If you’re struggling to make ends meet, it’s only natural to turn to friends and family members for help by asking to borrow money. In fact, one TikTok user has gone viral as she revealed she now shares a bank account – with a friend.

But is it ever wise to lend or borrow money in this way? We explore the benefits and (very serious) pitfalls of unofficial lending, as well as provide some tips on how you can make sure both you and your friend or family member is protected if something goes wrong.

Read on to find out more, or click on the links below to go straight to that section.

• How much do people lend?
• The advantages of lending and borrowing among friends and family
• The cons – and the con artists
• What about shared bank accounts with friends?
• The legalities – and resources that can help
• Other assistance that is available

How Much Do People Lend?

Lending money to friends and family is more common than you might think. A third of people in the UK are currently owed money by friends and family, according to research by Starling Bank.

The amount being lent out by friends and family is not small change, either – 35% have lent more than £500 according to the survey of 2,000 UK adults.

Nearly one in four (23%) are owed more than £1,000, 10% have handed over £5,000 or more, and 6% have lent upwards of £10,000.

The Advantages 

Broaching the subject of gifting or loaning money to family may be embarrassing, but according to a recent survey of 3,000 people by Hodge Bank, many people actually get a kick out of helping their friends and family with money, with 58% of over-75s saying they liked to lend their loved ones money.

Of course, you don’t have to be a financial wizard to work out why people might want to borrow money from the ‘Bank of Grandma and Grandad’ (or the ‘Bank of Bob from Work’, for example).

Clearly, your friends and family are a lot more likely to give you some help towards bills than a bank ever is. Getting a loan is a bureaucratic nightmare, and unless a bank is confident that it will easily recoup its money, it’s not going to lend you a penny.

This preference for wealthier clients by the big banks is why those who are struggling often have to turn to ‘pay day’ loans, or even loan sharks.

Of course, if you aren’t considered a risk by the banks, they’ll happily give you a loan at a far more-reasonable rate than a rapacious pay day loan provider. But the terms are still unlikely to be anywhere near as generous as you’d get from friends and family.

Exorbitant rates

According to MoneyNerd, the average interest rate on a personal loan taken out in October 2022 with a two-year repayment was 10.16%, although many lenders charge much more, with rates as high as 36% or above.

The amount you are charged will depend on a number of factors, including your personal credit score, and your collateral (i.e. the amount of money/property the bank could theoretically seize if you fail to keep up with installments).

For help working out how much money you could realistically hope to borrow through official channels, see here.

The Cons – and the Con Artists

Needless to say, lending or borrowing money from friends and relatives isn’t without risks – for both parties.

Most ‘lenders’ are not particularly wealthy, according to Starling Bank, whose study found that a third of people who have lent money to friends and family are low-earners (i.e. on an annual salary of less than £20,000), while only 11% are higher earners, on £70,000 plus.

Embarrassment and anxiety

What’s more, two thirds of lenders told the bank that they felt either too “awkward and embarrassed” or too “anxious” to ask for money back that they’re rightfully owed, while a third of respondents (32%) said they had to ask two or more times for the money to repaid.

As Starling Bank’s chief banking officer, Helen Bieton, pointed out: “Talking about money with friends and family can be awkward, but letting debts rack up can take a toll on relationships and our own financial wellbeing.”

She added that “nearly one in five (17%) started to resent their debtors and 11% avoided making plans with them in the future”.

“When they weren’t paid back as swiftly as they would have liked, more than a quarter of people in the UK (27%) got annoyed, 8% got angry or had an argument with the person who owes them [money], and 3% ended up in a physical fight.”

Difficulties saying “no”

Of course, the easiest way to avoid such potential disputes is to just say no. However, this is easier said than done.

In July, a study from the short-term lending service Moneyboat revealed that the average Briton loses over £500 a year due to this inability to assert themselves with friends and family.

As Elizabeth Richie, a psychotherapeutic counsellor at St Andrews Healthcare, explained: “Expectations from friends and family can blur the lines when we want to say no! This may include fear of being judged, fear of being selfish.”

Richie, who helped Moneyboat with the study, said that it is crucial to set boundaries and be mindful of the fact that “we cannot control other people’s responses to us”.

“The ability or inability to say no often stems from our childhood. We will struggle to say no when we are constantly seeking approval, we will find it easier to say no when we have experienced healthy attachments in early life and have acquired a healthy identity from our early caregivers.

“Ultimately being able to say no at the right time reduces stress levels, and gives you time to prioritise what is important for you and to be more discerning about your own needs and self-care without feeling bad.”

Could your friend be a loan shark?

There are, however, far greater risks involved with casual borrowing than just hurt feelings, as Jackie Spencer, the senior policy manager at the Money and Pensions Service, explained: “Another thing to be cautious about is borrowing money from someone you know casually, such as a colleague or a friend.

“It might seem like a good solution, but you should consider how much you really know them, as they might be a loan shark who lends money illegally and the loan could cost you more than you think.

“They target people who need to borrow money and can’t access it from legal sources and may resort to intimidation and even violence if you can’t keep up with repayments.”

To help prevent this, she stressed that any informal loan should be put in writing, and recommended people read this guide on how to spot a potential loan shark.

Other issues to consider

While it can be tempting to ask friends or relatives to lend you money, you need to think about not only whether you can afford to repay the loan but what might happen if you can’t.

People thinking of borrowing from friends and family really ought to draw up a budget using a resource like this, just like someone would do before approaching a bank for a loan.

“This will help you see how much money you have left for repayments and if you can actually afford it,” said Spencer.

“You should also consider the risk that this could harm or even end the relationship if the money is not repaid. It’s stressful enough if you can’t afford to pay back what you owe, but it can be even worse when you’re leaving a loved one out of pocket.

“If you’re not sure whether you should borrow from a friend or family member, there are other credit options – even if you have a poor credit rating and if you’re struggling with debts, there is help available through our MoneyHelper service.”

What to do if you are approached for a loan you can’t afford

It can be hard to refuse when a friend, partner or family member asks for financial help, but you should consider whether you can cope with the impact of not having the loan repaid. Take the time to work out your own budget before lending to anyone.

If your money is currently in savings, you’ll need to bear in mind that removing a large chunk of this will affect the interest you make each month.

What About Shared Bank Accounts with Friends?

As the cost of living hits us all, more and more people are considering setting up shared bank accounts with friends. Much like in a couple, they pay in part of their salary each month and use it to pay bills if they live together, or to save towards a shared goal like a holiday. So, instead of lending each other money back and forth (we’ve all asked for an extra tenner here and there from our best mate), their spending comes from the shared account.

A new viral trend on TikTok, shared bank accounts are being touted as a way to find accountability in your spending, as someone else can see everything you spend.

While sharing a bank account for housemates to pay bills together might be useful, it comes with big pitfalls. The funds aren’t protected – so anyone named on the account can take the whole lot at any time. In the example of TikTokker Caitlin above, she and her friend don’t always pay in equal amounts either, as sometimes one earns more than the other. This is the highest level of trust, because anyone in this situation could run off with the money they haven’t earned!

