12 Ways To Live The Good Life On A Budget

You don't have to be a high roller to live the good life!

1. Become a model for the day.

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Hairdressers are always looking for models to try out the latest styles on, which they can then photograph to use as promotional material. This goes for some of the top names too, so if you're not too shy about having your face in the window, it's well worth nabbing yourself a free cut and styling.

2. Serve a signature drink when entertaining friends, rather than serving all of them.

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There's no need to invest in countless bottles to try and please everyone. Instead, impress you friends by creating your own signature serve. Martinis and daiquiris are two versatile classics that only require only one spirit, and go great with a variety of cheap fruit mixers. Find your favourite here.

3. When it comes to cocktails, it's all about taste and presentation.

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It's much better to impress friends with what they're drinking, rather than what's left over at the end. Buy yourself some proper glassware, search out some crushed ice (or make it yourself), and teach yourself how to garnish too.

Two-ingredient drinks such as the paloma, the greyhound, and the dark and stormy taste great and can easily be made look a million dollars – if you know how.

4. Earn some quick cash through survey panels.

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Research companies are frequently on the lookout for people to take part in surveys and panels, and they'll make it worth your while too!

For example, Theviewers.co.uk sources research panels for TV show producers, which offers between £40-£70 for a two-hour group discussion.

5. And go one step further by becoming a mystery diner.

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Online reviews tend to attract negativity, so many top brands and restaurants pay to have mystery visitors that can give them an honest review in exchange for a free meal. RetailActive and The Mystery Dining Company are two places you can get started.

6. Don't be swayed by the latest food crazes.

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More often than not, the newest culinary craze to hit the town is just an old, underused ingredient given a sexy rebrand (at three times the price).

There are lots of resources and taste charts online that can help you find cheaper substitute ingredients. So next time there's a global kale shortage that sends prices skyrocketing, you won't need to panic!

7. Freecycle.

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One man's junk could be another man's gold. More often than not, larger items such as sofa's and white goods will be given away, purely because they're too big to move or ship.

Try sites likes Freecycle and Gumtree. You may have to be patient, but you never know what might appear on the freebie list in your area.

8. Fly into the wind.

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Research shows that the optimum time to book is 53 days before travel, and on average, that's 29% cheaper than if you booked on the day of travel. Tuesdays tend to be cheapest, whilst Saturdays should be avoided. (And don't leave till the last minute!)

9. Set up an alert for "soft launch" in your town.

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Many new restaurants will hold limited pre-launch events with huge discounts on their menus, meaning there's an opportunity to try some amazing food before the crowds at a fraction of the cost. Get Twitter to keep an eye out by setting up an alert.

10. That trick works for sample sales too.

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Sites such as Sample Sale Guide keep track of events up and down the country, where you can find discounts as high as 70%, 80%, and even 90%.

You'll also find that sales tend to take place in the same pop-up, temporary venues. The Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, London, for example, is a popular hotspot and is always worth stopping by if you're near.

11. Meet some friends you never knew you had through couchsurfing.

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For the especially adventurous (and especially skint), you could lighten the strain on your wallet by looking into couchsurfing. The community is built upon a share-and-share-alike ideology, but if you're willing to lend your own sofa out occasionally, it can be a great way to unlock parts of the world you never thought possible.

12. See the UK's top comedians for less than a tenner.

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Top comedians often run a couple of preview shows that allow them to test out new material and polish their acts for a fraction of the price. Yplan and Skint London are two great resources for keeping abreast of the cheap and cheerful.

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