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Do the Unemployed REALLY Have More Disposable Income than Part-Time Workers?

December 13, 2014 by Steve

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it certainly makes life easier if you don’t have to worry about it! No matter how much you earn, what job you do, or how big your family is, everyone has to budget. Everyone has to decide, whatever their income, whether they can afford the new pair of shoes they want, a night out, a holiday, a meal at a restaurant, whether to re-decorate the living room or not. Disposable income – what we have left after bills and all the necessary boring stuff has come out of our wages – impacts largely on how much you can enjoy yourself in a month, but it’s interesting how this part of your budget varies depending on your employment status.

This week I’ve come across an article that claims that, after bills and essential outgoings have been paid, those not in employment have more money left over each month than those working part-time hours, or those in zero-hours jobs. Hard to believe, but it certainly seems there’s some truth in it, as their data shows.

According to Scottish Friendly’s ‘Disposable Income Index’ it certainly is true! According to their findings, 9.3% of an average unemployed person’s wages is disposable income, compared to 7.9% of a part time worker’s and 7.8% of a zero-hours worker.

For obvious reasons, this is a concern! Where’s the incentive to work?! In my opinion, it seems only fair that those working should be rewarded.

Hold on the caviar! (I don’t even like it anyway…)

The Other Side!

Having said that, concentrating solely on the percentage of wage that is a person’s disposable income may not show the whole story. Scottish Friendly suggests the average disposable income for someone unemployed is £174 a month, but £192 for part-time workers. There’s not much of a difference, but it does clearly show those in employment have more money to “play” with each month than those not working, suggesting there is a benefit to gaining employment. Not a great deal of difference though!

Although on further examination of the report, it seems hourly workers only have £130 disposable income a month (on average)! A significantly lower number! Don’t think you’d be able to treat yourself to many pairs of shoes or days out on that!

And the Good News?

According to the report, our disposable income is on the up! Hooray! Nationwide, it’s risen by an average of 2.3% in the last 3 months. Seems that’s occurred right in time for Christmas!

This is a sponsored post from Scottish Friendly

Have the Wedding of your Dreams Without getting into Debt

December 9, 2014 by Steve

Planning the most magical day of your life is a wonderful experience, but it comes at a high premium. If you add up the average cost of a wedding in the UK it comes to a staggering 21,000 – and that doesn’t even include the rings. Rings are a necessary expense, however, so take a look at a site like https://gemaandco.com/collections/cushion-cut-moissanite-engagement-rings if you haven’t decided on them yet, and then include them in your budget. The expenses soon build up, but don’t worry – we’ve got some top money-saving tips to help you get the wedding of your dreams without having to worry about the stresses of starting your married life in debt.

Plan a wedding budget

As soon as you set foot in a wedding fair you’ll see how easy it is to get carried away preparing for your fairy-tale wedding. Start your wedding preparations by writing out a wedding budget that takes in every last detail including catering, drinks, wedding venue, photography, wedding favours, accessories and gifts for the bridesmaids and the best man. Try to keep your wedding budget as realistic as you can and leave some contingency for the inevitable impulse buys along the way!

Negotiate the best deals

Another top money saving tip for your wedding is to practise your negotiation skills! While many hotels or stately homes only work within set deals that include catering and drinks, some venues will let you choose your own caterers which will give you the chance to shop around and get the very best deals. If wine isn’t included in a venue package, consider taking a trip across the channel to France and stock up on some cheap bottles for your wedding celebrations. Photographers and florists are often prepared to negotiate their prices, particularly if you’re opting for a date in February or March where they might not have any other bookings. Quite simply, if you don’t ask, you don’t get – so negotiating the best deals is always worth a try!

Go vintage for your special day

Vintage wedding themes are definitely on trend at the moment and also offer a fantastic way to keep costs down in style. Your vintage theme can be carried through your entire wedding day, from your dress, shoes and accessories to wedding favours and table centrepieces. Avoid vintage wedding fairs where prices will be sky high, and concentrate on finding vintage bargains in second-hand shops or antique centres for the best deals. You could even get together with friends and family and make your own vintage centrepieces or wedding favours using lace decorations or painting flowery jugs. The vintage wedding theme is also perfect for homemade wedding invitations and thank you cards after the big event.

