JANUARY'S pay packet probably left many of us breathing a sight of relief. But now that our bank balances are looking a little healthier again, how can we keep on the right track for the rest of the year and still afford some of life's little luxuries?

CUTTING back your spending and staying out of the red doesn't always have to be painful, writes Vicky Shaw. Here are eight suggestions for how to do it, which might even mean you don't need to give up making the purchases you enjoy.

1. Consider switching your mortgage

Many home owners are still sitting on their lenders' standard variable rate - the rate the mortgage reverts to when a particular deal comes to an end. Despite the Bank of England base rate rise in November 2017, there are still many low-rate mortgage deals available, so switching could provide you with an instant win and potentially save huge amounts of money as - for many people - their mortgage is their biggest outgoing.

2. Check you're not doubling up

Are you paying twice for a particular service? As many as 10% per cent of adults across the UK may potentially be paying twice to protect their personal gadgets, simply by not checking the terms and conditions within their contents insurance policies, suggests research by comparisons website comparethemarket.com.

In a survey of more than 2,000 adults, one in 10 admitted they've taken out separate gadget insurance on items already covered by their contents policy.

Chris King, head of home insurance at comparethemarket, said: "It's always worth checking your contents insurance before making any big purchases, as you may find you do not need to take out separate insurance to cover your must-have gizmo. If you find your gadget isn't covered by your contents insurance, it's worth calling your insurer and seeing if this is something that can be added onto your policy."

3. See if you can save on your energy bills

More than 100 fixed energy tariff deals coming to an end in the first three months of 2018. The average increase to energy bills could potentially be £192 per household, said Peter Earl, head of energy at comparethemarket.

"When fixed tariffs are coming to an end, it is essential to engage with your supplier, shop around and switch onto the best deal to avoid being rolled onto these expensive default tariffs," said Mr Earl. "A £200 hike in energy costs could be highly damaging to the finances of many households and is easily avoidable."

4. Ditch unwanted subscriptions

Do a check of regular outgoings and cull anything you're not getting value from. If you've got a gym subscription, work out whether it might be cheaper to pay for individual classes. Make sure you're aware of cancellation policies.

5. Have a spring clear-out

Boost your income by selling items you don't use and won't miss on websites such as eBay and Gumtree.

6. Make the most of cashback and discount websites

Before making a purchase, see if you can do it any cheaper by using a website with a discount code, or one offering cashback.

7. Cut the cost of your debts

See if you can reduce the cost of paying off any debts, such as by making a credit card balance transfer, for example.

8. Make a PPI claim

If you've been meaning to make a claim for mis-sold PPI, now's the time as the deadline for claims is August 29, 2019. You can also now claim about the commission a provider earned from the sale of PPI, even if you had a previous complaint about mis-selling of PPI rejected. For more, visit fca.org.uk/ppi

Meanwhile, one quarter of UK adults don't think they will be able to save or invest any money in 2018, a survey has found.

Of those who feel able to put some cash aside, most (40 per cent) will save using a bank or building account or cash Isa (38 per cent), according to the research from GoCompare Money.

One in 10 say they would put money in stocks and shares, while a further 10 per cent plan to use a coin jar, the survey of more than 2,300 people found.