Now is the perfect time to get frugal, tighten the purse-strings and make some super savings by getting savvy with our outgoings. We’ve pulled together some moola-saving tips to make that December pay packet stretch a little further.

Try a zero-spend day

Take a day off from spending one day a week and put anything you would have spent on lunch, coffee or a takeaway straight into your savings. Every little helps!

It requires a bit of planning and meal prep but it’ll help you evaluate your impulse spending habits which could be a real money-saver in the long run.

Question your impulse buys

Ask yourself, ‘do I really need this’ before you buy something. If the answer is no, walk away – safe in the knowledge that you are a pennywise & unshakeable force of nature.

Do dry Jan

Kick the boozy weekends to the curb and save some dollar instead. The bubbles might not be flowing but your bank account will be. Ka-ching-a-ling-ling.

Ditch the daily coffee

Access your beauty-buying habits

Beauty products and nail appointments come with a hefty price tag. If you’re keen to make the pennies go further, consider swapping high-end brands for supermarket savers and brands on offer. You can even make your own exfoliator using coconut oil and sugar. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Get thrifty

Buy second-hand to save money, the sales may seem like you’re getting a good deal but if you didn’t need it in the first place, you’re still quids down.

Do an at-home workout

Save on the spenny gym membership and work out from the comfort of your own humble abode, instead. The gym is packed with over-zealous weight lifters in January anyway – JOMO is where it’s at!

Learn to budget

Switch energy suppliers

Shop around and make sure you compare tariffs across the market. You may even be able to negotiate with your current energy supplier for a better deal and save money in the process. Barter away, fellas.

Clear out the clutter

January is the perfect time to Marie Kondo the hell out of your wardrobe and your home.

Get savvy with deals

Collect money-off coupons and follow brands on their social media channels so you’re aware of the current promotions they’re running.

Delete your card details

ASOS, Topshop, H&M – the check-out always remembers your card deets doesn’t it. How very convenient! Wipe them off. Delete immediately. You’ll think twice about buying that new jumpsuit if you have to actually, ya know, move off the sofa to find your purse.

Downgrade your phone plan

If you’re not getting through your minutes each month, you could review your phone plan. Downgrade for a few months to save some moola and review your savings again when you’re better off.

Use budgeting Apps

Monzo allows you to categorise your spending into groups such as shopping, transport, health and bills to make it easy to see where your money is going. The summary tab gives you an overview of what you’ve spent in each category each month.

By setting spending limits for each category, you can avoid running out of money at the end of the month. You can also keep an eye on your day-to-day spending and the App will let you know if it looks like you’re going to run out of money.

The Automated Savings feature makes it easy to set aside money every time you spend and Roundups automatically put your spare change from a payment into savings, like a digital coin jar for a rainy day. So if your coffee costs £3.20, Monzo will take £4 out of your account and add the change to the pot.

Historically rated as one of the best vegan-friendly cities in the UK, you’ll never be short of tasty eateries in Brighton. Home to famous pizza joints and plant-based sushi burritos, these are the vegan institutions putting Brighton on the map. If you’re in the market for meat-free dining, make your way through the gallery and hotfoot it to East Sussex ASAP!

Food For Friends

If you’re looking for a sit-down experience with a delicious range of veggie and vegan dishes, then Food For Friends is always a winner. Voted one of the top veggie restaurants in the UK, the food is all fresh and consciously sourced, with plenty of classic dishes reinvented with a vegetarian and vegan twist. Insider’s knowledge: the pumpkin risotto is dribble-worthy stuff.

Cornish Pasty Shop

A bit of a hidden gem in the North Laines, Cornish is not only the best pasty shop but also one of the best places for vegan cakes. You heard it here first! Cornish Pasty Co. makes delicious vegan friendly sausage rolls and pasties (their spicy offering is one for the sinuses), and their Lemon Meringue Pies are as good as the ‘real’ thing – make sure to swing by and pick up a few cakes on your next trip.

Glazed

There’s no shortage of sweet treats in Brighton and Glazed is a must-visit if you’re looking for something delicious. Flavours change daily but keep your eyes peeled for Biscoff, Raspberry and Coconut, Chocolate Orange, and Lemon and Poppy Seed as these are truly scrumptious. If you’re local, you can also request custom orders if you want a specific flavour. Detour down on you way to or from the station and pick up a doughnut or four for the road. Jammy.

Happy Maki

Vegan and fish doesn’t typically go hand-in-hand, but Happy Maki has come up with a diverse menu of fish-free sushi that tastes just as fresh and delicious. You can find Happy Maki’s long list of fishy-free alternatives near the sea-front and also find them popping up at festivals come summer.

Honest Burger

Already a staple in London and other UK locations, Honest Burger delivers one of the yummiest burger experiences you could hope for. Their plant burger comes stacked with vegan cheese, mayo and a side of the most delicious rosemary chips you could ask for – we’d suggest ordering a second plate of chips ‘cos they’re THAT good.

