Super-charge your finances with the 50/30/20 rule!
Ever feel like you need to go to budgeting boot camp? Do...
Frugal friends: 20 brilliant money saving blogs
Who’s your favourite moneysaving blogger?
If I’ve learned anything since joining the MoneyAware team, it’s that there’s no limit to what the web can do to help you save money or get debt free.
This is especially true when it comes to bloggers; people just like you and me who’ve chosen to let the world in on their lives and share the lessons they’ve learnt along the way.
It’s probably no surprise that we love money saving bloggers the most. So, we wanted to tell you about some of the best budgeting blogs out there (in no particular order!) so you can save too!
1. Martin Lewis at MoneySavingExpert.com
Okay, so some of you might argue that with his celebrity status and regular spots on the telly, Mr Lewis doesn’t count as a blogger. Let me tell you, he does. Actually, he is the one that everyone running the best money saving websites looks up to.
Martin still faithfully updates his budgeting blog with debt news, special offers and hot deals. He also talks regularly with his Facebook and Twitter fans.
One reason why we love Martin: He played a huge part in a recent landmark decision by Parliament to make financial education part of the national curriculum. Safe to say he’s a top bloke in our book!
2. PennyGolightly
Penny’s motto is simple: “find a way to enjoy the finer things in life for less”. Her mission is to prove that you can enjoy yourself on a budget. Follow her money saving blog for tips for smarter spending and you’ll see the rewards in no time! Penny also guest blogs for us from time to time.
One reason why we love Penny: the freebies and samples section on her brilliant budgeting blog.
3. Blackbullion
(UPDATE August 2017 – sorry, it was one of the best budgeting blogs around, but it’s no longer available)
Our friend Vivi released an excellent book last year to help kids get smarter with money. She’s got a finance background and has a special understanding of the problems that may arise in a person’s life with money. Sign up to her blog for updates and take a look at our review of Vivi Friedgut’s book ‘Money Smarter’.
One reason why we love Vivi: her article about kids, financial education and the piggy.
4. Ask James at Experian
James Jones knows all you need to know about your credit file or history and what you can do to keep it in tip-top condition. Pop over to the Ask James section on the Experian website or send him a tweet.
One reason why we love James: His no-jargon responses to questions like “Can I avoid my husband’s debt mess affecting my credit history?”
5. Happier.co.uk
(Update: 9 October 2017. Sadly Happier.co.uk is no longer available. You can get a flavour of the advice they shared by viewing their Twitter timeline).
Just the title of this blog alone is enough to make us feel all fuzzy inside. We love the Happier.co.uk blog for its witty writing style, useful tips and no-nonsense outlook on money and debt.
One reason why we love Happier.co.uk: Their awesome guide on the 33 ways students can save money.
6. Help Me To Save
You’ve got to love budgeting blog that do exactly what they say on the tin. Canny lass Karen Bryan shares our mission to help you get the most out of life for less, and she’s got some great guides on her blog on how to do just that.
One reason why we love Karen: The article she wrote to accompany Virgin Money’s infographic on the cost of lifestyle.
7. Baby Budgeting
Before our colleague Pav went on maternity leave she found Baby Budgeting to be a lifesaver. It’s packed to the rafters with tips and tricks on how to save money on your bundle of joy. They also post links to some fantastic competitions! It’s one of the best money saving websites out there for parents and parents-to-be.
One reason why we love Baby Budgeting: Their plain English guide to the benefits changes.
8. MakeDoStyle
Girl about town Kate Battrick has lots of tips for looking chic on the cheap. She’s also the author of refreshingly funny eBook Girlynomics. It talks about the mind tricks we ladies sometimes play on themselves as an excuse to spend money.
One reason why we love Kate: Read our review of ‘Girlynomics’ and find out!
9. MyFamilyClub
This is a fantastic resource for parents (and non parents) to save money on their family and household all year round. On the blog you’ll find tips and guides on money-saving and budgeting, as well as vouchers, offers, deals and discounts, and where to find your household essentials at the best prices every week.
One reason why we love My Family Club: They spoil us with this list of top 50 money saving tips!
10. Moneymagpie
If you’re stuck on ways to earn a little extra income, this is the place for you. The good folk at Moneymagpie, lead by journalist and TV personality Jasmine Birtles, are experts at finding those hidden opportunities in life to make some moolah, and want to share their expertise with you!
One reason why we love Moneymagpie: This fantastic bumper list of ways to make extra money.
11. CashQuestions
You can count on Cash Questions founder Annie Shaw and her team for sound money advice. Annie has also written an excellent article for us in the past about why you should never trust your finances to fate.
One reason why we love Annie: Her hilariously-titled blogposts (e.g. Beware the hiss of an angry pensioner.
12. Diary of a Frugal Family
We love seeing a journey of money mastery unfold before our eyes, and Diary of a Frugal Family gives you exactly that. Money-savvy mum Cass takes us through the highs, lows and in betweens of bringing up kids on a budget.
One reason why we love Cass: Her step-by-step guide on how to organise a family funday for under £10.
13. Skint in the City
From tips on how to make money selling lost luggage to finding out the best times for picking up kerbside treasures, Skint in the City has it all. There’s also some great guides on updating your wardrobe for cheap.
One reason why we love Skint: her tongue-in-cheek observation of the most depressing day of the year.
14. Savvy Woman
Personal finance journalist Sarah Pennells is determined to help women everywhere become a little richer. Her website Savvy Woman was named 5th in ‘50 top websites to save you money’ by The Times earlier this year.
One reason why we love Sarah: Her 10 easy ways to make the most out of your money.
15. Miss Thrifty
Miss Thrifty has also been featured in The Times ‘50 top websites to save you money’ and it’s not hard to see why! She tackles all cash problems: beauty, fashion, holidays, weddings, personal finance and food – all while bouncing a growing baby on her lap!
One reason why we love Miss Thrifty: Putting together the 10 commandments of savings by the Thrifties.
16. And Then We Saved
We don’t just limit our favourite blogs to the shores of Blighty, no sir. American blog And Then We Saved run by Anna Newell-Jones is one of our faves for straight-talking money tips and encouraging success stories.
One reason why we love Anna: Her jawdropping list of 56 things to do instead of spend money.
17. Savvy Scot
From working as a bouncer and taking internships in Texas to studying a masters degree in mechanical engineering, SavvyScot certainly has experience in the upheavals life can throw at us. If you like your money advice with a healthy pinch of snark, you know where to go!
One reason why we love Savvy scot: Their straight-from-the-heart guide to living within your means.
18. The Frugal Path (UPDATE November 2013 – no longer available)
The great thing about The Frugal Path is that its creator Justin knows that one person’s journey to debt freedom is hardly ever the same as another. You can read stories from various people taking their own steps towards their financial goals.
One reason we love Justin: He has a simple guide to finding your financial path that anyone can follow.
19. Chilli, Sage and Lemon
If you follow our Twitter account you’ll know that we’ve started a #cheapscran hashtag so we can share any cheap and cheerful recipes that we find. Jess and her hubby Dave at Chilli, Sage and Lemon have been a great source of inspiration for us!
One reason why we love Jess and Dave: Their brilliant guide to preventing food waste.
20. Discountcoder
(UPDATE August 2017 – sorry, no longer available)
Katie and Jenny are dedicated to saving money, the environment and your social life. DiscountCoder will show you how to spend less on the things you genuinely need and how to get the best value from your hard-earned cash.
One reason we love Katie and Jenny: 8 tiny money-saving ideas that build up to big savings!
Responses