Tackle price increasesUtility bills are set to rocket because the wholesale price of gas has risen 13 per cent and electricity has shot up 17 per cent.
There are two main ways to minimise the impact of this. The first is to take the green route: turn down your thermostats by a few degrees, take showers, adjust the timing on your heating and never keep appliances on stand-by.
The second is to use a price comparison sites, like
uSwitch, who match your details to available offers.
Improve your credit statusCredit can help you get the house of your dreams, a new family car or a loan for a much needed holiday. The knack is to manage it effectively – and that starts with making the most of your credit status.
Go back to your
credit report for a snapshot of how well you are managing.
Do you make all your repayments on time or do they sometimes slip? Set up direct debits that will mean you can’t forget. Alternatively, you might be better off rolling up your debts into a single loan that is easy to remember – you could save money on interest as well, if you search carefully.
Do you really need three credit cards or could you pay one off? A limited number of well-managed accounts is much more attractive to lenders and may boost your credit rating.
Have you had problems in the past but feel that circumstances – an illness, for example – explain them? You may be able to add a note that will be seen by lenders in future.
Even something as simple as registering to vote at your current address will add valuable points to your credit score.
If you’d like to get an idea of your credit rating, you can also order your National Credit Score from
CreditExpert. It won’t be the same as a score calculated by a lender, because they all use different information and formulae, but it will give you an idea of where you are and help you to set realistic targets.
See your free Experian credit report now – and set your finances in order for 2008.
