Is your spending super-sized or super-skinny?
When it comes to spending people often fall into two camps. A...
When we think of clutter, it’s usually old and unused objects lying around the house that comes to mind. However, one of the most important areas where you should be decluttering, but which is often overlooked, is your finances. Fabian Broeker from MoneyMagpie.com shares his top tips…
Getting on top of your money can seem a daunting task, but it can make life a lot easier. As part of our Clear Your Clutter campaign, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you free yourself from financial flim-flammery…
Your bank account is a good place to start your financial spring clean. Take a look at the bank you have your main account with, and ask yourself:
What are your answers to those questions? Do you think it’s time to move banks?
Additionally, do you have any old bank accounts lying dormant? Close them down if you no longer need them.
If you really want to understand your money habits, look no further than your own bank statement. Not only can it tell you when you spend money and what you spend it on, but also if you look closely enough, why you spend it. It can even help you spot opportunities to make extra money.
When you’re going through your statement, pay extra attention to:
According to the Government Office for Science Future of Ageing Report 2017, one in seven of us will be aged over 75 by 2040.
On one hand, it’s great news; we’re living much longer than we were 100 years ago. On the other, pensioners are finding it very difficult to make ends meet, and this isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
Pensions and investments will help you cover your means later in life, but truly understanding them can save you hundreds, maybe even thousands of pounds.
Spend some time flicking through your pension and investment statements. Take a look at how much you have and how much more you could put in to give yourself a decent pot later on.
Remember, a great way to get a nice cushion for your retirement is to sell off all your unused items – Gumtree estimates these to be worth around £2,500 per household! Once you’ve done that, you could invest the money in a pension fund. The sooner you do this the more money you’ll have in the long term.
New apps and gadgets that can help you supercharge your finances are popping up all of the time. You could try:
When was the last time you sorted through your old paperwork? Do you really need all of it? Getting rid of documents you don’t need means less clutter in your home or office, which means less stress and more room for you.
When sorting through your paperwork, keep in mind that:
Don’t ever let your finances get you down. No matter how many credit cards, investments, accounts and mortgages you have, there’s always a way to get back on top of things. If you need any further advice check out our tips on decluttering your finances. Make sure you check out our video on decluttering too!
National Clear Your Clutter Day is on April 13. Join the good folk at MoneyMagpie.com for tips and challenges on clutter-clearing, budgeting, competitions and more!