Save up to £200 on broadband
If you claim Universal Credit, you could be eligible for discounts on your broadband.
Little-known social tariffs are offered by several suppliers.
Benefits eligible for these cheaper tariffs usually include Universal Credit, pension credit and income support.
But the exact qualifying criteria can vary, so check first.
How much is Universal Credit?
Universal Credit payments are made up of a standard allowance and then various additional payments that depend on your circumstances.
This is how much you will get as your standard allowance each month:
- Single, under 25 – £292.11
- Single, 25 or over – £368.74
- Couple, joint claimants both under 25 – £458.51 (for both)
- Couple, joint claimants, one or both 25 or over – £578.82 (for both)
You may also get additional payments depending on your circumstances.
Free debt advice
If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free advice on how to manage debt.
Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
How can I slash my water bills at home?
Moving to a water meter can help some households save some extra cash.
However, if you use a lot of water then this makes no sense as it could see your water bills go up.
The Consumer Council for Water offers a free water meter calculator that’ll tell you if you can save by fitting a water meter.
There are also changes that you can make to your daily habits that could help to cut back on your water usage, including reducing the time you spend in the shower and not leaving the water running while brushing your teeth or washing dishes.
Plumbing expert’s hack to make your house more efficient this winter
A plumbing expert has shared a simple hack to make your house warmer this winter.
If you have found your radiators aren’t giving off much heat or they feel cold on the top half and warm on the bottom half then you may need to bleed your radiators.
This is relatively simple and can be done yourself with a radiator key and cloth.
You need to check if you have a sealed or opened system and ensure the heating is turned off before opening all the radiator valves including thermostatic radiator valves.
Using your radiator key, put it into the valve and twist it until you feel any air or water coming out.
Lynn Beattie, aka @mrsmummypenny on Instagram said: “If air comes out, keep it open until water starts coming out. Then shut it by tightening it. All air should be removed from the radiator now. “
You can then repeat this process on all radiators in your house before turning on the heating and allowing the system to heat up.
Top saving trends to start today
There are several major trends you can follow that could see you stash away hundreds if not thousands of pounds by the end of the year.
The right one for you will depend on how much you want to save and what you can afford to put aside.
Anyone can take part in the 1p savings challenge and the idea is pretty straightforward.
You start by saving 1p, then increase the amount you save by 1p each day.
So as day one is 1p, day two means you stash away 2p, and the next day it’s 3p and so on.
By day number 365, you’d be adding just £3.65 to the account.
If you started on January 1, 2024, and kept it up, you’ll have saved a grand total of £671.61 by December 31, 2024.
Don’t worry if you didn’t start right at the beginning – just add up the total number of each day missed and start from there.
