The cost-of-living crisis is on everyone’s radar at the moment, so we’ve put together this blog to help our community find easy and effective ways to save money using the facilities and businesses on your doorstep.
There are plenty of ways to keep your spending to a minimum here in Kings Heath. If you’re looking for some helpful tips and tricks, we suggest looking at HomeBase’s ‘Energy Saving Hub’ – the little changes will make all the difference.
We’ve picked out a few of our favourites:
- Tip 1 – Swap your old bulbs for LED ones
- Tip 2 – Installing reflective radiator panels
- Tip 3 – Skip the tumble dryer, use a clothes horse
For more tips visit: https://www.homebase.co.uk/energy-efficiency.list
#CosyUpKingsHeath
We ventured out to see what businesses have on offer this season; with everything from candles, rugs, draft excluders and luxurious blankets, there are lots of ways to keep cosy this winter.
Our first stop was Linens N Things, who have been a staple in Kings Heath for many years. They have a great range of curtains, carpets and blinds. Also offering an array of colours and materials – meaning there’s something for everyone’s taste. Why not mix up your interior and swap your curtains for something more luxurious with thicker material? They’ll be sure to add that homely feel while helping reduce those energy bills.
Next, we popped into A Painted Room to check out their autumn collection – this quaint little homeware shop located on York Road sells lovely unique items and also handmade, plush throws and blankets.
They have just stocked up on their handmade, patchwork quilts. These can be used as throws, or even as a lap blanket for those cosy winter evenings. They have plenty of beautiful products, great for adding a cosy, unique touch to your home.
It’s not just about blankets and curtains, many will agree that candles are a homeware staple during autumn/winter – a great way to add a warm, homely feel to your space. We headed to Harvest Skincare, who have recently released their autumn candle collection; boasting a range of organic, handmade candles which are all made on the premises.
Now what about you… Fluffy, silky soft slippers and Pajamas are a must this winter, providing warmth and comfort for cosy nights in. We popped into New Look which has a great range of autumn/winter warmers for men and women; you can also get thick socks and cosy sets from Peacocks too.
Shop Around – #SpendLessSaveMore
Making your space as cosy as possible, as well as adapting to try and tackle the rise in energy bills, is not the only concern this winter. Recent announcements that the average weekly shop is going up by £454 a year is a concern for many.
One of the best tips we can give is ensuring you shop around for the lowest price. Although getting all your items from one place is less time-consuming, it is not cost-effective.
We’re so fortunate to have so many shops in the area that make it that little bit easier to manage your outgoings by providing cheaper alternatives.
A new mini-supermarket has opened on Addison Road, offering everything you need at a great price. WOW is the most recent addition to our high street and a valuable one at most. With the deals they are offering, their mission is to help you beat the cost of living crisis. Promoting that you can ‘save fortunes on all weekly shopping bills.’
Coming directly from large local food manufacturers, their products may have slight food mishaps or show signs of ‘not being shelf-worthy’ but the products themselves are in excellent condition and are priced a lot lower than the standard price.
Another great store with great prices, is Sainsbury’s – a go-to for many when it comes to their weekly food shop, but did you know about their Recipe Cards?
These cards are free for customers and include tips, ingredients and nutritional information. If you’re in need of some inspiration and budget-friendly recipes then these are perfect! The meals are super easy and accessible and they have a great range of dishes available.
We have a variety of shops offering cheaper alternatives for not only food but all essential products. Poundland provides toiletries and self-care essentials for a fraction of the price. For health and beauty products, Savers offers a great range of hair products and skincare bits. They even offer products for Men and babies all at a great price.
If it’s essentials you’re looking for, Household Bargains have just that and more. Tucked away on Silver Street, they sell anything from garden products to pet food. This independent shop is a great alternative to the high street brands. We recommend stopping by to see the great variety of bargains on offer.
Be Sustainable
Another great way to be cost-effective is to be conscious of how much food you are wasting. On average we waste 9.5 million tonnes of food each year, despite 8.4 million people in the UK is subject to food poverty.
Investing in some good quality Tupperware from shops like Wilkos will allow you to store any leftover food in the fridge or even freezer. A great way for you to save money on your dinner break.
Be a part of the Community
The community in Kings Heath is a great one to be a part of, it’s at times like these the sense of ‘togetherness’ really shows. A great example of this community spirit can be seen through the recent announcement made by The Hare and Hounds.
They have announced a ‘Community Ticket Scheme’ which means there will be up to 30 free tickets available to claim every week!
This new initiative offers free entry to select shows during the week – a great example of the community here in Kings Heath. Tickets will be released every Wednesday till the end of December and will allow for people to enjoy themselves by making the venue both accessible and affordable to those on a ‘shoe-string budget.’
To take advantage of this limited-time offer you will need to be signed up to The Hare and Hound mailing list – sign up here.
Being cost-effective is about knowing where to go and what to look out for.
We’re very fortunate that Kings Heath is home to lots of shops that offer cheaper alternatives. If you’re concerned about the winter months, not knowing how you’re going to cope, we advise you to make a note of what you need to change in your home to make it more cost-friendly. Could you do with thicker curtains? Make an investment and swap your cooker for an AirFyer. Add reflective panels to your radiator. All of these things are easily accessible and right on your doorstep thanks to the business community.
For more information on the cost of living crisis and ways to get help please visit the Gov website here and keep an eye out on the Enjoy Kings Heath social channels: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-living-support/cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26-may-2022