More than that, if your friend has a terrible credit score, or they put your joint account into debt, your credit rating will be ruined, too.

Joint savings accounts can work better and some banks recognise this. Monzo has a shared saving account that helps friends save together into one pot for a specific event like a holiday or hen do. However, the funds are still there for anyone to spend and your credit rating is now linked to the people named on the account.

If you want an accountability buddy to help control your spending in tight times, you could always set a weekly date to meet with your friend and go through your bank statements together. This will make sure you know someone else is going to look at your spending, helping you to curb impulse and unnecessary expenditure, without risking your funds being withdrawn by someone else.

The Legalities – and Resources That Can Help

If you are able to help a friend or relative in need, it’s still wise to take some legal precautions to safeguard both you and your loved one in case of unforeseen circumstances.

As Spencer from the Money and Pensions Service pointed out, it’s a good idea to put your agreement in writing so both parties were aware of exactly how much will repaid and when. “It’s also important to keep records of when repayments are made, so you both know how much is still outstanding.

“Having an agreement in place can protect you in unforeseen circumstances as well, such as if the borrower died with the debt unpaid as you’d need proof to claim from their estate.”

Legal templates

You can find lots of free template agreements online that both parties can sign and keep.

LawDepot has a very easy-to-follow, one-page form that should leave both sides in no doubts as to what was lent, and to whom. You can download it here.

Things to consider in any agreement 

The team at Hodge Bank has some great advice on things to consider before lending to friends and family. For instance, they suggest you should include details such as “a time frame for when the sum is expected to be paid back by, any interest (if applicable) and any consequences for missed payments – you may choose to set a fixed penalty or an interest charge for example.”

The bank also tells would-be lenders to consider things like collateral, adding: “If your friend or family member has anything of worth, this can be a good way to ensure your money will be returned to you.

“If your money was in savings prior to the loan, it may be a good idea to charge at least as much interest as it’d earn in savings to make sure that you don’t lose out. This will also ensure that the loan is seen as a loan and not a gift.”

Tax implications

Another issue many people overlook is the tax implication. If there’s interest being added to the repayment amount, you really ought to inform HMRC and fill out a self-assessment form as, depending on your income, the interest on any repayments may be liable for tax. Obviously, if you’re not charging interest, you won’t need to tell HMRC and, instead, just need to keep a detail of the loan and repayment amounts, in case you’re challenged about where the money came from.

Of course, it’s worth pointing out that many relatives (especially older ones) loan out money on the understanding that they probably won’t need it to be repaid.

It’s worth pointing out, however, that if the lender dies within seven years of giving the money away, the recipient may have to pay inheritance tax on it. For more information about inheritance tax, read our guide on estate planning.

What to do if there’s a dispute 

When lending to family and friends, there’s always the chance that they might not pay you back. If this happens, the first step is to talk to them and find out why this is. It may be due to something simple like a change in personal circumstances or other reasons beyond their control.

If the issue is due to a lack of funds, you should try to come to an agreement to amend the payment schedule or increase the length of the loan-period. If your friend or family member is being difficult and there’s a signed agreement in place, you can always seek legal action, if necessary.

For sums below £5,000, you have the option of taking the issue to a small claims court. For larger amounts, you may need to seek legal advice on how best to proceed.

Other help out there

If you or your loved ones are struggling financially, you really should try to reduce any debts and do everything you can to consolidate your finances before complicating the situation with yet more IOUs.

Charities like Christians Against Poverty give free help and advice to people struggling to keep their head above water financially – irrespective of their religion.

Its advisers should be able to help you cut your budget and get lenders off your back.

They work very closely with local Council Tax and Business Rates’ enforcement departments to create more-manageable payment plans for people who’ve fallen behind and are racking up court fees and penalty notices.

They also help arrange Individual Voluntary Arrangements, Protected Trust Deeds and Debt Relief Orders to clear any money you owe private businesses.

The charity has helped more than 20,000 become debt-free since 2010 alone, so they know what they’re doing.

You could also try Citizens Advice or Turn2us, who can not only provide some advice on clearing debts and dealing with angry lenders, but could also point you in the direction of benefits or other assistance you may not know you are eligible for.

More information

If you are struggling during the current cost-of-living crisis, you may find the following articles of use:

• 9 quick ways to organise your finances
• Mental health and money: How to stop debt overwhelming you

MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of lending or borrowing money should conduct their own due diligence. 

The post Is it wise to lend or borrow money from friends and family? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Here’s the 8 money questions to ask yourself!

• Am I Financially Prepared for an Emergency?
• Do I Spend More Than I Earn?
• What is My Credit Card Balance?
• How Much Debt Do I Have?
• Am I Paying More For Anything Than I Need to Be?
• What Happens to a Mortgage If You Split?
• Should I be Investing on the Stock Market?
• Is Paying for a Warranty Worth It?
• More Money Questions

Am I Financially Prepared for an Emergency?

If 2023 has taught us anything it’s the importance of being prepared for an emergency! It’s hard to know exactly what you will need until the time comes, but 3 – 6 months of necessary spending is a good guide. You need the money to be in an easily accessible savings account, ready for when you need it.

However, it’s a fine line between having enough and putting too much in there. Interest rates on savings accounts are shockingly low at the moment. In fact, interest rates are lower than the rate of inflation, so if you over-inflate your emergency fund, your money will slowly be losing value instead.

As well as having an emergency fund, do you have an asset you could borrow against if you had to? It’s not always as an ideal solution, but it can save you from the larger cost of getting a personal loan or using high-interest credit cards.

Do I Spend More Than I Earn?

You may think you don’t, but there are a shocking number of Brits who regularly spend more than they earn. According to research by the Office for National Statistics, on average each UK household spent £900 more than they received in income in 2017 alone. The problem for many people is that they’re simply unaware of how much they’re spending!

Due to cards and contactless, it is so easy to lose track of how much you’ve spent. The best way is to create a regular habit of checking your bank statements and monitoring where your money goes. Take some time to sit down with your accounts and face reality. How much do you actually earn? Once all your living costs have been taken out, how much do you have left? Create a budget and stick to it! Your finances dictate the lifestyle you can afford to have, not the other way around.

what is My credit card balance? (and what are the interest rates on it?)

Credit cards are great when they’re used properly, but they have made it far too easy for us to overspend without a second thought! Only purchase something on a credit card if you know you’ll have the funds at the end of the month to pay it off. However, life sometimes does throw surprises our way. There may be a month when, for some reason, you might not be able to pay the balance off in full. In preparation for this, make sure you’re aware of your credit card interest rates, how much it’ll cost you, and always use the card with the lowest APR if you might not be able to pay the full sum.

Remember to monitor you balance carefully to make sure you’re staying on top of payments. Find out more on how to use credit cards to build your credit score here.

how much debt do I have? And How to Pay It Off

Debt can be overwhelming and if you don’t stay on top of it it can easily spiral. When asked, a lot of people tend to underestimate how much debt they really have by 25%. UK citizens actually owed £1.6 billion in debt at the end of January 2020. While the average debt total (including mortgages) per adult was £31,845, higher than the average annual income.

