7 Tips to Beat the Cost of Living Crisis
We’re going through a cost of living crisis and things are going to get worse before they get better. So, here are some tips to cut costs.
1. Heating the human and not the home
The energy bill has become a stressful thing for many people because it has gone up. This is why people are looking for the best ways of keeping warm without breaking the bank. There are many ways of keeping yourself warm without spending much. It is important to focus on these methods so you don’t have to spend a lot on energy usage. Keep your heating working efficiently with Corgi Home Plan.
2. State pension top-up
There are over 800,000 people qualifying for state pensions. This is a tax-free pension credit that has been tested and it is there to benefit retired people who are on low income – this can run to thousands of pounds every year. This is also good because it is a gateway benefit that can make you eligible for council tax discounts. It can also cover things for people over 75 like free TV licenses.
3. Making do and mending at a repair café
When you have a big expense like replacing a big-ticket item like a laptop when it breaks down, it is stressful especially when you are having financial issues. There are some options like leaning on the local community for fixing things for free.
If there is a household item that you can’t repair, then consider going to local repair cafes. There are some that are organized once a month where volunteers repair anything from electricals, toys, clothes, computers, and so on. You are not going to be charged for this, but you can still donate any amount you can afford.
4. Millions of people are out of broadband and mobile contract
This is because most of them are still on the bog-standard full price. Going online for two minutes and comparing broadband and using sim comparison tools can help you find deals that can save you more than 200 pounds a year – which will offset some increased bills like energy.
5. Check whether you qualify for a broadband ‘social tariff’
Comparisons have deals that are great for a year, but if you want to keep it cheap, you might need to ditch and switch. If you are on low income, you can claim universal credit which is going to be cheap both in the short and long term. Those job seeking can be eligible for up to free broadband.
6. Are you on a minimum wage? Or underpaid?
More than half a million minimum wage workers don’t even know they are underpaid – because their pay doesn’t cover all the time they have been classed as working. There are some who have to buy items before doing the job. If this is the case, you can get one hundred or even a thousand pounds back.
7. Choosing between eating and heating
More money has been given about five hundred million pounds for the Household Support Fund to help in supporting people with their essential costs including heating – you don’t even need to be on benefits. The last tranche just closed, but there is a new one on the way even though it isn’t there yet. Reach out to the local authority to see if you are eligible. They can also advise you on other types of help you can get.