Blue Monday is coming up and so named because December’s pay cheque is often paid a day or two earlier and then January is a five week month, with many of us not seeing another pay cheque reach our bank account for another couple of weeks. When we worked out which day was Blue Monday we felt it fell on January 26. But the growing concensus is that it will actually fall on Monday, January 19. Sheeesh! You wouldn’t think people would be so keen to get there sooner, would yah? Why so blue, Monday? Credit card bills have landed […]
Category: Bills
12th night – money saving tips for the New Year
January 5 heralds the start of our post-Christmas battle plan Our money saving tips for the New Year First of all check what you owe on credit cards, overdrafts, personal loans, mortgage or rent arrears, gas and electricity bills, council tax arrears and compare with what your borrowings were a year ago. Nationally we’re getting further into debt so the chances are your personal borrowing will also look a little podgier than it did a year ago. Borrowing is a bit like how much you weigh… If you don’t keep an eye on things it tends to creep up year […]
Why we’re publishing on January 20, 2014
January 20 is Black Monday – the most depressing day of the year. This year it is probably gloomier than ever but we aim to change that. S0, even though… the Christmas bills have come home to roost gas and electricity costs have gone up and inflation is staying stubbornly higher than pay rises in fact family income is estimated to be £1,200 a year lower than it was five years ago, help is at hand. Money Fight Club will help you to get your finances fit, to see off the bullies that rip you off and to make you […]
Watch out for water companies raining on your parade
A household I know received a letter from the water company saying it was going to change the direct debit is deducted from their account from December 2013 but nothing else other than an ‘opening balance’ of £17.04. It gave no meter reading, history of payments, no details of standing charges or even what the current payments were. The family had to check their bank account to realise the direct debit payments were being doubled! And as the supply of water and waste water drainage were provided by two different water companies, they then had to check the second company […]
Attacking household bills
Next to buying food, household bills, such as gas, electric and phone rental – are where money fighters hone their skills. This is because they come thick and fast. You probably only renegotiate your mortgage every few years but you have monthly, possibly weekly opportunities to punch above your weight around the house. Plus this is where really big companies can get the better of us if we’re not ready to fight back. They come into our home (via the letter box) and con us – and that’s plain wrong. It’s even more galling because what we’re dealing with here covers […]