TODAY is officially the most depressing day of the year – but tackling your money worries could help lift your mood.
The third Monday is January is known as “Blue Monday” due to a combination of post-Christmas blues, the arrival of credit card bills and debt mounting up.
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But The Sun’s Squeeze Team is here to help you in 2023.
On Day One of a three-part series to wring more cash out of every area of your life, we set out all the key money dates for the year ahead in one handy calendar.
Keep it in a safe place . . . it can save you ££££s.
JANUARY
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TODAY
Tackle taxes: There is just over two weeks to go until the January 31 deadline for submitting self-assessment tax returns.
In the last week of January 2022, 1.5million people still had not filed theirs.
SUN 22
48 weeks to Christmas: It is never too early to start festive saving.
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We each blow an average of £300 on gifts, according to a YouGov poll, so put aside £6.25 a week from now and you’ll cover the big day.
WEDS 25
Write a mortgage memo: If your mortgage deal is due to end in the next six months you’ll likely face paying more.
Start your research early, using the mortgage calculator at moneyhelper.org.uk.
Many lenders will let you secure a new rate up to six months in advance, so start shopping around as soon as you can.
TUES 31
Pay your tax bill: The final day to submit and pay self-assessment tax bills to avoid a fine of £100 or more.
Swap old stamps: First and second-class stamps without a barcode won’t be valid after today.
To swap old ones for new, fill in a “swap out” form on Royal Mail’s website.
FEBRUARY
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WEDS 1
Take a bus: Bus operators outside London capped their single fares at £2 from the start of the year, saving almost a third of the average £2.80 fare.
Make the most of it, as the limit is only agreed until March 31.
To see if your route qualifies, go to gov.uk/guidance/2-bus-fare-cap.
THURS 2
Brace for rate hikes: The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee meets today.
If it decides to raise interest rates further, this will make loans, credit cards and mortgage repayments more expensive.
TUES 14
Valentine’s Day: Remind your loved one that expensive gifts are not necessary.
Opening up about your finances could be good for your relationship, yet only a third of people talk money with their partner, according to finance firm ClearScore.
TUES 28
Enjoy an early payday: The last working day of the month is the most common time to get paid if you get a monthly salary.
February is a shorter month, so you will have three days fewer to eke out your cash compared to some months.
MARCH
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WEDS 1
Rail fares due to rise: To ease any increases, book in advance and use railcards where you can.
Find out more at railcard.co.uk, and look out for money-off deals to get the pass for less.
FRI 10
Energy support ends: The Government’s monthly payments of £66 or £67 are ending.
If you have a non-smart prepay meter you will probably get your final voucher by today.
Other customers will have it automatically applied.
WEDS 15
Spring Budget: The Sun’s team of experts will digest all the big news on taxes, benefits and more so you know what the changes mean for your money.
SAT 18
Beat broadband/phone increases: Many providers are expected to put prices up in April.
If your deal is due to come to an end, start looking for a better offer now online at moneysupermarket.com.
FRI 31
Homebuyers beware: This is the final deadline for 2023 homebuyers using the Help To Buy scheme to complete their purchase.
APRIL
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SAT 1
Big money changes kick in: Many increases to household bills are expected, from council tax to water rates.
Energy bills look set to be the most painful of these as the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee cap increases from £2,500 to £3,000 a year.
Helping hand: Government help is coming, but it’s not yet known exactly when.
A £900 payment will be going to millions on means-tested benefits and Universal Credit in 2023.
Many older people will receive a one-off £300 Pensioner Cost Of Living Payment and those claiming certain disability benefits will also qualify for £150, which will probably be paid in autumn.
Benefits and pensions boost: Those who receive benefits including Universal Credit or the state pension are in for a boost to keep up with soaring prices, with payments rising in line with Sept-ember’s inflation rate of 10.1 per cent.
Wages up: The National Living Wage for workers aged 23+ will increase by 9.7 per cent from £9.50 to £10.42 per hour from today.
Bitter pill: Prescription prices were frozen for 12 months until April at £9.35 per medication but may rise today.
A prescription prepayment certificate could save you money if you need 12 or more prescriptions dispensed each year.
TV fees freeze: The TV licence fee usually goes up in April, but the Government announced last year that it would be frozen at £159 for two years before rising in line with inflation from 2024.
MAY
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MON 1
Bank Holiday bonanza: It’s the first of three Bank Holidays this month.
Aside from today, there is an extra bank holiday on Monday 8 to mark the coronation of King Charles III and another on May 29 as usual – but those days off can be pricey, so set a budget and stick to it.
SAT 6
Plan ahead for school hols: With the half-term break at the end of this month and summer approaching, make sure you have booked holiday clubs and kids’ activities.
