These British money saving habits changed my life

I thought I was pretty good at saving money before I moved from Canada to the UK. Then I met British people. Watching people compete over how long they could wait before putting the heating on made me think there was an entire sport I’d missed.

After ten years here, some of the habits I’ve noticed have become my own. I save gift bags, put train-ticket reminders in my calendar and keep loyalty cards on my phone. If I can’t get to my Tesco Clubcard, I’d rather put everything back and walk home than check out without it. I’ve become that person.

Watch my money-saving habits video on YouTube.

The heating competition has equipment

There’s a point of pride in announcing how long you’ve lasted without putting the heating on. The prize seems to be telling everyone that you’ve won. I find the competition funny, but the things people use along the way have been new to me too.

I hadn’t seen those sausage-dog draught excluders back in Canada, and I think they’re adorable. I’d never had a hot water bottle until I moved to England either.

Then my partner’s mom bought us an electric blanket for Christmas. I thought it couldn’t be much different from an ordinary blanket. Surely I could just use one of those?

I was wrong about how much I’d like it. I bundle myself into that soft electric blanket and become a roast potato. I cannot stop. This isn’t a calculation of what it costs to heat the house; I’m talking about how much I love the blanket.

The gift bag gets another turn

I’ve seen people unwrap presents carefully so they can keep the paper, bows and ribbons. I love that. The gift bag seems to have an even longer career, passing through birthdays and Christmases rather than finishing its job with one present.

I’ve noticed that people sometimes leave the little tag blank because they expect the recipient to reuse the bag. And people do reuse it. I certainly have multiple gift bags saved.

At home, we keep wrapping paper, used ribbons and bags together in one big bag. I’ve got loads of them, and they will get used eventually. It makes sense to me to keep something that’s still useful, particularly when the next occasion needs exactly the same thing.

That same enthusiasm shows up in secondhand shopping. I know charity shops, thrifting and Facebook Marketplace aren’t unique to the UK; we have them in Canada too. Here, though, I’ve noticed how readily people look for something that can have a second home. Sometimes the hunt seems more exciting than the find. I’ve been out thrifting myself, looking for the best item.

Train tickets made me plan ahead

Back in Ontario, I probably took the train about five times, mostly to get into Toronto for a concert. Public transport became a much bigger part of the picture when I moved here, and train-ticket choices were a lot to get used to.

Split tickets, advance singles, Railcards and off-peak journeys all come into the conversation. Looking for a fare can start to feel like becoming a part-time travel agent. I once worked back from my travel date to the day I expected advance tickets to go on sale and put a reminder in my calendar.

That’s a real thing I did, rather than a ticket trick that guarantees a particular saving. I’d never needed that much train-ticket planning for those occasional Toronto trips.

The cards live on my phone

I have a Nectar card, a Tesco Clubcard and a Boots Advantage card, and I keep them on my phone. I use them when I check out. After getting used to that routine, paying in a shop with a loyalty scheme without using the card feels wrong.

The Tesco example is how strongly I feel about it. If I’ve got things in my hands but can’t access my Clubcard, I’m not checking out. I’d rather leave the shopping and walk home.

I arrived thinking I already knew how to save money. Now I have a bag full of saved gift bags, a train-ticket reminder and an electric blanket I seriously underestimated.