moneysaving Archives - CURLY AND CANDID

Increasing Heat Retention

We all know that the British weather can be unpredictable. It can snow in March, rain cats and dogs in August and be beautiful in October. When you own a home in the UK, it pays to be ready for all eventualities. One of the most effective ways to lower bills and make your home more eco-friendly is improving heat retention. There’s no point in paying a vast amount of money to heat your home if hot air is escaping through every available orifice. By patching up holes and gaps, investing in double glazing and looking into insulation options, you could save a fortune and radically reduce the amount of time your radiators are running.

You don’t have to break the bank to insulate your house, and it can make all the difference when winter arrives. You can click here to find out more about options like spray foam. If you have single glazing at the moment, it’s beneficial to get some quotes for double glazing. Double glazing makes a huge difference to heat retention, and it can also improve security and reduce external noise.

Replacing Old Appliances

Technology advances at lightning speed. If you’ve had your washing machine, TV, fridge, kettle and toaster for as long as you can remember, you might be surprised at just how far household appliances have come. Modern-day devices and gadgets are eco-friendly and they consume much less energy than their older counterparts. You will need to spend money at the outset, but replacing old appliances will save you money in the long-run. It’s also a great idea to swap traditional light bulbs for LED bulbs and to consider replacing your boiler if you’ve had it for more than 10-15 years.

Creating A More Energy-Efficient Home: Using a Thermostat

Many of us devote a significant chunk of our income to keeping our homes warm and cosy in the autumn and winter months. To lower bills and increase energy efficiency, it’s wise to use a thermostat. A thermostat monitors the temperature of your home and it prevents the heating system from running when it’s already warm enough.

Turning Appliances Off at the Plug

Be honest. How often do you go to bed or leave the house with your TV and computer on standby? I’m sure that if I walked around the house now that I would find one or two things the children have left plugged in that they aren’t using. Take a moment to ensure that everything is turned off before you hit the hay. You might be surprised at the difference this can make to your electricity usage and your monthly bills.

There are many reasons that someone might have bad credit. This can impact whether you are accepted for loans in the future, for mortgages, will impact the interest rates you are offered and more. You could also be turned down for credit. I look at what your credit score is, what it means, what affects it, how you can improve it and what to do if you need a loan when you have a low credit rating.

What is Your Credit Score

Your credit rating paints a picture of where you are financially and how you manage your money. This is important because lenders use your credit score to determine whether or not they think you would be a risk as a borrower. Decisions about what financial products are available to you are based on this. The information that makes up your credit score include how much outstanding credit you currently have, whether you have any late payments, missed payments, defaults, CCJs and other financial arrangements. Only paying the minimum payment on your credit cards, for example, can alter your score.

Keeping Your Credit File Up To Date

You can access your credit rating via services such as Equifax and Experian for free. If you want more in-depth information about what makes up the score, a monthly subscription fee is payable. This information can be very useful as it helps you pinpoint what might be affecting your score. Your credit score file may have information that is wrong or out of date and it is up to you to make sure that this is rectified. When searching for credit for your car, a loan or even student loans it is essential that your credit score is up to date and doesn’t let you down.

Causes of Bad Credit

A low credit score may be caused by many things. If you don’t stick to your payment agreement, are late, if you have defaulted or even if you fall victim to identity theft, you can be vulnerable. If you have never had credit before your score might be low. This isn’t because you are bad at managing money, it is because you haven’t shown that you are good at it yet. Each lender has their own algorithm when it comes to lending on top of your credit score but what your file shows them does make an impact on lending decisions.

When You Need Credit But Have a Bad Credit History

Frustratingly it can be really hard to get what you need from lenders if you don’t have the best credit score, even if it isn’t necessarily your fault (lack of credit experience, identity theft etc). What then do you do if you need a loan to cover house move costs, a holiday, want to consolidate debt and so on? There are now loans from lenders who specialise in bad credit loans. The interest rates tend to be somewhat higher yet it is possible to find decent deals, which for a much-needed loan, is good news. Make sure that you shop around and check interest rates, fees and so on properly, as you would with any financial product.

Moving Your Credit Score Forward

If your credit score is poor or could be better take the time to find out why and work to remedy it. You never know when your circumstances might change, when a loan might be needed, and it’s best to have a credit file that is up to date and moving in the right direction to help you get accepted for the most competitive financial products in the future.

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Creating A More Energy-Efficient Home