Break The Tumble Drying Habit

One of the most unnecessary expenses people have is in drying clothes using a tumble dryer. The energy consumed is enormous which translates into large electricity bills. If you haven't invested in a line dryer, rotary or otherwise then you are throwing money away. By all means continue to use a tumble dryer only when you absolutely need to but get used to putting your washing on the line outside and see your electricity bills tumble.

It's all about changing the habit you've got into when you want to make a significant change. To break the old habit you need to make a conscious effort to not use the tumble dryer and deliberately hang wet washing outside, even on days when it might be more obvious to use a tumble dryer. Once you've done this say 12 or 15 times there's a good chance that you will have broken that old habit and started to create a new cost effective habit . Go on, it's possible if you give it a go.

6 Ways To Save Money On Essentials

Without thinking much about it we can spend a great deal of money at home. If you add up the costs of everyday items that you use about the house it most likely will be more than you thought it would be. These are the invisible items in your shopping baskets, the things you have to buy. It isn't food we are talking about it's cleaning products, kitchen towel, bits and pieces used in the kitchen and the like. It doesn't have to be this way, you can cut costs on these so called essentials:

1. Water down cleaning liquids - surface cleaners of all types are pretty strong in their own right, if you dilute them they will still be perfectly useful  
2. Use white vinegar to clean glass and mirrors - you really are wasting money if you use anything that says it's designed specifically for glass or mirrors, vinegar has been used for centuries
3. Adjust the timer on your hot water and heating - as the seasons change make sure you adjust the times the heating is on, so simple yet so often forgotten
4. Re-use kitchen foil - unless the foil you've used in cooking is particularly greasy or ripped it's easy to just rinse it and dry it and use it again
5. Use eco-cloths - one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen, just to wipe over surfaces when they need it - they won't replace paper towels completely but they will significantly reduce how many you buy 
6. Bin bags - if you still buy bags specifically to use in your bin in the kitchen or elsewhere in the house think again - any plastic bag will do and it's almost impossible to avoid collecting them

These are pretty straightforward for anyone to put into practice and they'll all reduce spend on items so many of us have become accustomed to simply adding to our shopping baskets in the supermarkets without really thinking. Each of them is just a small change but added altogether all 6 would make a real difference to a weekly or monthly budget.

3 Ways To Reduce Your Motoring Costs

For many people one of the biggest pulls on their finances is the cost of the fuel they put in their cars each week. Aside from buying a house, if you can afford to that is, owning a car is the next most expensive thing in our everyday lives. If you could make a significant reduction in your weekly motoring expenses just think what that money could be put towards instead. So here are 3 very simple ways that you can incorporate into your driving to drive down the costs (terrible pun, sorry):

1. Accelerate smoothly when you start off - it might feel good to zoom away from the lights but that burns up a huge amount of fuel
2. Maintain constant speed on long journeys - whenever possible just keep your speed more or less the same on longer journeys, speeding up and slowing down reduces fuel efficiency
3. Avoid hard breaking - if you can that is, again this will cause rapid deceleration which will mean you will have to accelerate again to get back up to speed - requires more forethought when driving

These 3 things alone are so obvious and make a huge difference in fuel efficiency, not to mention wear and tear on tyres and the engine.

Are Charity Shops Losing The Plot?

Charity shops provide a valuable addition to most high streets providing they don't overwhelm them. In addition to raising money for their own needs they allow us to recycle perfectly good clothes and other items and allow them to be bought at reasonable prices. Not everyone can afford to buy brand new clothes and other items all the time and I see it as an obligation of charity shops to satisfy the demand from this part of our communities. What I'm seeing more and more though is charity shops starting to charge prices that wouldn't be out of the ordinary in normal shops, for items that have been donated. Now, some might say this is good business sense - I don't, I say it is betraying the trust of their communities.

