April is an expensive month. Water, energy, council tax, broadband and mobile bills all increase during the month. But it does not have to be a done deal. You can cut hundreds of pounds from your household budget and may actually be able to get a tax gift if you are one of the two million eligible couples who have not claimed the marriage allowance. It can be worth more than a thousand pounds.

Water bills are going up but about 40% of households can save money by opting for a water meter. If your home has more bedrooms than occupants a water meter is likely to be cheaper than if the water company estimates your bills.

Fixed price energy bills are once again likely to be cheaper than the price cap. Even the energy regulator recommends customers to go for a fix. It takes minutes to check out the market and apply for a better deal.

Look after your money. No one else will.

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It is time to make sure we are not being ripped off by banks and building societies. There is currently around £250 billion sitting in bank and building society accounts paying no interest according to the Bank of England. And the banks use this money to bolster their profits without suggesting to customers how they could be much better off.

Instant access savings accounts pay up to 4% currently and regular savings accounts pay more and help to give customers a savings habit.

A savings habit can start with one penny on day one and give you £667.95 by the end of year one.

Once a saver you can think about avoiding paying unnecessary tax and making sure you get the best deal on your money.

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We are being beseiged with Black Friday offers everywhere we look. Most of them do not deliver what they promise. But if there is something you need or really, really want make sure you do your research to make sure you are not scammed, charged too much, or sold something that is not worth what you are paying.

While you are doing the research you can also prep by selling some of the items in your wardrobe, spare room, kitchen or garage that you no longer need or like. It is easier than ever before to sell old clothes, toys, kitchen equipment and earn much more to fund new purchases.

Fraud increases during the Black Friday big sell. Pay with your credit card to protect yourself and remember if the price seems to be good to be true the item either does not exist or is not as described.

And remember if you do not buy anything during the extended Black Friday sales you have savedc 100%.

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The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have caused many people to make very difficult decisions about their spending to be able to keep within their stretched budgets. But an alarming number of workers need to look at their spending again if they are to avoid a poor old age.

Up to 25% of workers stopped paying into their pensions to increase their take home pay, according to one survey. This also had the effect of saving their employers money as well.

Times are still hard. But as the state pension is the worst in the developed world, workers need to invest for their old age and to make sure they do not miss out on their employers' pension contributions and the generous tax relief available.

Pensions are a key part of our wage packages and many companies will help employees to catch up with their pension pots. In just the same way as employers pay employees different rates of pay they may pay more into individual pensions as this helps to keep the beneficiaries loyal. If you don't ask you don't get.

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It has never been more important to make our money go further. Inflation may have reduced, but we are still paying a lot more for our food,energy and homes.

One way open to us all to make money is to sell stuff. It may be old clothes, old books, games, tech toys, kitchen equipment, in fact anything you have finished with.

Remember we typically wear less than half the clothes we own. We have wardrobes, chests of drawers, and rooms full of items that could boost your bank balance.

Every household has stuff that can be sold.

It is straightfoward to set up as an online seller, and surprisingly addictive. There are no selling costs with most sales, and there should be no tax to pay either.

Selling can make a big difference to our family budgets and as a bonus make space in our cluttered homes.

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Fraud is an increasing problem in the UK made worse by the closure of thousands of bank branches. Banks are now required to pay compensation up to £85,000 within five days when criminals defraud their customers.

But as banks try to reduce their potential compensation bills it is becoming more difficult to make bank transfers and open new accounts, especially if your bank has closed the local branch.

It may be worth opening a second bank account that gives you local access to your money and the help of banking staff.

Mobile phones, internet businesses, social media and the way we shop online make it easier for criminals, and the banks on the hook for our fraudulent losses are upping their game in providing information about what to watch out for.

Essentially we should trust no one especially if they call on your land line, sound friendly and say they are from your bank; and never allow yourself to be rushed to make a payment.

My bank has twice got in the way of transactions I wanted to make. It was annoying at the time but if the deals had been dodgy they would have saved me from being defrauded before compensation became compulsory.

We need to make sure we understand the rules that our banks impose on interbank transactions before we have to make a transfer. If possible visit a bank branch.

If you are making a payment to a new payee then send a small amount as a test transfer. Read the small print when buying online.

It is also important to tell actionfraud.police.uk if your are defrauded. It may help them to warn others of a new danger.

Most importantly taking time may save you from repenting at leisure.

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Supermarkets make it difficult for us to get the best value for our money. They game us with their loyalty cards, special prices, extra points, yo-yo pricing and price matching.

The last quarter of the year is the most profitable for them.

We all need to work hard to make sure we are not made fools of by attractive displays, misleading prices and two tier pricing.

Shopping takes a little longer, but you can save a lot more by checking prices and trying own and basic brands than you will by being seduced by the loyalty card prices.

