Next Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday, or the day before the start of Lent. Traditionally, Shrove Tuesday was the day when people used up the butter, eggs and sugar, which were the tempting foods back then, so that they wouldn’t ‘fall off the wagon’ during the Lenten Fast.

Today, many of us love the ritual of making pancakes and serving them up piping hot, doused in sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, fruit and all manner of other tasty toppings. Shrove Tuesday has all but lost its original significance, however, Lent can work as a fantastic catalyst to change the way we do things.

Lent in the 21st century doesn’t necessarily mean fasting, it can be applied to all sorts of things. Many people cut out chocolate or alcohol for the 40 days, others don’t eat biscuits and cakes or meat. The cost of these luxury foods, which we all take for granted, can mount up and removing one or more of them from out shopping lists, even if it is just for 40 days, can make a big difference to the grocery bill.

And the principle of removing something from our daily, weekly or monthly regime can be taken further. Reducing our spend on eating out, buying clothes, using the car for short journeys and so on can make a significant impact on turning our more month than money into more money than month, a fantastic achievement indeed!

My challenge to you dear saver, is to cut out from your regular routine something that costs you money. It doesn’t matter what it is, a daily takeaway cappuccino, a visit to the nail bar or a weekly curry night out with friends. Cut it, count the money and see how this one little luxury adds up.