Fast Finance Help

Okay so this is some what off topic, but I received these images in an email this morning…. how good?!

Basically these trucks have been painted to look like the insides of them are actually empty, or full of something else…. hard to put into words, just check out the pics:

1. Book Stuff Early - Okay I agree, it’s so easy to leave everything until last minute isn’t it? Think of those times that you’ve not let stuff until last minute and you’ve sorted it out early, you didn’t stress out as much right? Well it’s not just stress that you can avoid by booking early, you can also save money. Look at flights for example, the earlier you book, the cheaper the cost of the flight tickets. The same usually applies to train tickets, concert tickets even pre-ordering console games or DVD movies before their release date can save you money. So tip number one is to book early!
   
2. Walk or Cycle To Work Ya Lazy Git! - If you don’t already, consider this one. Spending money on public transport or petrol mounts up. Walking or using public transport will not only save you money, it will more than likely give you some exercise too! Oh and by public transport, I don’t mean cheat by getting a cab/taxi!
3. Avoid Protection Costs (if you don’t need it) - Okay this one depends on your situation, but loan protection and other similar schemes are bloody expensive. Don’t bother, unless you really feel it is necessary. Remember that the guy trying to sell you the loan is probably getting paid commission if you sign up, so don’t be surprised if they try hard to push you into purchasing loan protection. Be Strong, don’t fall for it.
4. Buy Your Stuff Online - For most markets, it seems that purchasing stuff online saves you money. It’s probably for a few reasons, one of them being that there is more competition for the retailers, and you are saving them money in staff costs by purchasing products online. Also, look at supermarket shopping online, you’ll save money on your travel expenses, not to mention the time you’ll save!
5. No More Ready Meals - Ready meals can be expensive. Go the Market, get yourself some fresh cheap produce and rustle up a huge pot of food. In most cases, you will be saving you money (unless you are eating those really, really, poor TV dinner or uber cheap microwave meals…. and if you are, shame on you!)

So there we have it, Part 2 of the money saving tips. Keep your eyes peeled for Part 3……..

Hi all, just a quick post. I recently noticed over on Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert.com that he has a decent little tool that will help with all of your budget planning needs. You have to download it, but it’s not bad at all! You can find it here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Budget-planning

Hey all, this is the first of a five part series, listing five top tips on how to save some moolah! (that’s cash, to those people who are not down with it haha). Okay, well let’s get started:

1. When Was The Last Time You Visted The Market? Sure, supermarkets are handy…. but when was the last time you actually visted an outside market? Most places around the world have them, and they are generally cheaper and contain more fresh produce. Save yourself money today, and go and shop at your local market
2. Transfer Your Credit Card Balance -Are you paying interest on your credit card? If so, then consider transferring your balance to an issuer that has 0% on balance transfers. There are plenty of them, search on google and I’m confident that you’ll find a ton of them. Once the free interest period runs out, transfer the balance again
3. The National Lottery - It Probably Won’t Be You! Come on, so many of you guys out there are paying for lottery tickets when you are in debt, for that 14 MILLION to one chance that you’re gonna win the lottery. Not to shoot down a glimmer of hope, but i’d save your money, and either reduce the amount of times that you buy a lottery ticket, or just don’t buy one at all, until you can afford them
4. Don’t Be a Hoarder, Sell Your Treasure! If you’re one of these people who horde clutter, free up some cash and sell it on ebay. Selling stuff on ebay really helped me out financially, and gave me a start in clearing my debt a couple of years ago. Go. Get yourself an account on eBay and get started!
5. Make Your Own Lunch For Work - Do you know I was paying £5 to £10 per day during my lunch time once? Well that figure is greatly reduced now that I cook my lunch the night before work. Invest in some cheap plastic tubs, and when you cook, cook for like 10 people, and freeze loads of it. There you go, lunch for a week or so. If you don’t like cooking, then make some sandwiches! You will defintely save money this way. Go for it.