And you will soon see the patterns of when prices are increased. Big shopping baskets at the end of the month are likely to be more expensive than mid month because shoppers are less price conscious when they have just been paid, and the stores know it.

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The way we work has changed in recent years and employees are set to get more opportunities to make work work for them and their families.

Compressed four-day weeks will give employees the chance to complete a full working week in four days and continue to earn their full salaries. They will also be able to save big money as they are more productive for their employers.

Working from home saves big on travel costs and a four-day week allows parents to cut their child care costs by thousands of pounds a year as well as cutting commuting costs.

You may also be able to claim the cost of working from home from your employer or HMRC.

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Our finances have never been so sorely tested. Energy bills are increasing so are water bills and tax is also a worry among Mrs Mean listeners.

But that does not mean we have to accept the bad news without fighting back. There are lots of tips to save money on energy and water bills. Now is the time to check them out. Those trying to improve their financial positions also need to make sure that side hustles do not increase their tax bills.

New rules announced at the beginning of the year for people selling stuff on websites such as eBay, Vinted and Depop will increase the admin for the apps and websites but should not incur tax bills for most users. Check out the details and keep records to keep yourself safe.

Taking a lodger can also rescue a stressed family budget with £7,500 a year rent without incurring a tax bill, as lots of students and people starting their first jobs need better value accommodation than offered by private landlords.

Listen and save money.

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Student finances are even tougher this year for those starting their university courses, as maintenance loans are just 2.5% higher than last year, even though rents and other costs are increasing far faster than the cash help. The average maintenace loan is just £6,116 less than the average rent.

And to make matters worse the financial help offered by the Students Loans Company has been reduced for students whose parents have a household income of £25,000 or more since 2008.

Many parents with higher salaries will still struggle to help with the living costs of their children as their household finances are strained by higher mortgage rates, energy and food costs. Many parents are also not clear just how much they are expected to contribute to their children's living costs.

It is not surprising that more than half of students have to find a job.

We look at university living costs, the financial help available, getting a job, other ways of raising money and getting a guarantor for rental properties.

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Cash is making a comeback. The cost of living crisis means that millions of people have to watch every penny and cannot afford to get carried away with credit cards or contactless ones.

The number of people using cash for day-to-day spending is at a four-year high and cash is used for 12% of all transactions. It gives greater control of our money and does not fool us into thinking we have more money than we do.

Supermarket shopping may take a little longer using cash and sticking to a budget but it is satsifying to cut grocery bills. You can also cut food waste if you plan for meals rather than buying the same things every week and throwing quite a bit when it goes off.

There is new help in keeping cash in our wallets. After 6,000 bank branches closing in recent years banks are being required not to close any more from next year without making sure that local people will still have access to cash.

Now is the time to avoid "card only" retailers and tell them why.

Cash can allow you to treat yourself and may mean that your money does not run out before the month does.

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The world gets faster but it can make us very vulnerable as scammers and the unscrupulous, trick us into making decisions too quickly. The banks are not always helpful if customers are defrauded.

It is not only the elderly who are at risk. We all have to make sure we do not click on links, open attachments or accept phone calls from unknown senders.

Busy people are probably the most vulnerable as they do not allow time to check things out.

Just as dangerous are the friendly faces of stage and screen who encourage us to put our savings in special accounts or to take advantage of crypto currencies for the first time. These trustworthy faces are anything but. The celebrities know nothing about the investments being advertised their faces are being used by criminals to get us to trust them with our money.

And once you have sent them your money it will disappear - probably out of the country - and in many cases the victims do not realise for years that they have been defrauded.

Every time we check our emails we are in danger if we allow ourselves to be rushed.

When we make holiday bookings we need to be just as careful as there are lots of criminals trying to tempt holidaymakers with super accommodation at bargain prices. Take time to do your research and protect yourself.

Parking your car can also be a battleground with criminals and while supermarkets are not run by criminals they are not as open and honest as they used to be.

Just take time to keep yourself and your money safe.

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Train fares are rising 4.6% this year on March 2. But there are still lots of ways of cutting the cost of rail travel with much cheaper Advance tickets available until minutes before the journey.

A few minutes planning journeys can save hundreds of pounds.

Buying two single tickets for a return journey is often cheaper.

Knowing when off peak fares start is vital. Getting a train a few minutes later can cut the cost substantially.

And should things go wrong you need to make a claim through Delay Repay. Once you are registered it is easy to get the money in your bank account in days.

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Home insurance bills are racing ahead. It means we all have to do our research early and be ready to move fast when renewing our policies if we want to save money. With average increases of 42% we need to check every aspect of our cover.

Too many people pay too much for their buildings' insurance because they insure for the sale price of their home and not the rebuild cost. Lots of people are also encouraged to pay for cover they do not need and may even pay twice for specific cover such as travel insurance without realising. And even worse they may pay for travel cover that they will not be able to claim on because they are too old.

