Quids in! 33 Digital Edition

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Quids in!

INSIDE!

Advice on: ✔ Spending ✔ Saving ✔ Borrowing ✔ Earning

The UK’s Number 1 Money Magazine | ISSUE 33 Winter 2016 www.quidsinmagazine.com

Fed up with ? e k o r b g n bei

WHAT GOES

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Feathering the nest...

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UC WATCH

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Quids in! readers: No buffer for setbacks

From cutting bills to new ways for upping our income, Skint Dad rolls up his sleeves...

TAKE CONTROL

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The world continues to change, what with the American elections, but not all progress is shocking, surprising or scary. The ideas behind Freecycle, which we look at in our main feature this issue, and all the similar websites it has inspired are simple and peoplefriendly. Tech-based, yes, but rooted in helping each other in the real world.

Sharing was the starting point for our Skint Dad cover star, if only what he learned while clawing his way out of debt. Many of us don’t like to talk about it but by putting it up on his website he gives hope to people who have yet to break through back into the black.

I saw the film I, Daniel Blake the other day. It’s incredible and has stirred quite a backlash. It was bound to, putting on screen what life is like for jobseekers dealing with a cold and hostile benefits system. We’ve made a clip from the film Video of the Issue and we’d love to hear what you think. Email us or share your thoughts on the Quids in! magazine Facebook page.

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Jeff Editor

4 IN 5 GET GAZ AND LECCY UNDER CONTROL Smart meter customers take action on energy bills

In this issue…

towards reducing costs, Smart Energy GB’s boss, Sacha Deshmukh, said: “People with a smart meter are much better informed and have greater levels of control over their energy use and bills.”

Now in over 4 million homes, the meters should be available to all householders by the end of 2020. No payment is taken for installation.

Customers in arrears or on pre-payment meters can monitor credit on the meters and the aim is to help all users reduce bills.

Accurate billing should reduce overcharging for direct debit customers but those who received estimated bills for a period worry they may face a shock as new readings bring them up to date.

Fears have also been raised that rural residents will wait longer due to poor wireless connection.

Thumbs up for Gaz and Leccy: 80% of smart meter users say it helps drive down bills. Qimag.uk/gazleccy @quidsinmagazine

Gaz and Leccy, the madcap characters in TV ads for smart meters, have received the thumbs up from customers who say the new tech helps drive down energy bills.

Smart meters mean the end of estimated bills and nuisance visits from meter readers forever.

Customers, as well as gas and electricity suppliers, instantly see the energy used at home and check how much they consume each day.

Pointing at research that found 80 per cent of users had taken at least one step

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editor@quidsinmagazine.com

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Welcome

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Free + Recycled 9

“We were buried under debt”

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Millions join the craze for sharing, pass it on page 4

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Ricky Wills page 8

Win £50 Our cash prize crossword page 6

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Quids in! magazine

m Address 3 Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AT. Tel 08456 8049 06 m Editor Jeff Mitchell Email editor@quidsinmagazine.com m Publisher Steve Faragher Email steve@socialpublishingproject.com m Comms Officer Dan Fineman Email dan@ socialpublishingproject.com m Advertising Opportunities Lisa Woodman Email lisa@ socialpublishingproject.com m Copy Sales Lisa Woodman , Rhiannon McNamara, Deborah Colvill Email lisa@ socialpublishingproject.com, rhiannon@socialpublishingproject.com, debbie@ socialpublishingproject.com m Cartoon by Rachel Wotton www.harmfulraes.com Quids in! makes every effort to ensure content is correct at the time of going to print. Readers should take specialist advice where necessary. Quids in! has no political allegiances, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or editor. Any relationship with advertisers or sponsors is always on the understanding that we retain our editorial independence.

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Quids in! magazine is designed to help people understand and manage their money better. It is published quarterly by the Social Publishing Project, a social enterprise.

Quids in! magazine is supported by Aon and Aviva. Aon arranges home contents insurance with Aviva for tenants of social and council housing. Ask your landlord if they have a scheme in place.

