Cutting back no longer cuts it. We have to look harder at our finances and think bigger than bills
With energy prices rising again this autumn, it’s clear to us at Quids in! that we’ll all need to do a bit more than just switching off the lights when we leave a room.
We need to think bigger than bills. What does that mean? Well, it means looking at our finances in the round. Maximising our income, whether that’s through work or benefits. And then managing that income as best we can.
(Speaking of benefits, even as the cost-of-living crisis rumbles on, there are still £16 billion of unclaimed benefits building up in the government’s bank account every year. £16 billion!)
Debbie came to Clean Slate (home to Quids in!) for support. She was out of work and relying on foodbanks to eat. Even with that help, she and her partner were eating cold food from the tin because their electricity had been cut off.
She took the Future-Proof Finance Quiz – 25 yes or no questions about how we manage our money. Every ‘no’ answer triggers a little challenge to help us change our habits. The changes could leave us hundreds of pounds a year better off.
“We did Clean Slate’s quiz – once at the start and we repeated it when we finished working together,” says Debbie.
“I got more points on the last one, which gave me a bit of a buzz. It’s good because it brings each thing into focus for you.”
The increased energy prices came into effect on 1 October. Quids in! is on hand with support, tips and the latest updates across its website and on 19 October we’re launching the #ThinkBiggerThanBills hashtag. Follow us now on social media so as not to miss a thing.
And the Future-Proof Finance Quiz is online and free. And all those unclaimed benefits? We can find out if we’re getting everything we’re entitled with a benefits calculator like this one.