MANAGING your finances is simply a nightmare for immoderate and a doddle for others.
Those who conflict tin suffer hundreds - if not thousands - connected communal mistakes, similar not claiming definite benefits oregon forgetting to hole inferior bills.
Take our quiz and find retired if you're a fiscal whizz oregon numbers dummy, and what you request to bash to get into shape.
1. How often bash you comparison energy, mobile and broadband deals and cheque you’re connected the cheapest tariffs?
- a) Never
- b) I cheque present and again, erstwhile I remember
- c) I ever refix whenever my existent deals comes to an end, oregon I support way of the marketplace for the champion rates for my household
2. Have you ever checked your broadband velocity to marque definite you’re getting the advertised speed?
- a) Never thought to bash it
- b) No, due to the fact that I’ve ne'er had a problem
- c) Yes, due to the fact that I privation to spot precisely what work my location is getting
CHECK YOUR SPEED: Broadband
3. Do you cognize wherever each your pensions are, including ones from aged jobs?
- a) No, I whitethorn person mislaid way of 1 oregon much from an aged job
- b) I person a vague thought but request to spell done the paperwork
- c) I person my pensions organised and cognize however overmuch is successful them, what they volition wage retired and who they volition spell to if I die
4. Is your slope relationship the champion 1 for you?
- a) Not definite - it’s the 1 I’ve had for years
- b) I’m good with it but not definite it’s the champion for me
- c) I power accounts to get the champion perks, oregon I haven’t switched accounts due to the fact that I cognize that my slope is champion for maine successful presumption of things similar its overdraft, involvement rates and cashback
5. Do you cognize however galore non-essential subscriptions are coming retired of your slope account, specified arsenic Netflix, gym passes and nutrient deliveries?
- a) Not sure, astir apt excessively many
- b) Now and again I cheque but I cognize determination are subscriptions that I don’t usage much
- c) I cognize precisely what’s going retired and I cancel thing I don’t privation oregon use
My friends telephone maine the 'female Martin Lewis'
SAVVY saver Lydia Garner saved much than £3,700 successful a twelvemonth with her wealth redeeming tricks - and friends telephone her the 'female mentation of Martin Lewis'.
Lydia, 41, who works for a concern company, was forced to reassess her finances aft splitting from her hubby successful April 2020.
Following the divorce, she bought a spot of her ain but had to negociate the mortgage, bills and nutrient for her 2 kids connected a shoestring budget.
In total, she saved £3,710 by making a fewer tweaks to her lifestyle. One of the main changes was making the astir of switching incentives offered by vigor suppliers.
She made £300 from referring six friends to energy supplier Octopus. She has besides saved £168 by haggling for amended broadband deals, £1,200 by buying astatine cheaper stores and £810 by utilizing wealth redeeming apps.
"My friends dubbed maine Martin Lewis," she says. "One said that I'm conscionable similar him due to the fact that I support giving her wealth redeeming tips. It's bully to assistance friends - oregon anyone other - prevention money, and I emotion Martin Lewis.”
Lydia was connected a woody with Plusnet which outgo £22.99 a period for the archetypal twelvemonth and past went up to £36.99. But erstwhile Lydia phoned them, they agreed to instrumentality to the aforesaid price. She has saved astir £500 n a twelvemonth by negotiating with akin deals.
Using wealth redeeming apps has saved Lydia £810. AirTime rewards, for example, which knocks wealth disconnected your telephone measure erstwhile you store astatine definite precocious thoroughfare stores, has saved her £50.
She's chopped her market measure from £5,200 to £4,000 annuallyl simply by doing her painstaking probe and going to antithetic supermarkets for antithetic products alternatively than one large shop.
"For example, I spell to Asda for toiletries and cleaning products but I store astatine Tesco for food. I reckon I prevention £100 a week doing this." She's axed fancy brands and present buys cheaper brands and ever looks for the champion deals connected connection astatine shops, cinemas and restaurants. This has chopped her luxury spending from £2,700 to £1,500, redeeming her a whopping £1,200.
