COSTS might be spiralling – but The Sun’s Squeeze Team is on hand to help bust your bills.
Here are ten steps to take right now to deal with the cost of living crunch.
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CHECK FOR BENEFITS: MILLIONS of people are missing out on benefits they are entitled to because they assume they are not eligible.
Leah Milner, Sun Savers editor, says: “Use an online benefits calculator and check your local council’s Household Support Fund.
“Many local authorities give out free cash or food vouchers.”
CUT COUNCIL TAX: YOU could save thousands of pounds a year if you are in the wrong council tax band and paying too much.
Contact your local council to appeal your valuation if you think you might be in this situation.
Martyn James, from mediation service Resolver, said: “If you are single and living by yourself, you can get a 20 per cent discount. If you are a student, you won’t have to pay.”
RENTING HELP: TENANTS already pay more of their income in rent each month – 31 per cent against 18 per cent – compared to homeowners, says Sarah Coles of financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown.
“With so many prices rising, finding an even bigger chunk of cash for rent will be incredibly difficult”, she adds.
If your landlord pays the bills then you could miss out on the £150 council tax rebate.
The government did announce a £144million fund to help people who miss out. Apply through your local council.
DITCH THE METER: PREPAYMENT meters cost £130 a year MORE than paying by direct debit.
Sarah Coles says: “If you pay the bills yourself, and your landlord has installed a prepayment meter, then as long as you have a good record of paying your bills, you have the right to have it removed and to pay by direct debit.
“You don’t need to ask for permission from your landlord to remove it, and they can’t stop you.”
MANAGE YOUR DEBT: MANY households may be forced into debt as a result of rising living costs, but going into the red should always be a last resort.
Jonathan Chesterman, of debt charity StepChange, said: “The priority should always be to pay your most important bills first, such as housing costs.
“Then try to meet the minimum payment on every debt you have each month, and after that you should pay most towards the debt with the highest interest and charges.”
Organisations such as Citizens’ Advice and StepChange can help if you are struggling with debt.
BE A SAVVY SHOPPER: GROCERY prices have gone up over recent months, adding £20 a month to food shop bills.
Supermarket expert Naomi Willis says there are simple things you can do to reduce costs.
Planning meals, writing a shopping list and sticking to it, and batch cooking will help save you money.
She suggests free and cheap food apps such as Olio and TooGoodToGo.
Look out for yellow-sticker deals in your local supermarket, giving you money off when food is approaching its use-by date.
She adds: “Consider cheaper ways of preparing food at home too.
“Using a slow cooker means you can get away with using cheaper cuts of meat.”
SWITCH SWITCH SWITCH: MOVING energy suppliers used to be a simple way to reduce your bills, but this is no longer the case.
But you can still save on your insurance, mobile and broadband costs, so ensure you shop around for the best deals.
MOVE YOUR MORTGAGE: FIX now before cheap deals disappear.
Nick Morrey, technical director at mortgage broker Coreco, said: “Try to snap up a cheaper fixed-rate deal from a new lender before they disappear completely.
“This will protect you from further increases if rates rise again.”
HAGGLE ON YOUR BILLS: IF you are not happy with the price you are paying, you can always ask for a discount.
Many Virgin Media and Sky customers report they have had success haggling money off their bills. If you are planning to haggle, do your research first.
Tara Evans, Head of Consumer for The Sun, said: “You can try to haggle directly with your broadband provider to see if you can negotiate money off or a better deal.
“But if this doesn’t work, it is worth running a comparison online to see if making a switch would save you money.”
CLAIM BACK TAX: MAKE sure you are not giving more money to the taxman than you need to.
Check your tax code and claim any relief you are entitled to, says Mitch Young, an accountant at Fusion Consulting Group.
If you have had to work from home since April 2020, you can claim £6 a week tax relief.
You can check your entitlement by visiting gov.uk.
Married couples can transfer any unused personal allowance between them, which can save up to £252 in tax for the 2021/2022 financial year.
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