5 simple ways to stretch your money further
Independent research commissioned by UK Savings Week found there are around 14 million people in the UK who have less than £100 of savings to fall back on in an emergency. The aim of UK Savings Week is to raise awareness of the benefits of saving and help everyone save if they can – no matter who you are, your circumstances, or how big your ambitions are.
Making your money go further doesn’t need to be complicated, and you definitely don’t need a degree in finance to do it. With a few smart habits, you can save more, spend wisely, and get the most from every pound. Content Manager, Ruby Atkinson, shares five easy ways to get started.
1. Track Your Spending Like a Pro
It’s much easier to stay in control of your finances when you actually know where your money is going. Instead of waiting for a paper statement to come through the letterbox, take advantage of mobile banking apps to monitor your transactions daily.
Most high street banks now offer handy features like instant notifications for every payment, so you can spot any unusual activity right away. Some even provide weekly spending summaries, showing exactly how much you’ve spent on things like food, transport and entertainment. A great way to identify where you might cut back.
2. Automate Your Savings
If you struggle to put money aside, set up an automatic transfer the day after payday. That way, you’re paying your future self first before you have a chance to spend it.
Set up spaces you can stash money for specific purposes – whether that’s a holiday, a new gadget, or just a rainy-day fund. Automating this process removes the temptation to skip saving and makes building your savings feel effortless.
3. Use “Round-Up” Features
If you find traditional saving tough, let technology do it for you. Many apps now have a “round-up” feature that rounds your purchases up to the nearest pound and moves the spare change into a savings pot.
For example, if you spend £2.60 on a coffee, 40p gets swept aside automatically. Over a month, those small amounts can really add up. To really maximise this, make it a habit to move the total from your round-up pot into a high-interest savings account once a month. This way, you’re not only saving little and often, but you’re also putting that money somewhere it can earn interest and grow faster.
6. Hunt for Everyday Discounts
Before you buy anything online whether it’s a new pair of trainers or your weekly shop, take a few seconds to check if you can get it cheaper.
Websites like VoucherCodes often have discount codes you can apply at checkout. And if you shop online regularly, consider using cashback credit cards or browser extensions that automatically apply savings in the background. It’s a small effort that can shave pounds off your purchases.
5. Consider a Regular Cash ISA
Many Building Societies offer Cash ISAs that let you save up to £20,000 per tax year without paying any tax on the interest you earn. If you haven’t used your ISA allowance yet, moving your savings here can give you a nice tax-free boost, especially if you’re already hitting your Personal Savings Allowance.
Some Building Societies (including Bath Building Society) offer fixed-rate ISAs that reward you with a higher interest rate if you leave the money untouched for a set period, making them ideal for medium-term goals.
The research was conducted by Opinium, on behalf of the Building Societies Association for UK Savings Week. They surveyed 2,000 UK adults aged 18+ online between 10– 13 June 2025.