Five ways to stop wasting your money

IT'S NOT ALWAYS EXTRAVAGANCE BUT THE SMALL THINGS ADD UP

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FROM false economies to the "lifestyle creep" experts reveal the tricks to stop you spending too much.

We've all experienced that end-of-month panic, staring at a dwindling bank balance and wondering where all that money went.

Often the answer lies not in extravagant splurges, but in the slow drip of habitual, unnoticed spending. But the good news is that a few conscious shifts can put hundreds - if not thousands - of pounds back in your pocket each year.

Here we speak to three personal finance experts about the most common money-wasting pitfalls and practical ways to sidestep them.

Avoid 'lifestyle creep'

"If your income has risen but your savings haven't, that's a good sign you might be falling victim to lifestyle creep," says TV's consumer finance expert and co-founder of Nous, Greg Marsh. "Setting up automated savings makes it less tempting to spend extra."