Lockdown is rough on everyone, and if you aren’t careful, you can run out of savings. You can do that even if you still have your job and are still getting paid. How? Easy, you are bored and shop a little too much online just to get that tiny bit of a thrill.

Whatever your situation, now is the best time to be smart with money. In the worst-case scenario, it will help you stretch out your savings and any government benefit you receive, in the best-case scenario these top budget tips will help you live more mindfully while still boosting your savings.

Order Your Groceries Online

Food is a huge cost that can easily be managed just by shopping online. Give yourself a set budget so that when you are adding food to your basket, you can be more mindful. Even if you go well over your budget after you are done perusing all of the options, you can still go back and edit your basket to remove those impulse buys and even find cheaper alternatives to get you under your budget.

You can then either have the groceries delivered to your home, or you can have them arranged for pick-up so that you can cut through the lines and just bring your groceries home.

Switch Tariffs on Utilities

Now is the best time to go through your options for utilities and see if there is a better deal. There might be new tariffs that allow you to enjoy cheaper monthly rates or new customer deals at a competitor for your internet or phone. When it comes to saving money, you need to be willing to go this extra mile.

Take Advantage of New Payment Help

Any new payment help that applies to you should be taken advantage of if you have lost a job or lost income.

Consolidate Debt

If you are in debt with multiple agencies, for example, two or more credit card companies, then now is the best time to consolidate it. Consolidating your debt can lower your overall interest rate, boost your credit score, and make repayments a lot easier.

Know Where You Can Get Emergency Funds From

Finally, you need to know where you can go in an emergency. Most people, after all, don’t have enough in savings to get them through this time. Without the cash savings, where do you go?

Your Assets

Even if you have bad credit, you still have items of value. If you have a car, for example, then you can get emergency cash by taking out a loan against car. This type of loan works by taking out money based on the value of your vehicle. This is often between 25 to 85% of its cash value. You won’t be able to use your car during this time until you have paid it off, but if you need emergency cash and poor credit, then this is one of the best ways to do it.

Friends or Family

Friends and family are always an option, but it is essential to be fair. Make full note of what you owe them and create a repayment plan you can actually commit to right then and there.