BUZZ

The latest news affecting you and your finances

70,000 TENANTS FACE APRIL higher earners in social RENT SHOCK Now housing must ‘pay to stay’

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Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

Rents on households with combined earnings of more than £31,000 (or £40,000 in London) will rocket by over a grand a year from April, the government plans.

Described as a new ‘tenant tax’, better off residents in social housing could be expected to pay nearer the market levels charged by private landlords.

The Department of Communities and Local Government has defended the changes, saying they end the days of subsidised lifestyles for people on higher-

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rent payments as Housing Benefit will no longer be paid direct to landlords. More than a third (35%) have no access to the internet although UC claims are managed online. ≠ Universal Credit will affect the majority of working age Quids in! readers over the next five years. We’ll bring you the latest developments to help you prepare.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION… I’ve started treating myself to days out since I realised how much cheaper it is on the train when I book in advance. Usually (but not always) the earlier I book, so much the better. I don’t use thetrainline. com, mind, they charge a £1.50 booking fee (or used to). I use gwr.com but all those that don’t charge will have the same prices. If you don’t care where you go, there are some fab deals.

Thomas Morgan, Glamorgan

Number of people in the UK with savings of less than £100

£1,000

The amount recommended by debt charity StepChange as needed to weather most everyday financial setbacks

23%

Almost a quarter of people on less than £13,500 a year had savings of £1,000

£1,341

Average cost of car repair or replacement. Unplanned events cost an average £423.

Optician/ dentist/ vet bills and replacement of white goods average £200-300 Source: Money Advice Service

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Universal Credit is coming

CHEAPER TRAIN FARES

16 MILLION

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It has been criticised, however, for failing to allow enough time for local councils to prepare and notify tenants who will be affected and the Local Government Association has claimed collection “costs will outweigh the additional rent collected”.

70,255 tenants are expected to be affected with an average increase of £1,052 a year. The extra charge is complex: 15p a week will be added for every pound above the threshold that a household brings home. It is understood that outside London, a couple earning £35,000 between them would be charged £600 extra a year, which is £11.53 a week.

Critics believe the scheme, announced by former Chancellor George Osborne, would only bring in a quarter of the expected income to government coffers.

Social tenant households earning more than £31k (£40k in London) face rocketing rent from April, as ‘pay to stay’ adds average £1,065 a year @quidsinmagazine

Findings from the 2016 Quids in! Reader Survey has found those most likely to move to UC will struggle. Three quarters (73%) do not have savings and would struggle with the minimum six weeks’ wait for benefit payments under the new system. Two in five (44%) did not have a bank account and may not be able to organise standing orders for

NUMBER CRUNCHED SAVINGS

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Want to enjoy freebies and access to the latest tips and info to help you stretch your money? Join the Quids In Readers Club at qimag.uk/QIClubReg Interested in saving up? Tick the ‘Savings’ box as you register.

Video of the issue

POST The Editor, Quids In! 3 Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AT EMAIL editor@quidsinmagazine.com TWEET @quidsinmagazine.com

Have you got something you want to tell us, or a money-saving hint or tip to share?

Each issue we’ll send £50 to our best letter writer, emailer or tweeter! Don’t forget to include your name and address.

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS?

Scene from Ken Loach’s film I, Daniel Blake taking on Job Centre Plus qimag.uk/qidanielblake

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WHAT GOES AROUND

COMMPELSE SAAROUND Householders are saving a fortune and making life better for the whole family by joining the craze for sharing

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was just not in a position to buy new but I was moving to a cottage and needed furniture. Then a friend told me about this service where I could get items for free.

“She drove me around to various addresses in the area to collect everything I needed. I was so happy with everything. I would recommend this service to others.”

Quids in! reader Sandie is one of the latest to save hundreds of pounds by discovering Freecycle, one of the biggest gems on the internet. She was soon the proud owner of over £1,500-worth of furniture*.

Freecycle was set up in 2003 to “keep good stuff out of landfills”. It now stretches round the world and is a registered charity in the UK. Nine million members are involved, either gifting things they no longer need or picking them up for free to use them again.

