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Saving money on day-to-day expenditure is one thing, but reigning in your habits to save even more is another one of life’s challenges and involves taking account of your spending behaviour on things that you just don’t need.

Everybody has habits in life and there are always ways that you can use them less to save more money. Such spending habits include eating out, drinking (alcohol) and smoking.

There are so many people that refuse to cook in the home and so pay more for the likes of takeaways and meals in restaurants which can put a really stretch on their finances. Eating out should be a nice treat and not something that should be a common occurrence, unless you’re absolutely made of money.

It is so much cheaper to do a modest shop at the supermarket and begin cooking food at home to cut down the costs. Reserve one weekend of every month to treat you and your family to a night out and these nights out will feel special and can be something to look forward to, as opposed to ruining the effect with several each week.

Smoking is a habit that costs individuals not only their health, but also a ton of money. Those who are on about 40-60 cigarettes a day will be spending into the hundreds each week and so cutting down or dropping the habit completely will enable you to save bundles of cash.

An alternative if you’re struggling to quit completely is to switch from the conventional cigarette to electronic cigarettes. E cigarettes are made so that you don’t inhale of the chemicals of a standard cigarette and also help you save money, as they are reusable and so the need to keep buying cigarettes is removed.

If you buy Electronic Cigarettes from Freshcig.co.uk you’d be able to both rein in your spending, as well as increase your health along the way.

Drinking can also be an expensive and unhealthy habit to participate in. Alcohol is a massive expense to some, as they feel the need to always have some in one form or another in their fridge or wine rack.

Like eating out, having a good drink with friends or just as a reward after work should not be seen as a regular thing and should again be regarded as a treat.

If you are able to combine all of these, then you will be able to save a great deal of money and in some cases, enjoy a much healthier lifestyle.

Look around, what do you see? I see a lot of people struggling with their finances. Did you know the fact that an average  family’s income is lower than it was a decade ago? How is that to you? Doesn’t it seem at least a little unfair? It surely does to me. Unfortunately none of us have heard that prices got also lower. So how do people manage to survive these days? Most of them are really bad at money management. And you are absolutely right, it leads them to having a debt. Some even have up 10 debts same time. Is there anything possible to do with your debt? Go on reading and you may find some good solutions for you:

1. First of all, try to keep a track of your debts. Put everything on list to have a better visibility on what you are at right now.

2. Be realistic about your monthly budget. Always know how much you can afford to spend during next 30 days. This will help you to have a better understanding of your everyday expenses.

3. Your credit payments. Do not stick with minimum. I know that they say that it is better to make small payments then not making it all. This is true of course. But your goal is to forget your debt as a nightmare, that is why consider making even more cuts in your budget in order to increase your payments.

4. Limit yourself in spending. Pay with cash. You cannot pay with cash= You cannot buy this thing.
5. Have only 1 credit card. In case you have more, lock them somewhere or at least use the one that has the lowest interest rate.

6. Work on emergency funds. Learn to prioritize emergency cases.

7. This is the part where you will have to say good bye to your outdoors activities for a while. Eat in, invite your friends to watch movies at home, spend more time with your family. Do not imprison yourself, just try to be more rational with your entertainment. Do not turn to fast cash online only because all of your close friends are going to some interesting trip and you also feel like can’t miss this event. It’s not worth it.

8. Never give up saving. No matter how hard it is, keep on saving. Set a goal, have a rough plan and do not stop.

There are plenty of ways to help you either to avoid having a debt or maybe guide you through difficult financial times. It can get really tough sometimes; just remember that no one but you can help yourself. Be wise with your money and believe me, life will reward you!

There are many costly expenditures that are unfortunately a necessary evil, but there are always ways to ensure you can save at least a little bit of money on items such as furniture and electronics, as well as your heating and water bills.

One of those, furniture, is a cost that always crops up from time to time. With several rooms in any home and the need to furnish pretty much all of them, there is a good chance that buying furniture is an annual grind on your finances.

There are, however, several ways in which you can save money when purchasing items of furniture for the home.

Buy quality products

When purchasing furniture for the home, you will usually want it to stand up to the test of time and the only way of achieving that is to purchase quality furniture such as solid oak. The better the quality, the longer it will last and the better it will look in your home.

Quality solid wood furniture does of course tend to cost more than your typical “wood effect” items, but in the long-term, it will pay off as it will last longer and therefore remove the need to keep on buying new pieces of furniture because they’ve worn out quickly.

For those pieces of furniture that tend to get tucked away from sight and only come out occasionally, they’re the ones that you don’t have to worry about emptying your wallet on.

Getting your DIY on

Some people have a healthy dose of experience in fixing things and tend to be a bit handy in woodwork or similar. If you’re one of these, then you have the ability of saving money on your furniture by mending those items that are looking a little worn out.

Given the right equipment, refinishing wooden furniture is very possible and doesn’t have to take that long either. This is a great way of sprucing up furniture that looks a bit tattered, but could easily be brought up to scratch with a fresh layer of stain or paint, maybe the upholstered sofa requires a bit of stitching. It really is a great alternative to buying new furniture when it can be repaired all the same.

