1. Make sure you’re getting the cheapest fare
This will be by far your biggest cost, so it’s important to be sure you’re getting the best deal. Unfortunately, the esoteric way the ticket prices are structured makes this nigh-on impossible. Compare the cost of season tickets, monthly passes and railcards, and check whether you’ll …

That you’ve heard the arguments for cycling a million times – it’s cheap, good exercise, eco-friendly – doesn’t make them any less compelling.

But if you’re thinking about hitting the saddle, here are a few useful pointers:
1. When choosing a bike, go for practicality, not looks
I have a Pashley Princess. It’s one of those traditional sit-up-and-beg bikes that makes you feel …

Is your workspace a mess, stacked with piles of paper you plan to deal with one day (but not quite yet)? Do you have a reputation for being ditzy? Does it take you forever to find anything? If you answered yes to any of these, it’s time to …

Ever feel like you’re juggling a million things at once? Every feel like you’re dropping a few balls here and there trying to fit it all in? In between finalising that presentation, rushing that report and pelting to your kid’s parent’s evening, trying to balance work and life is a tall order for most …

Back when I was a kid, stuffing my face with a mountain of chocolate at Easter was an annual highlight. These days, parents are more neurotic and less inclined to let their children eat their own bodyweight in sugar and cocoa butter, so here are some suggestions for healthy (and affordable) alternatives to Easter Eggs:
1. Paint-your-own-Easter-Egg kit
There’s something quite basic …

Traditionally spring is the time to clean out your kitchen drawers, but you might find that organising your money reaps the greater reward. With a little bit of effort and research, you can make some painless cutbacks which could drastically reduce your monthly outgoings.

Here are a few simple ways to sort your finances:
1. …

The cost of childcare is an obsession among working mothers, and with reason: hardly cheap to start off with, the average cost of nursery places for under-twos rose by six per cent last year. Here are some suggestions for reducing the financial burden:

1. Rope in the grandparents

An increasingly popular option, though obviously one that doesn’t work for everybody. Indeed, …

Feb 29 marks the day when women are traditionally ‘allowed’ to propose to their men. Even in these supposedly enlightened times, I’ve never met a woman up for doing such a thing, but if you’re brave enough, then all power to you I say, and here are some suggestions fo

r affordable ways to pop the question:
1. Take him on a …

Cutting your outgoings doesn’t necessarily need to be painful or hard work. Simple economising gestures can go a long way.

From checking the bottom rungs at the supermarket to not leaving your phone on charge overnight, here are some easy ways to lower your monthly costs:
Utilities…
1. Check your gas and electricity meters
Most bills are based on estimates, which means that you could …

You can’t go wrong with lemon and sugar, for sure, but sometimes it pays to branch out and try something more interesting.

The beauty of pancakes is that they’re cheap and filling, as well as a kick to make, so why not make them the main course as well as dessert? Hell, you can even have them for breakfast too. Here’s …