| Any expert would tell you to sit down and analysis | | | | clothes and the quality of some of the items they |
| your current spending habit before considering any | | | | have for sale. |
| money saving ideas and tips. You should do a budget | | | | Always check on eBay for anything that you are |
| of all your income and expenses and see how much | | | | considering buying, people all over the country sell |
| money you have left at the end of the month. | | | | clothes that are new or nearly new and have either |
| Armed with your spending information you should | | | | never been worn or are nearly new. There are some |
| then consider the money saving tips below. Keep a | | | | real bargains to be had if you are willing to spend the |
| record of how much you should be saving next | | | | time searching. |
| month and compare the results. It is important that | | | | Recently there have been some swap sites being |
| you continue this exercise annually. | | | | launched on the internet to swap designer clothes for |
| In the current market it is difficult to know what to | | | | cash or other garments. |
| do with your savings so I suggest you consider | | | | Consider Shopping Online |
| looking at the last money saving idea for a tip that | | | | The internet has grown rapidly over the past five |
| will save you thousands of pounds in the future. | | | | years and you can buy just about anything while sat |
| Switch to Freeview TV | | | | at home in a comfy chair. You can use the |
| Switch to Freeview digital TV and save up to | | | | comparison websites to search out the cheapest |
| £200 a year. You will need to buy a Digi-box | | | | price for the item that you are looking for and you |
| receiver for around £50. Then you will receive | | | | can compare one brand with another without leaving |
| more than 40 free digital TV Channels for free and | | | | your chair. |
| there's no monthly subscription to be paid. | | | | Are you claiming all your allowance. |
| Switching your Gas and Electricity Providers | | | | Many of us don't know what benefits and tax credits |
| Consider switching your fuel providers it could save | | | | we and our families are entitled to when it comes to |
| you £100's. As a nation we don't like changing | | | | claiming for Pension Credits, Child Benefit, Child tax |
| our utility providers and as a result our suppliers don't | | | | Credits, Working Tax credits, etc. It is reckoned that |
| offer us any better deals. They use their cheaper | | | | around £8 billion a year is not claimed by |
| deals to entice new customers. Use a Comparison | | | | people who are entitled to claim benefits. |
| site to find the best deals around for your Gas and | | | | Prepaid Credit Cards |
| Electricity. | | | | I love this idea as it gives you all the benefits without |
| Cheaper Telephone and Broadband bills | | | | the credit card balance and you cannot overspend on |
| Shop around for cheaper telephone and broadband | | | | it. To use a prepaid credit card you need to transfer |
| suppliers. Many providers offer cheaper dual packages | | | | an amount of money onto the card first before you |
| and low-cost dial up services as well as cheaper line | | | | go shopping. I guarantee that you will only spend |
| rental. Use a Comparison site to find the best deals | | | | what you can afford. This is a truly money saving |
| around today. | | | | product that everybody should have. |
| Reduce your Mobile Phone costs | | | | Quit Smoking |
| Consider switching your mobile from a monthly | | | | If you are smoking 20 cigarettes a day then you will |
| contract to a pay-as-you-go scheme if you don't use | | | | be spending around £2,117 a year or more. |
| your mobile a lot. If your family all have a mobile | | | | This is a mind blowing amount of money and it will |
| phone then you should consider a package with all | | | | just be going up in smoke. Now look at the benefits |
| the phones included. Make sure that you all share the | | | | to your health and the health of your children, family |
| number of call minutes and the texts each month. | | | | and friends. We found when my wife and I gave up |
| There are deals around that will provide you with | | | | smoking that the house smelt cleaner and fresher. |
| new phones within the package and they will allow | | | | Our home does not need painting inside as often |
| you to alter the number of texts and call minutes | | | | anymore, which is now saving us a small fortune as |
| each month. | | | | we don't need to paint as often. |
| Shop around for Better value Insurance Cover | | | | Just think if you packed in the weed, you and your |
| Shop around for cheaper Car Insurance, Building | | | | family could enjoy a foreign annual holiday each year. |
| & Contents Insurance and Life Insurance. | | | | You could choose to overpay your mortgage and |
| Remember everything that glitters is not golden. | | | | finish paying it earlier. Alternatively, you could choose |
| When looking to rebroke or change Insurance | | | | to save the money over the next twenty five years |
| providers you need to compare like with like and not | | | | and save £52,925 plus any interest. Wow! |
| on price alone. Always look for the same cover and | | | | What are you waiting for? |
| definitions for each Insurance policy or a better policy | | | | One persons junk is another's pride and joy |
| for a cheaper price when looking to change providers. | | | | Consider selling anything that you haven't used in the |
| The cost of life cover only Insurance has reduced | | | | last two or three years. This is a pretty good |
| due to the fact that we are all living longer and the | | | | indicator of whether or not you need it or not and if |
| unthinkable has happened Life Insurance policies have | | | | you have not used it the chances are that you don |