Prioritise your debts by paying off the ones with the highest interest rates first, or think about applying for a debt consolidation loan. Check out our article How to Stop Debt Overwhelming You for more information, and see what MoneyMagpie founder, Jasmine, has to say about paying off debt below:

Am I Paying More For Anything Than I Need to Be?

Recurring expenses are something that we don’t think about often. They just come out of our account automatically without us ever paying much real attention to them. Meaning plenty of us are left paying for products and subscriptions long after we still need them, simply because we forget to cancel.

Go through your accounts carefully and question every expense. If you’re not using something anymore, or not using it enough – cancel! You’ll obviously still have things you’ll need to continue paying for, like insurance. But it’s always worth negotiating with your provider to try and get a better deal. Never simply auto renew a policy – you can almost always get it cheaper.

What Happens to a Mortgage If You Split?

Sadly, many people who do get mortgages together, whether friends or partners, do end up going separate ways. Knowing your options in advance can help you to prepare for the worst case scenario, as managing a mortgage in a break up is no small feat.

The key thing to remember is you’re both liable for all repayments. A mortgage provider doesn’t care about your personal life, so just because your partner is no longer paying their share it doesn’t mean they’ll let you only pay half. If you fall behind on repayments it will negatively impact both your credit scores.

The options you have are:

• Sell the house – Pay off whatever remains of your mortgage and split the rest of the money. If you’re in negative equity (when the value of your house falls below your mortgage balance), then you’ll have to divide the outstanding debt between you.
• Buy the other partner out – If you can afford to, one of you could buy out the other. However, you will have to prove to your lender that you can afford to continue the repayments on your own.
• Keep a stake in the property – Buying a proportion of your partner’s stake is an option if you can’t afford to buy their whole share. This way, one of you would own most of the property but the other could keep a stake in the home. They’d also be entitled to a percentage of the value if the house is sold at a later date.

Find out more about how to handle this situation in the video below:

Check out How to Prepare for a Post-Lockdown Divorce for more details, too.

Should I be Investing on the Stock Market?

This is one of the money questions we hear a lot, and the simple answer is yes. Everyone who can afford to do so should be investing – even if it’s just £10 a month. Really, investing is the best way to save for the long term. Interest rates on savings accounts are shockingly low so investing is the only real way to see a return on your money.

To a beginner, the stock market can seem overwhelming and rather daunting. How do you get started, or even know what to do? Read 7 Investment Tips for Stock Market Beginners for all the help you’ll need on making the first step.

Is Paying for a Warranty Worth it?

You’ve bought something nice and new and you want to protect it – that’s completely fair. The trouble is, a lot of warranties don’t actually give you that much for your money. In some cases you might get a couple of extra years, but we’ve found cases where an extended warranty cost over half the price of the product itself. And you may never end up using the warranty!

Instead, if you have contents insurance, check whether your items will be covered on that policy. What’s the excess? It’s often cheaper than the cost of a warranty. It’s always worthwhile checking as there’s no point paying to cover the same thing twice.

Also, if you are considering paying extra for a warranty check with the manufacturer and retailer first. Many manufacturers guarantee their products for a minimum of 12 months, with some up to 2 or 3 years and plenty of retailers often have their own guarantees as well.

Jasmine tells you what she thinks about paying for warranties in the video below.

More Money Questions

If you have even more money questions, why not head over to our messageboards where you can ask away and also find plenty of help from fellow readers.

Or check out one of our detailed articles answering different questions below:

• Do You Need Income Protection Insurance?
• Should You Invest in Penny Shares?
• Should I Save or Pay Off Debt? How to Decide
• Are Consolidation Loans Worth It?

*This is not financial or investment advice. Remember to do your own research and speak to a professional advisor before parting with any money.

The post 8 Money Questions You Should Know the Answers To appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

That’s why it’s the perfect time to get your finances sorted. Each day of Twixmas (the time between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day), take action on just one thing to do with your money – and you’ll set yourself up for a richer year next year. Promise!

Here’s your Twixmas finance checklist to make sure you’re getting set up for a smooth financial year to come…

1. Compare and Switch
2. Check Your Pension Status
3. Earn Money for Nothing
4. Look for Bank and Mortgage Switch Deals
5. Shift Your Savings
6. Learn About Investing
7. Boost Your Credit Score Instantly
8. More Money Tips

Compare and switch

Now’s the best time of year to check for special deals on everything from house insurance to energy tariffs. It’s a time-consuming exercise – which makes it an ideal way to pass the time during the weird non-time between Christmas and New Year.

It doesn’t have to take AGES, either. If you plan your strategy, you could save hundreds of pounds (or even thousands!) in just one day.

1. Write down everything that needs an annual renewal – pet/car/house insurance, mobile phone contracts, healthcare premiums – plus utilities like broadband and energy
2. Check when each is due for renewal. Any that aren’t due within the next month – set a calendar reminder to compare and switch at least 30 days before the contract ends.
3. Use online tools and  to suppliers directly for quotes, too – sometimes you’ll get a better offer
4. Look for deals via cashback sites – it could save you hundreds of pounds if you go via Topcashback or Quidco
5. Check the best quote you get against your current provider’s quote – if it’s lower, go to your existing supplier to see if you can get it matched or even reduced.

Setting reminders for contracts that renew later in the year will help you stay organised – and stop you running onto expensive ‘out of deal’ contracts (such as broadband doubling in price after your introductory offer ends). Once you know which comparison tools and cashback sites you like to use, it’ll also be easier to quickly switch throughout the year as each contract comes up for renewal.

Check your pension status

Do you know how much is in your pension pot? Where is it invested? Could you save thousands of pounds by consolidating your pensions?

We all ignore pensions to a certain degree. It’s easy to forget about them – it’s just something that goes out of the monthly paycheque, for many of us. However, as you move jobs it’s easy to lose track of old pension pots. Track them down and take a look at the fees charged. It could be time to move older pots into one main one!

We’ve got our FREE pension guide that’ll help you arrange a comfortable retirement no matter if you’re in your 20s, 30s, or nearing your 60s with retirement on the horizon. Download the guide HERE and spend time reading through. We’ve written it together with our trusted partners, PensionBee, so you can rest assured that the content is not only useful – but trusted (and there’s even a section on pension scams to watch out for, too!).

Earn Money for Nothing

If you’ve not set up passive income streams before, it’s really easy! And now’s a great time to do it – in just a few minutes, you could net yourself a few hundred pounds by next Christmas without doing much at all!

For example, signing up to the Ipsos Mori app nets you up to £130 a year for surfing the web – and you don’t have to do anything different to your usual web browsing. Market researchers need valuable user behaviour information like this – and trusted companies like Ipsos will pay you for it. Read more about earning by surfing the web here.

