Four ways to stop throwing your cash away by cutting bad habits

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TWEAK your everyday habits and reap the rewards in cash. From remembering to turn off lights to avoiding high postage fees, there are lots of ways to keep hold of more of your money. 7 Perk up your habits and reap the rewards in savings Credit: Getty So swerve these pitfalls and stack up the savings .

. . PANIC-BUYING GIFTS: Pricey presents cost even more if you end up buying them at the last minute.



It will pay to be more organised, so you can choose wisely and pick up bargains. If you need to send something, do it early to avoid costly express postage. READ MORE ON MONEY TIPS HOME RUN Map reveals CHEAPEST towns to live with best value on homes, bills & travel MOULD AWAY Popular energy saving measure could be putting YOUR home at risk of mould As first-class stamps are now £1.

65, compared with 85p for ­second class, just posting cards a day earlier would save you 80p each time. IMPULSE GROCERY SHOPPING: Don’t load your trolley without a strict list. You can save a fortune by making an easy meal plan based on recipes you find in books or online.

Then buy only the ingredients you need (plus a few essentials) instead of loading your trolley with your usuals. Most read in Money TRY-MENDOUS Major pub chain to give away free pints at 800 sites from TODAY BEAN AND GONE Favourite coffee shop axes plans for new store in Scots city BANK CHAOS Barclays confirms if bank customers hit by online outage will get compensation CLOSING TIME Iconic market loved for 50 years closes for good leaving shoppers devastated A family of four could shave £100 a month off its food bills. To resist temptation, get your groceries delivered.

B&M shopper rushes to buy energy-saving gadget scanning for £1 instead of £35 Or use click-and-collect, which is cheaper. LAZY FOOD AND DRINK CHOICES: Making small changes can add up to big differences over time. Ditch a takeaway or meal out each week to save around £100 a month.

Stop buying bottled water most days to save £20. Turn away from the crisp aisle when you pay for your petrol, to save £1.20 each time.

WASTING ENERGY: Being more mindful of how you use your household energy could save you more than £100 a year, according to Uswitch. Running the hot shower when you’re not in it wastes nearly £20 a year, while using the tumble dryer when it’s warm enough to dry clothes outside costs £27 annually. Simply turning off lights when you leave the room could save you nearly £8 a year.

All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. Deal of the day 7 Save £19 on these Their Nibs dandelion pyjamas at John Lewis Credit: John Lewis SLEEP easy by saving on stylish nightwear.

These Their Nibs dandelion pyjamas are down from £38 to £19 at John Lewis. SAVE: £19 Cheap treat 7 Save on these four Birds Eye battered cod fillets at Iceland Credit: Iceland BUY three for £10 on some takeaway favourites from Iceland, including four Birds Eye battered cod fillets, £6. SAVE: Up to £8 What's new? IF you need a cosy cat nap, the Silentnight Snuggle Pod human pet bed has launched at Lidl, costing £69.

99. It’s covered in a super-soft faux-fur fabric for pawfect loafing. Top swap 7 The two-tone border wool rug is £75.

05 from La Redoute Credit: La Redoute 7 But you could save by opting for Robert Dyas' version instead Credit: Robert Dyas ADD some sunshine to your floors with the two-tone border wool rug, £75.05 from La Redoute, or brighten your room with the Origins ochre border rug, which is £60.99 at Robert Dyas.

SAVE: £14.06 Little helper GET 25 per cent off this weekend at The Entertainer on a £20+ spend when ordering via click-and-collect at thetoyshop.com.

This Melissa & Doug truck was £28, but with this latest offer it’s a bargain £8.40. Shop & save 7 Save £7.

50 on this Marks & Spencer’s cable-knit crew-neck jumper Credit: M&S SAIL through the rest of winter in Marks & Spencer’s cable-knit crew-neck jumper, now reduced from £25 to £17.50. SAVE: £7.

50 Hot right now DIG your spoon into Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream, currently down from £5.40 to £2.84 at Asda, saving £2.

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