Keep your eyes peeled and be patient

It is very likely that you’re struggling to find that perfect solid oak table for the right price after looking for what feels like forever. The trick is to be patient and just keep your eyes open for new deals and sales.

Christmas and New Year will often be perfect times to find the right kind of deal you’re after, therefore it can really pay off waiting a few weeks or months until that time and grab yourself a brilliant deal.

With the average household debt increasing constantly all over the UK, homeowners everywhere are struggling to keep their increasing monthly payments under control. Without the proper debt management solution, their attempts are frequently accompanied by failure and most of the times lead to a growth of their monthly payment that simply cannot fit in their budget.

The various credit card related debt as well as the other large payments like mortgages, education or automobile loans are getting out of hand, an aspect which reflects in the rising number of people filing for bankruptcy. However, an alternative road to financial security and freedom comprises of corroborating your credit card debt with a secured loan. Let’s find out why.

1. The overall monthly interest paid is reduced
The principal issue and the main generator of credit card debt is the high interest rate in association with the additional charges. In essence, unsecured loans have an innate high interest rate that guarantees your lender he will be able to recuperate at least a part of his investment if you are not able to pay your debt. On the other hand, homeowner loans are secured against equity, which means that the risk you pose for the creditor is lower. Therefore, the interest rates of the loan are substantially reduced.

2. Your income/spending budget can be calculated easier
When you have a plethora of credit cards that have to be paid on different dates and each of them requires minimum monthly payments, your debt can easily spiral out of control. It’s hard enough to stay up to date with the major loans, so adding credit cards into the equation complicates things immensely. However, since a single affordable payment can be easily integrated within your budget easier and it eliminates effectively the need to remember every other single debt you have, you are greatly simplifying your finances.

3. A single creditor to deal with
The more unpaid credit cards you own, the more calls you will receive from the lenders and banks. As your debt grows – and, without the proper solution, it will – you will start to receive more and more calls from the creditors, often at the most inappropriate moments. However, since the secured loan consolidates all debts into a single account and the lender takes charge of handling your finances, you can be certain that your other creditors will no longer trouble you.

4. Enhanced affordability for the monthly payments
Secured loan consolidation doesn’t only imply that the value of the interest is lower. In fact, you can also specify a longer repayment period, which permits you to minimize the monthly payments to a sum that you feel comfortable with. True, the total interest paid is directly proportional to the span of the repayment period, but you will be able to manage your household budget easier.

5. You won’t be tempted to spend more than you should
What every credit card actually represents is a lure for overspending. In other words, how great is it to purchase something you want – not necessarily need – now and pay for it later? Cutting up your credit cards and consolidating the debt with the secured homeowner loan is just the cure you need for that temptation!

Almost everything has become available online since the rise of the internet, and from apartment hunting to food shopping, going online has become a daily aspect of people’s lives. It quickly became apparent that banking customers should be able to access their finances online instead of having to find the nearest ATM for a statement, and thus internet banking was born. Some people were sceptical, and others wholly embraced the technology, but there was no doubt that internet banking was the future.

Nowadays, nearly 70 per cent of banking customers are registered to manage their finances online, and there are many reasons why internet banking has emerged as a staple of everyday life. Apart from being safe, convenient and secure, online banking is available 24 hours a day,and you can also transfer money to a friend or loved one whenever you want. Furthermore, online banking allows you to access your statement anytime you like, and from the comfort of your home. Here’s a list of the pros and cons of internet banking compiled by the people who love and hate it the most.

Pro – It’s Cost Effective

Internet banking means that you don’t have to travel to your nearest branch or ATM machine to access your finances. That means that you’re reducing your carbon footprint, especially when you think how many times you would have to travel every month to see your finances if internet banking wasn’t available. Furthermore, internet banking means millions of customers can be served at the same time, meaning less queues in branches, and more happy customers.

Pro – It’s Paperless

One of the most important advantages of internet banking is that it is paperless – gone are the days where your monthly statement is posted through your door! Banks have reported to have saved millions of pounds in printing since the introduction of internet banking, and many have donated a proportion of their savings to sustaining the green environment.

Pro – Easy Loan Applications

Before internet banking, customers who wanted to apply for a loan or IVAshad to make an appointment with their local bank. Depending on where a person lived, that could be a long journey, and even worse, some banks couldn’t provide appointments until months after the initial application. Nowadays, people who are registered for internet banking can simply apply for a loan online! In just a few clicks, a customer can fill in some details and get an answer to their loan application in a matter of minutes.

Con – Bank Relationship

Internet banking may be convenient, but customers used to be able to build up a trusting relationship with their bank manager. If personal circumstances changed, people could ask to talk to their account handler and explain their financial situation. Apart from providing the customer with peace of mind, bank managers could use their discretion in changing the terms of an account to help a person with repayments. However nowadays, this relationship has been lost.

Con – The Internet

This may sound simple, but what if a banking customer does not have access to the internet, or they are blind? In these circumstances, a person will have to go to a bank directly and organise their finances in person.