£20 for a second-hand jumper, £130 for a set of plates, bowls, cups etc., £35 for a ladies jacket - I've seen all these and many more in charity shops. No-one is saying that these items should be given away for next to nothing but if that set of plates was truly worth £130 it should have been sent to auction or an antique shop. Charity shops are running the real risk of alienating their customers by thinking they are something they are not. They aren't there to compete directly with other shops on the high street, they are there to serve the dual-purpose of raising money for their own needs and supporting the community they are part of. I just wish some of them would wake up and remember that.

Are You Cooking On A Budget?

Have you ever thought about the cost if the meals you produce? Maybe you have, maybe you haven't but unfortunately it doesn't take much to put together an expensive meal. Ready-meals may seem like a good deal but think how much it would cost to feed a family of four or more with them. And that's ignoring all the food safety fears that have occurred recently. No, by far the best way to feed ourselves is to cook using fresh ingredients. Nutritionally it's far better and when you think about it, it's cheaper too. If you're not convinced just consider the costs of the basic ingredients we all ought to "have in" - potatoes, tomatoes, onions, bread, cheese to name but a few and not to mention milk, meats (or substitutes) and any other veg. Add to this lot some basic herbs and spices and there are no excuses for not trying to cook something tasty, nutritious and value for money.

The internet has so many sites with recipes on them that can give us that spark of inspiration. One of my favourites is the BBC Food site, it even has short video clips from programmes included with some of recipes. If you aren't used to cooking form scratch with raw ingredients or are afraid of it then start easy and build up to something more challenging. You'll feel healthier for it and your wallet will too. If you're up for a challenge how about putting together a three course meal for four people for £10? It is possible, you just need to do some pre-planning and think very carefully about ingredients and the meal construction. If you can do this every now and again you'll start to get into the swing of it and build these principles into your day-to-day cooking. Go on - go for it!

Be Proactive With Your Finances

There's no point in blaming others about the financial situations we find ourselves in even if much of what is happening to people right now has is outside of their control. Past policies and practices have caused many difficulties but the only person who can do anything to move you in the right financial direction is you. It would be great if in one fell swoop your debts and worries were swept away but that isn't going to happen - reality sucks bit you have to get on with life. Proactivity isn't the preserve of young and upcoming entrepreneurs, everyone can be proactive and why not be proactive about what's important to you - yourself?

So here are three things to get you started on a life of financial proactivity:

1. Cancel one of your credit cards - most people have more than one and don't need them all.
2. Set yourself a stretching target of how much you will spend each week - and stick to it.
3. Give yourself a challenge of producing a 3 course meal for 4 people for £10 - no cheating, you need to cook it from scratch.

No dreaming about financial freedom, start working your way towards it - and start NOW!

More Budget Cuts Please

We already know that there will be an extra £2.5bn in government spending cuts in the budget tomorrow. The even worse news is that it's being done to fund that old chestnut, infrastructure projects. Talk about a lack of imaginative thinking or is it about creating a few temporary jobs ahead of the next general election?

The real problem this presents is actually getting the savings out of government departments who all to often manage to shift costs around and never seem to cut themselves. What would have been far simpler, and therefore more effective, would have been a straight percentage of each department to give the £2.5bn and by that I mean cutting their operating budgets, not the money they play around with. Then they'd have to do something for their money for a change!

Please Can We Have A Joined-Up Budget

Like most people in the country I am completely indifferent to the upcoming budget. I know it's supposed to be a really significant annual event that defines government spending and how we get taxed but it's become nothing more than a political exercise in spin in recent years. It will announce, or should I say re-announce significant government spending that looks like it will be a real boost to the economy. Only, the reality will be it will be "old-money" already committed, just spun in a new way. Well, let's hope that's the case - we can't afford any more money when we are in so much debt. The only exception I would make to this would be a speeding-up of the HS2 project so that it starts to deliver far earlier than the middle of the next decade (and that's based on government estimates and we all know how trustworthy they are).