The Hope and Ruin

One of the top spots for live music in the city, Hope and Ruin also houses an all-vegan kitchen with dirty kebabs and dogs galore. Make sure to grab a bowl of the loaded Fritz’s fries, piled high with sauerkraut, gherkins, onions and curry ketchup or a chilli cheese dog. You won’t regret digging in!

Plant Room

If you love independent coffee shops, fresh cakes, and a cosy atmosphere, then The Plant Room is for you; hidden in Brighton Square, Plant Room is a vegan paradise of cakes, doughnuts, mixed salads, and delicious speciality coffee. Make sure to stop by for lunch or an afternoon cake and bring a book to enjoy on one of their cosy sofas.

The Prince George

Another pub with a great veggie and vegan menu, The Prince George boasts traditional and delicious pub grub, from burritos to burgers and homemade ice-cream to chip butties, you can be sure to find a cosy corner to chow down and refuel before tackling the Lanes on a Saturday. Bring a bib!

Purezza

The OG vegan pizza restaurant – prepare to triple-check what you’re eating is in fact vegan because it all sounds and tastes too good to be true. The first vegan and plant-based pizzeria in the UK, Purezza has taken all the classics and made them available to all thanks to coconut and cashew-based cheeses ranging from ricotta to mozzarella. As well as being healthier, Purezza even houses one of the most incredible desserts – the Oreo Pizza; finally, carbs and chocolate unite as one.

Terre à Terre

If you’ve got fancy dinner in mind, Terre à Terre is high on the list. With a mix of vegetarian and vegan dishes (and also options to substitute), Terre a Terre blends spice and flavour with high-end flair that will make you forget there was no meat or dairy in sight.

Wai Kika Moo Kau

Whether you want a big breakfast or a hearty lunch, heck even if you want some delicious cake, then Wai Kika Moo Kau is an absolute must-eat. The vegan breakfast is HUGE, but so worth it for the variety of food on your plate and the specials are switched up regularly so you’re always trying something new. Thanks to its central location, you can pull up a chair and watch the world go by in the Lanes whilst enjoying your food and even stay through to lunch if you fancy. If you can, try the Oreo or Lemon cake, it’s sublime.

BeFries

A seaside classic with a Belgian twist! The secret to BeFries’ delicious chips is that they are twice baked for extra flavour and crunch, but the real pull is the array of 15+ sauces you can try and dip to your heart’s content – the vegan basil mayo is a must-try and also available to buy. You can sit in and enjoy your order, but these fries are best enjoyed on a walk around the Lanes or a stroll on the beach when the weather is good.

Intent on becoming better, leaner, more ambitious people, we convince ourselves that now is the perfect time to challenge ourselves with a plethora of painfully unachievable goals. Spoiler: it’s not and will never be a good time to commit to anything other than Netflix.

Well, fear not, for we can ride this sh*t storm out together. Let’s raise a glass of sparkling wine… water (shout out to the dry Jan crowd) to the most miserable month of the year, here are 20 things you’re likely to find yourself doing.

The only way is up, lads!

1. Embark upon an imaginary journey to get your body back

2. Forget you started said journey due to its fictitious nature and bathe in leftover brie instead. Thy body is a temple – a Cathedral cheese temple

3. Think about doing dry Jan

4. And then think of 175743 reasons not to

5. Zoflora the sh*t out of your home. There’s nothing like spending some quality time with your Minky

6. Do one sit up and feel absolutely CHEATED when you can’t see abs. Disgusting, I’d like to speak to your regional manager at once (she screamed in the gym foyer)

7. Dedicate all the time you do not have to a new hobby simply because you promised yourself you’d be a fuller version of yourself this year, starting with French classes. Sacrebleu!

8. Treat yourself to a new notepad. Ruled lines will keep you on the straight and narrow

9. Lose your tiny mind over all the ‘new year, new me’ members hogging the treadmills and fail to acknowledge that you’re one of them

10. Shake your head at the farce that is: our new government. Waheyyyy. Can we get a refund on this lot?

11. Convince yourself you should sign up for an exercise event

12. And instantly regret it because tracking down your lost Hermes parcel five times a month is basically a 10K race anyway

13. Tidy up your computer and realise the reason you didn’t have any time to achieve anything in 2019 was because you were too invested in… dog memes

14. Realise the lines you thought were just temporary dehydration lines from NYE have now got their feet right under the table and settled into your face… forever

15. Feel sorry for your friends with January birthdays. But not sorry enough to actually, ya know, attend

16. Use snow as the seasonal conversation filler: Wishing for snow. Not wishing for snow. The inconvenience of snow. The snow and trains. The snow and road closures. The snow and office closures. The snow and school closures.

17. Spend a LOT of moola on eye-wateringly expensive gym leggings because that’s the kind of emotional support you need when you’re caught in a spin class and desperate for a poo

18. Start spiralizing everything: courgette, butternut squash, your credit cards

19. Forget how to wear clothes with buttons and zips since your junk is all too used to revelling in Christmas PJs for an obscene amount of time. Far beyond the point of reasonable cleanliness

20. Realise it’s been January for 3 months now.