Most important of all do not allow your policy to auto renew. This allows the insurance company to charge you what they like.

And when you think you have the best value policy do not allow the insurance company to charge you up to 40% more by offering you so-called easy terms. Paying annually is far cheaper than in 12 instalments.

Renewing insurance policies takes time but it is time well spent and should allow you to cut the cost.

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Cyber attacks and IT glitches are happening more often, affecting millions of customers, and they can put our money in danger.

Not only are hackers after our money, but fraudsters are ready to use news of IT glitches to persuade us to hand over our account details.

They pretend to be from our banks, credit card companies or other organisations. They are very apologetic that our information is in danger and tell customers what to do to make sure our money is safe.

They are nicely spoken and persuasive. Put the phone down. Do not open any links.

Mobile phone thefts have overtaken cash and payment cards as the items most stolen from individuals in the UK. As our phones are also used as our bank accounts, payment cards, travel and event tickets they also put us in danger of losing far more than the value of their phones.

Banks will be compelled to pay compensation to customers from October. Until then you have to be even more careful as some banks try to pay very few people who lose money.

In the meantime keep your phone safe, believe no cold caller even if they appear to be calling from your bank. Fraud is the leading crime in the UK. Do not lose money.

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We can all make extra money, and in most cases we will not have to pay any extra tax into the bargain. Whether it is selling on clothes that no longer fit, hiring out power tools, renting a room or space in your driveway you can start earning in days.

With taxes at a 70-year-high and food and energy prices still much higher than they were a couple of years ago most of us need exta money, and it has never been easier to start a side hustle.

There are also tax breaks that many are not benefiting from. Couples should make sure they use their tax allowances effectively. The marriage allowance is unclaimed by millions, many of whom could get £1,258 straightaway.

The personal savings allowance allows basic rate taxpayers to earn £1,000 in interest without paying tax and those who have no other income can receive up to £18,570 in interest without paying any tax.

We can all start by selling our old clothes, which is fee-free and tax-free.

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Customers are owed £3.7 billion by energy companies. The money has built up from overpayments of direct debits and should be returned. Companies err on the side of overcharging when they set up the amounts we have to pay for direct debits. A small buffer is sensible, but all too often customers are owed hundreds of pounds and more.

We need to get our money back and after a 12% price reduction in April and another cut due to start in July it is time to contact our energy companies if they have not volunteered a reduction in monthly payments or a refund.

It can take time to get through to the call centres and then to get a refund agreed. If you are owed money and the company is refusing to make a refund the Energy Ombudsman should help you and if the company still refuses to hand over your cash you can move to a rival energy company and then the old one will have to give you your money in 10 working days or pay a penalty of an additional £30.

Once you have got your refund it is worth checking if elderly relatives, neighbours or friends are due a refund.

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It is the peak holiday booking season as we look forward to summer sunshine. But first of all you need to make sure you get a great deal for your flight, hotel, hire car and holiday money. And as soon as you book you must protect the dream with travel insurance.

We tell you how to avoid being ripped off by hire car companies, which are the best days to travel, and how to avoid extra costs.

Avoid airport currency exchange bureaux and when abroad always pay in the local currency.

Read the terms and conditions before you book, highlighter pen in hand, so that you are not shocked by by the cost for extra mileage on your hire car and know that trying to return the vehicle empty is the most expensive deal.

Budget airlines are not always the cheapest and since Brexit passports expire sooner than you think. Check yours.

Holiday bargains are not always what they seem. But holiday memories are worth the prep.

Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: www.mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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Millions of credit card customers face a big increase in the cost of their borrowing, but many will not know.  
Barclaycard is reducing the minimum payments that customers will be charged from July.  Someone owing £2,500 will have a minimum payment of  £71. 21 from July down from £89.96 - an apparent  saving of £18 a month.   
But this move alone increases the cost of paying off balances because customers paying the minimum will be paying the high interest charges for longer.  
Not only is the company reducing the monthly payments but it is also increasing the interest rates at the same time by about 15% from  18.71% to 21.59% for example.  So not only are cardholders  paying  for longer, but they are also paying a higher rate of interest.
The cost of paying off  card balances could cost thousands of pounds more if minimum payments are made every month.  A customer choosing to pay £100 on a £2,500 debt instead of £71.21 would save a massive £3,522.57 in interest. 
Pay as much as you can each month or apply for a zero interest card to pay off debts even quicker.   

