The Money Guardian

07/04/2024

Inspirational 20th anniversary celebration at Westminster yesterday for the charity Yes to Life that I am proud to support as a Board Trustee. A celebration of the tireless work all of the team of volunteers and supporters have put in to bring patient centric care and choice to the forefront for those who need cancer treatment. Thanks to the team that could make it from BNI Tour de Force for their support. Julian Lewis Kelly Willcox Steve Jewell Linda Sujeewon Cam Lloyd and Steve Perkins.

If you want to know more or how to support this amazing charity 👉 https://yestolife.org.uk/support-us/

16/01/2023

We’ve featured in the New Year edition of RG10 magazine with our professional connection VP Estate Agents in Twyford.

You can check out the feature by clicking

VP are the newest estate agents in Twyford, having opened in the High Street last summer. They have long been a fixture of the Tilehurst community, where their first office was established in 1980.

01/01/2023

Happy New Year and a Prosperous 2023 to our clients and friends from us all at The Money Guardian.

29/12/2022

Budgeting into 2023

How to budget better:

Manage your bills: Setting up accounts for different purposes could help you see how much ave left over after bills. You could have one account for household bills and another for everyday spending. We know that managing bills can be stressful, but with some tips and tools, you can gain control of your payments.

Use a budget calculator: Get a full overview of your income and spending to help you manage your money better. Fill out details of payments received, the savings you hold, and any amounts going out to build a clearer picture of your finances. Your bank account provider can offer a budget calculator via their website or app.

Spread the cost: Large costs can be difficult to pay in one go. It might be better to see if you can spread the cost with regular, smaller payments instead. See if you can pay monthly by Direct Debit for things like car insurance, or your TV licence fee, which can make them easier to manage.

Build a savings habit: Whether you're new to saving or looking for easier ways to save, your bank account provider can help. They will provide some helpful saving hints and tips to help you reach your goals, reduce spending and develop some new saving habits along the way.

25/12/2022

Merry Christmas to our clients and friends from us all at The Money Guardian.

23/12/2022

Budgeting leading into Christmas and the New Year:

This time of year can mean additional spending on presents, food and preparation for Christmas.

To help manage your budget here are some ways to cut your spending:

Start a savings pot:

A good rule of thumb to give yourself a solid financial cushion is to have at least three months' essential outgoings available in an instant access savings account.

Try these tips below to help you save, or check out savings advice on MoneyHelper.

The cupboard clear out: take an inventory of the long life foods in your cupboards and freezer, make a meal plan from what you have and only buy fresh food as you go.

The banned list: put £5 into a savings account each time you buy something on your banned list.

Savings habit: by putting 1p more each day into a savings account, 1p day one, 2p day two, 3p day three, you’ll save over £650 in a year!

Thrifting: take advantage of freecycle and local Facebook groups to get items for free or cheap, and then save what you didn’t spend.

You can also turn to your current bank account provider websites and apps for tips and tools on budgeting including budget calculators and apps that track spending.

21/12/2022

Budgeting leading into Christmas and the New Year:

This time of year can mean additional spending on presents, food and preparation for Christmas.

To help manage your budget here are some ways to cut your spending:

Cut your energy spend:

Follow these quick tips from the Energy Saving Trust to save money every year on your energy bills.

Figures are based on a typical 3-bedroom home as of April 2022.

Just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode, you could save up to £55 a year.

Washing one fewer load of washing a week, at 30 degrees, could save you £28 a year.
You could save another £60 a year by drying washing outside in warmer weather and
skipping the tumble dryer.

Save £20 a year by turning off the lights when you leave a room.

You can also turn to your current bank account provider websites and apps for tips and tools on budgeting including budget calculators and apps that track spending.

19/12/2022

Budgeting leading into Christmas and the New Year:

This time of year can mean additional spending on presents, food and preparation for Christmas.

To help manage your budget here are some ways to cut your spending:

Cancel unwanted subscriptions:

From TV and apps, to music and meals, subscriptions can be a useful way of paying for services. But be careful, research by TopCashback found 48% of people are paying for something they haven’t used regularly in the last six months.

Do a subscriptions spring clean and cancel the ones you don't want anymore. You'll save money every month.

Don't fall for the 'Free trial trap’, where you sign up for a service that is initially free but then forget to cancel it.

Don’t just look at direct debits and standing orders, look at your transactions for repeating card payments.

Set up a monthly reminder to check for subscriptions, clear out anything you haven’t used.

You can also turn to your current bank account provider websites and apps for tips and tools on budgeting including budget calculators and apps that track spending.

16/12/2022

Budgeting leading into Christmas and the New Year:

This time of year can mean additional spending on presents, food and preparation for Christmas.

To help manage your budget here are some ways to cut your spending:

Shop Smarter:

Food is a big part of expenditure but there are things you can do to cut down.
Make it at home: can you make your morning coffee at home, or take a packed lunch to work?

Meal plan and make a shopping list to cut down on waste and only buy what you need.

Try online shopping if you find it hard to stick to a list and consider shopping at different supermarkets.

Don't like food waste, and want to save money on groceries? Search for different apps that allow you to buy discounted food at the end of the day from a number of different places.

You can also turn to your current bank account provider websites and apps for tips and tools on budgeting including budget calculators and apps that track spending.

07/12/2022

- 51 is the average age of a Critical Illness cover claimant

- 38 is the average age of an Income Protection claimant

A lot of people take out critical illness cover and overlook income protection.

We can help you to find an income protection policy that’s suitable to you as it likely you will need it before you claim your critical illness cover.

Please contact us 0118 466 8712, email [email protected] on or arrange an appointment with us at our Twyford office, 12 High Street, RG10 9AE to discuss critical illness cover and income protection.

You should never cancel an existing policy until any new policy is put on risk

Source: Royal London