the cheapest option for you

      Managing multiple household bills can be expensive and time-consuming. With Utility Warehouse, you can bring your essential services together into one simple monthly bill, making it easier to manage your finances while potentially saving money.

        Broadband

        Here’s a possible way to reduce your broadband bill.

        The biggest savings usually come from bundling

        UW gives its best broadband pricing to customers who also take other services.

        SituationLikely saving
        Broadband onlySmall / none
        Broadband + energyBetter monthly rate
        Broadband + energy + mobileUsually the strongest value

        Five practical ways to save with UW

        • Take broadband and energy together. This is the discount UW promotes most heavily.
        • Avoid paying for more speed than you need
        • Many households are fine on 36–67 Mbps fibre; gigabit is often unnecessary unless several people stream, game, or work from home heavily.
        • Use your own router if compatible
        • Ask UW whether a third‑party router is supported; buying a good router can be cheaper long term than rental or upgrade fees.
        • Claim any new-customer credit or cashback
        • Promotions change regularly, so check the current offer before ordering.
        • Renegotiate before your contract ends

        Electricity and Gas

        To save money on gas and electricity with Utility Warehouse (UW), focus on the things that actually change your bill. The biggest savings usually come from bundling services and reducing usage, not from switching supplier alone.

        Get the UW discount first

        UW’s energy prices are usually most competitive when you also take another service.

        • Energy + broadband → lower overall monthly bill
        • Energy + mobile → additional discount
        • Energy + broadband + mobile → usually the best value

        Check your bundle options on the official UW energy page: UW Energy .

        2. Make sure you’re on Direct Debit

        Ask UW to bill you by monthly Direct Debit. Suppliers typically charge less than for quarterly cash or cheque payments.

        3. Submit meter readings (or get a smart meter)

        Estimated bills are a common reason people overpay.

        • Take a gas and electricity reading once a month.
        • Enter it in the UW app or online account.
        • If you have a smart meter, check that readings are being sent automatically.

        This doesn’t change the tariff, but it stops you paying for energy you didn’t use.

        5. Cut hot-water use

        Hot water is often the second-largest gas expense.

        • Shower 2 minutes less.
        • Wash clothes at 30°C.
        • Only run the dishwasher/washing machine when full.
        • If you have an immersion heater, make sure it is not left on continuously.

        6. Stop electricity waste

        Quick wins:

        • Replace remaining halogen bulbs with LEDs.
        • Turn off TVs, consoles and PCs fully rather than leaving them on standby.
        • Use the kettle only for the water you need.
        • Air-dry clothes when possible instead of using a tumble dryer.

        8. Use the UW app to find expensive habits

        Look for days when usage spikes. Common culprits are:

        • Electric heaters
        • Tumble dryer
        • Oven used for long periods
        • Immersion heater
        • Old fridge/freezer

        Eliminating one unnecessary electric heater can save hundreds of pounds per year.

        9. Renegotiate before your tariff ends

        About 30–60 days before renewal, contact UW and ask:

        • “Am I on your cheapest available tariff?”
        • “Is there a better bundle for my household?”
        • “Are there any current customer offers or bill credits?”

        Even the lower end is a meaningful saving.

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        Managing multiple household bills can be expensive and time-consuming. With Utility Warehouse, you can bring your essential services together into one simple monthly bill, making it easier to manage your finances while potentially saving money.

          Council Tax

          Pensions and Investing

          Tax

          Mortgages

          Travel

          Car Insurance

          Do a Money Makeover

          Freebies

          Free cycle

          Shop at charity shops

          Shop at charity shops, here you will find many bargains. There are many charity shops on the high streets in the United Kingdom where you will not only find clothing but also household items. This will allow you to start creating a home at a much lower cost than paying full price. Another benefit of this is that you will be helping a charity.

          Charity shops are retail outlets selling mainly donated goods to raise funds for their parent charities. Charity shops can only be set up by charities.

          Why do people shop in charity shops?

          • To support the activities of the parent charity.
          • Environmental and ethical benefits of the reuse of goods
          • The range of unique goods available
          • Retro and vintage fashion seekers
          • The prices

          Online charity shops

          Buy past ‘Best Before’ dates

          The best before date, sometimes shown as BBE (best before end), is about quality and not safety. The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best. Its flavour and texture might not be as good.

          Unlike ‘Use By’ dates, ‘Best Before’ dates are solely recommendations about food quality, not safety.

          Food savings

          After about 6 pm, most supermarkets start heavily reducing prices on items they need to shift by the end of the day. You can often find fresh produce that’s still good to eat, but a lot less money.

          Cook extra at mealtimes and freeze leftovers, or use leftovers for lunches for work and school the next day.

          You may not think a fiver seems like a lot when purchasing lunch but add it up and it works out to quite a lot over a year. It takes a few minutes to make your own lunch to take to work and will save you loads in the long run.

          Only buy what you need – This one seems obvious but it’s so easy to get caught up in a spending frenzy. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it.

          Write a shopping list -If you forget what you need, you may end up buying duplicates. Write a shopping list and stick to it.

          Guide to get free or cheap food

          Budget meals

          Meal planning helps you be more efficient at deciding the quantities of meals you and your family will consume, and this keeps you from throwing away food. Planning your meals is a great way for you to reduce food waste and save on your grocery bills while helping the environment.

          Olio

          Spend some time comparing the prices of your gas and electricity and you could save hundreds by moving to a better deal. If you find a better deal, switching is usually quite easy.

          eBay

          Sell any unwanted items on eBay to make a bit of extra cash. Some people even purchase items from charity shops and car boot sales and resell them on eBay to make a profit. Or you can purchase items from eBay, where you can either buy items often at a very good price, or you can bid on items.

          Reward cards

          Take advantage of reward cards, you will be surprised how fast the points build up. Once you have reached the required threshold, you will be able to get your next purchase discounted depending on what points you have available to use. Not only do many supermarkets do these, but coffee shops too.

          Furnishing your home

          Try to find furnished rental properties if you can, until you are in a situation to start purchasing furniture and appliances. This is not always possible, so if you do find that you have to purchase your own furniture then it’s worth looking at freecycle websites, Gumtree freebies, and also freecycle groups on Facebook, which you will often find are specific to your area.

          Money Saving Expert a helpful site for living costs

          Money-saving expert is a wonderful site which offers great advice about cutting your bills. The site is well worth a visit and has cutting-edge tools and a massive community – all focused on finding deals, saving cash, and campaigning for financial justice.

          Shopping

          The United Kingdom has been involved with the Internet throughout its origins and development. The telecommunications infrastructure in the United Kingdom provides Internet access to businesses and home users in various forms, including cable, DSL, wireless, and mobile.

          The UK has a string of supermarket chains that can be affordable if you shop in the right places.

          The average weekly shopping bill is estimated to be around £60 in the UK for two people, although South Africans settling in the United Kingdom can expect to reduce grocery shopping to around £45–£50 by shopping in the budget stores. To get the latest average prices for staple products,

          If you are still in South Africa and would like to try and work out a budget of what yours groceries will cost in the UK, here is a little idea to help you.

          • Write down your usual weekly shopping list as if you were going to do your normal weekly shop.
          • Click on any of the supermarkets in the list below.
          • Look for all the items you have on your shopping list and jot down the prices on your list.

          This should help you get a bit of an idea of what your groceries will cost , even before arriving here, and may help with your budget planning.

          Supermarket shopping tips

          Take a look at some of these helpful supermarket tips

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