Its ‘pay it forward’ approach has

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sparked a number of other websites too, including Freegle and Preloved, and inspired pages of freebies on Gumtree and Facebook. You only need to search ‘free stuff’ on the internet to see how much is on offer. There’s everything from beds and sofas, TVs, ovens and fridges, to random stuff that no doubt someone somewhere will want and the occasional jackpot items like cars and boats.

“Sandie was soon the proud owner of over £ 1, 500 -worth of furniture.

For free”

SAVING CASH

TOP TIPS

FEATHERED THE NEST

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Get online, if possible. A favour from someone else is fine but doing it ourselves increases our chances of finding what we want.

A smart phone is great for this as we can keep checking wherever we are.

Quids in! reader Sandie bagged over £1,500-worth of furniture using Freecycle.

Received for free

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Sandie bagged all this: ✔ Table ✔ Sofa ✔ Double mattress ✔ Large Ikea storage unit ✔ 2 bedside tables ✔ Blender ✔ 2 chests of drawers ✔ Rug ✔ Wardrobe and shelves ✔ Filing cabinet ✔ Bed side lamp ✔ Coffee table ✔ TV stand ✔ Ikea sofa bed with cover ✔ Clothes airer

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An email address will be needed. Again, a favour is okay but, if it works, we might want to come back time and again. It’s an idea to set up an email just for this purpose as it could get jammed up with (good and bad) offers.

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Advertise. Most sites have a ‘wanted’ page, although some ask people to give something first. And simply listing all we want would be a bit of a liberty.

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Not everything will be there right away. Keep the web page open and check it as often as pos sible, especially if lots of people will be after the same item.

NOT ABOUT CHARITY “It’s a wonderful service for the community,” Sandie continues, explaining that it’s not just about doing good for others. It's a “great way to make a difference to other people’s lives but it’s also about freeing space for yourself.”

Another reader, Michelle agrees: “My housemate was driving me mad, hoarding a desk he just never used.

It was a good one and I can see why he didn’t want to let it go but in the end I said, ‘Why don’t I just stick it on FreeCycle so it saves you the heartache of taking it to the dump?’.

“He agreed and we were both chuffed when someone came to pick it up. Especially me, as it was gone the day after I put it on the website.”

As we’re taking things off other people’s hands, it never feels like charity.

“I will always be grateful for the help I received,” says Sandie.

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The more flexible we are, the less likely we are to lose out to someone else who is. People wan t the quickest, simplest result and sometimes this means we will miss out – don’t lose faith. One top tip is to let the giver know how much you nee d the item and what a difference it will make.

Remember, they want to help as well as clear space in their home.

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We can be givers too. Be part of the circle and list things we don’t need any more.

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Always count the cost of fue l (or hiring a van) to get there and back. Don’t let free stuff cost a fort une.

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Make sure someone knows where you’re going and arrange to call them when you’re done or go with someone else. This app lies to any time you’re meeting with a stra nger.

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Not everything is on our doorstep. If we have the transpo rt, we can cast the net wider than just the local town to improve our chances.

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Be polite. People don’t have to help each other out this way so in addition to a thank you, it’s importa nt to turn up when we say we will or let the person know.

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Most sites expect us to be upfront if we plan to sell the goods on. This is not the place to make money this way. Buying and selling is best done on eBay or on a market stall, if that’s the plan!

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Watch out for scams – and NEVER share bank details this way. Most sites are watched over by local volunteers to reduce this risk – report anything dodgy.

Want more info on free stuff and ways to stretch your money with tips on saving, shopping, debt, income and benefits? Join the Quids In Readers Club here: qimag.uk/QIClubReg

Quids in! | 5

Odds & Ends

WIN!

The page that has all the bits that don’t fit anywhere else!

PRIZE CROSSWORD

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Win £50 cash

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Enter the prize crossword for a chance to win £50 cash

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Enter online at qimag.uk/qicrossword or simply HOW TO ENTER complete the crossword and pop it in the post to us.

