How to save money in 2014

The recovery might be happening and the green shoots of an economic spring gently poking through the frozen ground of austerity, but the small matter of Christmas was but days ago and soon, on doormats up and down the country, will come floating down the bill. 

They all weigh the same when the postman delivers them. Pity, then, that this months is likely to be clinically obese.

But despair not. There are ways to save, I pay the bills, and still live the good life. All it takes is a little bit of ingenuity. 

I was introduced to a new comparison website just before the big 'C'. The timing came in handy as with Barclaycard's new Bespoke Offers service you can make savings of up to 50% on a host of regular as well as luxury purchases. The site brings together supplier's and manufacturer's discount offers and brings them together. It's like browsing the sales - all the sales - on your browser - and at any time of year!

I hardly needed much persuasion to try out the site. I'm a firm fan of comparison sites in general, having written about Idealo in the run up to Christmas and subsequently used some of the usual suspects (GoCompare, Moneysupermarket etc.) to get a cheap insurance deal just after the festive period. (Home plus contents with acknowledgement of out increased flood risk, increased cover but no hike in our excess for less than last year's premium is proof of the pudding!)

The reported rise in online shopping is no great surprise given it's convenience. But using the right sites can lead to massive savings, making those January bills a little easier to manage.