Worried about money? Struggling to pay your bills?

The experts in our Welfare Rights & Money Advice team have shared their top budgeting tips below, to help you stay in control of your finances this winter.

Face up to debt - Often a small debt issue can quickly spiral out of control if you don’t sort it out. Burying your head in the sand will only make the problem worse, so talk to the organisation you owe money to as soon as possible. You will probably find they will draw up a repayment plan to help you pay back what you owe at an affordable rate.

Don’t miss out on extra money - Millions of pounds of benefits go unclaimed every year so it’s worth checking if you are entitled to receive any extra money.

Draw up a budget – It’s a good idea to draw up a budget as this can help prevent you ending up in debt or getting caught out by unexpected costs.

1. Make a list of all your income - including wages and benefits.
2. List all your expenses – including household bills, food, living costs, insurance, family travel and leisure.
3. Plan ahead - allocate money for unexpected expenses such as birthdays, Christmas, children’s pocket money, school trips or car/appliance breakdown/repairs.

When listing all your expenses in your budget it’s a good idea to look at how you can reduce these costs. There are lots of simple ways you can save money on every expenses such as:

• Use online comparison sites to get the best price when renewing insurance, utility tariffs, mobile phone/broadband deals
• Consider cancelling or reducing any TV, cable, or streaming services
• Try to walk or cycle rather than using petrol or paying for public transport
• Give up or cut back smoking (which will help your health as well as your wallet)
• Make a weekly meal planner, shop with a list and switch to supermarket own brands
• Switch off appliances on standby mode

Getting help

Our Welfare Rights & Money Advice Team are here to offer assistance to help you resolve your money problems. We can help you to sort out the problem by looking at your finances and working out a way forward together. Get in touch for confidential advice and support.