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Children are very expensive, especially if you work.   
The government has increased the financial help it gives towards child care costs so that the parents of two-year-olds can now get a contribution towards the costs.  But this is still likely to be a lot less than is needed. 
The official line is that two-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours free child care a week if the parents each earn less than £100,001 a year. But when school holidays are taken into account the free care is equivalent to one  10-hour day a week and extra costs for food and nappies are  also likely to be added. And that is if you can find a child care place.
Budgets for babies are undoubtedly stretched making it vital that parents get every bit of help they can to cover the costs of children.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Loyalty is the latest tool that supermarkets use to lure us into their stores.  Big signs and advertisements suggest we can save lots  of money  but in reality you need to take a calculator, check prices carefully on grocery websites and allow extra time if you are not going to be ripped off. 
Loyalty cards offer cheaper prices to customers who have them.   But this loyalty is fickle and the offers seem to change at whim.   And often there is not enough information for us to compare prices and work out which is the best value.
Shrinkflation where the contents of packs are reduced but the price is not, add to the confusion.   
The stores are constantly changing their scheme rules and the timing of their offers so we have to be alert.  For many it is simpler and cheaper to use discount stores and the economy ranges.  
We do not have to be loyal to one group.  Remember the big chains are  making bigger profits this year from our loyalty. 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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April is the cruellest month when many of our household bills increase.  The battle  to tame inflation has not yet  been won so we have to cut our household  bills wherever possible.
 Even energy bills that are set to be reduced by 12% on April 1 are still more than twice what they were before Ukraine was invaded.  
So there is no better time to check all our household bills to find out where savings can be made. 
Water bills are set to rise by an average of 6% in April, but the good news is that millions of households can cut their bills immediately.  If you do not have a water meter they cost nothing and if you have more bedrooms than people living in the property you should save money.  Those who shower at the gym or travel a lot may also benefit.   If your bills do not come down  after a meter is installed you can ask your water company to switch you back.
Energy bills may be falling but we still need to be alert and to make sure we are not wasting gas or electricity, and we must send a reading to our energy companies early on April 1 to make sure we are not charged winter prices for Spring usage under the new Ofcom price cap.   
Also check how much you are in credit on your direct debits.   Energy companies have £7 billion of our money accrued because we have paid for more energy than we have used, and as days get longer and warmer and the new price cap comes into operation it is a good time to get back any overpayment.
As council tax bills increase in April householders should check if they can save money. 
Broadband and mobile costs are set to increase by up to 8.8% but only if you are in contract.  Everyone else should call their supplier and negotiate a reduction.  
There is also lots of money to be saved on insurance, credit cards, food and petrol. 
Take one bill at a time  and keep a record of the savings.  If you do not ask you do not get.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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It is crunch time for millions of homeowners whose fixed rate mortgages expire this year.  They face much bigger monthly payments.
After 14 interest rate increases over the last two years, and no sign from the Bank of England that there will be a reduction any time soon, many are fearful they could lose their homes, and may be putting off finding out just how bad the news is. 
It may be scary, but anyone facing having to remortgage cannot start soon enough. And delaying could be catastrophically expensive.
Lenders will allow homebuyers to secure a mortgage interest rate six months before their existing loans expire. 
 Those not familiar with how mortgage payments are calculated may find the new payments, while higher, are not as frightening as they have feared.  
The earliest cut in interest rates is now expected in May and then may only be 0.25%.  10-year bond yields, which are the key influence on mortgage rates,  have risen in recent weeks and the best remortgage rates have been withdrawn. 
But if rates do fall sooner than expected homebuyers should be able to abandon their fixed offer and move to a better deal at no cost.   Of course, it is important to establish the rules of the "insurance" offer when you agree it. 
Starting early also gives you time to fix your household budget and maybe get  £7,500 tax-free help.




 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Succeeding in your A level exams is vital for the school students wanting to go to university this autumn.  But almost as important, as their studies, is working out how they will afford to live whilst they are at university. 
The government has increased maintenance loans for undergraduates by 2.5% for students going to university this autumn.  This comes after a 2.8% increase last year and two years of rapidly rising living costs.
Parents are not told how much they should contribute towards their children's living costs, but families with an income above £25,000 are on the hook for cash help even though their living costs have risen faster than their incomes.  
The threshold for parental contribution to student living costs has not been increased more than 15 years. 
This means that both parents and their children are likley to have difficulty funding university life.  
So now is the time to start for families to have honest conversations and  to work out how they will manage to fund university life without getting into debt.
   

