6 Finance & Legal Accounting Saving grace How to put more away for a rainy day in 2026. Words: Andy Hill


Te new year is an ideal moment to get serious about your personal finances. But where to start? A panel of financial experts share top tips for saving in 2026.


Be forensic If your money seems to evaporate without a clear culprit, you may be dealing with ‘quiet costs’ — small recurring payments that add up fast. Lawyer and bankruptcy expert Marcus Denning says to face them directly. “Conduct a forensic analysis of your digital subscriptions,” he


advises. “Most people see them as insignificant, but they can cost over £1,000 a year needlessly.” Utilities can be quietly costly, too.


Olivia Grant, head of research and insights at ExpertSure.com, says smart meters are a simple way to spot inefficiencies. “A smart meter with half-hourly data shows when usage jumps. Look for repeated peaks, match them to habits such as heating cycles or laundry, then shift timing or settings. Small changes mean steadier bills.” Start here to gain a clearer picture of where your money goes.


Save creatively Saving needn’t be a grim slog. A bit of creativity can even make the process fun. “Take the 1p challenge,” says Zoe Morris from VoucherCodes. “Every day you add an additional 1p to your savings account. On the first day add 1p, on the second add 2p, on the third day add 3p, and so on.” Te result? £667.95 by next Christmas. If your savings keep getting


derailed by birthdays, holidays or festive spending, the problem may be structure rather than discipline. “Having an everyday savings account is a great idea,” says Liz Hunter, commercial director at MoneyExpert. “But having to dip into it constantly can make it impossible to build a substantial fund. Create savings pots for specific occasions.” She also recommends loyalty


cards, “especially for supermarkets!”, as a consistent way to trim costs. Mindset plays its part, too. Ben


Smye from Hotukdeals advocates ‘loud budgeting’, the act of talking openly about your goals. “Tell everyone that you’re saving.” Tat social accountability could be what keeps good habits on track.


SPOT INEFFICIENCIES WITH A SMART METER/GETTY


Automate One strategy every expert agrees on is automation. “Most online banking apps let you set up unlimited pots and automate the amount you put


SMALL HABITS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE/GETTY


in each month,” says Hunter. “If you put £20 a month into your Christmas pot, you’ll have £240 by December.” Automation removes the need for willpower — you decide, and technology does the rest. But where should those automated


contributions go? Serial entrepreneur and author Gary Ashworth is blunt about the limitations of low-interest accounts. “Passively saving, placing your money in a low-interest savings account and waiting for it to grow, isn’t saving,” he says. “In fact, anything up to 5% interest can be eaten away by inflation alone.” His advice: keep investments


simple and familiar. “Tere are always tempting opportunities to invest spare cash, such as cryptocurrency, NFTs, or even data centres in the desert. Invest in industries and fields that you know and, ideally, have first-hand experience of.”


THREE FINANCE APPS TO HELP GET YOU STARTED


YNAB


A budgeting tool that encourages you to assign every pound a purpose and rethink your spending habits. ynab.com


PLUM Automatically moves manageable sums into savings pots and analyses your bills to suggest cheaper options. withplum.com


Voucher codes Daily discounts and rewards from thousands of retailers and restaurants, plus a £5 gift card for every two qualifying VIP shops. vouchercodes.co.uk


These tips are general and may not be right for everyone; consider seeking financial advice for big decisions.


22ND JANUARY 2026


THE BUSINESS GUIDE AN ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE DISTRIBUTED WITH


Redefining confidence in the global forex marketplace


Based in the heart of London’s financial district, Abounding Ltd stands at the forefront of modern foreign exchange services, offering clients a trusted, technology-driven approach to navigating global currency markets


As a company built on integrity, expertise and innovation, Abounding Ltd


takes pride in delivering


forex solutions that aren’t just effective, but genuinely empowering for individuals, businesses and institutions alike. In an industry often clouded by


complexity, Abounding Ltd was founded with a clear purpose: to simplify the forex experience while elevating the standard of service. Tis philosophy is rooted in transparency and clarity, ensuring clients understand the strategies, tools and decisions shaping their financial outcomes. Such a commitment has positioned the company as a dependable partner in a fast-moving global environment where informed action can make all the difference.


Forex expertise Abounding Ltd offers a comprehensive suite of forex services tailored to the diverse needs of its clients. From supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in managing international


payments to guiding institutional partners through intricate market movements, Abounding Ltd’s team combines advanced trading technology with deep market insight to deliver precision at every step. Te analytics


and


market commentary provide clients with clear, actionable intelligence, while the risk-management frameworks help safeguard value in volatile conditions. Abounding Ltd believes that the


right tools should empower, not overwhelm. Tat’s why the trading support solutions are designed to be intuitive yet powerful — giving clients the confidence to make informed, strategic decisions regardless of their level of experience.


Company commitment Operating from one of the world’s most influential financial hubs, Abounding Ltd adheres to the highest standards of professionalism and regulatory responsibility. Every client relationship is guided by the company’s core values: trust, transparency and long-term partnership. For Abounding Ltd, success is measured not just by market performance, but by the peace of mind and confidence its clients gain through working with them.


Abounding Ltd — where expertise meets opportunity


As Abounding Ltd continues to


grow and innovate, its mission remains constant: to help clients thrive in the global currency landscape with clarity, capability and confidence. Abounding Ltd — where expertise opportunity,


meets and where


your global ambitions find a trusted partner.


aboundingltd.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16