Mrs Mean Money Show

We can all make extra money, and in most cases we will not have to pay any extra tax into the bargain. Whether it is selling on clothes that no longer fit, hiring out power tools, renting a room or space in your driveway you can start earning in days.With taxes at a 70-year-high and food and energy prices still much higher than they were a couple of years ago most of us need exta money, and it has never been easier to start a side hustle.There are also tax breaks that many are not benefiting from. Couples should make sure they use their tax allowances effectively. The marriage allowance is unclaimed by millions, many of whom could get £1,258 straightaway.The personal savings allowance allows basic rate taxpayers to earn £1,000 in interest without paying tax and those who have no other income can receive up to £18,570 in interest without paying any tax.We can all start by selling our old clothes, which is fee-free and tax-free.

Customers are owed £3.7 billion by energy companies. The money has built up from overpayments of direct debits and should be returned. Companies err on the side of overcharging when they set up the amounts we have to pay for direct debits. A small buffer is sensible, but all too often customers are owed hundreds of pounds and more. We need to get our money back and after a 12% price reduction in April and another cut due to start in July it is time to contact our energy companies if they have not volunteered a reduction in monthly payments or a refund. It can take time to get through to the call centres and then to get a refund agreed. If you are owed money and the company is refusing to make a refund the Energy Ombudsman should help you and if the company still refuses to hand over your cash you can move to a rival energy company and then the old one will have to give you your money in 10 working days or pay a penalty of an additional £30.Once you have got your refund it is worth checking if elderly relatives, neighbours or friends are due a refund.

It is the peak holiday booking season as we look forward to summer sunshine. But first of all you need to make sure you get a great deal for your flight, hotel, hire car and holiday money. And as soon as you book you must protect the dream with travel insurance.We tell you how to avoid being ripped off by hire car companies, which are the best days to travel, and how to avoid extra costs.Avoid airport currency exchange bureaux and when abroad always pay in the local currency.Read the terms and conditions before you book, highlighter pen in hand, so that you are not shocked by by the cost for extra mileage on your hire car and know that trying to return the vehicle empty is the most expensive deal.Budget airlines are not always the cheapest and since Brexit passports expire sooner than you think. Check yours.Holiday bargains are not always what they seem. But holiday memories are worth the prep.Please send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: www.mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

Millions of credit card customers face a big increase in the cost of their borrowing, but many will not know.  Barclaycard is reducing the minimum payments that customers will be charged from July.  Someone owing £2,500 will have a minimum payment of  £71. 21 from July down from £89.96 - an apparent  saving of £18 a month.   But this move alone increases the cost of paying off balances because customers paying the minimum will be paying the high interest charges for longer.  Not only is the company reducing the monthly payments but it is also increasing the interest rates at the same time by about 15% from  18.71% to 21.59% for example.  So not only are cardholders  paying  for longer, but they are also paying a higher rate of interest.The cost of paying off  card balances could cost thousands of pounds more if minimum payments are made every month.  A customer choosing to pay £100 on a £2,500 debt instead of £71.21 would save a massive £3,522.57 in interest. Pay as much as you can each month or apply for a zero interest card to pay off debts even quicker.   From Passion to Purpose"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyPlease send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

Children are very expensive, especially if you work.   The government has increased the financial help it gives towards child care costs so that the parents of two-year-olds can now get a contribution towards the costs.  But this is still likely to be a lot less than is needed. The official line is that two-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours free child care a week if the parents each earn less than £100,001 a year. But when school holidays are taken into account the free care is equivalent to one  10-hour day a week and extra costs for food and nappies are  also likely to be added. And that is if you can find a child care place.Budgets for babies are undoubtedly stretched making it vital that parents get every bit of help they can to cover the costs of children.From Passion to Purpose"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyPlease send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