Let's hope for some real cuts in expenditure, huge reductions in the bureaucracy heaped on business which do nothing more than create paperwork for officials to read and do nothing with. Tax levels could be left at current levels or simplified. The effort required to keep up with the complexities of taxation makes no sense unless you make money out of advising big corporations on the subject. So, all in all, I'm looking to a "Joined-Up Budget", one that makes sense economically even if it doesn't for politicians more interested in their own 15 minutes of fame. Do I think we'll get one? Of course not, it'll be more of the same and another wasted opportunity.

Simply Soap

If you look at all the lotions and soaps in the average bathroom, not to mention cosmetics and everything else that goes with it there is an enormous amount spent on filling up shelves and cupboards. The multi-coloured bottles of shampoos, creams, conditioners and shower gel take up lots of room and can cost a fortune. Now, being a pragmatist at heart I'm very happy using soap when in the shower, after all it is designed to help us get clean. And a bar of soap isn't really that expensive, even the natural ones you get in health food shops aren't that expensive when you compare them with what it costs to keep topped-up with shower gel. 

This is the point. Consider how long a bottle or tube of shower gel lasts compared with a bar of soap at a fraction of the cost. There's no comparison, soap wins hands down each time. There's a double whammy too if you use shower gel as the gels are really good at drying out your skin so you get tempted to buy extra moistener, which again adds to the bottles on the bathroom shelf and empties your wallet. So think carefully next time you reach out to buy some shower gel. Wouldn't you be better off treating yourself to some nice soap instead and saving a fortune into the bargain as well.

Grow Up - You're Not A Victim!

There appears to be an assumption building around the world that the debts that people have built up and indeed companies and countries is nothing to do with poor financial management but is down to the circumstances surrounding them. Yes, banks and other financial institutions were loaning out money here, there and everywhere and in hindsight (not sure I actually believe the in hindsight bit) to people who they knew would have difficulty repaying. Just because it is easy to get money, and it still is when you consider the plethora of payday loan companies and the ludicrously high interest rates they charge, doesn't mean that you should take the loan if you know it'll be difficult to pay it back. That's common sense isn't it? 

It's no good blaming the circumstances and poor financial education in schools (another excuse I have to say) as adults we have to take responsibility for our own financial decisions. If that means not buying things that we don't actually need such as a ridiculously expensive coffees each morning, then so be it. What we save here can be used for something far more useful instead - perhaps paying off a debt. Just make a mental calculation now on how much you might save by not buying all those expensive coffees for a year - you'll survive without them you know. 

Only Build Houses If They Can Be Bought

The calls for more government spending to boost the economy are coming thick and fast now as we start the long and painful run up to the Budget. This time it's all about building more homes. Now, forgive me if I'm wrong on this but if there is a demand for houses then they will be built because they can be sold. That's pretty basic economics really. Building 50,000 extra houses just for the sake of it doesn't make any long-term sense if people can't buy them. It might give the builders some money but that's akin to giving money to bail out the banks and that's done the economy no long-term good at all.

If as some are suggesting extra housing needs to be built as the population grows surely it makes more sense to make it more straightforward for them to be built by reducing bureaucracy and letting the market dictate what happens next. Banks and building societies are naturally going to be more cautious than they were and quite rightly so - why lend to someone quantities of money which are so high the likelihood of default is high. And this is on top of significant debts first-time buyers might already have such as Student Loans. Get the conditions right and the market will do what's required, don't throw money at it and hope for the best.

Re-Set Your Heating Timer

We're well into March now and even though it doesn't really feel like Spring just yet (I guess there have been a couple of decent days) it's time to re-set the timer on the central heating. So many people just leave the times set the same all year round but they are so easy to change. If you can work a smartphone or figure out Facebook settings you can certainly work out how to change temperature settings and the times the heating switches on and off. The thing to do now is to once a week tweak the settings ever so slightly, turning on a little later, turning off a little earlier, until you get to the stage when you can turn the heating off altogether - hopefully! 

If you're feeling brave why not switch the heating off altogether now. You can always turn it on again if a really cold spell comes as it often can in March and April. With winter being as cold as it has been in the UK this year and so many people getting such big gas bills it makes sense to turn off the heating as soon as possible. Have you turned off your heating yet?

Confidence, What Confidence?

