Our top tips for overcoming your money troubles and becoming a successful saver — plus find out how to win £5,000
FEELING stressed out about money?
If so, you are not alone. Today is National Stress Awareness Day and cash concerns consistently top lists of the big causes of anxiety.
Managing our budgets is seen as more stressful than problems with friends and family, work and even health fears, with two in five of us having financial worries.
And three in ten people are stressed because they don’t have enough money to live on each month.
To help ease the strain, Sun Savers has teamed up with to bring you eight ways to take control of your cash.
- Make a list of what is worrying you: Trying to manage all of your money problems at once can make the situation seem insurmountable. Instead, write a list of what specifically is troubling you, such as credit card debt or saving for Christmas. This will put each one in perspective.
Try grouping issues together so solutions become clearer. - Stop worrying and start fixing: It is easy to put off facing your problems until they get out of control.But the sooner you start, the quicker things will be solved. Fix “easy wins” first. Consolidate debt into affordable monthly repayments and compare credit card balance transfer deals.
- Draw up a budget: Go through your monthly bank statement and cut out things you can live without. Do you really need that coffee on the way to work? Make your own lunch rather than eating out. These small changes soon add up.
- Talk to someone: It isn’t very “British” but you will be surprised how many people feel the same.
Speak to a trusted friend or family member — they might have helpful advice from their own experiences. Or talk in confidence to Citizens Advice. If these worries start to affect your health, talk to your GP. - Make it as easy as possible to pay off debts: Set up direct debits for bills and savings so you don’t need to remember to pay them each month. Then you won’t miss payments and rack up penalties
- Find something positive in everyday life: Do something free you enjoy every day. Exercise is a great way to de-stress, or spend time with your family and friends. Take up a hobby, read, watch a movie or listen to music and relax. Being happy needn’t cost money.
- Start saving: As your finances improve, try to put aside even just a few pounds a month as savings. This will help you relax, as you will have a buffer if things get tight. You may even be able to save enough for a special treat.
- Be realistic: Unless you win the lottery, your money problems will not all disappear at once. Deal with a bit at a time, get some debt help and remember you are doing the best you can — so don’t give yourself such a hard time.
NEED help? Get free advice from the following places:
- Citizensadvice.org.uk – the site will direct you to a branch in your area.
- Stepchange.org – the debt charity offers help and can also be reached by calling 0800 138 1111.
- Moneyadvicescotland. org.uk – also available in Scotland on 0141 572 0237.
Watch deal is such a gem
SAVE BIG: Clock this for a saving. Bulova Ladies’ Diamond Gallery Chronograph Diamond Watch was £429, now £169 at .
SAVE: £260
SAVE SMALL: Say “Cheers” to a cheaper deal. I Heart Prosecco 75cl was £8.50, now £7 at Tesco. Offer ends Nov 20.
SAVE: £1.50
A hot tip on water waste
PATRICIA MULLIN, from Stoke-on-Trent, says: “After your morning cuppa, save money and water by pouring the remainder of the boiled water into a flask to use throughout the day.”
- SEND us your tips to [email protected] and you will get 28 codes worth £5 if your tip is used. Please include your name and where you live.
In a market for a festive stay
SAVER SPOT 1: Kick off the festive season with a visit to a Christmas market. Travelodge has 300,000 rooms near some of the best ones for £35 or less – that is just £8.75 each for a family of four. You can book now at .
SAVER SPOT 2: More than a quarter of us haven’t saved a penny in the past 12 months, according to the latest Lloyds Bank Quarterly Savings Report. Three in five of those who do put away cash are not satisfied with what they have in savings.
- PRICES correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Win £5,000 cash
WITH winter just around the corner and the autumn chill forcing us to put the heating on, now is the time of year our household bills start to increase.
But The Sun is here to help as we’re giving you the chance to win £5,000 to put toward your bills for a year.
TEN lucky winners will get £5,000 cash each.
To enter, simply join Sun Savers today. Then collect ten Sun Savers codes before Tuesday, October 31.
Today’s code and how to join Sun Savers is on further down. Once you have your ten codes, you will be
prompted to enter. Make sure you enter by Monday, November 13.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Collect TEN Sun Savers codes from the 18 printed in The Sun between today, Saturday, October 14, and Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Last chance to join in is Sunday, October 22. Competition closes at 23:59 on Monday, November 13. Over-18s, residents of the UK only. One entry per person.
Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. There will be TEN winners of £5,000 only. Allow 28 days from entry closing for the draw to take place. Winners will be notified within seven days. No cash alternative to prize in whole or in part. Prize is non-transferable. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this competition. Promoter is News Group Newspapers Ltd.
Not open to staff of the Promoter and promotional partner or their families. The winners will be required to participate in reasonable publicity relating to this competition. The Editor’s decision is final.
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club, which launched this week, will pay back our most loyal readers.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
Simply collect 28 codes and we'll give you £5 for FREE
In fact, it is completely up to you how much you save.
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
What is Sun Savers? Here's everything you need to know about our new rewards club
To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!
MOST READ IN MONEY
Get extra savings with The Sun Vouchers including discounts.