Well that’s it for Money Saving Tips Part 1, look out for Part 2 coming soon………

Excuse my language, but people who wish to rip others off using credit card fraud are simply a pain in the ass. It happened to me before, so I thought I’d post some tips on preventing this happening to you:

Use Cash Machines Safely

• Never use a cash machine if you suspect anybody is acting suspiciously near the machine itself. If you notice any suspicious behaviour then please, report them.
• If for some reason your card is swallowed by a cash machine, contact your card issuer straight away, and inform them of your loss

Protect Your Identity

• If you move home, ensure that your mail is re-directed to your new location. In the wrong hands, your mail can be a vital weapon in indentity fraud
• Always dispose and shred personal documents (bank statements etc).

When Abroad

• Make a note of the emergency numbers that you need to call in the case of losing your credit card. Put them somewhere safe.
• Seriously, only take the cards that you need for your holiday. Ensure that the rest are somewhere secure back at home

Online Shopping

• Online shopping is thankfully more safe these days, but with that increased security, has come an all time high amount of credit card fraudsters.
• Just be sure that your computer is completely virus free, there are many viruses out there that will log your every keystroke and send them back to a fraudster.
• Only shop on websites that are secure. Ensure that the padlock icon (this indicates that a site is secure) is visable in your browser (internet explorer for e.g) before sending your card details. Be aware that this symbol only sometimes appears during the part of the website where the transaction is made / card details are requested.

PIN Number - Keep it Safe

• This is an obvious one right? You’d be surprised at how many people actually don’t keep their pin number safe, it’s important alright
• Memorise this sucker! Don’t leave it written down somewhere that others can find it
• If you choose to change your PIN number, don’t choose anything that is obvious to you like the last four digits of your phone number, or you are just making it easy for fraudsters to operate
• Remember that if you think somebody knows your PIN, you can change it at any cash machine, or you can change it via your bank or card issuer.

If You Are a Victim Of Credit Card Fraud

• Don’t panic, but act fast. Contact the emercency numbers listed on your bank statement, if you don’t have a bank statement, search online or call the bank direct for the correct phone number to call and inform of your loss.
• If you are a victim of credit card fraudsters, you will oly ever have to pay £50 at most. Remember though if you have acted without reasonable care you will be liable for any losses caused by the credit card fraud incident

Well there we have it, for more information on credit card fraud, we recommend that you visit: www.cardwatch.org.uk

Whether you’re looking for a loan, insurance, or the best price on a holiday, these days there are many price comparison sites out there claiming that they can find you the best deal for whatever it is you’re looking for. Here in the UK, it seems that these sites are booming, they are advertising SO much, especially during the normal daytime TV. What I’m asking, is are they worth it? Well, believe it or not, I’ve been involved with creating such sites, I even used to work with the guy who created the popular site Kelkoo, and I know a thing or two about how they work.

I guess the first point I’d like to raise is that these comparison sites do save time. Especially when searching for something that usually involves asking a lot of questions, for example when applying for a loan. When applying for a loan, you would usually have to answer a large number of questions such as why you are applying for a loan, what your annual earnings are etc. When using a comparison site, you just have to answer these questions once, and they will go out there to all of the loan companies with your criteria and try to find you the best deal.

So yes, sure, these sites save you time - but I want you to remember one thing. These comparison sites are there to make money. They are not charging you, the user, direct… but they are charging the loan companies. If the comparison site is earning a high commission for a particular loan company, the more they will pimp that company. This can sometimes result in misleading the customer (you) into thinking that you are getting the best deal, when actual fact you are probably just being encouraged to purchase from the company that is paying the highest commission to the comparison site.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use comparison sites, far from it. Just be aware that you are not always being presented with the best deal with these guys. What I do, is use the comparison sites to get an online quote… then call up the companies direct with the quote references.

Try to get a better deal, play them off against eachother. Try not to fall for the extras either (for e.g. loan protection). I’m not saying refuse loan protection - that is of course up to you…. but just be aware that these loan protection deals can be quite expensive, and refusing them can greatly reduce your quote. Very often, the sales guys that you speak to on the phone are paid in commission based on if they can sell the loan insurance or not - so be aware of that.

I realise that this article has leaned more towards the loan example, but remember this general rule applies to all products purchased via price comparison sites. Good luck in finding the best deal for you!

Let’s face it, having children is one expensive business. I was recently approached by a friend of mine who is starting to panic really. He has spent all of his time looking after his pregnant wife, and it has just suddenly dawned on him, they are both very ’skint’ and are struggling for money. How are they going to afford another life? What do they need to pay for? Well the truth is, you have to plan plan plan. I know it sounds boring, but when my wife had her first child, there were so many unexpected costs involved, and there still are and our daughter is now 22 years old!

