Shopping on a budget… how to save money when you’re shopping

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If you’re planning a shopping trip this weekend, whether it’s to the supermarket, clothes store or online, before you do anything else make sure you read these quick tips to help you save some pennies when you’re next out shopping.

Below we share with you our top four tips to help you cut the cost of shopping:

#1 Quickly compare

Whether you’re shopping online or doing it in store, it’s easy to compare prices and ensure you’re getting the best deal possible.

If you’re online head over to a comparison site such as PriceRunner, enter the name of the product you’re about to buy and let it search for the same item at a cheaper price.

You can also do this if you’re in a store with your smartphone. There are hundreds of apps available that allow you to scan the barcode of a product you’re about to buy and then see if it’s cheaper online. Continue reading →

Kerry Katona Payday Loan Television Ad Banned

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Kerry Katona Payday Loan Television Ad BannedA television advert promoting payday loans has been banned by the Advertising Standards Agency for being irresponsible. The advert features Kerry Katona, a former pop star who was made bankrupt.

The advert by Cash Lady which is a brand of PDB UK Ltd features Katona saying: ‘We’ve all had money troubles at some point, I know I have. You could see your bank and fill in loads of forms, but is there an easier way to get a loan… So if you need extra cash go to www.cashlady.co.uk. Fast cash for fast lives.’

29 People complained about the advert and the ASA upheld the complaints stating that it focused on Katona’s money troubles and encouraged people in similarly poor financial situations to borrow money when this probably isn’t the best approach. Continue reading →

Debt problems soaring? – How can an IVA be of any help?

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As per the reports by The Guardian, on average, each of the UK families is said to owe almost £8,000 in unsecured credit. If the current numbers are compared to that of the previous quarter, it would be seen that the debts have soared by 50% at the most. This form of unsecured debt problems has led to negativity amongst the people, and most of them are said to believe that they would not live to see themselves debt free ever again.

The unsecured debt problem and IVA

While secured credit in any form is considered to be one of the safest options for one and all, unsecured credit from the beginning has been considered to be the time bomb, ticking away with all its’ might. So, it is always wise of you to control the way in which you have been using our credit cards and any of the other unsecured accounts. Now, what if you already find yourself in an unsecured debt problem?

The Individual Voluntary Arrangement or IVA is as one of the apt alternatives to bankruptcy. It is one of the legal agreements between you and the creditors. As per this agreement, your creditors are required to accept a lowered amount with regards to the debt which is owed by you. So, in UK, you can take the advantage of the IVA so as to repay your debts and also avoid filing bankruptcy. IVA in general is looked over by an insolvency practitioner. Continue reading →

What does a PPI compensation payment consist of?

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There is much more to a PPI compensation payment than you might at first think. The level of compensation you get is not just based on how much you paid the bank in the first place for the payment protection insurance, but also takes into account any of the interest that you would have earnt on that money since then.

This means that if you took out a credit card or loan ten years ago and had to pay PPI on it, you will have not only the total amount that was spent on the policy, but also ten years’ worth of interest on that amount. When you think of it this way, it becomes clear that making a PPI claim is an excellent idea from a financial perspective.

The interest factor is one of the reasons that the costs for banks have risen so much. Not only have the institutions had to pay back the original amount that they took from customers, but they also need to pay for the interest on top of that. Then there are the thousands of extra staff that have been employed, both here in the UK and abroad, in order to deal with the volume of claims. Those staff need computers, phones, office space and so on, which adds even more on top of that original amount. Continue reading →

Save Money On Grocery Bills

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Save Money On Grocery BillsIf grocery bills are taking too large a portion of your monthly budget, there are some effective steps you can take in order to save money without skimping on the quality of foods you enjoy or feeling deprived. Keeping these tips in mind when you shop for grocery items can mean some extra dollars in your pocket at the end of every month.

Make it a point to never go to the grocery store when you are hungry or have an empty stomach. Your willpower will be at its lowest point and you are likely to wind up making quite a few spontaneous purchases. It’s also important to review what’s in your pantry at home and make up a list prior to grocery shopping so that you don’t buy extra products of something you already have purchased a few weeks earlier and need to use. Don’t purchase the first item you see on the shelf but take the time to compare prices from among two or three competing brands. Try the lowest price generic brand at least once to see if it meets with your approval because the most expensive brand isn’t necessarily the one that tastes better. Continue reading →

Money Saving Tips for Students

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Money Saving Tips for StudentsAttending university can be a daunting prospect for recent college graduates. The thought of moving out of the family home, standing on your own two feet and managing your own finances can seem like a mammoth task, especially with the cost of living continually rising year on year. In this article we’ll look at the top 4 ways you can start saving money right away.

Get a student discount card

NUS Extra cards cost £12 but offer you discounts from a huge range of stores, both online and in the high street, all year round. The amount you save varies but usually it’s around 10-20% but can sometimes go as high 50% off the total price. Take a look at the website for more information – http://www.nus.org.uk/en/nus-extra/ Continue reading →

Payday Lenders Could Have Their Licenses Revoked

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The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has today warned that a handful of payday lenders could have their credit licenses revoked because of unacceptable and aggressive debt collection tactics.

The OFT has announced that it has written to all 240 of the registered payday lenders it has on its list as operating in the UK payday loan market, to tell them about their individual failings as part of their review into the payday lending industry.

The OFT has requested that the lenders consider how they collect debts from customers, especially concerning CPA (continuous payment authority), which allows them to take money out of peoples accounts at will.

The full report from the review into the short term lending industry is due to be published in early 2013. As of yet firms facing formal investigations have not been named. It is also unknown at this time how many face investigation.  Continue reading →

How To Save Money On Your Credit Card Bills

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The modern world has brought about many great advancements that exist simply to make our lives easy on a day to day basis; this none more so than credit cards.

Credit cards provided a way for people to easily and conveniently make purchases without having to worry about carrying cash on them at all times. This convenience unfortunately comes at a price though. In this article we’ll look at ways you can save money on your credit card bills.

1. Exercise Caution When Consolidating

Credit card providers love to make it easy to switch over to them from their rivals. Wherever you look you’re sure to see fantastic offers on interest-free balance transfer, sometimes over 12 months or if you’re lucky over 16. But as with most things in life, if it seems too good to be true then it generally is. Continue reading →