With the cost of the weekly shopping bill steadily increasing, now would be a good time to review your domestic shopping habits.

Theo Paphitis, star of Dragon’s Den, claims that he would rather stick razor-sharp pins through his eyes than shop at Lidl. Lid,l for those of you who don’t know, is a discount supermarket chain of German origin with 7000 stores in 17 countries. When I read that article recently, in the Times, it made me laugh out loud. Not so long ago, I would have said something similar. For years, I have been a shop and label brand snob when it came to shopping for food. Continue reading →

I’ve been feeling a bit down about money recently. After my big climb out of debt, I thought I’d never be back there again. I’ve learned valuable lessons about getting out of debt quickly and learned how to make more money in order to speed that process. What I hadn’t learned yet, was how to hold onto it when I had it!

I have now got that big loss out of the way, the one entrepreneurs talk about - The Big Learn. I lost a lot of money in a misadventure. It wasn’t even fun. It was enough money to pay off my mortgage and have lots left over! I’ve got over the shock of it, but it did damage my confidence in myself as a business woman, somewhat. Continue reading →

Each day messages of doom and gloom fill the newspapers and TV screens. It’s easy to get sucked into the diet of hopelessness and despair we’re fed. Recent reports confirm the stress of debt can make you ill. Keeping your focus on all the negativity around you is a sure-fire way to bring more of it to you.

I know a simple way that can help you feel good about you debt. No matter how big your debt, no matter how long it is going to take you to clear it, you can feel good about it…

Continue reading →

I was out with a friend the other day. We were talking about all kinds of interesting topics and we got onto the subject of being a parent. My friend shared his views about his role as a father and the things he had done to provide for his children’s future.

When he finished speaking, I asked him if he had written a will. He looked ashamed ,” no, I haven’t”. In my experience, writing a will is a taboo subject for many people.

Continue reading →

Not so long ago, The Sunday Times published the UK Rich List 2008. Not surprisingly, the wealth of others was something that provoked a plethora of comments. How do you feel about wealthy people, what opinions do you have? You may be surprised to discover that your opinions will be a reflection of your own wealth experience.

Many of us are feeling the effects of the credit crunch, described by journalist Brian Reade as a euphemism for “rampant avarice gone wrong”. When times are difficult, we tighten our belts and cut back on things; giving shouldn’t be one of those things. Giving is an expression of our gratitude for the things we appreciate in our lives. So when times are hard, perhaps that’s the best time to wise up about to whom, what, where, when and how we give.

Continue reading →