November was known by the Anglo-Saxons as ‘the wint monath’ due to the blustery winds they had to endure. We can all relate to that!
Rest assured that this month’s roundup is a breath of fresh air you don’t want to miss. (I even made myself groan with that one…)
From handy tips to help you save ‘dough’ on bread, to dealing with our inner spoiled brat, we’ve got a great lineup of articles for you this month!
1. Use your loaf and don’t be a waster (Skint Dad)
Oxfam have released some eye-opening figures on the scale of food poverty we’re dealing with here in the UK. They recently revealed that over the past year foodbank charity The Trussel Trust provided over 350,000 people in the UK with food parcels, more than double the year before.
It’s a good thing there’s savvy bloggers like Skint Dad around to teach us how not to waste our food. From bread and butter pudding to baking the end crusts to make croutons for soup and salads, there’s lots of ways you can make your dough stretch a little bit further.
You can butter up Skint Dad on Twitter.
2. 5 easy ways to save on Christmas (Living a Frugal Life)
Hey, before you yell at me for banging the Christmas drum in mid-November, you need to know we have less than 40 days until ol’ Saint Nick descends on us (hopefully not literally, he’s a bit on the bulky side).
Melissa over at Living a Frugal Life has 5 fantastically festive tips to make sure your bank balance doesn’t wind up on the naughty list this year!
Bid Melissa glad tidings on Twitter.
3. Keep warm for less (Help Me to Save)
With the recent kerfuffle in the news about the Big 6 energy companies and their looming price hikes, it’s important we all do what we can to keep our homes as energy efficient as possible.
Karen Bryan over at HelpMeToSave has 12 great tips to keep your house toasty warm and your bills down to earth this winter.
You can chat to Karen on Twitter.
4. How to increase candle burn time (A Thrifty Mrs)
There are few things more cozy and festive than the sight of a candle burning bright on the windowsill. Candles have forever been associated with Christmas and wintry comfort, but they can also be expensive and seen as a luxury.
If you’re a fan of candles, you’ll want to make our flammable friends last as long as possible. El over at A Thrifty Mrs can show you how.
Chat to El on Twitter.
5. The whole truth and nothing but (Frugal Queen)
It might shock you to know that many of us are living secret debt lives. People up and down the country have payments, balances and financial woes that they keep under lock and key. Unsurprisingly, this often causes stress for the person struggling on alone.
In this refreshingly frank article Frugal Queen talks all about the importance of being earnest when it comes to our debts.
Have a heart to heart with Frugal Queen on Twitter.
6. Seasonal food in November (Golightly Gardens)
In order to save money on fresh food, it pays to know what’s in season right now. Food that’s in season is cheaper to produce, a wiser use of your wallet and better for you and the planet.
If you’ve found yourself wondering which seasonal foods are at their best in November, then you’re in luck! Penny Golightly of Golightly Gardens knocks it out of the park again with this in-depth guide to this month’s in-season foods.
Swap seasonal tips with Penny on Twitter.
7. 20 money-saving tips around the home (Wild About Finance)
We never get bored of easy-peasy ways to save money around the house, so we were pleased as punch to see this brilliant post from the good folks over at Wild About Finance.
From choosing the right washing machine to making sure you don’t overcrowd your fridge, there are lots of common sense ideas to make sure you run a tight and thrifty ship.
Talk to Wild About Finance on Twitter.
8. How to handle the ‘I Wants’ (The Heavy Purse)
It’s a misconception that just because we grow up on the outside we automatically grow up on the inside. That demanding brat that screamed their rage on the floor of Toys R Us is still very much alive and kicking in most of us, though we may not always realise it.
This inner darling is expressed through something The Heavy Purse has scientifically named ‘I Want’, an urge that many of us find hard to separate from the ‘I Need’. You need food, shelter and clothing. You want front row tickets to Beyonce in concert. See the difference? No, me neither (kidding!).
Get crazy in love with The Heavy Purse on Twitter.
9. How to get an eBay bargain (Pennywise Mum)
In the lead-up to Christmas (pardon my French) there’s no better time to become an eBay expert. Pennywise Mum has been using eBay for seven years now and has been lucky enough, with the exception of one clanger, to have bagged some real bargains.
Here’s her top tips on how to improve your chances of getting a great deal.
Share your eBaying tips with Pennywise Mum on Twitter.
10. Why Grandma, what big pockets you have (The Money Principle)
It’ll probably come as no big surprise that with practically every living cost creeping up in price over the years, students are frequently turning to Nan and Granddad as well as their parents for support.
This great article from Maria at The Money Principle talks about how grandparents can help their undergraduate grandbabies out of a financial pickle without finding themselves in a jam as a result.
Catch up with Maria on Twitter.
…and that’s that for this month, loyal readers! Please do let each of our top 10 bloggers this month know what you think (through tweets and comments on their blogs), and look out for next month’s festive line up.
Are you a blogger with a great article to share? Tell us about it on Twitter.