Lydia makes the astir of escaped trials and subscriptions to prevention currency connected treats similar meals and trips out. This includes signing up to a escaped Tastecard for a month. The rank strategy typically offers two-for-one oregon 50 per cent disconnected astatine participating restaurants, including pizza delivery. But she made definite to adjacent the subscription erstwhile the escaped proceedings ended, truthful she didn't have to fork retired the rank fee.
6. You person an aged container of apparel that are excessively shabby to wear. What bash you do?
- a) Throw them away
- b) Cut them up for dusters
- c) Get some money or vouchers backmost connected them with a recycling speech programme.
7. Do you cognize what council tax set your location falls under, and bash you cognize what mightiness suffice you for a discount?
- a) Not a clue
- b) I’m beauteous definite I wage the close magnitude of assembly tax, but astir apt should check
- c) I cognize my assembly taxation set and person checked it’s the close 1 for my property. I wage the close magnitude of assembly tax.
8. Do you usage cashback sites erstwhile you bargain things online?
- a) No, what are they?
- b) I’ve signed up but forgot to cheque sometimes
- c) I ever look for cashback bonuses connected thing I bargain online, oregon if determination are nary disposable I’ll effort and get a discount code. My motto is “never bargain astatine afloat price”.
9. Do you marque the astir retired of your loyalty points and rewards for schemes similar Tesco's Clubcard and Sainsbury's Nectar?
- a) No - I’m hopeless astatine remembering to swipe for points
- b) I cod points but americium not bully astatine keeping way oregon redeeming them
- c) I cod arsenic galore arsenic imaginable and prevention them for circumstantial goals, similar buying Christmas presents and holidays.
10. Do you cognize your recognition score?
- a) No
- b) I person checked it successful the past year
- c) Yes I cheque it regularly
11. Have you made a will?
- a) Not got astir to it
- b) Yes but request to cheque it’s up to date
- c) Yes and it is up to date.
IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN UNDER 12
Otherwise, skip to question 14.
12. What is the maximum you tin gain portion claiming tax escaped childcare connected nursery fees, arsenic good arsenic aft schoolhouse and vacation clubs?
- a) £49,999
- b) £59,999
- c) £99,999
13. What is the maximum you tin presently gain earlier needing to wage backmost your child benefit?
- a) £50,000
- b) £100,000
- c) £60,000
IF YOU ARE A PENSIONER
Otherwise, skip to question 16.
14. Have you thought astir registering for your h2o and energy supplier’s Priority Services Register?
- a) Never heard of it
- b) I haven’t got astir to it yet
- c) Yes I americium registered oregon I’ve chosen not to beryllium connected it
15. Have you claimed each the discount perks disposable to you arsenic an over-60, including buying loyalty cards, question passes, pension credit and different benefits?
- a) I request to get astir to claiming things similar my escaped autobus pass
- b) Most of them but I should marque much of my pensioner presumption to nab freebies and discounts
- c) I person it all, a elder National Trust pass, Boots over-60s paper and escaped wellness subscriptions and I’ll ever inquire for a pensioner discount
IF YOU ARE A DRIVER
Otherwise skip a question.
16. When bash you bargain your car insurance?
- a) I conscionable fto it auto-renew
- b) Just earlier my existent argumentation expires
- c) About a period successful advance
IF YOU'RE IN DEBT
Otherwise, skip a question.
17. Do you consciousness your indebtedness is nether control?
- a) No, I’m struggling to support it down
- b) Yes it’s getting there, but I could astir apt wage it backmost faster if I focussed connected it
MARTIN LEWIS - THE MOST TRUSTED MAN IN BRITAIN
MARTIN Lewis has been called "the astir trusted antheral successful Britain
IF YOU HAVE SAVINGS
Otherwise, skip a question.
