Who says saving money means giving up life’s little luxuries? Our head of shopping Zoe has put together a guide packed with simple, budget-friendly hacks to keep you looking and feeling great without the guilt of overspending. From learning how to create salon-worthy manicures at home (this has saved Zoe herself over £1,000) to finding high-quality skincare at a fraction of the price, these tips show that being savvy doesn’t mean sacrificing style or comfort. Whether it’s cutting costs on beauty treatments, laundry bills, or even your next occasion outfit, we have ways for everyone to save some cash on their shopping in 2025.
With clever swaps and DIY tricks, you can keep enjoying the finer things in life while saving big. Think designer-inspired perfumes without eye-watering price tags, renting stunning outfits for a special occasion, or upgrading your home with cost-efficient comforts. You’ll be surprised at how much you can save while still living your best life.
Ready to transform your budget?
1. Become your own manicurist
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Zoe Cripps)I love having my nails done: the process of a manicure, the look of the polish, and the satisfaction of seeing them stay chip-free for weeks. A shellac or gel manicure makes me feel more put together, and it’s something I invest in to stay low-maintenance for weeks at a time.
The only downside? If you’re visiting a salon, it’s a significant financial commitment each month. With professional shellac treatments—including cuticle work and shaping—costing upwards of £35, I was spending at least £70 per month on my nails. That’s a minimum of £840 per year, and closer to £1,000 if you factor in the times I got nail art or acrylics to lengthen a broken nail.
You may notice I said I was spending, and that’s because I’ve spent nowhere near £1,000 this year despite having perfectly manicured nails since last December. How, you might ask? I learnt how to do them myself. I promise it’s all very simple. After an initial upfront cost for the equipment, you’ll have everything you need for polish that lasts 2–3 weeks at a time.
If you’re serious about learning proper techniques, you can take an online or in-person training course with a brand like Biosculpture, starting from around £145. This is recommended for nail safety.. I’m about to start one myself, but when I got going a year ago, I used YouTube tutorials and thoroughly researched both the starter kit and polishes I purchased.
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Mylee)There are plenty of gel or shellac starter kits to suit different budgets, so you’ll be spoilt for choice. I opted for Mylee’s The Full Works Complete Gel Nail Polish Kit, £130 (but worth £188). It includes everything you need to get started, from an LED lamp to ten shades of polish and a removal solution. Right from the start, my nails lasted as long as my beloved salon manicures.
Now that I’m more confident, I’ve started creating adventurous looks. I picked up a chrome powder from Amazon for around £4.99, which transforms any block colour into a glassy hue. I’ve also bought basic nail art brushes from Amazon to give myself a French manicure whenever I fancy. Who knows—maybe next year I’ll try diamanté details!
Total yearly savings: £1,000
2. Swap out pricey face creams
Luxury beauty brands share manufacturers and often use the same technologies, ingredients, and formulations as cheaper ones, so a high price tag doesn’t necessarily mean better results. Check the ingredient list for the items listed first, as these are the most concentrated, and look for actives like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, sunscreen agents, or peptides near the top.
I love The Inkey List as an ingredient-focused budget brand, especially its Peptide Moisturiser, £16.
3. Subscribe to save
I enjoy testing new products, but it’s an expensive hobby. To try new and hero launches without committing to full-size prices, I’ve subscribed to a few beauty boxes. They satisfy my desire for newness without costing a fortune. My favourites include OK!’s Beauty Box, starting from £8.99 per box, and Lookfantastic’s subscription beauty box, from £15 per month.
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OK! Beauty Box)4. Turn to DIY beauty treatments
Do your eyebrow tints and lash extensions at home to save money. I used to spend £20 monthly on a brow tint and tidy, plus £90 on lash infills. Now, I use Eylure’s Dybrow Tint, £8 per box with up to 12 applications, saving me £224 this year. For lashes, I fake the individual extensions look with Ardell’s Seamless Underlash Extensions Kit Faux Mink, £25 for six applications. They last 10–14 days before needing a redo, and I often wash and reuse the clusters instead of buying new ones. This year, I’ve spent £980 less on my lashes thanks to them.
Total yearly savings: £1,204
5. Go for unbranded buys
If you always opt for premium-brand electricals, you’re missing a chance to save hundreds of pounds. When my headphones broke, I tried Csasan Wireless Earbuds, £13.99 on Amazon, instead of the Apple AirPods I initially wanted. I was amazed to find I preferred the sound quality and noise-cancelling abilities. When searching for similar products on Amazon, refine your results by user ratings to find hidden gems.
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Amazon)6. Save on your laundry
The cost of washing and drying laundry, especially for families, is pretty hefty, but it can be reduced. If you use a tumble dryer, pick up Lakeland’s Tumble Dryer Balls, £4.99 for five. They soften clothes, taking away the need for fabric softener and increasing air circulation to reduce drying time. I don’t have a dryer so I turn to Dunelm’s Heated Airer with a cover, £56, which costs around 5p an hour to run and dries laundry in winter even when I don’t have my heating on. For an even more affordable pick, I also like Amazon's HomeTronix 20 Bars Winged Electric Heated Clothes Airer Dryer, £44.99.
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Dunelm)7. Shop for essentials on Tuesdays
Whether you need nappies, skincare, dental products, or supplements, my top tip is to shop on Boots’ £10 Tuesday. A wide range of items and bundles are discounted each week, and there are real bargains. I get my usual £24 Colgate Max White toothpaste for over half-price most months in this sale.
8. Rent your occasionwear
There’s no need to buy a pricey outfit for big events when you can rent your dream dress instead. Platforms like By Rotation and HURR stock designer brands such as Aligne, RIXO, and Ganni, while mainstream retailers like Karen Millen, ASOS, and John Lewis also offer rental options. Over the summer, I used HURR to rent a wedding guest dress for £20 for five days instead of its £480 retail price.
9. Choose furnishings that reduce your bills
Redecorating? Pick homeware that helps cut your energy bills, such as Lakeland’s StaySnug Velvety Heated Throw. Priced at £69.99 (often reduced to around £40), it costs as little as 5p per hour to run, has nine heat settings, and keeps you warm while you watch TV. Plus, it comes in a range of colours.
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Lakeland)10. Pick own-brand perfumes
Affordable brands like M&S, Superdrug, Zara, H&M and Aldi have introduced their own-range perfumes inspired by high-end designer fragrances. My top picks are Zara’s Red Temptation (£22.99, comparable to Baccarat Rouge 540, £245) and Superdrug’s Smoky Vanille (£10, similar to Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, £145). With these, you’ll never be afraid to finish a bottle again.
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