You could also make the most of refer-a-friend offers with your favourite retailers, cashback sites, and even energy supplier. For example, Bulb offers a refer-a-friend incentive of £25 for both you and a friend when they sign up from your link. Topcashback also runs regular incentives – wait for their special promotional periods and you and a friend could net up to £25 each! Refer a few friends each year and you’re looking at a couple of hundred pounds in your bank account for doing nothing!

Finally, it’s not QUITE doing nothing – but if you while away the hours on survey sites like InboxPounds, you could easily boost your side income to a tidy pot without leaving the sofa!

There are plenty of ways to get free money – read our guide on Ten Ways to Get Free Money for more ideas.

Look for Bank and Mortgage Switching Deals

One way to boost your Twixmas finances is to look around for banking deals. It could take a little longer than usual this year, as Brexit means we’re all a little unsure of what lies ahead – so banks could delay their bank switch incentives. However, it’s always worth shopping around to see if you could earn up to £100 just for switching your current account!

While we’re talking about switching banks and saving money, if you’ve got a mortgage that’s coming to the end of its fixed term, now’s definitely a good time to shop around. Look for a new mortgage deal that makes the most of the historically low interest rates on offer at the moment – and consider locking it in for a few years if you can. A lot of banks also bundle offers together such as mortgages, better savings rates, and home and contents insurance. Spend your Twixmas doing a few sums to see if it’s worth remortgaging to a new deal (remember – fees could make it too expensive to be worth it) and see if you could save by bundling your household expenses together in this way, too.

Shift Your Savings

Do you know how much your savings earn in your ISA? Or your easy access savings account? It’s shockingly low!

Research the best savings accounts around and shift your cash across. If you’ve only got the one easy access savings account, look at how much of that you actually need as an instant emergency buffer – and how much you could tuck away for longer. Fixed-term and limited access savings accounts often offer higher interest rates than instant-access accounts.

If you’re on Universal Credit or certain other benefits, you could also be eligible for the Help to Save account. This lets you pay in £50 a month for four years maximum, and the Government tops your highest balance with a 50% bonus. That means that, if you save the full £50 a month for four years, you could save £2,400 yourself – and bag £1,200 free money as a bonus! Read more about Help to Save here.

You could also look at other options for savings, such as apps that sweep pennies into a saving pot. They round up your spending to the nearest pound (or fiver, or whatever you choose) and ‘sweep’ those extra pennies into a savings pot. For example, if you spend £3.49, a total of £5 leaves your bank account: £3.49 for your purchase, and 51p into your savings account. It’s a really easy way to make small differences add up to large savings.

Learn about investing

Jasmine runs investing webinars for beginners – a great place to start! Investing isn’t a scary word – and it’s something EVERYONE should think about doing. It’s especially important right now as cash savings accounts are paying little to no interest at all. (Keep an eye out on our Facebook and Twitter feeds for announcements about the next investing webinar from Jasmine).

Investing does come with some risk, yes – but if you keep all your cash in a savings account with below-inflation interest rates, you’re GUARANTEED to be losing money in real terms. The £100 you put in this year might only be worth £97 or even £90 in a few months’ time!

Learning how to invest doesn’t mean you need to scan the stock market every day and understand what’s going on in the FTSE and global markets. Of course, if you want to do that (and have capital you can afford to risk), that’s great! However, you can start small with things like a stocks and shares ISA – they come with pre-selected fund groups depending on your risk appetite. You’re still more likely (though, of course, not guaranteed) to see better returns than if you leave your cash in an easy-access savings account.

Other ways to invest include options like Hyperjar. Here, you’re essentially investing in retailers. You put your money into ‘pots’ that earn a 4.8% bonus for that retailer. If you do this for retailers you’d usually buy from – such as grocery shops or Shell for fuel – you’re getting more for your cash! It’s entirely risk-free ‘investing’ too, as if you need the cash you can take it back at any time (just without the 4.8% bonus).

Boost Your Credit Score

Your credit score could be languishing and you might not even realise it! When did you last check your credit report? Do you know what your score is – and whether it’s in good shape or not?

Checking your credit report is the first step to better finances – it’s easy to do and is a great way to pass the dull Twixmas time. You’ll be able to see any challenges on your report – such as late payments, defaults, or even credit that’s fraudulently taken out in your name.

Traditionally, building your credit score takes months or even years. Anyone with serious debt or bankruptcy will know just how long it can take to recover to a point where it’s easy to borrow credit – or get a mortgage – again. However, that’s because credit agencies haven’t taken into account our changes in spending in recent years – until now.

Experian Boost lets you use your existing spending to instantly boost your credit score by up to 66 points. It’s free to use and – importantly – it won’t damage your credit score at all. So, how does this work? Well, Experian realised people pay regular bills all the time – Netflix, Spotify, Council Tax – that aren’t used by credit reference agencies. However, these agreements you have can help prove that you’re responsible with your money – and establish a credit history.

So, Experian Boost uses Open Banking software to check through your bank accounts for these regular payments. If it spots them, it can use them to increase your credit score! It’s entirely risk-free, won’t damage your credit report AND could help you improve your credit score fast. Find out more in this article.

More Money Tips

• We’re all about saving, investing, and making extra cash here at MoneyMagpie. Try these articles next to inspire you to make a financial New Year’s Resolution or two!
• Ten Ways to Get Free Money
• Make Money BitCoin Mining
• Top 20 Tips for Running Your Own Business
• Earn £100 in an Afternoon!
• Make Money on Your Doorstep with Shepper 

*This is not financial or investment advice. Remember to do your own research and speak to a professional advisor before parting with any money.

The post Fill Your Twixmas Time for a Richer New Year! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Bearing this in mind, Nick Drewe, has provided his roundup of tips on how to shop smart and avoid wasting money this Boxing Day.

Know what you want

MoneyMagpie founder Jasmine Birtle’s agrees massively with this one and wants to emphasise that:

As with any sales event, Boxing Day is going to be made up of countless offers on items that you simply don’t need. And so, the best way to avoid becoming distracted by all these deals is to have a pre-prepared list of all the items you intend to buy on the day, and that you will actually use or benefit from once purchased. Setting yourself a financial budget – to avoid spending your entire monthly pay before January even arrives – would also be sensible.

If you are shopping online, it’s wise to save the items that you’d like to purchase to your cart the night before. What’s more, websites such as ASOS have boards where you can save items, so it’s important to use these to narrow down what you really need. Taking these steps in the run up to Boxing Day will make your shopping experience a lot easier and increase your chances of securing your most desired bargains.

Do compare deals

Look at product guarantees

Web tools like CamelCamelCamel will give you insight on how much Amazon products have been sold for previously. PriceRunner is also an excellent tool if you want to target wider retail coverage. If you find that your product has been advertised at the same price before, then flag it as a low priority for your Boxing Day shopping.

Don’t always trust the sales terminology

Similarly, it’s important to take all sales terminology you come across with a pinch of salt. A classic term to watch out for is ‘price promise’. When it comes to matching prices, it’s important to know that John Lewis does not match another retailer unless it has a store presence.