18. How often bash you cheque the involvement complaint you are getting connected your savings?
- a) Never
- b) Now and then
- c) I cheque regularly and determination my money around to get the champion interest
IF YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER
Otherwise, skip a question.
19. Do you cognize the rebuild worth of your location for insurance purposes?
- a) Isn’t it conscionable the merchantability price?
- b) I conscionable guess
- c) I usage specializer online calculators to get an close estimate
IF YOU TRAVEL ABROAD
20. When bash you bargain your question insurance?
- a) I don’t fuss with it
- b) Just earlier I go
- c) I person a year-round argumentation oregon I bargain it arsenic soon arsenic I’ve booked the holiday
RESULTS
If you mostly answered "a", you request to walk immoderate clip getting up to day with your finances, which could prevention you hundreds of pounds.
See the answers beneath connected however to bash it.
If you mostly answered "b", you are mostly connected apical of things but you could bash better.
If you answered "c", you're a fiscal whizzkid who ever gets the champion rates and deals, and each imaginable discount.
Keep going!
ANSWERS
1. Once you're retired of declaration inferior bills automatically spell up, adjacent though you proceed to get the aforesaid service.
Set reminders to yourself truthful you cognize erstwhile your deals are ending, and past container the cheapest deal.
Use a terms examination tract similar uSwitch, Go Compare oregon Compare the Market to comparison rates connected energy, broadband and mobile contracts.
2. Check whether you are really getting your advertised broadband velocity by moving a trial specified arsenic this 1 at: comparethemarket.com/broadband/speed-test.
Log into your broadband relationship online to spot what woody you are connected and what complaint you should get.
If the results autumn beneath the minimum you were promised, you shouldn’t person to wage a punishment to permission your broadband declaration aboriginal nether Ofcom rules.
But, you indispensable interaction your supplier archetypal to springiness them a accidental to hole the problem.
3. Millions of pounds are resting successful mislaid pensions.
Go done each the jobs you've had and see if you whitethorn person been paying into a pension during the employment.
If you're not sure, effort the Pension Tracing Service - at gov.uk/find-lost-pension or speech to the Pensions Advisory Service.
4. Bank accounts person antithetic selling points, specified arsenic overdrafts, adding involvement connected balances and cashback and rewards.
Make definite yours suits your needs, and if not, power to thing that fits better.
Various banks are presently offering a switching bonus of up to £175, specified arsenic First Direct oregon Nationwide.
5. Citizens Advice has recovered that implicit 13 cardinal radical - 26% of UK adults - person accidentally taken retired a subscription implicit the erstwhile 12 months.
These subscriptions screen services from fittingness apps to nutrient transportation services, and repetition favored nutrient to mag subscriptions.
Many don't cancel them, adjacent if they aren’t wanted, and extremity up losing out. Be definite to regularly cheque what's leaving your account.
6. Top extremity - M&S connection a £5 voucher disconnected a £35 walk if you driblet disconnected unwanted apparel astatine an Oxfam shop, arsenic agelong arsenic astatine slightest 1 point is from M&S.
H&M runs a akin scheme.
7. Many homes crossed England and Scotland are thought to beryllium successful the incorrect Council Tax band, truthful cheque you are not overpaying connected your rates.
Moneysavingexpert.com has a bully usher for this.
Also cheque if you suffice for a assembly taxation discount, which you mightiness get if, for example, you unrecorded connected your own, are a pupil oregon unrecorded with idiosyncratic diagnosed with a "severe intelligence impairment" specified arsenic Alzheimer's disease.
HOW TO BRUSH UP ON YOUR MONEY SKILLS
ARE you disquieted astir your wealth skills aft taking this test? We explicate wherever you tin get assistance and support.
KNOWING WHERE TO LOOK
As good arsenic speechmaking The Sun's wealth pages successful people and online and signing up to our newsletter, determination are tons of resources that tin assistance you.
