Author: Boris

As a writer, I have always been a firm believer that it is important to make sure that everyone understands the things that are written. Coming from an academic background, means that I was expected to write in a technical way with complex terminology, which I did not agree with. I feel that there is no reason why we should not put things in a clear way that everyone can understand. This is why I moved away from the environment and decided to write material in a way that was inclusive and gives everyone an equal chance of understanding it.

Are There Easy Ways of Budgeting?

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You may very well feel that budgeting is too difficult for you to be able to do. However, it could be that you are using it as an excuse for not giving it a go. Many people think that if they set a budget, it will mean that the will have to give up buying all of the luxury items that they enjoy. However, it is worth noting that this may not necessarily be the case and it can be a very worthwhile way to actually be able to afford more things, rather than less. There are lots of methods of budgeting and you may find some of them easier than others. It can therefore be worth looking into the different methods and thinking about which you think will be the best for you to use. The most difficult thing about budgeting is probably sticking to it. You will have to keep a check on your spending all of the time and this can feel tiresome. However, it is really important to stick to the method until you have reached your goal. It might be that your goal is to always be in control of your money, which will mean that you will always need to budget. However, you may have more short-term goals such as paying off a loan or increasing your savings. You will need to make sure that you stick to it for the appropriate amount of time. There are things that you can try which should help you. 

Write Down Your Goal

 It can be a good idea to write down your goals and this will help you to focus more. Research has shown that by writing down our goals we are much more likely to stick to them. So, write down that budget that you have planned. It will also help you not to forget what it is and you will be able to refer to it if you need to. 

Stick it up Somewhere

 It is a good idea to stick your goals up somewhere that you can see clearly. You could pop them on the bathroom mirror, the fridge etc. It is a good idea to put it somewhere that you pass by often, but you might want to put it in a private place if you do not want other household members or visitors to see it. 

Read it Often

 It is a good idea to make sure that you make an effort to read the goal regularly, Perhaps at the start and end of every day. This is worth doing for several reasons. Firstly, it will remind you of what your main aim is and you will make sure that you adapt your behaviour so that you can achieve it. It will keep it in your mind. There is also a theory that if you keep putting your goals into your mind, that your brain will start working on solutions without you doing anything consciously. Whether this is right or not, it is still worth reading it through to keep it in your conscious mind. 

Remind Yourself of the Advantages

 It can also be well worth reminding yourself of the advantages of this goal. For example, it might be that you want to pay off a loan, think about the benefits of this such as being free of debt, not paying out interest any more and no longer having to make monthly repayments. If it is because you want to boost your savings then think about how much more secure you will feel with more money or perhaps if you are saving up for something specific, then you will be able to think about that. 

Does Which Bank I Choose Really Matter?

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Many of us will always stick with the same bank. We may use the bank for our current account credit card, savings and for any loans that we may have including mortgages. There are many reasons why we may not consider changing, such as because we are happy with our bank or that we will find it hard to move elsewhere so cannot be bothered. However, there are some reasons why it might be a good idea for you to consider changing banks so think about them and whether you might change your mind about it not really being important.

Costs

 Banks will vary in how much they charge for different services such as loans. They may vary quite considerably and if you are with an expensive bank, it could mean that you will be paying more than is really necessary. It is therefore a good idea to have a look at how much other banks are charging for their loans. You may find that your bank is competitive and you are happy with what you are paying. However, you may find that you are paying considerably more than necessary for what you are borrowing because your bank is expensive. It is worth thinking about whether you are paying considerably more than you need to and working out how much difference it could make to you if you switched and saved money. 

Savings Interest

 Savings accounts tend not to attract very much interest these days. This is because the Base Rate set by the Bank of England is very low. However, there are still different rates set by different banks and the accounts vary as well. This means that you could get a lot more interest on savings if you switched to a different bank. You may even find that you can just get more if you switch to a different type of savings account and your bank may offer savings account with better rates. Therefore, take a look and see what is available form your bank as well as others. To get a better rate you may need to keep your money invested for a certain period of time or give notice on withdrawals, but this might be something that will be okay for you, depending on how quickly you feel that you will need the money. 

Ease of Switching

 It can be tempting to think that it will be really hard to switch banks. However, banks legally have to help you with this and they can switch over your direct debits and standing orders so you will not need to set them all up again. It could be a lot easier than you might think. There will still be some people that have problems with it and you may have heard their stories, but there are lots of people that have switched over very successfully without any problems at all and we tend not to hear from them. 

Could be with Different Banks

 It could be the case that you do not switch everything over to a new bank anyway. It could be better and easier if you do it bit by bit. It might even be better if you changed different products to different banks. For example, you might find that there is a bank which has a good mortgage rate but you prefer the savings rate with a different bank. Sticking to just the one bank could be limiting and so it is worth considering whether it is better to spread your accounts across different ones rather than just sticking with one. 

How to Pick the Best Payday Loan

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There are lots of different lenders that offer payday loans and this means that you might wonder how you will be able to pick the best loan. It is good to think about this as there are big differences and choosing the right loan can make a significant difference in how much you will have to pay for the loan as well as the service that you might get. It is therefore wise to make sure that you do compare them and make sure that you get the best loan for your needs. It can be good to think about what you are looking for in a loan and make sure that you can get that form the lender that you choose. There are a few main features that it is worth thinking about but make sure that you also think about what you might personally be looking for as well as it could be something different. 

Cost

 The cost of a loan will vary between different lenders. Especially if you’re looking for one with no guarantor. You will find that they will each have a percentage interest rate but some will charge flat fees as well. This means that it can be tricky to compare the different loans this way. It can be a much better idea to find out how much you will have to repay in pounds and then you will be able to compare them on a like for like basis. You will often find that a lender will have a calculator on their website so that you can work this out, but if you cannot find it or are not sure how to use it, then it can be a good idea to contact their customer services department to find out. 

Speed

 Some lenders can arrange a loan much more quickly than others. Most payday lenders will be pretty quick, but sometimes you will need the money extremely quickly and so even a few hours difference can be vital. Some lenders can provide the money within a few hours but others may take a bit longer. Some will be able to provide funding overnight or during weekends which could be handy to those people that need money at these times and cannot wait for banks to open. 

Repayment

 Most payday loans require a lump sum repayment on the day that you are next paid. This can work out well for a lot of people which means that you repay the loan quickly and are soon free of debt. However, for some, the thought of paying it all back at once is daunting and they can feel that they want to repay in instalments instead. Some payday loans do offer repayment in instalments, so this could be something worth looking for if you need to do this.  

There might be other factors that you want to consider as well. Think about whether the lender has a good reputation and if your friends and family would recommend them or if you can find good reviews that might help you make up your mind. You might also think about whether you could benefit from having a good look at the lender’s website as this will help you to see what they are like and to find out more details about the loan. You could even contact their customer services department and this will let you know what they are like to deal with as well. Consider what is important to you in a lender and this will help you to be able to see which payday lenders have the features that you are looking for and so you will end up choosing the best one for you.