£5 Dinners | Courgette and Tomato Tart

We have started a new series of posts on Instagram called £5 Dinners where we will be sharing some of our favourite budget friendly meals. Follow us @savingscotts to keep updated with the series.

We have also decided to post all the recipes on here and there is now an easy to use tab on the navigation bar just for £5 dinners. So you can find all your favourite, easy to cook, low cost dinners in one place. 

Plus save money on your food shop using approved discount gift cards with Zeek. 

This weeks recipe is a courgette tart that takes 30-35 to prepare and cook making it a great mid-week meal plus its vegetarian too. Prices listed below for ingredients are for the 7/1/2017 at Tesco.com. The total cost for this meal serving 4 people is £3.57. 

- Pre rolled puff pastry - £1.30

- 1 courgette- sliced  - £0.38

- Brie 200g - £1.15

- 3 - 4 tomatoes £0.69

- Italian herbs £0.05

- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius 

- Cut the puff pastry to fit your baking tray. Score the pastry approx 1cm from the edge on all 4 sides.

- Add a row of courgette slices, followed by a row of tomato slices and them brie. 

- Repeat until you fill the puff pastry. 

- Season with a pinch of Italian herbs. 

- Cook for 20-25 minutes.

- Serve with your favourite vegetables (we served with some left-over pesto pasta) . 

We love to keep all the meal plans and recipes we create in one easy to use binder. 
Plus, by keeping the recipes in sheet protecters means we can re-use them time and time again and saves us printing out several copies. 

   

Our financial goals for 2017

It's that time of the year where we reflect upon last years goals and set some new goals for 2017. 2016 was a huge year for us both; from getting married in January to Chris transferring universities in the Autumn it felt like it was all change. We are big believers in the benefits of writing downs goals to help with accountability and this year is no different. We are sharing how we did with our 2016 goals and what we have planned for 2017. 

Our 2016 goals
1. Save £2000 for the car -> We have earmarked the money Rebecca received from her grandad as inheritance as money for buying a car. 
2. Continue saving for a house deposit. -> We have diligently contributed to our Help to Buy ISAs the maximum amount (£200 each) every month. With the 25% bonus from the scheme gained £1200 in free money (when we buy our house). 
3. Have a debt-free post graduation life ->  The week after final exams Beckie started a graduate job in an Independent Financial Advisors firm. It quickly became apparent that this was not the career she wanted to be in (or the kind of work environment she would be happy in) and as a last minute decision she decided to reinstate her place at the London School of Economics studying a Masters in Law. Nonetheless we have still been able to cashflow the studies (with the help of our savings) and Beckie is now applying for PhD programs for next year. 
4. Chris to get a part-time job to replace the one he left in December 2015 -> Chris picked up a part time job at MacDonalds. Its not all that glamorous but he enjoys the social aspect of it (and its a nice break from uni). Its not been all bade as he is being promoted to crew trainer and has even won employee of the month in October. It is flexible around his studies and allows him to pick up extra hours during the holidays which works well for us. 


Our 2017 goals

• Save £6,000 in our ISAs, £3000 each in mine + Chris' (Help to buy ISA transferring to Lifetime ISA in April). 
• We are still working on the goal of buying a house the year Chris graduates (2019). We are therefore aiming to put £6000 into ISAs this year towards this goal. Which would see us achieve a balance of £12,250 in ISAs; with the 25% bonus scheme we would receive a bonus of just over £3,000. It is this bonus that is the driving force for us saving as much as we can into our ISAs.
• Meal plan every month in advance (and stick to it). 
• We definitely slipped out of the habit of meal-planning (or just eating in). We want to plan out our meals for the month in advance and reduce the number of times we take trips to the supermarket to once or twice a week. 
• Obtain funding for my PhD either in the form of a scholarship or a research council grant.
• Beckie is currently applying for PhDs in law/criminal justice and to be able to pursue this goal she needs to obtain funding (or a super awesome part-time job). There are a few things in the pipe-line so we will keep you posted on this. 
• Never pay full price when dining out. 
• We love to dine out. Whilst we want to cut down a bit (and meal planning will help with this) we are also keen to reduce the cost of eating out. Our goal is to never pay full price, whether that means using coupons, buying discounted gift cards or student discount. 

What are your financial goals for 2017?

Financial checklist for the new year

2016 has flown by, and 2017 is now only a few days away.  Here at SavingScotts we have compiled a financial checklist to get 2017 off to a flying start. 

The start of a new year provides a great opportunity to assess your financial situation and goals to make effective plans for the new year (and perhaps even some new years resolutions). As with all finances if you are in a serious relationship we recommend that if you have a spouse or partner to work through this checklist together and it is important you are both on the same page about finances (check out our post on money conversations to have with your spouse if your feeling a bit apprehensive about having a joint checklist meeting).