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Tax returns have been filed so it is now time to find out if there is any money that HMRC owes you, and the quicker you are the more you might get. 
The current tax year ends on April 5 and if you make a claim before then for an allowance you should have then you may be able to backdate the claim to 2019.
And there is lots of money waiting for you to claim it.  
There are 2.1 million couples who are eligible for the married couples' allowance who have not claimed it.  They could be able to claim up to £1,256 and have it in their bank accounts in weeks.  
If you still have to work from home a tax rebate could be waiting for you.  If you need specialist tools or uniform for work then you might be able to get money from the tax office. 
Use your trading, property and savings allowances.   
Rent a Room out and pay no tax on the £7,500 you receive from your tenant. 
Make sure you claim the full  tax relief on any charitable donations and for pension contributions. 
We all need to get what we are due.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Insurance companies are competting to charge us more.   The average homes' insurance policy already cost 36% more this year than last, before storms Babet, Ciaran and Debi damaged thousands of homes  causing half a billion pounds worth of damage.   And then came the even more powerful  Henk.
While the insurance  companies will find reasons to increase our premiums we all need to make sure we do enough research to stop us being massively overcharged. 
 For two years the companies have been under instructions from the Financial Conduct Authority to treat existing customers fairly, and not to  charge them more than new customers.  
There is lots of evidence that they are not managing to do so yet.   This means that when your policy is due for renewal you need to make sure you are not overcharged.   Start your research early and never allow the company to auto renew. 
Just as important: do not accept their "easy terms."   Making monthly instalments can add 40% to the cost of the policy.  
Do not leave renewal to the last days of your existing policy.  The earlier you commit the cheaper the policy is likely to be.  Twenty-three days before the policy expires is the sweet spot.  
Mrs Mean wants you to be in control of the process and to pay less.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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Banks make billions a year by charging borrowers lots and paying savers little.  Now with mortgage rates coming down as banks compete for customers savers have to be nimble if they are not going to lose out. Now is the time to find out whether you can get a better return on any savings you have. Banks are already reducing the interest they pay on deposits and have long paid little or nothing to customers with easy access to their money.  At the end of 2023 it was reported that £255 billion was sitting in seven million bank accounts that paid no interest at all.  It is time to make sure you do not have one of them. Benefit claimants can open a government-backed Help to Save Account that pays 50p for every £1 they save over four years. 
If you have less than £12,570 in income each year you may be able to earn £18,570 in savings without paying any tax. Meanwhile it is worth starting very small with a penny on day one, two pence on day two and at the end of 366 days you will have £671.61 ready to save more in 2025.

Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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We have been battling inflation all year and now retailers are trying to persuade us to spend whatever we have managed to save.
Everywhere we are being offered half price goods and even cheaper.
Before you are tempted you have tocheck whether the price cuts are as good as the stores say, and whether you need what is being offered.
It has been a tough year for retailers but we do not need to help them empty their warehouses of the goods they bought expecting to make big profits.
If you want to shop in the sales do your homework and make sure you are protected from fraudsters.

Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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New Year is an opportunity to get our finances under control. There is the quiet period after Christmas to review all our accounts and to work out if there is money to be saved.
More people are using cash to give themselves better control of their money.  It is much more difficult to overspend when the cash runs out and we notice every overspend.
It is tougher this year to balance budgets but there are quick wins for all of us if we check our bank accounts and credit cards.   
We also need to check if we are using all the apps and services that we are paying for.  
We have one advantage this New  Year  in that all employees and self employed will be getting a discount on their National Insurance premiums from January 6. Many more will get a pay rise in the New Year.
No budget can be sorted in one session.  Little and often is the way to make progress. 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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Christmas is a tremendous financial strain each year, and it is probably worse this year as interest rates, food prices,  energy bills all challenge household budgets.  We all need to learn how to do more for less.
There are lots of ways of giving presents that cost nothing, and even more ways of raising extra cash in the next few weeks .
Banks are giving away up to £200 to customers who move their current accounts.  It should only take seven days.   Cashback schemes are slower, but can provide money for making a purchase that you always planned. 
Make sure you plan all your spending and that you get the cheapest price. You need to do research and should be proud of getting a good deal.  Nobody wants to be a sucker.
Retailers are as  desperate to sell as we are to find gifts that are good value.   Some people wait until the New Year sales in an attempt to get bargains.  
But less is more when it comes to Christmas.  Time together is worth a lot more than the latest toy or gadget.   Free is good.

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Black Friday is a danger zone for anyone trying to live within their budgets.  Retailers want us to splurge on things we didn't know existed or that we wanted them.  Fraudsters also put in overtime to part us from our money. But if you do your research before the spending-fest there are bargains to be had as retailers battle to persuade us to buy.  
Retail sales have been reduced by bad and good weather and our reluctance to spend when our finances are stressed.
But price reductions are not always clear cut.  Without the Trade Descriptions Act to ensure that false claims about prices cannot be made we are on our own and need to research prices  using websites such as Pricerunner and PriceSpy.  Reviews can guide on what are the best buys.  Fake websites and dodgy emails can part you from your money. The average loss per shopper in the Black Friday and festive shopping season in 2021 was £1,000 per person according to the National Cyber Security Centre. 
Your credit card can protect you from loss.  Even more important is allowing yourself time to assess "bargains." If you are rushed the chances are it is not. 