Don’t forget to include your name, email (if you have one) and address. Send your completed crossword to £50 cash, Quids in!, 3 Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AT. Or you can enter by taking a pic of your completed crossword and sending it to editor@quidsinmagazine.com. Closing Date 28th February 2017. See www.quidsinmagazine.com for terms and conditions.

ACROSS 1 Second-hand (4) 4 Iron oxide (4) 8 Plaything (3) 9 Violinist (7) 10 Escapade or colourful crime (5) 12 Oily fruit (5)

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Snow house (5) Fortune-telling cards (5) The study of rocks (7) Supporter (3) Celebrity (4) Rank below marquess and above viscount (4)

✆ QUIDS IN! USEFUL NUMBERS LOAN SHARKS The National Illegal Money Lending Team tackles loan sharks. To report a loan shark anonymously you can call them 365 days a year on ✆ 0300 555 2222, text LOAN SHARK and your details to 60003 or email them at reportaloanshark@ stoploansharks.gov.uk.

In Wales call ✆ 0300 123 3311or send an email to imlu@cardiff.gov.uk

Disabilit y Benefits Centre (✆ 0345 605 6055) and for Child Benefit and tax credits call Inland Revenue (✆ 0845 300 3900).

• Council Tax and Housing Benefit is dealt with by your local council.

• Pensioners should call the Pensions Service (✆ 0800 99 12340).

• Free benefits calculator www.entitledto.co.uk

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DOWN 2 Secret agent (3) 3 Postpone (5) 4 Wireless (5) 5 Army member (7) 6 Nylons (9)

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Summer 2016 ne | ISSUE 31 om r 1 Money Magazi www.quidsinmagazine.c The UK’s Numbe

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INSIDE!

Advice on: ✔ Spending ✔ Saving ✔ Borrowing ✔ Earning

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Its capital is Buenos Aires (9) Withdraw (4,3) Smell (5) Culinary and medicinal herb (5) Animal pelt (3)

F RE E

Quids in!

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DEBT ADVICE For free debt advice and help, contact any of the CREDIT UNIONS organisations below. fornotare Credit unions • National Debtline profit organisations that ✆ 0808 808 4000 www. , unts acco bank ide prov nationaldebtline.co.uk They loans and savings.

• StepChange Debt Charity may help people the banks ✆ 0800 138 1111 l loca your nd fi won’t. To www.stepchange.org credit union call ✆ 0161 • Citizens Advice 832 3694 or visit www. www.citizensadvice.org. .uk. n.co unio edit findyourcr uk. In Wales call ✆ 08444 77 20 20 England call S EFIT BEN ✆ 08444 111 444 and t men • For unemploy • Christians Against work-related benefits talk Poverty (CAP) .

Plus e entr to Jobc www.capuk.org. or ies • People with disabilit ✆ 01274 760720 carers should contact the

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INSID

E! Advice on : ✔ Spen ng ✔ Savindi g ✔ Borrowi ✔ Earnin ng g

Magazine | ISSUE 32 Autumn www.quid sinmagaz 2016 ine.com

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to New book aims help unemployed

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TAX CREDITS

He whho daresD...OPuLre &LSimYple Are you getting what you deserve?

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YOUR MONEY

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SAV E OUR SELVES TOP TIPS

In a timely piece of humbug, we look at how much we could save by, well, enjoying ou rselves a little bit less

MBPLINLGE GAM

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Here at Quids in! We’re not looking to be killjoys, far from it, but we do recognise that there are some things we all do that may not be quite as good for us as they might be, however much fun they are. And it’s often in these places that we can find the most extra money when we’re struggling to make ends meet. Or even if we want to save up for a proper treat…

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BOOZE

FAGS

No half measures with the fags, they ought to go and we know it. Even light smokers get through a tenner a week with no problem, that’s just a single pack of 20 readymades, or maybe twice that many rollies.

For a bit of extra incentive, imagine what you could do with £520.

Surveys suggest that the average adult in the UK drinks about 21 units of alcohol every week. That’s the equivalent of 15 bottles of beer.