Your wedding day is one of the most special days of your life, and you’ll want it to be an unforgettable celebration of your love for each other. But there’s really no need to overspend and start your married life off in crippling debt; with a realistic budget, good negotiation and a little help from your friends you can have the wedding day of your dreams without breaking the bank.

The Best Way To Rebuild Your Credit History After Bankruptcy

November 5, 2014 by Steve

You might have recently sat down, looked at your financial situation and figured that the only way out of the financial mess you are in is to file for bankruptcy. However you might be trying to find another way out that does not involve filing for bankruptcy because you have heard that it is difficult to regain your good credit history again. Well the good news is that you will be able to reestablish your credit after bankruptcy and it is easier and faster than you might think. This article will show you how to do it and do it the right way.

Obtain A Credit Card

Once you have filed for bankruptcy and it has been discharged the first this thing you should do is try to obtain a credit card. This might be easier than you think it is and you might even get lucky enough to find a credit card company that is willing to give you a card that is unsecured. Of course it will have a low credit limit attached to it. You will be surprised at how much having a new credit card in your name will make a difference on your credit report. Of course you will also need to make the payments on time to make this work.

Secured Line Of Credit

Once you have obtained the credit card your next step to repair your credit is to obtain a secured line of credit. There are many different stores that will do this for purchases such as home good, electronics, or other items. Once you start making your payments this account will also be reported to the credit bureaus and you will start earning good credit.

Car Loans

If you are interested in a car loan to help rebuild your credit history you will need to wait at least a year of starting to rebuild your credit to even be considered for a car loan. Once that year is up you will probably be able to obtain this type of a loan but it will cost you in the interest rate. This is because you will be considered a high-risk borrower the interest rate will be extremely high.

Home Mortgage Loan

In order to be considered for a home mortgage loan after bankruptcy you will probably need to wait at least two years before you even think about buying a new home. Even then your interest rate will be higher than that of someone who does not have a bankruptcy on his or her records. However if you keep your payments current you could soon qualify for a refinance of your home loan and get a better interest rate. This can usually be done about two years after you close on your first mortgage loan.

Conclusion

The common myth of having to wait for years once your bankruptcy has been discharged before you start to rebuild your credit is just that. It is a myth that needs to be broken. There are many ways that you can rebuild your credit without causing more trouble. In fact the sooner you start the better it will be for you.

This article is provided by http://www.islandblogging.co.uk

Getting The Best Price For Your Scrap Gold

October 28, 2014 by Steve

Selling Your Gold for Scrap Value

For a lot of people there comes a time in their lives when they are short of money, for whatever reason. If you find yourself in a situation like this and you have old Gold, or broken jewellery lying around, then you can easily sell this and make yourself some quick money. There are many different ways of selling your unwanted gold jewellery, with some being better than others, as well as also being more profitable. The first thing that you will need to do is learn about selling Gold scrap, to make sure that you get a fair price for the Gold that you are looking to sell.

The Value of Your Gold

When you are looking to sell Gold to a company that buys old Gold, you are only going to get what is called the scrap value, for the Gold that you sell. This price changes daily with the price of Gold on the commodities market. So before taking your Gold anywhere in an attempt to sell it, you will need to educate yourself on the price of Gold and how the market works. This information is vital in order to make sure that you get the best possible deal for your scrap Gold. There are many places that you can sell your Gold and the best one for you is going to be determined on how quickly you need money, and how much you are prepared to let it go for.