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Mrs Mean has been listening to your questions and  says you do not have to wait for the Government to provide a giveaway Autumn Statement or Budget.  You can save money on your energy bills straightaway and some two million couples are missing out on tax benefits for being married that could provide more than £1,000 in weeks.
Getting savings rates that are higher than the current inflation rate and making sure you do not pay too much tax is a must for those who have any spare cash. 
Answering listeners questions Mrs Mean also gives advice on avoiding fraud. Trust no one and do not allow yourself to be rushed. 
While lots of parents are facing big bills because they have fallen foul of Child Benefit rules Mrs Mean explains ways of avoiding the penalties and says it is time that the chancellor lifted the threshold that has  penalised parents earning £50,000 since 2013. 

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The incentives to buy an electric vehicle are gradually being removed and the cost of running them has risen.  It is not therefore surprising that the number of private buyers of electric cars fell by 14% in the year to September,  even before the government rolled back the deadline by five years  for the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.
Those drivers who already have an EV and those thinking of buying one need to check out all the costs and be aware of what to avoid. 
The cost of insuring EVs rose by 72% in the last year and some companies have stopped covering any electric cars for the time being.  
Charging the vehicle in your own driveway or at work if the company offers free top ups is usually the best deal.   
Supermarkets have a plethora of charges and different chargers that take varying times to power your vehicle.  Your local Sainsbury may be free and a Waitrose charger may cost £16 for a 50% 40 minute fill.  
VAT on public chargers is charged at 20%.  At home it is 5% and the price per unit may be cheaper, and can be free if you have solar panels.

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Home sellers and buyers are racing to complete their deals before the cost of stamp duty increases on April 1. The deadline makes property deals even more fraught than usual. There is no time to lose. Sellers have to be businesslike, befriend their buyers, surveyors, agents and conveyancers.

Sellers only have to worry about stamp duty if they are to buy another property. And they have to make sure that the prospect of a potential stamp duty saving does not end up costing them more. There are always buyers looking to cut what they pay for a property.

Sellers have to remember that there are many more buyers in the market this year than recently.

There are ways to rescue your sale if your buyer drops out, but you have to work out how much you lose when you sell to one of the companies that buy homes instantly. They usually offer a lower price than normal buyers, but they allow someone to buy the home of their dreams, which may be a super bargain.

Along the route to completion buyers and sellers have to make sure they get the best price and service as a hefty estate agent fee can dwarf the saving that they may make on stamp duty if they complete in time.

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Renters are having it tougher than homebuyers to get a home, with more than 20 people asking to view properties as soon as  they are advertised, and rents increasing by inflation-busting amounts. 
Finding the right property, or one that is good enough, is just the start.  
It probably takes more work than buying a home because you do not have a solicitor or broker to help you.   
It means to get ahead of the other potential tenants you need to make yourself attractive.  You need a reference from your current landlord and your employer and from anyone else who will speak up for you.   
If you have not rented before landlords will want certainty that the rent will be paid. Offering six months' or a year's rent in advance is such a guarantee.  
While most potential tenants do not have that sort of money to hand parents may be able to offer a loan from the Bank of Mum and Dad who the tenant can then pay back each month instead of the landlord.   Or maybe they can guarantee your rent.
Some employers and colleges have relationships with letting agents, which may help their workers or students to get an early viewing.  
Check with every colleague you have what their housing status is.   Ask them if their landlords have any vacancies.   A recommendation from a good tenant puts you at the front of the queue. 
Being first to hear of a property also makes a big difference.  Email alerts from letting agencies help, but you need to act quickly.  
Make it a full time job if you can.  Make sure your referees are ready to reply to requests instantly.   Have copies of your last three pay slips to hand .
Dress to impress landlords and agents.

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Online companies appear to set out to mislead customers about the prices they will charge  when we get to the checkout.  
Everyone knows that the flight price first offered is likely to be doubled by the time we pay.   Unfortunately many other companies are using the same trickery. 
The government is consulting on whether it needs to ban charging more than the initial price  by what it calls "drip pricing."
It will, no doubt, take a long time for legislation to be imposed until then lots of prices will  not be easy to understand or in many cases honest.
We should be able to ask for the cheapest price and be given it.  But too many service providers make us do all the hard work to find the best price.
Until the law changes we have to do our homework and check out prices if we do not want to be ripped off. 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Credit cards are charging historic rates of interest and they are also trying to find new customers to pay these rates, and possibly spend more than they should.   Beware.
As people struggle to pay their increased mortgages, rents, food and heating costs the card providers are offering extra credit almost daily.    
One offer I received told me I would get a decision in 60 seconds whether I had got the super new card or not.   Never be rushed with a financial decision and before you  make an application check out all the costs and details. 
The card being offered was expensive.  And remember if you make an application that information is available to the whole credit industry and may damage your credit profile.
Other offers received within days told me that I was 100% likely to get the new cards.  They are all tempting if you run out of cash every month.
Now is the time for a masterclass in how not to be caught out by companies offering cards that will add to your debts.  
You need to find out when you incur interest and how much it is.  How you can fall foul of the rules and incur penalties and big increases in your interest rate?
 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Motor insurance premiums are rising very fast, and unexpectedly for drivers who have made no claims or changes to their policies. Many  loyal customers are getting renewal notices for premiums that have more than doubled.
Insurance companies say this is because car repairs are much more costly and those of us who have not incurred any costs are expected to pick up the bill.
That is unless we act quickly, and firmly, by challenging our insurance provider to reduce the premium, and failing that, to find out what other insurers will charge.    
Companies are not supposed to charge loyal customers more than new ones, but personal research by Mrs Mean when her insurance premium was doubled showed that new customers are welcomed with competitive rate.   She found that she could quickly get a reduction of more than £200 by moving to a new insurer and a policy  that had extra features.
The quicker you check out the market the more you can save.  
Direct Line has agreed to pay £30m to loyal customers who have been overcharged.  There will be others. Make sure you do not pay too much.

Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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The energy price cap will fall again at the beginning of October, but will still be very high.  
 Meanwhile the nights are drawing in and lights are needed earlier.
Before it gets cold we need to look at how we can save money on heating, lighting and to cut our monthly direct debits.  
And maybe it is time to check out whether you would save money by fixing your energy tariff or to find out whether you can get a grant paid directly into your bank account to improve the insulation in your home.  Households can typically save £310 a year on energy bills.
Now is also the time to establish the rules for Christmas giving and to sell stuff you no longer need or use, to fund the festive season.  Leave it too late and January will be a very tough month.

Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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Food shopping has got a lot more complicated as supermarkets offer us different discounts and extra points if we use their loyalty cards. It takes time to  get ready for a shopping trip, and once in the supermarket it can be  hard work to find the advertised deals on the shelves  and also to check whether it is really good value.
Mrs Mean has been analysing her weekly shops and believes that the loyalty schemes are designed to encourage us to buy market-leading brands and in-house premium products.  You can get some Aldi prices at Tesco and Sainsbury and other supermarkets are also price-matching, but the cheap groceries are often sold out when you shop.  
Take a little time and you may save more money than the shops want us to, and avoid the pricing confusion in the aisles.  Most importantly do not trust the stores.  Prices yo-yo up and down every week so the week after you buy some good value pasta sauce it is likely to cost you 70% more. 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Having your bank account frozen or closed can be very costly in financial terms, and damage your reputation and credit profile into the bargain. 
While Nigel Farage was able to get full attention when Coutts Bank told him it wanted to close his account, most customers are on their own, and may not even to be able to get through to someone at their bank who can help them. 
Banking legislation is intended to stop fraudsters and money launderers to use the banking systems, hundreds of thousands of bank customers fall foul of the algorithms used by banks to identify wrongdoing.  
We are largely creatures of habit so any unusual payment, in or out of our accounts,  may alert banks, but they do not ask customers about the unusual transactions. 
Banks are supposed to give customers 30 days' notice of a planned  closure, but they very rarely do. 
Often the first hint customers get that their bank account is not working is when a direct debit is not paid or a cash machine refuses to give you cash.  
This is the time for customers to check their accounts to see if anything has changed or if big sums have been banked and to tell the bank what the "suspicious" transaction really is.   It may be a maturing investment, an inheritance, the proceeds of a property sale, or gifts from a relative or friend to help out during the cost-of-living crisis.  
People taking on second jobs to pay their bills may also  be suspected of wrong doing.
The more evidence you can provide the sooner the account should be freed up. 
With luck the publicity about Mr Farage should help the thousands of other customers who find themselves locked out of their accounts every week.   

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Credit cards offer brilliant insurance for millions of us if we are ripped off when making purchases over £100.  The protection is offered by the Consumer Credit Act and it has forced banks and credit cards to pay customers billions of pounds when their flights were cancelled, retailers went into administration without providing what we have paid for, and for many other financial disappointments. 
But the protection provided under Section 75 of the Act is under threat.  The Treasury is proposing that we should be protected by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Under the current legislation anyone who gets less than they pay for, or nothing at all, have up to six years to claim under the  Consumer Credit Act.  First call is to the retailer or service provider, but under this legislation  credit card issuers and the retailer or service provider are jointly responsble to make sure we get what we pay for.  
But before anything goes wrong make sure you pay for £100+ purchases using a credit card to protect yourself.   You can just pay a deposit on the card for an item to get protection.  
Even if the legislation is diluted next year you will still have six years' protection if your purchase is not fit for purpose.   You also have the Financial Ombudsman on your side if the banks resist your claim.  
There is additional help for the users of debit cards, but this is voluntary and is only available for 120 days.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Motor insurance is stoking inflation in the UK if we allow it do so.   Data from Consumer Intelligence put the average motor policy increase at 34% in May and the Office of National Statistics said that motor policies were up 50% in the year to June.
These increases make it vital that no driver accepts an automatic renewal and that they all start to find the best deal a month out from their renewal date.  
You can save hundreds of pounds by renewing early.
Renewal quotes can rise enormously even when there have been no claims or incidents in the previous 12 months. This makes it all the more important to check the whole insurance market including the companies that are not on price comparison sites.  
Now is the time to cut insurance premiums  and help in the fight against inflation.