As well as this, be wary of products that are advertised with ‘was prices’, e.g. ‘was £70’. Research by Which? reveals that retailers sometimes use old RRPs (recommended retail prices) as ‘was’ prices, meaning they reflect the value of the item when it was first released and not its current value. Also, Amazon displays every single price reduction as a discount – even if the price drop is as little as 1p.

Keep an eye out on social media and emails

Flash sales and discounts tend to get advertised on social media, so make sure you are following all of your favourite retailers in the run up to Boxing Day. Brands such as PrettyLittleThing, Missguided and Boohoo do have a track record of making big sales announcements on their Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

To further ensure you don’t miss out on a great deal, sign up to the newsletters of your favourite retailers. These will send you email alerts of the latest sales updates, and there will even be a link which will take you straight onto the product page.

Spend as you earn

If you’re planning on carrying out some online Boxing Day shopping, sign up to cashback sites such as Quidco and Topcashback. These are free to use and offer deals of more than 4,000 retailers.

Likewise, if you are planning to make a big purchase, be sure to checkout with a credit card that will reward you on your spending – whether that’s in air miles or retail vouchers. When it comes to credit card purchases, remember to pay your balance off in full each month to avoid hefty interest fees and poor credit ratings.

Check the returns policy

If you’re not happy with the product(s) you buy, you must not delay when it comes to claiming your money back.

If you’ve bought something online, The Consumer Rights Act 2015 states you have 14 days to return an item you don’t want. For in-store purchases, you can return items for a refund or exchange only if your retailer has a returns policy, but almost all shops have one these days. During the festive season, many shops do tend to offer extended return periods, but again it’s best to check the policy of your chosen retailer.

Dealing with a faulty item? You have 30 days to get a full refund on this. However, you have longer than this if you’re happy to get a replacement or the item fixed, as shops have a requirement of six months to repair or replace faulty products.

To conclude Jasmine says “if there’s nothing you really need at the moment, and particularly if you overspent a bit at Christmas, I’d keep well away from the sales. You won’t be missing anything as there will be more sales to come through the year so don’t feel any FOMO about it! Just have a nice relaxing break and let other shoppers waste their money instead!” We think this is great advise.

The post Top Tips for the January Sales appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Here, we’ve pulled together a few ideas and resources that you can utilise to stop money worries taking over your life. Read on for a few suggestions… 

• Remember: There is No Shame in Debt 
• Read MoneyMagpie’s New Redundancy eBook 
• Draw Up a Budget
• Organise Your Debts 
• Consider Contract Work 
• Seek Debt Advice 

Remember that there is no shame in debt

Debt is something that we, as Brits, often feel uncomfortable talking about. The truth, though, is that if you do speak about it you’re likely to realise that more people than you expect are also negatively affected. And with COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, soaring inflation and the cost of living adding to our stresses, this situation is likely all too familiar to huge numbers of people. 

It’s important to realise that there is no shame in debt, that you’re not alone in it, and (mostly importantly) that it’s not a failure on your part. Realising these things is the first step in your journey to stopping debt overwhelming yourself. Read our guide about where to find free, confidential debt advice to seek professional help.

You can also see a counsellor if you’re struggling mentally – sometimes just talking to someone can help.

Read MoneyMagpie’s redundancy ebook 

If you’ve been made redundant as a result of the cost of living crisis, you might be worried about what happens next. How long will your redundancy payout last? Should you use this time to upskill? How should you go about looking for a new job in a time of social distancing and recurrent local lockdowns? 

In MoneyMagpie’s redundancy eBook, you’ll find a guide to the redundancy process, plus an action plan that will be helpful if you’ve found yourself in debt at the same time. The eBook also includes the difference between voluntary and compulsory redundancy, the financial support that you could be entitled to, and even some suggestions on how you could make extra money. Find out more and download your copy here.

Stop debt overwhelming you by drawing up a budget

Yes, a basic one – but one that’s important, nonetheless. If you’ve been in a well paid job, maybe you haven’t had to budget too much. Maybe those credit card bills were easy to pay back every month, without many constraints being put on your finances. 

Of course, if you’ve now been made redundant and are looking at having no income for a period of time, this may no longer be the case. The first step is to look at your regular outgoings, and consider cutting back on things that aren’t completely essential. Prioritise your bills and rent/mortgage, but also any debts that you have. At the very least, knowing exactly the amount that you need to cover your family’s expenses each month will get you on the front foot, avoiding you sliding further into debt and/or finding yourself becoming overwhelmed. 

Organise your debts

If you’ve got debts in a few different places, it can be hard to know which you should pay off first. The key to this, though, is knowing which debts are costing you the most money. You might be surprised to find that it’s not always the highest debt. In fact, a debt that initially seems lower might be costing you more due to the amount of interest that you could be paying on it. 

So, how should you go about this? First, work out how much each debt is costing you in terms of interest or other charges. Then list them, in descending order. You should pay off the most expensive debt first (required minimum payments aside, of course). As you make extra payments on the most expensive debt, you’ll reduce the amount it’s costing you. When this debt is paid off, move on to the second most expensive – and so on. It might seem counter intuitive to not pay off the largest debt first, but this is the method that will cost you the least in the long-term.

You might find that a consolidation loan will help reduce your interest payments and make it easier to control your budget. They’re not for everyone though, so read our guide on consolidation loans before deciding to opt for one.

Consider contract work 

If you’ve been made redundant from a stable job, your first instinct might be to jump right back into a permanent contract with an organisation immediately. With redundancies likely to increase in the coming months this will become a familiar story. 

There’s a chance that full-time, permanent roles might be harder to come by in the near future, though. You should be prepared for that to be the case, and to consider taking on shorter projects or contract roles. Contracts such as these can give you a stable income for a few weeks, months or a year, often with the same stability and benefits that you’d find in a full-time role. As the economy suffers, don’t dismiss short-term work. Look for recruiters in your industry that specialise, and make sure you’re on their books and that they’re working on your behalf. 

Stop debt overwhelming you by seeking debt advice 

As we’ve mentioned, discussing debt is something that we should all be doing more openly. Keeping quiet about it is a recipe to finding ourselves becoming overwhelmed. If you’re finding yourself worrying, or if you’d just like to speak to an expert, you should consider seeking out some free debt advice. We’ve written about this in our free debt advice guide. Seeking expert help is the first way to stop debt overwhelming you – we promise! 

Have you successfully dealt with debt and come out of the other side? Maybe you’re struggling with debt and want to discuss your experience or get advice from other Magpies? Either way, we’d love to hear from you. Chat to us over on the forums. 

Now read

There’s a bunch of info on MoneyMagpie to help you reduce your debts, tackle redundancy, and start saving your emergency fund. Read these articles next!