Check what your local council is offering and don’t forget to use tax-free childcare or claim costs back if you get Universal Credit.
SUN 7
Pension age review: The decision on the state pension age review is due by today, so check you are getting what you are owed.
Around 850,000 OAPs are missing out on a total of £1.7billion by not signing up for Pension Credit payments.
MON 29
Eat out for less: Make the most of offers this half-term. Supermarket cafes at Asda, Morrisons and Tesco tend to run deals where kids eat for free or for £1.
JUNE
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SAT 3
Book summer trains: There are around seven weeks left until the start of the school summer holidays.
Book tickets as early as you can to make savings.
A Family And Friends Railcard costs around £30 a year – or save £20 by getting a three- year card for £70.
With a third off adult fares and 60 per cent off kids’ tickets, it could pay for itself in just one family trip.
SAT 10
Order travel money: If you are going abroad this summer make sure that you order your holiday cash before you go – never leave it until you get to the airport.
Now is a good time to compare the exchange rates on offer using MoneySavingExpert’s Travel Money Max tool.
JULY
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MON 3
Holiday help for kids: If your children qualify for free school meals, make sure they are registered for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme in time for the summer.
You need to apply to your local council before each school break, so make sure you don’t miss out on the free support.
MON 31
Another big day for your wallet.
Tax credits renewal: Tax credits must be renewed each year and the deadline for this is today.
For more info see gov.uk/manage-your-tax- credits.
Self-employed tax deadline: If you work for yourself, today is the deadline for making a payment on account – the advance payment you are required to make towards your next tax bill.
AUGUST
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TUES 1
Check roaming charges: Before you go abroad, check your phone contract to see what you will be charged for calls or browsing the web overseas.
For example, many Three, Vodafone and EE customers now pay at least £2 a day in Europe.
SAT 19
Look for uniform help: As the kids get set to return to school, some councils pay up to £150 per child towards uniform costs to low-income households.
Check with your local authority.
THURS 31
Child Benefit stops on this date after your child’s 16th birthday: The help continues if they stay in approved education or training but you must tell the Child Benefit Office before this date.
SEPTEMBER
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SAT 9
Student perks: If you have a full-time student in the house you may qualify for a 25 per cent discount on your council tax, so check today.
You can apply for an exemption or discount at gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount.
For other financial perks for students, check out studentbeans.com/uk and myunidays.com.
SAT 16
Insulate your home: Before the autumn chill, check your home for draughts.
Insulating window and doorways could save you £45 a year.
Councils and energy suppliers may offer help to make your home more efficient.
Speak to yours to find out if you qualify.
OCTOBER
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SUN 1
Eye up energy bills: The Energy Price Guarantee is reassessed every three months, so after reviews in April and July bills could change again this month.
WEDS 18
Inflation information: September’s inflation figure is published today, telling us how much costs have gone up or down.
This figure is used to work out changes to benefits, tax credits and the state pension, taking effect from the following April.
Inflation will hopefully have been on its way down by the time we reached September.
MON 30
Pension detectives: As many as one in 20 people could have a pension they don’t know about.
October 30 is National Pension Tracing Day.
Use the free pension tracing service at gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details to see out if there is a lost pot of cash with your name on it.
NOVEMBER
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WEDS 1:
Help is on the horizon: As temperatures drop we will see the return of Winter Fuel payments for those who qualify.
Also, under Cold Weather Payments eligible households get £25 for each consecutive seven-day period where the temperature dips below zero degrees Celsius.
If it is continued this year, the scheme should reopen today and run until March 31 2024.
FRI 24
Black Friday: Do your research to spot bargains for Christmas presents.
Use price check sites such as idealo.co.uk and pricespy.co.uk to dodge any dud “deals”.
MON 27
Get free furniture or white goods: It’s Cyber Monday, which is really an extension of the Black Friday sales.
But if you are on a low income you might be able to get cheap or free fridges, carpets and furniture.
Find out more at endfurniturepoverty.org or try turn2us.org.uk for help.
DECEMBER
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FRI 1
Spread the festive food costs: Start thinking about what grub you can buy early to even out the cost of Christmas.
Focus on items with long expiry dates, such as Christmas cake, snacks and chocolate but avoid veg for now to bag the best last-minute savings.
TUES 5
Get last-minute presents: In the old days the sales didn’t start until January. Now lots of shops launch discounts in December, which is perfect if you’re a last-minute festive shopper.
SAT 16
Veg out: Supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco have previously dropped prices for fresh veg to 19p a bag from around this time of the month.
Last year Iceland slashed frozen veg to just 1p for one day only on December 21.
