Budgeting

We asked our Moneywise Team for their top tips to help you make the most of your money - and here they are:

Set yourself a budget and stick to it

It can be easier to manage your money if you know how much you have coming in and how much you having going out. This can be particularly useful to help you save for things like Christmas, birthdays and new school uniform throughout the year, rather than having a financial shock when it comes time to buy them.

Haggling

Most big companies (insurance, broadband, mobile phone etc.) would prefer to keep you as a customer than risk losing you and your money. Therefore, when your contract runs out it is worth contacting them to see if they can give you a better deal.

Switching If you are unable to get a better deal with your current supplier for things like mobile phones, TV packages, insurance, gas, and electricity then it is worth thinking about switching to a cheaper company. There are price comparison sites on the internet that will help you work out who the cheapest is. Be careful though as some cheaper companies can have awful service if things go wrong so study their customer reviews and ratings.

Tasting the difference Some people have set themselves the challenge of seeing what food and drink they can switch from big name brands to cheaper brands. How about seeing if you and your family and friends can spot what you have swapped for a supermarket own brand?

If you would like help with any of these ideas, or with better managing of your money generally, please contact our Moneywise Team, moneywise@ravenht.org.uk or 0300 123 3399.