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Financial emergencies – common examples and how to get prepared

Live isn't all doom and gloom, don't worry! We're not here today to tell you to watch out the window constantly in fear of your car deciding it needs a new drive shaft, or to questioningly eye your boiler each day in fear of it having broken overnight.

What we are here for is some sound advice on financial emergencies and how you can get covered to avoid them impacting you negatively. Hopefully you're a lucky person and you never need to spend on something like the below happening, but even if that's the case you should have some funds set by with a realistic expectation of what the common occurrences are and how much they might cost you.

As you might imagine, a lot of these costs are related to commuting and households. You might also, however, find yourself with a unique situation that is based on what your hobbies or other activities are. You can easily use these common examples below as a sound reference to help give you an idea of how to plan and transfer the principle of saving against emergencies as suits you best.

That doesn't sound good – the car issue

First on the list and for good reasons – some cars are just infamous for having mechanical faults and many of us are all too familiar with the awkward standing around as a mechanic eyes up your car and periodically sucks air through their teeth! Cars are notorious examples of trip up hazards that can catch out an average person like you and I financially.

We can't give you exact examples of what cost might be; this is due to the massive diversity in common cars used for work and personal travel. The best advice to offer here is to use the internet and make some searches based not only on the type of car you have, but its mileage and any other relevant wear and tear factors.

It's the best way to get an idea of your wheels and where they tend to trip up. Some car brands and lines are renowned for reliability in certain areas while falling short in others; if you know your car is likely to need a drive shaft replaced in the years to come you can make a quick check of the costs of parts and installation and plan your savings accordingly.

We've got to make an important point here. You can't afford to leave it gung ho when it comes to your livelihood and cars are a critical part of getting to work for many. Taking the time to get a solid run-down of your potential expenses should a breakdown occur is not only a good idea, it's necessary. You'll feel great when you do the task, so get on with it as soon as you can!

The boring boiler's broken again!

Home maintenance costs are defined in many cases by the infamous boiler. This is in part due to the fact that you need to get it fixed so soon; you bet that emergency repair services cost a little more than those that can wait! If it comes to be and you just can't get things sorted, you could do a lot worse than come chat with us, the experts in financial aid, to see what we can do to keep you on your feet.

Instead of recycling the content of a great website, we recommend going straight to the Heating Hub to take a look at their fantastic and very concise run-down of average repair and replacement costs. You can use this great chart and advice page as a reference to help make sure you are getting a sound deal should the thing fall apart on short notice. Sorted!

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How to Save Money on Your Phone Bill

Phone bills are one of the most infamous of spending excesses, and for good reason! The negotiation of a contract and the myriad different upgrade options and module additions and weekly rates can baffle the most switched on money saver among us. The fact that most people still opt for the two year lock in contract doesn’t help matters; before you know it you’ve made an upgrade you didn’t really need and you’re tied to that provider for another year.

Good news – we’ll help save you those pennies and pounds. Look no further for a set of killer tips to help you navigate the maze of phone bills!

Want out? We can help

 It’s easy to find yourself jammed into a long contract when you need to leave. If you come up short, visit our site to see how we can help.

 Switching over

There’s a few key themes you’ll quickly identify when it comes to changing your contract. The method of adding urgency to an advertisement is one of the most common of these; don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking time is running out! You’re potentially looking at a contract binding you to a provider for one to two years. There’s no rush.

Comparison websites are a great place to start. While some mobile phone providers will sell the benefit of their contracts by stating they won’t be featured on price comparison sites, the truth is you can still get a very sound and competitive idea of the current state of the market. Mobile contracts are ruthlessly competitive between each other and if you can’t find a site on a comparison website you can always go to them directly to get a quote – it’ll likely be very close to the competition regardless.

You’ll also want to avoid the trick of hidden or concealed costs. Before you commit to a payment, make sure you see how it is structured. Are there any nasty quarterly surprises in addition to a standard monthly rate? Are you including VAT tax in the monthly amount? Thought about insurance? All these are easily missed pitfalls that can inflate your annual expense for your phone service.

 Be careful with data

 One of the more controversial and expensive areas of modern phone bills, data has fast become a staple of all packages whether large or small. With most of us spending spare minutes and moments on websites such as YouTube, the need for extra data allowance has risen as quickly as the prices!

 It’s an easy place to fall foul. The clever little boffins behind most mobile phone companies make it as easy as physically possible to pay for extra data immediately if you run out; often it’s the click of a single button on your touchscreen to instantly have extra data that is paid for at the end of the month.

 As you might imagine, this is particularly nasty way to have your bill hiked up! The best way to avoid this is to take regular checks of your data as the moth progresses. You can also get smart with data by using your home internet connection to download music you own instead of streaming it on your phone while you’re on the move.

 It takes a little diligence, but it’s a great way to ensure you don’t buy extras. Before you know it, all those small £2 payments can add up to a serious addition. In many cases, you’d be better of upgrading your contract to have more data or an unlimited amount!

 Negotiate

 This is one of the more “secret” areas of mobile phone contracts. As many contracts are two year lock-ins, providers are fiercely focused on retaining their customers so that they don’t go elsewhere.

 What does this mean for you? It means you should know that there is leeway. This applies to both sides of the fence; if you’re leaving you can leverage the loss of business and you can request extras and freebies if considering an upgrade.

 As you might imagine, you’re in the strongest position if leaving a provider. This is the best time to hit hard; come prepared with a list of competitor’s latest deals and extras and demand those and then some for them to keep your business. You’ll be amazed at how far a provider is willing to go – remain calm and friendly but be aware of the flexibility they have in these situations. You’ll benefit for it in a serious way!