Financial February
Welcome to the MoneyPlus Newsletter.
Now that we’re nice and settled in to 2021, we think it’s a good time to take a closer look at our budgets, and make sure that our finances are in the best shape they can be.
Knowing the difference between your income and outgoings may seem simple enough, but it’s really the best place to start – even overestimating by a few pounds could blow your budget out of whack…
Organising your finances.
Let’s jump right in with some great tips that can help to give you more control of your budget.
Set a goal.
Think about what it is that you’d like to financially achieve this year – you’re more likely to reach it if you define it.
Keep all receipts for a week.
Then review them. You might find that your spending habits surprise you.
Check your benefits entitlements.
There may be benefits, grants or other financial support available to you – click here to see if you’re eligible for financial support.
Always pay your priority bills each month.
It’s important that you pay off your priority bills in full each month, as they can be quite difficult to reduce and may have further consequences if you miss a payment.
Spotting (and dodging) supermarket tricks.
Supermarkets are well-oiled machines when it comes to earning your money, and we obey almost subconsciously at times. Look out for:
Impulse buys.
Carefully placed magazines and treats are a last-ditch attempt to take a few extra pounds.
Profit in plain view.
Eye-level products are placed there for the supermarket’s benefit, not yours. Looking high and low will lead you to lower-priced alternatives.
Shop the whole store.
It’s no coincidence that a pit stop for milk will take you past the hot counter, bakery and food-on-the-go sections. Supermarkets carefully plan routes, so if you’re just nipping in for a top-up shop, be wary of the route you’re taking.
Sale items.
Buy one get one free or three-for-two offers are tough to pass on, but may still outprice the more basic alternative. If the product is perishable, are you simply buying unneeded extras?
Tips to save money on your gas & electricity bills.
Energy bills are the second highest cost in a household after rent/mortgage, so it pays to keep those costs down (literally).
Install a new boiler.
Upgrading to a new A-rated condensing boiler will save money on your fuel costs, especially in winter.
Turn off lights.
It only takes a split second to switch the light off, but it’ll save you money over time. Consider switching to LED, CFL or halogen incandescent light bulbs – they last longer and use up to 80% less electricity than other bulbs.
Unplug idle electronics.
Devices like televisions, microwaves, scanners, and printers use standby power, even when off.
Wash clothes at a lower temperature.
Reducing the temperature when washing clothes can cut down on the amount of the energy used.
Use it or lose it.
Only making one cup of tea? Try filling the kettle with just the right amount of water you need. Boiling more than that lets energy go to waste.
Cut down on your running costs.
If you’re in the market for a new appliance, always check its energy efficiency rating. Although energy efficient models may have a higher upfront cost, they’re usually up to 25% cheaper to run than other types.
If your energy bills begin to increase and you’re struggling to pay them, you can always switch to a cheaper provider.
Meet the team.
Aaron Dickinson – Head of Energy
Aaron says: “I first joined MoneyPlus in January 2020, and I’m currently Head of Energy within MoneyPlus Energy, which supplies gas and electricity to thousands of homes across the country.
I’ve been working in the energy sector for close to 15 years across multiple different roles, which has involved working closely with government, industry regulators and governing bodies designing and implementing industry change to ensure a more efficient, smarter energy network, ultimately working to reduce energy costs for customers.
I’m
hoping to utilise my experiences in this sector to form a practical strategy to our
innovative offerings, enabling solutions that deliver smarter, more efficient,
cost-effective energy to customers of MoneyPlus.
As I joined MoneyPlus, one thing I immediately noticed was the customer centricity. Customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything that we do, and our customers are not just another number. It was evident that we listen to our customers – to their issues, to their challenges, to their problems – and we try to find a solution in the most efficient manner. Our customers really trust us to do the right thing for them, and this really sets us apart from any other business.
As Head of Energy, I have oversight of everything energy related, from servicing our customers, right through to how much we buy and sell our energy for. It’s incredibly rewarding for me personally to not only see that our complete transparency and unique pricing structure has saved our customers hundreds of pounds per year, but the excellent service we offer is warmly received.
Whether that’s receiving calls, emails or reviews on our website, it’s a real highlight of my day to see that our excellent team here and the hard work they’re putting in on a daily basis is being recognised by our customers.
What is more satisfying than being told that you’re doing an excellent job?“
Review of the month.
We love reading our customer reviews – and showing them off to the world!
This month’s review comes from a very valuable MoneyPlus Energy customer.
Take a look…
In case you didn’t know, every Friday is #FeedbackFriday on our social media, so if you’d like to see more great reviews, head over to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
If you’d like to leave a review for us, head over to our Reviews.io page – we can’t wait to read it!
Social scene.
We like to keep our followers up-to-date with the latest industry news, advice, and offers, so we highly recommend following our social media channels so you can stay in the know…
#12MonthsOfBloom is back for February!
We’ve partnered with Bloom & Wild to give 5 of our social followers a monthly chance to win a free bouquet! To be in with a chance to win this month’s bloom, just do the following:
1. Like our Facebook page
2. Then share our latest Bloom & Wild post with the hashtag #12MonthsOfBloom.
Simple! (Don’t forget to set your shared post to ‘public’, otherwise we won’t be able to see who shares it!)
Winners will be announced at the beginning of next month, so stay tuned to our social to see if you’ve won. (T&C’s apply – https://bit.ly/2uhOyZx).
Here for you.
If your personal circumstances have changed, or if you find yourself struggling to manage your finances, give us a call on 0161 837 4000, or email us at info@moneyplus.com, and we’ll help you find the best solution to get you back on track.