'Confidence in the markets' is something we keep hearing but I really do wonder if this isn't all just based on thin air. Unless I'm missing something I'm not sure I've seen anything in the last few months that suggests that the economy is actually growing and that the debt is being paid off. The interest alone on the government debt is the size of a large government department on its own. No-one in their right mind borrows on one credit card to pay of the minimum balance on another one so why is it deemed logical and right for an entire country to do it?

Oh yes, and now we are starting to here about increased spending on capital projects (that old political chestnut) when we are just over a couple of years from the next general election. Surely the electorate isn't that dumb - no, please don't answer that question.

Less Lending Leads To More Renting

So despite giving banks money in the form of the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) to encourage them to lend for mortgages and small businesses lending has actually gone down. The banks have not seemingly changed their criteria and may well have tightened them. So I wonder what's happened to all the government cash they've been given? No doubt the banks will be dishing out great big bonuses to their staff for doing so well this year, but what are they doing so well at? Hoarding our money that the government gives them to lend and help get the economy moving in the right direction.

This isn't the only reason why people aren't buying houses although the ability to get a mortgage is a key part. Stability and knowing that you will have some secure income to pay off a mortgage is key and with many more people being forced to take on part-time work and many of those in full time jobs feeling vulnerable to cuts at any time it is little wonder that the housing market is so flat. Maybe we are moving to more of a European model where home ownership isn't the norm and renting is far more prevalent. Just because it's not what the UK has traditionally been used to doesn't mean it's bad, it's just different. And we'll all need to get used to differences ahead.

Take Control of Your Heating Bills

The cost of heating our homes has been rising steadily for the last few years and when cold snaps hit it really shows in our bills. If you look at how much gas you use compared to comparative periods in previous years chances are it will be about the same, regardless of outside temperatures. All the energy companies are making significant profits and this will continue for the foreseeable future, they are after all looking after their shareholders, not us their customers. We have next to no choice about where to buy our gas despite the opportunities of switching between suppliers who all charge more or less the same. Shareholders can choose between one of any number of companies in any sector so they need looking after.

You can, however, start to gain some control over how much gas you use and we'll all need to do this in the years to come (gas isn't going to get cheaper). Here are a few tips on what you should do if you aren't doing them already:

• Learn how to programme the timer if you have one for turning the heating on and off - you'd be surprised how many people don't know how to. Adjust the times according to when the heating needs to be on.

• Drop the heating settings a degree or two and wear an extra layer if needed. It's not that healthy when it's too hot inside.

• Keep room doors closed to keep the heat inside. Kitchens and bathrooms are particularly bad at drawing in the heat from the rest of the house so definitely make sure these ones stay shut at the very least.

The worst waste of heat though is heating a house when there isn't anyone in. All heating systems have the ability to be re-programmed and if needs be, turned off. Why heat an empty house? I'm not talking about extended periods during really cold conditions, that just leads to frozen and broken pipes. If you are out for the day and know you won't be back till late just turn the heating off until you get back - it's not difficult.

How Much For A Coffee?

I've no idea how much the coffee economy is worth in the UK but it must be huge. By coffee economy I mean the amount made out of selling coffee and all the food and other items that seem to be sold along side it these days. Now, I'm one of those strange people who actually likes the taste of coffee as it is - just black, maybe an Expresso or as a longer Americano.  I know it doesn't cost coffee shops a great deal to make these drinks, but I do go into them - some are far better than others but maybe that can be the subject of another rant, sorry, post. What got me recently though was the cost of a small Americano at a motorway service station - £2.69!!!!! 

Now, the coffee shops you see at service stations look like the main chains we see in the high street but they are in fact franchises and they seem to have carte blanche to charge what they want. I've written in the past about cutting down on how much we spend on coffee (it can certainly add up that's for sure) and maybe I've just been reminded of that again. The coffee was pretty awful too. So it's back to getting the vacuum flask out when I'm next on a long motorway journey and I'll make myself some decent coffee at home before I go. That'll be £2.69 saved at the very least next time.