• Your Redundancy and Debt Action Plan
• Can I Pay My Debt with Equity Release?
• Small Business Ideas to Make Extra Money

The post How to Stop Debt Overwhelming You appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Time is crucial and when it comes to our health, that time is often something we don’t have. A week can literally be the difference between living and dying and with a health service on its knees, more and more people are feeling the need to turn to private healthcare to speed up the process. People are taking their health into their own hands. One in eight Britons used private healthcare in the last 12 months, with a further quarter considering it. For a third (33%) of those who used private healthcare in the last year, it was the first time they had ever done so.  This is of course not an option for all of us. But don’t totally write the idea off until you know the actual pricing: it is often not as high as people may guess. One service charging lower than expected amounts is Scan.com: an imaging service that promises a complimentary clinical consultation within two days and can offer a scan without a GP referral (something else which can slow down the process) in as little as 5 days.

Even the words “private healthcare” make my heart palpitate: horror stories of what procedures cost make a huge number of us feel priced out, or not even bother to look, or worry about cowboy operations offering cheap alternatives. Scan.com, however, is owned and run by experienced clinicians, and is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

If you’re struggling to get a scan referral via the traditional GP route, or want to skip the waiting lists, Scan.com have an expert clinical team to help. They’ll call you, listen to you, and refer you to a scanning centre of your choice in as little as 48 hours.

Partnered with over 150 scanning centres,  you can find an MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound scan near you no matter where you’re located.

Scan.com gives you the freedom to choose the type of scan you need, at a convenient location, with a price to suit your budget. For one affordable cost, they’ll take care of everything, from referral to results.

What they cover

All kinds of scan. That can be MRI, CT, Ultrasound, X-Ray and Open MRI for all kinds of purposes. Covering both diagnostic and preventative care, all scans are carried out by highly trained radiographers, while experienced radiologists examine and report on the results.

What they cost

As the UK’s largest scanning network, Scan.com’s pricing varies depending on the scan type, body area, and scanning centre location. They start from just £295 for a complete package of care, with no hidden costs.

How can you determine legitimate Private Healthcare providers?

“It’s important to do your homework when choosing a healthcare provider. We’re proud of our 4.5 star ‘Excellent’ Trustpilot rating, and CQC registration, because it shows people that they’re in safe hands when they choose Scan.com. We’ve scanned over 15,000 private patients, and are a trusted provider to the NHS as well. As clinicians ourselves, we know what the best possible care looks like and built Scan.com on those principles.” – Dr Lizzie Tuckey, Managing Director, Scan.com

Another method is by looking at legitimate reviews on trustpilot etc. Check what other people say about the service. We spoke to one anonymous customer of Scan.com who said that they literally saved her life. “After repeatedly being told for years I was too young for an MRI or to have a serious back injury by the GP, I decided to go through this service.The clinician, Emma, rang me straight away, referred me for the MRI and within a few days it was booked. After the MRI I was told I needed immediate surgery and it took the GP 12 hours to inform me of this whereas Emma rang me straight away and advised me to go to A&E and was really reassuring and supportive at an extremely difficult time. All the doctors at A&E told me how using this service was the best thing I ever did. Such a fast, efficient and useful service – honestly the best 300 pounds I ever spent. Would recommend this service to anyone over and over again”

Is it Easy to Book a Scan?

So easy! Follow these steps:

1.Enter the body part you need scanning and your postcode/town and you’ll be shown all available locations nearby.

The post Can We Afford Private Healthcare? Maybe with Scan.com appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

If you’re currently a student – or perhaps a parent of a student – you’ll probably recognise at least one of these student spender types, compiled by the award-winning digital bank, Kroo.

Which one are you? Let us know in the comments below.

• The Magician
• The Money Manager
• The Bill Avoider
• The Procrasti-Spender
• The Big Spender

The Magician 

We all know one. Someone who is somehow living that champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget while still making it through to their next student loan payment. How? I guess we’ll never know. A true magician never reveals their secrets…

One way to make your money go further, almost as if by magic, is by choosing a bank that provides a high-interest rate on your current or savings account.

The Money Manager

Where would we be without the one member of the student house or friend group that keeps everyone else in check? They set up the bills and make sure everyone knows exactly what they owe after that big night out. They are the master of organisation and bill splitting that we all need in our lives.

Being organised is vital for the Money Manager in the group, necessitating a well-functioning banking app with features like bill splitting and groups that keep everyone else in check.

The Bill Avoider

You know, the one that always manages to disappear to the bathroom when it’s their turn to buy the next round and whose phone mysteriously runs out of battery just as it comes time to order an Uber. We’ve lost track of how often they’ve said, ‘I’ll get the next one,’ but we love them anyway. We just wish they’d pay us back sometime soon.

Ensure you get your money back from a Bill Avoider by connecting with them directly through a banking app which allows you to request money from your friends at the touch of a button. No more awkward I.O.U texts or waiting months for that tenner!

The Procrasti-Spender

The Proscrasti-Spender can often be found burying their head in the sand by avoiding thinking about their finances at all costs. You know they haven’t checked their bank balance since their last student loan payment and couldn’t even tell you how much they have left, but they’ll deal with that later.

One way to show the Procrasti-Spender how easy it is to manage their finances is by introducing them to a digital banking app that makes viewing and assessing their spending habits as easy as scrolling through last night’s Snapchat story.

The Big Spender 

They don’t have a student loan. They do their weekly shop at Waitrose without batting an eye, and you can be sure that they will turn up at pre’s with the fanciest bottle of vino you’ve ever seen. Unlike ‘The Magician’, there’s no mystery here. We can usually identify a Big Spender when they start talking about their gap year. But we don’t judge them. We all wish we could be a Big Spender, after all.

The Big Spender needs access to their funds immediately, so locking them up in a fixed-term savings account isn’t the one. They need the best of both worlds – easy access to their money while still earning a high-interest rate. The perfect way to keep funding their expensive tastes!

For all the student spending types you’ll encounter during your time at university, Kroo is the bank that has it all – including the ability to split bills with friends, great Groups for your uni house, an easy-to-use app so you can manage your money quickly and easily, and a highly competitive 4.35% AER/4.26% Gross (variable) interest rate on your current account balance up to £85,000 to make your student loan stretch further.

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.

The post Student Spender Types  appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

I graduated three years ago during the first lockdown in 2020. I was totally lost; I felt completely alone and had no idea what to do next. The world was shut down, no businesses were hiring and when I handed my dissertation in, the only way to celebrate was to get a takeaway pizza and enjoy it in my flat alone with a cuppa. 

Graduating is exhilarating, and completing university is one of my greatest achievements. But it’s also terrifying – even without the presence of a pandemic. Navigating adult life is scary. Where do you start? There are loads of things to think about; finding a job, making new friends, finding somewhere to live, organising your money.  

For me, I sort of floated in the ether for a while trying to find my feet. But I would have done anything to have had a book like Survive & Thrive: A graduate’s guide to life after university. I think the transition from student life to the real world would have been smoother for me. 

“From the first page, I felt all my worries, fears, unease and stress of leaving university were understood” 

The aim of the book is as the title states; to guide new graduates through the process of leaving education after 18 or so years. From the first page, I felt all my worries, fears, unease and stress of leaving university were understood. It’s a time of huge change, one I didn’t know would hit me so hard. You are uprooted from the solace of education and shoved into the real world, where you must fend for yourself. 