Assuming we get most of that from the supermarket and the odd pint from the pub, we’re still looking at a tenner a week gone, literally, down the pan. Cut that drinking in half and you’d save £260 per year.

HELP If you feel like your drinking or gambling is out of control, or if you just want some help to give up smoking, worry not - he lp is at hand

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The fixed odds betting machines in the bookies are not there to give you money. Last year they took a record £1.7bn from punters and every year it goes up. You only have to punt £20 a week on one of these before you’ve spent £1,000 in a year, surely there are better things to do with that money

GAMBLING Gamblers Anonymous or Gam Care can help www.gamblersanonym ous.org.uk and www.gamcare.org.uk.

If you’re in the family of a compulsive gam bler you’lll find www.gam-anon.org ver y helpful too.

BOOZE See your GP or ring drinklin e on 0300 123 1110 if you’re worried about your drinking. If you know you hav ea problem try Alcoholics Ano nymous (www.alcoholics-anonymo us.org.uk) on 0845 769 7555.

SAV £50 E 0+

FAGS Your GP can help with giving up smoking and you can also get informa tion on other free local service s by visiting www.nhs.uk/smokefree

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BEEN THERE,

IN THE KNOW…

GOT THE WEBSITE E L P M A

Buried in debt, ignoring calls and letters demanding cash, and with barely enough for food, Ricky Willis decided to share his story as he clambered back on top – and so, skintdad.co.uk was born

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s the name Skint Dad suggests, one great thing about Ricky Willis is he’s clearly just a regular bloke. He doesn’t preach, he just shares simple suggestions like ways to help kids learn to manage their money or amusing ideas on making a little dough such as selling your loo roll tubes on eBay – yes, people really do buy them!

His website doesn’t claim to have answers to everything unlike moneysavingexpert. com but then Ricky is no multi-millionaire unlike that site’s frontman, Martin Lewis. It sticks to being easy to read and mixes fun stuff with useful, jargon-free ideas to try.

Quids in! caught up with Ricky to see what it’s all about.

Is it just for skint dads?

It’s for anyone who wants to improve their financial situation. Whether you’re looking to reduce your bills, find a cheap recipe, or up your income a little, we’ve got it covered.

We get messages regularly from a variety of people from different backgrounds thanking us for sharing ideas which helped them out of their own financial troubles.

What’s your favourite thing about the site?

One of my favourite things is being able to look back at what life used to be like for us and the journey we’ve been through. It’s a little like looking back through a diary, seeing how we’ve grown and how our attitude to money has changed.

Because of Skint Dad, I have been given a column in my local newspaper, have started writing for the national press, regularly write for companies and brands in the UK, travelled to a conference in the USA and have won many awards.

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What’s the idea behind SkintDad.co.uk?

I think being financially better off is something we can all achieve and should strive for throughout our lives. Although personal finance should be taken seriously it doesn’t mean it needs to be complicated.

Not having had any financial education really put me in trouble with money but I have learnt how to manage our budget, spend less in the shops and earn a bit extra too. On SkintDad.co.uk we share what we do in our everyday lives to inspire people, and give them access to the means and motivation to do something about their own money.

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Why did you set it up?

Skint Dad was launched in September 2013.

The site started as a way to document how much of a financial mess we were in. We were buried under mountains of debt, we stopped answering the phone or opening letters and we didn’t have enough money to buy food. We shared everything we were going through and told people what we were doing to become debt free and build a better future for our family.

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What’s the best advice you would offer people struggling to keep their heads above water?

There is a good chance you qualify for certain benefits. Entitledto. co.uk is a great site that contains calculators to check you’re not missing out.

Food shopping is our biggest monthly cost after we’ve paid rent. The best thing to help manage the cost is to create a meal plan of things you want to eat over a week. Use this to write a shopping list and stick to it when you’re shopping.

We saved hundreds of pounds a year by following a list and stopping impulse buying when at the supermarket.

“We were buried under mountains of debt, we stopped answering the phone”