StatData

Looking back on 2010, I feel a small sense of relief and entered the New Year with a strong sense of positivity. It doesn’t take long though for that good old shadow to re-emerge over social morale. With an increase in VAT and the constant reminders of the thousands of people seeking free debt advice every day, the desperate state of our economy is obvious, and it’s difficult to remain positive about the year ahead.

But how much do we really care about the statistics forced upon us? Personally, I’m less concerned with the exact percentage of inflation, or the latest prediction for the Bank of England base rate, than I am with how much money I have coming in, and how much money I have going out, and can I cover those all important credit card debts that I’ve run up over Christmas

It’s said that there are two fundamental principles to financial and debt management maximise your income, and minimise your expenditure. Perhaps strangely, it’s the first bit that we probably don’t think enough about.

The first thing that may spring to mind when we talk about maximising earnings is to volunteer for overtime until the debt is repaid. Some may even consider taking on a second job, say a Saturday job or a part time job that takes up just a few evenings in a week. However, earning additional money doesn’t have to be dull and boring. Be a little creative, there are so many other opportunities out there to make some quick cash.

Two of the most flexible options to maximise your income in regards to time consumption are taking part in Market Research and Mystery Shopper work. Both can easily be moulded around your existing routine, especially the former which can be done by simply completing online surveys. Businesses depend on public opinion and response so will pay a surprisingly high amount for your input.

If you drive, think about whether home delivery could provide you with an income stream. It could be for your local takeaway, a larger chain like Domino’s Pizza, or as an agent for a business like the Home Delivery Network.

Are you happy to get your hands dirty? Do you consider yourself a dab hand at odd jobs around the house? Whether you enjoy a bit of gardening, decorating, cleaning or general DIY, you could offer your services to those in the community that are less able. Place an ad in your local shop window or in the newspaper and I’m sure you’ll be surprised at the response. Plus, if you do a good job for someone, it’s highly likely that they will ask for your services time and time again.

Following on from the theme of odd jobs around the house, you would not believe how many people will pay to have their house cleaned or their ironing or laundry done by someone else. If you enjoy a bit of housework and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, then consider offering your services around the local community. Although the pay is renowned to be low, it will nonetheless contribute to maximising your monthly income.

Lastly, you could consider freelance work. By this, I mean earning money for doing something that you enjoy to do and are happy to do regularly in your spare time. The recent development of online websites for various freelancer services means that companies are crying out for help. If you consider yourself a mean photographer, or a gripping writer, then freelancing could be a fantastic option for you to maximise your income.

The key here is to think creatively about what you can do to earn extra money. Think about your experience and skills, your hobbies and interests, what you like to do and even just what you don’t mind doing to help boost your income. There are very likely many things that you can do, that other people would be happy to pay for!

As more and more people become environmentally aware there is a much more conscious attempt by individuals to save money. Saving money and changing the way in which we live to better suit the environment goes hand in hand nowadays. Even around your house you will find many different ways that you can reduce your energy consumption.

Now that society as a whole has accepted this trend towards environmentally friendly living you will find many devices geared towards saving energy. Additionally many people have created an energy saving calculator to assist in determining where you can cut back on the amount of energy that you consume.

In a household environment the amount of electricity that we consume is obviously the first place to look when we want to cut back on our energy consumption. Looking at the amount of water that you consume is very important and could end up saving you a considerable amount of money.

There are several places that you will need to consider around your home in order to reduce energy consumption. Laundry is one of these often overlooked areas that does consume a lot of water. There are several ways that you can reduce the amount of water that your washing machine uses. You can purchase an energy saving washing machine that will limit not only your water consumption but also the energy that you consume on every wash. Energy and water can also be saved by limiting the number of washes you do and combining your clothes regardless of colour but make sure you use colour run prevention sheets. There will be not problem using these sheets with you normal detergent and any other stain removal products you may have.

Next consider the amount that you spend on heating. By leaving you curtains and blinds up on sunny days in winter you can keep you house warm and reduce heating costs. Also making sure you wear clothes that are in keeping with the season will allow you to use the heating less.