subscribe feed

Archive for the ‘Advice’ Category

Debt Management Plans

Friday, May 7th, 2010

There are various debt management plans available, all of which can be a great help to those that are struggling with money.
One way to deal with money, probably best suited for people who are not quite in debt but are struggling about ending up there, is to look closely at all the monthly outgoings are see where money can be saved. It might be a good idea to then take a certain amount of money out of your bank account every month (the best way is by standing order) and deposit it in a high interest bank account. This will mean that there is always an account of ‘safety’ money that will be available in an emergency –for example if you do end up struggling in debt in the future, or if there happens to be a month where there are more outgoings that usual, for example.

Some debt management plans are more technical, and are suited to those who are already in debt and need to find a way to get out of it. One of these methods is debt consolidation –putting all your debts together in one monthly outgoing, and planning it so it is only as much as you can afford each month. Another option is an IVA, which works in a similar way, but is a form of insolvency. The IVA also includes paying off a small amount every month, and will end after five years, whether all the money is paid off or not.

The best way to deal with debt, and to get out of the red and become solvent again, is to look into these programmes and see which are most suitable for you. Contact one of the many debt advisory companies via telephone or email in order to talk over your options with a financial expert, and you could have a debt management plan set up within just a couple of minutes.

How to Cut Your Grocery Bill – Step One of Lowering Your Expenses

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Through these tough economic times, there are certain things that we can do to reduce the impact on our finances. One of these things is to avoid the rise in expenses that often comes with an increase in the prices of everyday items. One of these everyday items that you must shop for week after week includes groceries at the supermarket.

There are certain people, like myself, that have been able to reduce the grocery bill by half by becoming aware of the prices throughout other stores, taking advantage of methods to lower the prices and choosing when to shop. Here are some the habits that you should take into account while trying to lower your grocery bill:

Become an informed shopper. Each week the prices fluctuate from store to store, but being aware of the average price of an item, the lowest price of an item and the highest price that you have seen for items you regularly buy can be an effective way to save money. Research through the ads that come out on a weekly basis to determine the prices and find the best sales.

Use coupons. There are many places where you can use coupons and combine these coupons with the sale price of an item to receive this item for free, or almost free. Take advantage of coupons that are sent directly from the manufacturer, as well as coupons which are available through the internet, magazines and newspapers.

When something is a low price, or almost frees, stock up! In the case that you find an item for cheap and are sure that it is not going to be this inexpensive for long, stock up – as this will save you money when it comes to the next month of groceries when you don’t have to purchase this item.