Save money every month of the year

November

Check your home loan

Millions of homeowners stay on their lender's standard variable rate (SVR), paying well over the odds for their mortgages. There are various ways to find cheaper deals, but visitors to mortgagemonitor.co.uk saved on average £119 a month last year. This saving was made by finding a rate that was one per cent lower on an average mortgage of £142,500.

Things will be slightly different this year because some mortgage packages have been withdrawn, but it's still worth checking. Be aware though that the cost of swapping includes arrangement fees, lawyers, surveyors and exit fees.

Potential annual saving: £1428

Good time to buy: Cutlery, china and cut glass. At this time of year, stores have great discounts on tableware.