Image by Medusa via Flickr

Pawn Shops and Jewellers

When you visit a Jewellers or a Pawn Shop to sell your Gold, you will usually be able to get a fair price for what you are looking to sell. As long as you agree to the price offered, you can also get your hands on the money very quickly. You will find slight differences between what is offered, so it is always worth your while in speaking to as many shops as possible and seeing which one offers you the best quote. As previously mentioned, visiting these shops armed with some knowledge which includes the current price of Gold, is a good way to ensure that you get the fairest price possible. A little knowledge can go a long way and also show the proprietor that he will not be able to get away with giving you an unfair price for your gold.

Refineries

You have the option of selling your scrap gold to refineries too. Of course, the exchange rates depend on the purity and weight of the gold, but you might actually get your money’s worth because there is no involvement of middlemen. So, do the groundwork necessary to find the best one near. Suppose you live in California; you could find and learn about the refinery of San Diego as they claim to be the best in the business. This option is similarly open to many other places around the world.

Mail Order Gold Buyers

You may see many adverts on TV and in print media that states they will buy all of your scrap Gold from you. You tend to find that these types of companies give you very low prices for your Gold, often at much less than the market value. With these types of company you send your Gold to the in the Post, so it is not even a quick method of turning your scrap gold into Cash. The truth is that these types of business are best avoided at all costs, as they are out to make a lot of money at their customer’s expense.

Private Sales

If you have some old jewellery that you are looking to sell and want the best possible price for it that you can get, then private sale can often be the best idea, although not always the quickest.

Classifieds in Print Media
Online Classifieds
Auction Websites such as ebay
Social Media

If you have a good piece of jewellery then people may be willing to pay a little more for an item of jewellery that they like, which means you may get better than scrap value for it. Of course, you are unlikely to be able to sell scrap Gold such as Dentures and Gold Teeth using this method. With a bit of looking around and also a little knowledge, you are going to be able to sell your scrap gold at the best possible price, and get yourself some quick money.

Keeping Down the Costs of Moving House

September 17, 2014 by Steve

Moving house is notoriously expensive. For some, it can seem like a never-ending sum of money is required in order to move house. Of course, moving house is a costly endeavour. But, there are some fantastic ways that you can move house and save money in the process. After all, being savvy with your cash is imperative.

Estate Agent Fees

Whether you like it or not, you are going to need to utilise the services of your local estate agent. You are going to need them to negotiate on your behalf. What is more, you need them to find your property. Many people think that they can undergo the process of moving home without an estate agent. For some, this is a successful endeavour. For others, it ends up costing them a lot more than the estate agent would have charged. If you have little knowledge on the property market, you should not attempt to omit the estate agents knowledge.

While you may think that the business of buying and selling houses is easy, it is not. After all, your property is an investment. You wouldn’t treat the stock market in the same way, so don’t do this with your property. Property consultants in Newton Abbot have stated that many believe that they can undergo this process alone.

This is not the case. You can utilise the services of your estate agent, but you can negotiate fees. What is more, you can shop around for a great deal. You can also advertise your property online. In some cases, this is free. Do not ignore good advice. But, be savvy in your approach and use your negotiation skills.

Mortgage Fees

Mortgage fees can be expensive. Again, the key to cutting costs is to negotiate the best deal with your bank or mortgage provider. What is more, you don’t have to obtain a mortgage via the bank. There is a plethora of independent mortgage providers that charge good rates of interest. A simple comparative search online will help you find the best deals.

Request that you see the rates of interest that are charged on your mortgage arrangement account. These can range from zero to the region of £3,000. You need to think carefully about what you are being charged for and why. But, bear in mind that the lower fee may result in higher interest. Think about the long-term savings as well as the short-term costs.

Surveys and Reports

Surveys have to be completed before the sale of the property. Due to the nature of surveys, you will need to have this task completed prior to the purchase or sale of the property. Mortgage providers may request a survey to ensure that the asking price is fair. You can find the services of surveyors within the area. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will help you find registered surveyors in your area. After all, you want a quality service. But, you also want a cost-effective service. What is more, you may be able to combine these reports with your mortgage valuation. Ask your mortgage provider if this is a free, additional service that they provide.

This image has been sourced from Flickr