Loyalty is the latest tool that supermarkets use to lure us into their stores.  Big signs and advertisements suggest we can save lots  of money  but in reality you need to take a calculator, check prices carefully on grocery websites and allow extra time if you are not going to be ripped off. Loyalty cards offer cheaper prices to customers who have them.   But this loyalty is fickle and the offers seem to change at whim.   And often there is not enough information for us to compare prices and work out which is the best value.Shrinkflation where the contents of packs are reduced but the price is not, add to the confusion.   The stores are constantly changing their scheme rules and the timing of their offers so we have to be alert.  For many it is simpler and cheaper to use discount stores and the economy ranges.  We do not have to be loyal to one group.  Remember the big chains are  making bigger profits this year from our loyalty. From Passion to Purpose"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyPlease send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

April is the cruellest month when many of our household bills increase.  The battle  to tame inflation has not yet  been won so we have to cut our household  bills wherever possible. Even energy bills that are set to be reduced by 12% on April 1 are still more than twice what they were before Ukraine was invaded.  So there is no better time to check all our household bills to find out where savings can be made. Water bills are set to rise by an average of 6% in April, but the good news is that millions of households can cut their bills immediately.  If you do not have a water meter they cost nothing and if you have more bedrooms than people living in the property you should save money.  Those who shower at the gym or travel a lot may also benefit.   If your bills do not come down  after a meter is installed you can ask your water company to switch you back.Energy bills may be falling but we still need to be alert and to make sure we are not wasting gas or electricity, and we must send a reading to our energy companies early on April 1 to make sure we are not charged winter prices for Spring usage under the new Ofcom price cap.   Also check how much you are in credit on your direct debits.   Energy companies have £7 billion of our money accrued because we have paid for more energy than we have used, and as days get longer and warmer and the new price cap comes into operation it is a good time to get back any overpayment.As council tax bills increase in April householders should check if they can save money. Broadband and mobile costs are set to increase by up to 8.8% but only if you are in contract.  Everyone else should call their supplier and negotiate a reduction.  There is also lots of money to be saved on insurance, credit cards, food and petrol. Take one bill at a time  and keep a record of the savings.  If you do not ask you do not get.From Passion to Purpose"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyPlease send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

It is crunch time for millions of homeowners whose fixed rate mortgages expire this year.  They face much bigger monthly payments.After 14 interest rate increases over the last two years, and no sign from the Bank of England that there will be a reduction any time soon, many are fearful they could lose their homes, and may be putting off finding out just how bad the news is. It may be scary, but anyone facing having to remortgage cannot start soon enough. And delaying could be catastrophically expensive.Lenders will allow homebuyers to secure a mortgage interest rate six months before their existing loans expire.  Those not familiar with how mortgage payments are calculated may find the new payments, while higher, are not as frightening as they have feared.  The earliest cut in interest rates is now expected in May and then may only be 0.25%.  10-year bond yields, which are the key influence on mortgage rates,  have risen in recent weeks and the best remortgage rates have been withdrawn. But if rates do fall sooner than expected homebuyers should be able to abandon their fixed offer and move to a better deal at no cost.   Of course, it is important to establish the rules of the "insurance" offer when you agree it. Starting early also gives you time to fix your household budget and maybe get  £7,500 tax-free help. From Passion to Purpose"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyPlease send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com

Succeeding in your A level exams is vital for the school students wanting to go to university this autumn.  But almost as important, as their studies, is working out how they will afford to live whilst they are at university. The government has increased maintenance loans for undergraduates by 2.5% for students going to university this autumn.  This comes after a 2.8% increase last year and two years of rapidly rising living costs.Parents are not told how much they should contribute towards their children's living costs, but families with an income above £25,000 are on the hook for cash help even though their living costs have risen faster than their incomes.  The threshold for parental contribution to student living costs has not been increased more than 15 years. This means that both parents and their children are likley to have difficulty funding university life.  So now is the time to start for families to have honest conversations and  to work out how they will manage to fund university life without getting into debt.   From Passion to Purpose"From Passion to Purpose" is a podcast that explores the world of nonprofit...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyPlease send ideas questions, tips and warnings about rip-offs to Mrs Mean through the contact page on her website: mrsmeanmoneyshow.co.uk or to infomrsmean@gmail.com