2009 is predicted to be a tough year on the money markets. With uncertainty in the economy, many of us will have the threats of increasing debts and weakened job security hanging over us during the year to come.
However, there are steps you can put in place to ensure that you can help yourself to reduce the financial strain, helping to free up some much needed finances for yourself and your family.
Keeping a track of your debt levels and taking steps to try and reduce said levels is going to look good on your credit report. By showing that you can successfully prioritise
debt and seek out
debt solutions, your chances of successfully borrowing in future can be increased.
- Prioritise payments – make a list of everything you owe to and take steps to organise in which order you should be paying them. Try and focus on mortgage payments and clearing any existing credit card debts.
- Try and curb your mobile phone spending – if you’re using up your free minutes in the first week of your month or still have spare free texts or minutes at the end of each month, it could be worth evaluating your current mobile tariff. Contact your mobile company to see if you can be transferred onto another tariff that is more beneficial to your spending habits.
- Consider your bills – calculate how much you are spending on utility bills and home insurance, and whether you could potentially switch to a better deal. Reducing your outgoings is a crucial part of debt management, and by trying to reduce your bills you can do yourself a great favour and free up some much needed pennies.
By being a little more wary of how much you’re spending on things like the weekly shop and your mobile phone, you can help save yourself a bit of money for times when get hard. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need to, there are a number of debt advice services available, and it’s better to seek help than to simply ignore the problem.