To get your new year off to a great start we have shared some of the key items to include in you financial resolution checklist. To help you on your way we have included a free printable which you can find at the bottom of the post. 

Assess your current situation. 
Look at how much you have in debt, savings and investments and make a note of it as this is the starting point for your year. It is important to be familiar with your starting point to allow goals to be made and progression to occur. Reflect upon the past year and how your financial situation has changed throughout 2016. A great way to do this is to know your current net worth and where your assets and liabilities are held. This will allow you to compare where you are now to throughout the year. 

Pay down debt 
Paying down debt is key to making financial headway. Credit card and other consumer debt should be highest on your priority list. Look at paying off the debt with the highest interest level first in order to save more money. If you are working on paying off debt have a read of our 5 steps to becoming debt free. 

Check your credit score
Though it is a good idea to check it regularly, now is a great time to check it. We love to use Noddle who provide a free credit check for life. Making sure your credit score is where you need it to be is important when you set your goals for 2017.  For example, you may want to take out a mortgage, but have just discovered your very low credit score, knowing this information will allow you to take steps to amend your credit score and move it in the direction you want it to go. 

Set your goals
Set a few goals (but not too many) to aim for achieving this year. If you have any debt then your focus should be on working to pay of this debt first before any savings goals are set. Whatever your goal is it is important write it down and make realistic steps for achieving that goal. Think about how you will achieve this goal? Will you need to cut spending, do you want to take on a second job, work from home more. There are so many ways that you could achieve goals, so it is important to discuss the how within the making of a plan. 

Perfect that budget
If you already are using a budget then work through how effective it is and if there are any areas that need to be tweaked (especially in light of the goals you have set). If you don't already use a budget then now is a great time to start. Get out a pen and paper and write down your income and expenses for the month. If you prefer an app why not try Dave Ramsey's every dollar or out student budget spreadsheet. What is important is to pick a method, go through your budget monthly and stick to it. 

Be tax efficient.
Tax efficient savings accounts often have a limit of how much can save within a certain period. Whilst in the UK all of this periods are based around the tax year; the new year provides a good opportunity to assess how much you are going to want to use up of those allowances (obviously the optimal option is to max them out, but that can't always be the case). For those in the UK making use of accounts such as ISAs (tax-free savings accounts) especially Help to Buy or the soon to be launched lifetime ISAs where you can receive a 25% bonus on all your savings when used for property. If you are saving for retirement, ensure that make use of the tax relief (for most its 20%) meaning that if you contribute £8000 into your pension, the government will raise it to £10,000. 

How are you preparing for 2017?

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If you are new to our blog, we are all about finding new ways for students and millennials to make and save money. Here are some of our favourite sites and products to help you out:

• Start a blog. Blogging is our side-hustle just over a year ago we didn't think I would bring us any income . You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $3.49 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial.
• Save money with gift cards Whether its for buying clothes, your weekly shop or dining out use Zeek (get £5 free with this link) to buy discounted gift cards to get more bang for your buck. 
• Use Swagbucks for your online searches. Swagbucks is a passive way to earn gift cards. Over the course of a year you could earn $500.  Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded “points called SB” for the things you do through their website. Then, when you have enough Swagbucks, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. Receive $5 for signing up today.
• Try matched betting. Matched betting is a great way to may easy money online. Despite the name it is not gambling and could see you earn £500-£1000 a month for only a couple of hours work a day see here and here. For your free trial head to profit accumulator or join the Facebook 'getting started' group.  
• Sign up for a cashback site like Quidco. where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too! Plus, when you sign up through my link, you also receive a free £10 bonus!

*This post contains affiliate links, all opinions are our own*

Earn money tutoring

Becoming a private tutor is a great job option for university students. It is flexible, you manage your hours, for anyone looking to go into teaching it is also great experience. Depending on your qualifications you could earn £15 - 30 per hour depending on your experience. If you have academic knowledge, good communication skills and lots of patience then tutoring may be the job for you.

How much should I charge?
There are a few factors to consider for how much you should be charging. The first is your experience, do you have a undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD in this subject (the price should increase respectively) and do you have previous teaching experience of this subject. Secondly you will want to think about transportation costs if you go to the student. 
However, don't forget Tutoring doesn't just have to be face-to-face. There is an increasing demand for Skype tutors (allowing you to cut down on the cost of transportation and increase profits). But if you are tutoring face-to-face you are going to want to determine if you go to the student or if they come to you.

What should it tutor?
In the U.K. demand is primarily for 11+, common entrance exams, GCSE and A-levels tutoring. Try to think about which exam systems you have experience with (and success in) and focus upon teaching these areas.In addition, it is often easiest and most appropriate to tutor in a subject directly or closely related to your degree subject (I.E maths and physics for those studying engineering) as this demonstrates a higher level of understanding in this subject than your student is required to learn.
If you speak another language fluently or play a musical instrument to a high level (typically at least grade 8) then you might want to consider tutoring in these areas and these also present lucrative tutoring opportunities.