With each chapter I read, I felt a sense of relief. Relief that other graduates and young people out there have a book like this to guide them through. Having graduated over three years ago now, I’m fairly settled into my post-university life, but still, this book gave me guidance I wish I’d known back in 2020. 

There are 11 chapters in total, with topics including finding work, networking, getting work experience, finances and money, moving home, making friends and, my personal favourite, self-care. 

“I felt like there was an out-stretched, friendly hand, helping the reader through” 

What I enjoyed most about this book was the simplicity of it all. It’s not written in a dry, dull way. You aren’t reading paragraph after paragraph of dull black text on white background. It’s bold and colourful, with pictures, diagrams, drawings and more to aid your reading experience. There are charts, case studies and more and what I really loved is the various planners throughout you can fill in and then duplicate on your own. 

It’s also written in a fun, sort of chatty way. I didn’t feel like I was being spoken to by a condescending adult, telling young people how to live their lives and what to do. I didn’t feel this book dictated to graduates how to live their lives or the path to take. It simply laid out ideas, starting points and tips, allowing the reader to take from it what they want or what they need to move forward. 

Because of this, I didn’t switch off. I wasn’t being lectured by someone, simply given solid, friendly and easy-to-follow advice. This may be due to the duo behind the book – mother and daughter team Julie and Sophie Philipson. The pair founded HelloGrads.com in 2016, when Sophie was beginning to navigate adult life after education. So, having advice from someone who lived through post-uni life (Sophie) and her mother who helped her overcome hurdles and support her (Julie) felt more representative of what young people feel and go through, and throughout the book, I felt like there was an out-stretched, friendly hand, helping the reader through. 

“The authors discuss mental and physical wellbeing in an open, non-condescending way” 

My favourite chapter is titled ‘Take Care of You’. Arguably, the most important chapter for anyone navigating huge amounts of change. I just moved house and that was stressful enough – let alone trying to figure out my career, goals, friends, money and more.  

The chapter includes talk of wellbeing – both physical and mental. It’s split into a few topics and why each is positive: movement (talking about exercise), fuel (eating a good and healthy diet), destress (how to manage stress), mindfulness (how to breathe and meditate), talk (the importance of talking about your problems), sleep (why good sleep is so powerful) and resources (where to find help for mental wellbeing). 

The other chapters are all equally as brilliant, don’t get me wrong. But what is the point of looking for a job, trying to make a new group of friends, or finding independence if you’re not taking care of yourself in the process? 

The authors discuss mental and physical wellbeing in an open, non-condescending way. Diet and nutrition are talked about in a gentle way – a healthy, all-salad diet isn’t shoved down the reader’s throat. There’s also a fab little healthy habits worksheet to fill in and duplicate. 

“It’s a well-rounded, straight-forward guide to money that sets out all you need to kick-start your finances” 

Now, this wouldn’t be a MoneyMagpie book review without discussing money and finances. Chapter 9, ‘Your Money Matters’ talks about all this. From managing your money, finding a good bank account, budgeting and saving money, this chapter is a great tool for all new graduates. It can be easy to splurge when you get your first big paycheck, so this chapter has great advice to keep in mind. 

The chapter is split into five first steps to follow, including getting a graduate bank account, budgeting, spending and savings targets, understanding your student loan and paying off debts. Sandwiched in between these steps are 10 ideas to save and make money. There’s also a great little budget planner to get you started with your super-savvy new outlook on money, and the chapter ends with advice on how to get help with financial problems, understanding payslips and tax, and a great financial jargon buster. 

It’s a well-rounded, straight-forward guide to money that sets out all you need to kick-start your finances. Magpie approved! 

“Truly, this is a must-read” 

One last point on this book, is the final chapter. The last chapter of this book is something I wish I had been able to read when I graduated. It’s about success – but what is it? As Sophie, one of the authors says, she used to think success meant “earning the highest wage, being in a high-profile job and generally winning at all aspects of life”, and I was totally the same.  

As mentioned, I graduated in the first lockdown, when the pandemic was at its worst, when restrictions were tight and businesses were closed, people were working from home or furloughed. I couldn’t find a job for a long time, I struggled to make money and I felt like a failure. Despite the fact I’d just had success graduating – I felt like I’d failed. 

So, this chapter is a must-read for any new graduates – or even just those needing a little support. It contains 12 different accounts of what people think success is – and it makes you realise, having money or the highest profile job in your friendship group doesn’t equate to success. It gives you the boost of confidence you need, and even now, stopped my mind from comparing myself to others. Truly, this is a must-read. 

“I wish I’d had this book when I left uni” 

Overall, this book is one of the best I have read on the topic of university, being a student and graduate life. There are thousands of books on the market about student life and loads about what to do with your money when you have a job. But there is very few about that awkward middle bit. The time when you’re sort of left to fend for yourself, find your way and begin adult life. I wish I’d had this book when I left uni, but even now, this provided some insight and reassurance I didn’t know I needed. 

I recommend this book to those leaving university this year, those who have just left, and even those who graduated within the last few years. Although it is graduate-specific, anyone who has just left any sort of education, or who is looking to move away from home for the first time should read this book. Buy it for yourself, friends and family. You won’t regret buying this. Go forth, survive, and thrive!

You can buy your copy of Survive & Thrive: A graduate’s guide to life after university here.

The post Book review – Survive & Thrive: A graduate’s guide to life after university appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Do you ever feel that you are out of control with your money? If you never know how much you have or what’s coming and going you probably already know that it’s time to organise your finances. But you don’t have to do it in one go. Sometimes breaking a daunting task into bite-size pieces can make it feel much more manageable. Here are some quick ideas to help you organise your finances. 

• Keep your receipts in one place
• Create a filing system for your important documents
• Write a budget
• Write a list of annual expenses
• Make checking your spending part of your routine
• Set up Direct Debits for regular bills
• Use different spending pots
• Cancel unused subscriptions
• Total up your debt

Keep your receipts in one place

Keeping paper receipts can be helpful to track your spending, at least to begin with. However, to stop you getting overwhelmed by them, keep paper receipts in a particular place. A small box by your front door where you can throw them as you arrive home is a good idea.

I talk more in-depth about how to use your receipts to help track your spending here.

Create a filing system for your important documents

Similarly, having all your bills, statements, invoices, payslips and other important documents in one place with files for each category will help you locate them when needed.

Invest in some A4 manilla wallets and label each one. They can be kept in a filing cabinet, on a bookshelf or stored in a plastic box under the bed!

Write a budget

Making a budget doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s really a question of making a list of your income and outgoings and having a plan for what’s left over. Find a budget book, spreadsheet or app that works for you. The easier you make it to use, the more likely you are to stick to your plan.

Write a list of annual expenses

As well as knowing your weekly and monthly expenses, write a list of annual outgoings. Total them up, divide them by 12 and put that amount aside each month so you have enough when it is time to pay.

Annual expenses might include your car MOT costs, boiler service, car breakdown cover, insurances that aren’t paid monthly, ground rent and service charges on your property, memberships for professional organisations, pet vaccinations, etc.