So, where do you start? The way I did it, was list all of the things that I think a baby / child would need from 0 years and beyond. Then we started putting so much money away a month towards our daughters life. Things like a baby car seat, they are not cheap! List it, price it up, find the best deal. Let your family and friends know what you need, if you are lucky enough to receive presents, then perhaps somebody will buy what you are looking for? Baby clothes, decorating costs for the newborns room. I’m just freestyling here, there are so many costs that we forget about. Toys, food, healthcare, school clothes and books etc etc etc.

Remember, just list everything you can, and start saving.

I guess what I’m trying to say, is plan for the future. Open a savings account, put so much in a month, even if it’s a very small amount. Believe me, there will be a time that you’ll be extremely glad you started putting that money away, no matter how little that money is! Even if you just put £5 away a month for your newborn, by the time they are 18 years old, they will have £1080 waiting for them. Perhaps that will help for university, or maybe will contribute towards a car or house deposit?! The truth is, it will help. Do it, and plan ahead for your family.

Whether you’re looking to buy a new car, or perhaps a new holiday, getting yourself a loan could be a good option. However, if you’re wanting a loan because you are just plain and simply ’skint’ / low on cash then personally I wouldn’t recommend taking out a loan. Being accepted for a personal loan depends on a number of factors. When you apply for a loan, you’ll find yourself being asked many questions, some of which you probably wouldn’t expect to be asked (unless you’ve had a loan before obviously). Remember that how you answer these questions, will reflect the approval of your loan application. Usually after answering these questions, you’ll be issued a loan quote. This quote contains how much the loan company will give you, and how much interest they will charge you. Remember to get yourself loan protection if you’re situation is risky. Loan protection can be quite expensive though, so be careful. Most loan companies will do different tiered services / levels of loan protection.

So, what kind of loan is best for you? If you’re starting a business, be sure to mention this in your loan application, but remember to fully explore all of your potential loan plans available from the company you are borrowing from. The interest rates with personal loans are quite different to that of business loans, so bear this in mind in your application.

Finding the best loan with a competitive loan rate is quite easy these days. There are many loan comparison sites out there today worldwide, use them. This means you only have to fill out one application and the loan comparison site will get a quote from many different companies out there, and will inform you of the best deal for you. Remember though, these sites are there to make money for themselves… so they are getting a cut! I’d advise to use these a comparison site to compare loans, find the best deal for you and then call up the company direct. You might just save even more money.

Good luck with lending money, take caution and enjoy yourselves.

Here at fast finance help, we are always trying to help you all become debt free. That said though, sometimes we realise and and understand that it’s just better to talk to somebody. That is why we thought we’d post the number for the National Debt Helpline. They offer FREE and CONFIDENTIAL advice, and are actually quite helpful. Without these guys, I’d have been a mess.

So if you feel you could benefit from speaking to somebody, give them a call on: 0808 808 4000 (sorry but this is only available for people who are residents of the United Kingdom).

Hope this helps….

Just a quick one here, you all seem to be asking us for a decent mortgage guide, especially all of you first time buyers - so I thought I’d quickly write a few main tips that we recommend you follow when searching for a mortgage:

• Don’t just go into your bank or building society. If they assume you’re just going to take a mortgage with them, you’re not going to get a good deal, at all. Remember that there are thousands of different types of mortages. Get the BEST one for you!
• No Running! Sometimes buying a house is an urgent business, you’ve seen the house you want, and you have to move with speeeeed! Stop! Take your time, take a deep breath, and take a good look at the mortages available to you. Rush into it, and there is a good chance that you are going to lose money.
• Remember that comparison websites are quite handy, but more importantly, remember that you can always get somebody to do the work for you (mortgage brokers). This can in a lot of cases, produce a better deal for you.

I could sit here and list bullet points all day regarding this subject, but these are the first ones that spring to mind. Take your time guys, make sure that you search for the best deal you can find, instead of just jumping in and taking one of the first offers on the plate. In the meantime, watch this space for the upcoming detailed mortgage guide……