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We're now into the second month of 2011 and hopefully you're still sticking with your new year resolution to save money and improve your finances.

If you're struggling to stay on track, money.co.uk has pulled together 10 things that will make you richer in 2011 including:

• Making your debts cheaper
• Making your savings work harder
• Cutting costs
• Shopping around
• Getting a pay rise

Read the full article

On the 1st of January, most of us would have made the New Year's resolution to stop wasting money, sort out our finances and start saving.  So we've pulled together a few tips to help you fulfil your resolution...

1. Budget - make a list of your incomings and outgoings and draw up a budget to ensure your income covers all your expenditure (including putting some money away for a rainy day).
2. Find extra income - from selling unwanted Christmas presents to working overtime or finding a second job, try to bring in a little extra money each month to reduce any debts you have.
3. Cut down on luxuries - small things like taking your own lunch to work rather than visiting the sandwich shop every day or walking to work rather than paying for public transport can make a big difference to your bank balance at the end of the month.
4. Get organised - set up direct debits for all your bills to ensure you don't miss any payment dates and register for online banking so you can see your day to day spending.
5. Be savvy in the sales - most Christmas decorations, cards and wrapping are heavily reduced in the January sales so stock up and put them away for Christmas 2011.

If you are struggling with debts, contact us today.  We may be able to help you.

That's according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) who is advising people to make it a New Year's resolution to save for next Christmas.

The OFT suggests:

• Planning Christmas early - be realistic about what you are going to need next year and budget accordingly.
• Look at savings options including Christmas clubs, supermarket stamps and hamper schemes.
• Take action - start putting money aside now.

The advice is to ensure people avoid financial hangovers following what can be, for many families, the most expensive time of the year.

It's the iPhone age.  There are apps for practically everything we do in our day to day lives, including managing our money.

Comparison website beatthatquote.com has pulled together a list of 20 iPhone apps to help you manage your money more efficiently and make some serious savings.

Read the article here.

According to the British Retail Consortium, the price of food is increasing four times faster than the price of other items.

We've pulled together some tips to help you save money on your weekly food bill:

1.  Be seasonal - ensure you plan your meals around local and seasonal produce.  Food that is in season will be tastier and less expensive.

2.  Shop online - how many times have you made a shopping list and arrived home with everything on your list and more!  It's too tempting to pick up extra bits and pieces while browsing the supermarket aisles, so why not try shopping online where you can stick to the items on your list and be less tempted to buy extra.

3.  Beware of enticing offers - be wary of the offers that supermarkets promote, for example 3 for 2 is only a good deal if you need and want 3 of something.

4.  Check 'use by' dates - supermarkets want to sell their oldest stock first so check at the back of the shelves to ensure you buy the latest stock which will keep for longer.

5.  Try 'down-branding' - have you tried the 'economy' or 'value' version of the goods you frequently buy?  They can often be just as good without the premium price tag.

6.  Compare prices - use supermarket price comparison site mysupermarket.co.uk to compare and shop from four supermarkets in one central place.

With many families worried about the impact of having their child benefit cut in the recent government announcement, The Telegraph have pulled together some ideas on how stay-at-home parents can supplement their income without committing to long working hours.

Read the article here.

It's Financial Planning Week this week.  To read all about it and find tips for sorting out your finances, debt planning tips and savings and investment information visit the website at http://www.financialplanningweek.org.uk/

According to uSwitch*, 61% of households are worried about the cost of their energy bills this coming winter.

Here are a few tips from the Energy Saving Trust as to how you can stop wasting energy and save some money in the long run:

• Turn your thermostat down.  Reducing the room temperature by 1 degree c could cut your heating bills by around 10% per year
• Close your curtains at night to stop heat escaping and check for draughts around your windows and doors
• Always turn off lights when you leave a room
• When making tea or coffee, only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need
• Don't leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave mobile phones and laptops recharging unnecessarily
• Use energy saving lightbulbs, they last 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs

* Source:  Credit Action - November 2010

According to Credit Action, less than one in ten people think we are financially educated as a nation.  Despite the fact that consumers take out financial products such as credit cards and loans as soon as they hit 18, worryingly, on average most people don't become knowledgeable about personal finance until they are 27 years old.

So how can we ensure our children understand sensible money management and the dangers of debt from an early age?

We've pulled together a few tips on how to educate children on the importance of money:

Money doesn't grow on trees - if your children see you taking money from the cashline, you need to explain to them that it is not free money and that you've had to work hard for it to get there.

Pocket money - provide pocket money if your child earns it e.g. helping to set the table, tidying their room or for any other age-appropriate household chore.  Explain to them how saving a certain amount each week will allow them to buy a special treat in the future.

Watch the news with them - watching economy related stories unfold can open up discussion and help educate your child about how worldwide events can impact family finances.

Budget - explain the importance of budgeting and not spending more than you earn.  Getting into a habit of budgeting (keeping a note of what you earn and spend) will set them up well for later life.

Set a good example - need we say more.