 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Mrs Mean is here to help you get money back when you have been ripped off and to help you to work out what to do next.
In today's Money Clinic she details how to get compensation from universities for lost access to tutors and not being able to graduate at the end of degree courses. 
Every week she is asked by the customers of banks, energy companies, brokers and many more how to take the organisations to court.  Here she looks at the options.  
We must not let them get away with ripping us off.
Meanwhile the housing market is terrifying most owners, renters and potential buyers,  who are asking when it will be safe to buy or sell a home.  
And still we need to make sure that we save money on our energy bills.  

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Most households can save money on their energy bills. The price cap brought in by the Government and the energy regulator, Ofgem, to reduce bills after Ukraine was invaded is no longer the best deal for most homes.

Before the energy crisis millions of us opted for fixed price energy deals to get cheaper energy bills but now more than 80% of households settle for the price cap with its £300+ standing charges before we use a single unit of gas or electricity.

The savings may be more modest nowadays but most households can save at least £50 a year on their energy bills with discounts and bigger savings can be made with tracker tariffs.

Lower standing charges are being offered and opportunities to save money by using your electical equipment at offpeak times.

It is time to check what deals your supplier is offering and to find out from price comparison sites and Money Saving Expert what other deals are being made in the industry.

It is also time to make sure that you are not wasting energy in your home.

Bills will go up by around 3% under the price cap from April. Opting for a discount or a tracker deal should mean that your bills will be lower.

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Household debt is at an all time high with unsecured debt - borrowing other than mortgages - averaging £14,300 a household.   
There is lots of help from debt charities, who are doing a marvellous job, but you have to be careful as there are vampire advisers, who pop up on your browser and they are out to add to your debt.  Or at least to charge you lots for help that can be got for free. 

Stepchange.org, Turn2Us.org.uk, Christians Against Poverty capuk,org and Citizens Advice all have lots of useful  information on their websites so that people can start to prepare for getting their finances sorted out before they make the first contact. 
Mortgage lenders have more latitude to help borrowers.

Everyone can get help.   Get your paperwork together and start the process.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Managing finances at college or university is tougher than any exam.  The maintenance loans to pay for the cost of living as a student will rise by a miserly 2.8% for English students in September following a rise of 2.36% last year. 

Rents alone often cost more than the maximum maintenance loans. Parents whose household incomes are more than £25,000 a year are expected to contribute to their student's living costs, but may not be able to find up to £6,000 a year to do so as they struggle with increased mortgage costs, energy and food bills. 

Now is the time to work out how to make the money stretch and where there might be financial help. 

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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The Bank of England has raised interest rates by 0.5% causing panic among mortgage payers.
It comes as more than a million homebuyers will have to remortgage before the end of the year  as their fixed rate mortgages expire.   Many more have variable or tracker mortgages that have already increased a dozen times in the last 18 months and may be getting behind with payments.  
Now is the time for all of these homeowners to talk to their lenders about what deals they can do to cut their payments.  Lenders should help.  They have agreed to allow borrowers to change their mortgage terms, say to interest-only, and then return to their original deal. 
 They also will wait for 12 months before taking reposssession proceedings.   Borrowers are facing hundreds of pounds extra each month.
Wages are not keeping pace and budgets are also being stretched by energy costs, food prices, insurance premiums, council tax  mobile and  water bills.  
The Banks know many borrowers need help so get first in the queue to see what can be offered.   Extending the length of your mortgage term, moving to interest-only payments, asking for a mortgage holiday, adding other loans to your mortgage to cut total outgoings, or asking for an offset loan that reduces monthly payments are some of the options. 
All lenders have committed to helping borrowers.  They are making billions in profits on the difference between savers' rates and what they charge borrowers.  It costs them less to get customers onto deals that cut their monthly payments than to deal with customers in arrears. It is in their interests to help anyone caught by the financial crisis.  Debt agencies like Step Change, Turn2Us, Christians Against Poverty and Citizens Advice may also be able to help but first of all the lenders should have teams trained to help borrowers.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Every week grocery prices increase and we all need to change the way we shop - avoiding the traps laid for us by supermarkets.   
Check shelf edges for unit prices to work out what is cheapest.  You may have to use your phone calculator as stores are not very good at maths or try to confuse.
Look to the lower shelves for better value products and avoid month-end price increases. 
Count everything from crisps to biscuits to make sure that while the packets are the same size the contents are shrinking. 
Do not let supermarkets increase their profits and break your budget. Supermarkets are battlegrounds. We must win every round.

"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...

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Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

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