When tutoring you will want to be aware of what exam board the student is studying for and be familiar with the specifications of that exam board in order to tailor the tutoring to their needs. Be sure to brush up on the course syllabus before you start tutoring so you can provide the best quality service possible.

How to advertise?
Websites such as GumTree or other local listing sites are a great place to start. Beckie had a flatmate in her first year of university who found maths tutees this way very successfully. Whilst tutor specific sites such as First Tutors 

Word of mouth is also a great option. Ask family and friends if they know anyone who needs tuition. Once you start to get tutees  encourage them to share your services with their friends (perhaps offer a referral discount) as this is a great way to gain new clients.

Creating a Facebook page or website to advertise your tutoring services is another great way to share your tutoring services and adds a level of professionalism.

Reaching out to schools. Putting up flyers at schools (or university) is another great way to reach out to potential students. Just make sure to get the necessary permission first.

Have you worked as a tutor? What are your experiences of it as a part time job.

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If you are new to our blog, we are all about finding new ways for students and millennials to make and save money. Here are some of our favourite sites and products to help you out:

• Start a blog. Blogging is our side-hustle just over a year ago we didn't think I would bring us any income . You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $3.49 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial.
• Save money with gift cards Whether its for buying clothes, your weekly shop or dining out use Zeek  (get £5 free with this link) to buy discounted gift cards to get more bang for your buck. 
• Use Swagbucks for your online searches. Swagbucks is a passive way to earn gift cards. Over the course of a year you could earn $500.  Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded “points called SB” for the things you do through their website. Then, when you have enough Swagbucks, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. Receive $5 for signing up today.
• Try matched betting. Matched betting is a great way to may easy money online. Despite the name it is not gambling and could see you earn £500-£1000 a month for only a couple of hours work a day see here and here. For your free trial head to profit accumulator or join the Facebook 'getting started' group.  
• Sign up for a cashback site like Quidco. where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too! Plus, when you sign up through my link, you also receive a free £10 bonus!

*This post contains affiliate links, all opinions are our own*

#giveorgift

We've all received a secret Santa gift that just wasn't our taste. Often it can feel like this way of gift sharing is a waste of money. Even though it was designed to make gift giving in big group settings more manageable. But imagine if Secret Santa was an opportunity to bring meaningful joy to others and avoid waste.

This year SavingScotts along with the rest of the UK Money Blogger community is joining together to form an alternative to secret Santa called #giveorgift

Instead of buying a physical gift for Secret Santa the idea is that the recipient can opt for the gift to go to charity instead. 

Which charities are #giveorgift supporting?


We’re supporting six charities this year with the money raised evenly split between them. So a £5 donation plus Gift Aid will see each of the following receive just over £1:
* The Trussell Trust (food poverty)
* Shelter (housing and homelessness)
* Citizens Advice (money and legal help)
* Children in Need
* Stand up to Cancer
* DEC (humanitarian crisis)

For more information on these charities click here. 

How do I donate?
If you’ve been allocated someone who wants you to give to charities on their behalf, simply donate the present fund at BT.com/GiveOrGift. You can print out a giving certificate so there’s something to handover on the day everyone exchanges presents. We are using BT.com because they don't take a cut of the charitable donations unlike other giving sites. 

UK Money Bloggers have even created a pack to help you on your way to organising a #giveorgift including sign up sheets and gift certificates for those who want to give something to show they have given to a charity. You can find these and more here

Learn more about how you can get involved in the #giftorgive initiative over at UK Money Bloggers 

______________________________________________________

If you are new to our blog, we are all about finding new ways for students and millennials to make and save money. Here are some of our favourite sites and products to help you out:

• Start a blog. Blogging is our side-hustle just over a year ago we didn't think I would bring us any income . You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $3.49 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial.
• Save money with gift cards Whether its for buying clothes, your weekly shop or dining out use Zeek to buy discounted gift cards to get more bang for your buck. 
• Use Swagbucks for your online searches. Swagbucks is a passive way to earn gift cards. Over the course of a year you could earn $500.  Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded “points called SB” for the things you do through their website. Then, when you have enough Swagbucks, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. Receive $5 for signing up today.
• Try matched betting. Matched betting is a great way to may easy money online. Despite the name it is not gambling and could see you earn £500-£1000 a month for only a couple of hours work a day see here and here. For your free trial head to profit accumulator or join the Facebook 'getting started' group.  
• Sign up for a cashback site like Quidco. where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too! Plus, when you sign up through my link, you also receive a free £10 bonus!