Only usage trusted oregon authorities websites specified arsenic Moneyhelper oregon MoneySavingExpert.
ASK FOR HELP
Our Consumer Champion Laura Purkess is has helped triumph backmost thousands of pounds for readers. You tin interaction her by emailing Laura.Purkess@the-sun.co.uk.
Other utile resources see Citizens Advice, The Financial Ombudsman, Pension Wise and Which?
Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert has written brilliantly astir a wealthiness of assistance you tin get arsenic a kid oregon big with financial literacy.
8. Cashback sites fundamentally springiness you free money for buying things online.
They are casual to use, but those who are not assured with computers whitethorn shy distant from them.
If you’re not definite however it works, inquire a person oregon household subordinate to assistance you larn to usage sites like Quidco.com or Topcashback.co.uk.
9. A play store astatine Tesco each twelvemonth tin container a household £100 of Clubcard vouchers - which mightiness beryllium useful for Christmas shopping.
Other supermarkets person their ain incentives and reward schemes. So it’s worthy nabbing bonus points, which you tin gain done offers and competitions connected the supermarkets’ apps.
With Clubcard, you tin get doubly the worth of your points by redeeming with a reward spouse similar Disney Plus, RAC oregon Leeds Castle.
10. Some estimates suggest astir fractional the UK colonisation person ne'er checked their recognition report.
But it's important to do, arsenic having a bully recognition people means you tin get amended borrowing presumption and little involvement rates.
It besides means you'll cognize of immoderate fraudulent recognition applications taken retired successful your name.
11. It is important to marque a volition truthful that your money and property spell to the close people.
If you dice intestate (without a will), it tin besides beryllium much hard for loved ones to woody with the decease admin.
12. You tin get taxation escaped childcare if you and your spouse some gain nether £100,000 a year.
Some parents deliberation they gain excessively overmuch to assertion taxation escaped children and are amazed the precocious bounds is truthful high.
13. For the 2024/2025 taxation year, the maximum you tin gain earlier needing to wage backmost kid payment is £60,000 a year.
If you gain much than this, you'll request to wage a "Child Benefit taxation charge".
Last taxation twelvemonth the bounds was £50,000.
14. People connected the Priority Services Register get other attraction and attraction if they request assistance from their supplier.
For example, if you mightiness request your measure successful ample print, oregon h2o brought to you if there’s a proviso issue.
15. There are tons of perks and discounts disposable to pensioners. Retailers connection discounts, the NHS gives escaped prescriptions and you tin often question for free.
You mightiness besides get reduced cinema tickets and a National Trust pass.
16. Car insurers look favourably astatine drivers who organise their premiums successful advance.
The cheapest clip to get quotes is betwixt 20 and 27 days up of your renewal date, according to MoneySavingExpert.com.
17. The Citizens Advice has immoderate truly bully proposal for getting your debts successful order.
But if you’re struggling to woody with it alone, talk to StepChange (stepchange.org.uk, 0800 138 1111) oregon National Debtline (nationaldebtline.org, 0808 808 4000).
18. The top-paying casual relationship presently pays 5% but the worst wage a pittance.
Finance site Moneyfactscompare.co.uk advises savers to cheque deals each 3 to six months to marque definite they’re getting the champion rates.
19. The rebuild outgo is however overmuch it would outgo to wholly rebuild your location if it was destroyed, including the terms of labour and materials.
This is usually little than your home’s merchantability price.
Basing your argumentation connected your home’s rebuild outgo volition halt you from paying a higher than indispensable premium.
Visit abi.bcis.co.uk for an online calculator to enactment retired the close figure.
20. Never question without insurance.
If you had an mishap and needed aesculapian care, the outgo could tally into thousands of pounds.
It’s besides important to bargain a argumentation astatine the clip you publication the holiday, if you don’t already person one, successful lawsuit you request to cancel it successful an emergency.