MARTIN Lewis has shared a serious warning for couples who have joint finances.
The money-saving expert’s advice came after a divorcee revealed how she’s saved £19,000 since her marriage ended.
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And Martin warned those choosing to combine finances with someone else need to be careful to avoid “disaster”.
Angela, who got divorced 20 years ago, said she found herself in dire financial straits.
However, using Martin’s tips and tricks, she revealed that she saved almost £20,000 over the years.
While replying to Angela’s story, Martin warned couples who share their finances not to have a “dominant financial doer” who sorts out every financial aspect.
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He explained that things could turn out to be a disaster if the person solely handling money matters steps over the line.
Martin wrote: “In relationships, there’s usually a ‘dominant financial doer’ who sorts out the finances.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, but if it steps over the line to ‘I just do it all, so they needn’t worry’ it may feel generous, but it can be disastrous.”
Angela said she was caught up in heavy financial troubles when her husband left – but using tips from Martin’s Money Saving Expert helped her to bounce back.
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The brave woman revealed she used the website to budget her money, fix her mortgage and open savings accounts.
She used the Money Saving Expert’s mortgage site to fix up her mortgage which helped her to become debt free sooner than she thought.
Angela revealed using Martin’s tips helped her save a bit every year on insurance and breakdown covers – and so far she saved a grand total of £18,858.95.
“I could go on and on. My daughter is now using the budgeting and piggybank system herself, so she has skills she wouldn’t have had without MSE, and I feel financially secure,” Angela wrote on the website.
Hearing Angela’s story, Martin advised that both partners should know enough about finances and money-related matters to take over the other person in times of emergency.
Martin Lewis issues urgent warning as households have just WEEKS left to claim up to £1,000 free cash – how to get it
He said: “In a shared financial relationship, both partners should know enough to be able to take over if needed, especially if one of the three Ds hit (death, divorce, dementia).
“Communication & a financial factsheet are crucial.”
Martin’s advice comes after he warned married couples to check if they are owed £1,256 in cash.
The Money Saving Expert said you could claim back hundreds of pounds worth of tax, but you have to act fast to get the full amount.
Last month, the money saving expert shared a little-known tip for couples that could save them hundreds of pounds on breakdown insurance amid soaring premiums.
The handy trick effectively lets you receive the cover for “free” as an added extra on another service.
Writing on the Money Saving Expert website, Martin shared a host of hacks for pairs of partners to ace their personal finances.
Among these was a recommendation to look into Packaged bank accounts.
He also issued an urgent warning to households who have just weeks left to claim up to £1,000 in free cash.
The consumer champion said people can claim back a number of tax allowances by up to four tax years.
This includes the Marriage Tax Allowance, PPI and the Uniform Tax Rebate.
But the current financial year ends on April 5 meaning you have to claim on or before this date if you want to claw back any tax for the 2019/20 tax year.
He said: “With a number of tax allowances you can claim back four tax years before the current one.
“So that means when the new tax year starts on 6 April we say bye-bye to the 2019/20 tax year.”
It comes after Martin shared the next steps drivers should take in the brewing car finance scandal and warned of “fob off” tactics from firms.