| become cheaper. | | | | not need it. Sell it for some hard cash on eBay. |
| If you have any Critical Illness Insurance cover then | | | | Annual Holidays |
| tread very carefully and use a mortgage broker to | | | | This year is an exception compared with previous |
| rearrange a cheaper policy for you. The reason for | | | | years when we were all going to America and other |
| this is the Insurance companies have changed many | | | | exotic holiday destinations. Now we find that our |
| of their Insurance cover definitions and the number | | | | money in America won't go as far as it did last year |
| of conditions that they will cover. For peace of mind | | | | due to the exchange rate. Our European holidays |
| you should use a mortgage broker for protection. | | | | have also just become more expensive due to the |
| Should they change a good policy for an inferior | | | | exchange rate. America is now 25% more expensive |
| policy then you could claim compensation for | | | | and the Euro is nearly on a parity with the Pound. So |
| negligence. | | | | why not have a holiday in the UK and support our |
| Food Shopping | | | | economy. At least your money will be worth the |
| 1.Always make a list and try not to deviate from | | | | same and you will save on the cost of holiday travel. |
| your shopping list. | | | | You would be surprised at how beautiful our island is. |
| 2.Don't take your children or husband shopping as you | | | | Savings |
| will probably find it really hard to say no when they | | | | If you are fortunate to have any savings then your |
| ask for something and they will only increase your | | | | need to search out the best Individual Savings |
| shopping bill. | | | | Account (Isa) accounts. You can also chose to save |
| 3.Have your supermarket shopping delivered, it's a | | | | up to £850 per month split between the two |
| great way of ordering what you need to maintain | | | | types of accounts. |
| your weekly budget. | | | | An Isa provides Tax-free savings and a saver can |
| 4.Try and cook all meals from fresh, they are | | | | invest up to £10,200 into an Isa each tax year |
| healthier than ready made meals and more nutritious. | | | | irrespective of whether you are a low or high rate |
| Invest in a cook book if you lack inspiration or | | | | taxpayer. |
| knowledge. | | | | Under the new provision announced by The |
| 5.Look for a Farm shop with a butchery attached; | | | | Chancellor Alistair Darling in the last budget you can |
| our local Farm shop sells half a Lamb for £20 | | | | be put £5,100 into a cash Isa or a saving |
| and half a Pig for £30 they are already frozen | | | | account and £5,100 can be invested in stocks |
| ready for the freezer. What a bargain! | | | | and shares. |
| 6.Consider using the supermarkets own-brand | | | | You can withdraw your money at anytime as long as |
| products as they are often the same or similar as | | | | you have not locked them into a fixed rate deal, |
| branded products without the brand name and price | | | | once the money is withdrawn you cannot return it |
| tag. | | | | and if you withdraw during the year you will lose the |
| 7.When last did you shop at your local market? The | | | | tax-free incentive and the money will become |
| food is generally cheaper and fresher from your local | | | | taxable in the year you with draw it. |
| market as they have lower overheads and can | | | | If you are a lower or high rate taxpayer then you will |
| therefore pass on the savings to you. | | | | not pay any tax on the money invested in an Isa |
| 8.Use the discount supermarkets like Asda, Aldi and | | | | each year. Under normal circumstances you would |
| Lidl. There are big savings to be made here. Don't | | | | pay 40% on the interest received from other saving |
| worry about shopping here; the food is quality and | | | | schemes. If you are a lower rate taxpayer then you |
| the car park is full of expensive cars, which suggests | | | | would pay 20% on the interest received from other |
| that everybody is shopping here - rich or poor. | | | | saving schemes. |
| Always ask yourself whether or not you really need | | | | Your Mortgage |
| a product or service and always consider alternatives. | | | | At present your only hope if you have any savings is |
| Don't be enticed to buy the special offers like, | | | | a maximum return of 1.5% per year - this is appalling |
| buy-one-get-one-free promotions or the 30% off | | | | and outrageous! So why not over pay your |
| discount offer. It's not a bargain if you don't need it | | | | mortgage which will be on an interest rate of 4% to |
| in the first place. Remember a bargain or an offer is | | | | 7% depending on your mortgage deal. By overpaying |
| either priced to get rid of stock quickly for a reason | | | | your current mortgage will save you many thousands |
| or it is priced into the product to start with. | | | | of pounds in interest and you can choose to reduce |
| Save money by Buying in the Sales | | | | the term of your mortgage as well. Imagine paying |
| Clothes we all agree are cheaper if bought during | | | | your mortgage off two or three years early. If you |
| shop sales. It's possible to save a hundred pounds or | | | | paid £500 per month and you were to |
| more on a designer evening dress or a suit or any | | | | overpay your mortgage and you paid it off three |
| other type of clothing. Sometimes we just need to | | | | years earlier you will save £18,000 plus the |
| be patient and not be impulsive when deciding to buy | | | | interest you would not be paying in the last three |
| items. Slowly, slowly catch a Bargain! Have a look in | | | | years. This saving could ultimately be worth around |
| the charity shops. You will be amazed at the designer | | | | £21,000. |