Make checking your spending part of your routine

Check in with your current account regularly, to see what you are spending and how much money you have left.

Perhaps this task could be the first thing you do on your lunchbreak, on the bus or train, or before you sit down to watch TV in the evening.

Set up Direct Debits for regular bills

Choose to pay monthly by Direct Debit or standing orders wherever possible, so your bills don’t get forgotten or begin to pile up.

Use different spending pots 

An easy way to organise your finances is to use a bank account that allows you to separate your money into different spending pots.

You could arrange to automatically put money into a Christmas pot, a holiday pot, an annual expenses pot, etc. Online accounts such as Monzo also send you instant notifications of your spending and any payments that are made to you to keep you on top of your finances. 

It’s a bit like a digital version of using the cash envelope system, preferred by money bloggers like Nicola at the Frugal Cottage.

Cancel unused subscriptions

Take the time to cancel subscriptions you don’t use or can no longer afford. This could include meal prep kits, magazines and journals, gym and sports memberships, audio books, etc. 

Total up your debt 

Terrifying as it may seem, writing down and totalling up all of your debts is the first step to resolving them. When you see the totality in black and white, you can begin to come up with a plan to repay your debt.

You don’t have to deal with debt alone. Get help and advice from organisations such as Money Helper or National Debtline.

Even if you think you are on top of debt repayments, it is easy to pay the minimum monthly sums for years and fork out a lot of interest as a result. A more-organised approach could help you pay what you owe more quickly and save you money in the longer term.

Even if you only spend an hour on each task, you will soon feel more in control as you start to organise your finances more effectively. What clever moves have helped you get on top of your money?

The post Nine quick ways to organise your finances appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

The new tax year is upon us, with many financial changes taking place from the beginning of this month. After the confusion and uproar post mini-budget last year – known to many as ‘Trussonomics’, the Spring Statement from new chancellor Jeremy Hunt was eagerly awaited.  

With many changes discussed in his statement, it may be difficult to remember what was spoken about, and how it may impact you and your money. 

Here are some of the key changes in the 2023/24 tax year. 

Income tax 

The chancellor froze income thresholds for the amount basic and higher-rate earners are taxed. The 20% basic rate applied on earnings between £12,572 and £50,270. The higher tax rate of 40% kicks in at earnings of £50,271 and over. 

This will mean millions are going to pay more tax, as some salaries increase to balance the ever-increasing cost of living. These increased earnings mean many will be placed into a higher tax band.  

However, the threshold for those on additional rate taxes has decreased from £150,000 to £125,140 from 6th April. This means those earning over this amount will start paying a 45% rate of tax on more of their earnings. 

Someone who earns £150,000 per year who may have previously avoided this tax rate, will now pay almost £1,250 more a year in tax. 

Pensions 

When it comes to your retirement, your pension will be the first thing on your mind. From 6th April, the amount you can save into your private pension pot in any one tax year and still get tax relief from the government has increased. 

Previously, the cap stood at £40,000 per tax year. This has been increased to £60,000, meaning you can put more into a private pension without having to worry about extra tax on your retirement savings. 

From the 10th April, the state pension also increased in line with inflation. The increase of 10.1% means the full state pension will increase to £203.85 per week, or £10,600.20 per annum. If you reached the state pension age before 2016, the state pension amount will be £156 a week, or £8,100 for the year. 

Additionally, pension credit also increased by 10.1%. Couples will now receive £306.85. Individual claimant will get an £18.44 increase, from £182.60 to £201.04.  

Another change to pensions applies to anyone who has already withdrawn from their pension savings before 6th April. The money purchase annual allowance (MPAA) has increased by £6,000 – to £10,000. This means you can continue to build your pension pot and receive tax relief on your savings.  

Finally, the pensions lifetime allowance has been reformed. The lifetime allowance tax charge has fallen to 0% – and will be abolished altogether in 2024. This means you can put money into your pension without fear of being taxed. 

National Insurance 

The National Insurance threshold has been frozen until 5th April 2028. This means that workers will pay 12% in NI contributions when their salary goes over the personal allowance of £12,570. 

Benefits 

If you receive universal credit payments, your support will have risen from April 6th. The amount you will receive has increased by 10.1% in line with inflation. This rise is automatic – you do not need to do anything. 

Those who receive personal independence payments (PIP) will also see a 10.1% increase in the amount they receive. This is also the case for those who get child benefit payments. 

Council Tax 

From 1st April, local authorities could raise council tax bills. In areas where the council has adult social care responsibilities, the amount could rise by 5%. For councils without these responsibilities, bills could be increased by 3%. 

Each council has different rates, depending on your council tax band. Contact your local council if you are unsure of how this could impact you. 

Bills 

Energy 

The last six months has seen the government giving households a universal discount on energy bills. The Energy Support Scheme, as it was named, gave households around £67 a month off their bills, to help people through the worst of the winter months. This support has now ended and will not continue into April. 

The energy price guarantee, however, has been extended for another 3 months, until the end of June. This measure was put in place to ensure energy bills remain lower than the current energy price cap, making bills more affordable for millions. The current price guarantee is £2,500 per annum. 

Water 

At the start of this month, water bills rose by the highest amount for 20 years. The 7.5% increase means that on average, customers will pay 31% more per year for their water. 

However, this depends on your geographical location, who your water supplier is, and whether you have a water meter. 

Broadband, phones and TV 

On 1st April, phone and broadband suppliers increased the prices they charge monthly, impacting millions of people. 

Many suppliers have increased their prices in line with inflation, plus an additional percentage – often around 3.5% to 4%. 

Wages 

From the beginning of this month, the national living wage and minimum wage both increased across the UK. The national living wage is the rate paid to those over 25s. National minimum wage bands apply to those under 25. 

18-20 year olds saw an hourly increase of 66 pence, 21-22 year olds saw an increase of £1, and 23-year-olds saw 92 pence added to their hourly wage. 

Statutory sick pay 

From 2nd April, the amount employees can claim for statutory sick pay increased to £109.40 per week – a rise of £10.05. Sick pay can be paid for up to 28 weeks. 

Tax allowances 

Capital gains tax 

From 6th April, the tax you pay when selling an asset increased. Previously, you could make a profit of up to £12,300 before paying tax. However, this amount has now dropped to £6,000. 

Dividends 

Those who receive income from dividends will now be forced to pay more tax – or even start paying tax for the first time. From 6th April, the tax-free dividends allowance is £1,000 – previously £2,000. 

ISAs 

Tax-free savings in ISAs has been frozen – remaining at £20,000 per year. It has remained at £20,000 since 2017. 

Car tax 

Car tax – or vehicle excise duty – has also been hiked in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) of 10.1%. The amount you will now pay will depend on your vehicle and when it was registered. Electric vehicles are exempt from these increases until 2025. 

Maternity pay 

Those in receipt of statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and parental bereavement pay and maternity allowance will receive an increased amount. From 2nd April, the weekly payment increased from £156.66 to £172.48. 

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