How to reduce your monthly outgoings

Many employees have lost their jobs, accepted part-time hours or been put on furlough as a result of the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak. According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, British households will see a drop in their disposable income of £515 a month – that’s £14.2bn for the country overall.

So what actions can you take to trim down your monthly expenses?

Think about car insurance

You won’t be making as many journeys in your car. As a first step, ask your insurer to change your policy from commuter use to social use which may reduce your premiums. But Admiral, the UK’s largest insurer, has already given their customers a £25 rebate. This has prompted MPs to call on the Government to get other providers to follow suit. So while you’re talking to your insurer, ask them what they are prepared to do in these very different times.

Review your TV subscriptions

With all major sports fixtures having been cancelled, you’re not going to be getting much out of a Sky Sports or BT Sports subscription at present. Explore what options are available with your provider, such as a month’s free credit, a temporary suspension or a donation to the NHS.

If you’ve been binge-watching films, check out which package between Sky or Netflix suits you best – and which has the most free extras. Remember, if you’re over 75, the charge for the TV licence, due to be implemented in June, has now been postponed to August.

Switch suppliers

You may well have noticed your energy bills increasing as you’re spending more time at home. So this is a key area to try and save some money. Consumer watchdog, Which?, state that a household that uses an average amount of energy would save £388 a year if they switched to the cheapest deal on the market from the one at the level of the price cap. So if you’ve never switched supplier or you’ve not changed supplier in the last couple of years, you’re probably paying too much. Take the opportunity now to try one of the price comparison sites. Bear in mind though, that it’s worth digging a bit deeper than the initial list they present.

Talk to your broadband supplier too and try and negotiate a better deal or think about switching providers to benefit from some of the cheap introductory prices on offer. Many phone providers have also been offering free allowances so check to see if you’re entitled to any free data or minutes.

Look into remortgaging

The largest household bill for many people is their mortgage so reducing this can have a major impact. Bear in mind, most of the best mortgage deals are for a limited period so if you’re coming to the end of yours, or your property has gone up in value, it’s worth investigating what else is available. Remortgaging could save you a hefty chunk off your monthly expenses, especially with interest rates being so low at the moment. You may also be able to borrow at a lower loan to value (LTV) rate now, because you may own more of your property than when you took out the mortgage originally.

Make sure you’re not just moved to your lender’s standard variable rate at the end of your current deal. You can, in fact, agree to a new rate six months before the end of the fixed-term so if your existing deal ends this summer, start taking proactive steps now.

You may also consider contacting your lender for a coronavirus mortgage deferment holiday.

Your home maybe repossessed if you do not keep up repayment on your mortgage or other loans secured on it.

If you require any further information, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01789 263888 or email hello@charterswealth.co.uk.

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