Making the most of your money & where to get help… - PowerPoint Presentation

1. Making the most of your money & where to get help… (foreword)Your HomeFoodCash back on shoppingAdvice, dealing with debt/ gambling addictionMake use of work schemesSpending Christmas presentsMusic & readingNI Helpline NetworkOur Sharepoint Pages

2. Christmas presents, heating bills, holidays, Christmas work outings, the recent mortgage interest rates increasing… At this time of year there are many demands on our money which can lead to stress & sleepless nights. The information presented here is to inform staff about ways to make your money stretch & to signpost you to useful services & organisations.Please note this guide has been produced for information purposes only. The Southern Trust does not recommend or advocate the use of any outside retailer or organisation. November 2017.Foreword

3. Energy efficiencyWe can all save on the energy we use whether it means changing energy provider, using appliances wisely, buying appliances that use less energy or keeping an eye on how much we use via smart metres. For local information & advice visit: www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/energy-wise/energy-efficiency Heating oilVisit www.cheapestoil.co.uk/Heating-Oil-NI to compare the cost of oil from a range of local companies. Enter your postcode & the quantity of oil you want to buy. Contact details are provided for the local companies in your area & information on the best time to buy. Remember buying a larger quantity will always be cheaper than purchasing 20 litre drums.Oil buying clubsOil buying clubs are based on a simple, but effective premise…the more people from who buy oil together the more the cost can be reduced. Households can buy as little as 200 litres of oil & when all club member orders are put together a better price can be obtained & the saving made passed on equally to all. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive in partnership with Bryson Energy have established a network of oil buying clubs in Northern Ireland. There are now 27 clubs with over 4,000 members. To find a club near you contact Bryson Energy on Tel: 0800 1422 865, text your details to Mob: 079 3984 3716 or oilclubs@brysonenergy.org Your Home

4. Energy comparison toolThe Northern Ireland Consumer Council’s online tool can be used to compare electricity & gas tariffs for every supplier in Northern Ireland to get the best deal. Visit: www.consumercouncil.org.uk/energy/energy-price-comparison/ Energy efficient cookingThe NEA Northern Ireland has produced a free booklet on ways to save energy when cooking & save money on the energy bill too. Click on the booklet to open. Your Home

5. Avoid food wasteWe can all waste food from buying too much to cooking too large a portion or through not storing it safely. To help reduce food waste visit: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/ Eat well for lessThis BBC programme gives practical advice on how to reduce what you spend & still enjoy healthy, tasty recipes. Households receive unbranded food products & support to help reduce what they spend & waste. BBC Recipes are available from a range of TV programmes & chefs visit: www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/ A factsheet is also available from the BDA (British Dietetics Association): www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/eatwellspendless.pdfShop online | Delivery saver | Scan as you shopSome of the larger supermarkets offer a discount of £10-15.00 for your first online grocery shop. Consider using this at Christmas – you can avoid the rush & have the goods delivered to your door. Another advantage of shopping online is that you can see all the offers in one place & see the total spend as you shop so you’ll not have any surprises when you go to checkout. Some companies offer a yearly discount for regular deliveries ‘Delivery Saver’. There’s usually a minimum spend involved, however this means you could get your groceries delivered for as little as £1-£2 per week. Some supermarkets now allow you to use a handheld scanner to pay for your shopping. Not only does this allow you to see what you’re spending it means you don’t have to use the traditional checkout & you can save time.Food

6. Cashback WebsitesLet you get money back on the purchases you are already making online. A wide range of companies are linked into these sites discounts & ‘cashback’ is available on things like holidays, loans, clothing & much more. See what the Money Saving Expert has to say about them www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cashback-websites Cashback Black Card for NHS StaffThis card is operated by PS Discounts for NHS staff www.psdiscounts.com/nhsstaff/ Southern Trust staff can register for this cashback card, normally it costs £9.99, by using the code SHNFTCB you can buy it for £2.99. With the card you are able to use it just like a Debit Card. There are no credit checks. The scheme has a quick & easy application online. You can use it online or in-store worldwide where the VisaCard® Acceptance Mark is displayed. Earn up to 5% cashback when spending online or in-store at retail partners. There is no minimum or maximum spend to earn cashback. Top ups can be as little as £25 or as much as £1,000. Cashback is added to your Black Card account when you next top up. The Money Saving Card logo will get money off your bill at local retailers too. Note – Type the code in rather than copy & paste as this can sometime add in extra characters & prevent the code from working.Cashback on Shopping

7. Christmas budget plannerThe Northern Ireland Consumer Council’s Christmas Budget Planner can be opened from: www.consumercouncil.org.uk/filestore/documents/Christmas_Budget_Planner.pdf Christmas presentsIf your spending at Christmas has got out of control or you just need to cut back this year, there are a number of things you can do including making a verbal Pre ‘No Unnecessary Present Pact’. The obligation we feel to reciprocate when we receive a gift can sometimes result in both parties receiving several unwanted or unnecessary gifts. To break this cycle or for a range of tips on just cutting back on the total amount you spend on Christmas gifts, see the advice from the Money Saving Expert www.moneysavingexpert.com/nupp/HandmadeA present you make yourself can mean something really special plus it can also get you in the Christmas mood. For inspiration check out the Pinterest website: www.pinterest.co.uk/ Wait for the sales, loyalty paysMany shops start their sales early or offer discounts when you spend £25, £50 in store. Try to take advantage of these offers. Check to see if you have any unused vouchers (eg Clubcard) or points built up with the loyalty schemes you use (Advantage points, Nectar points).Christmas Presents

8. Go digitalIf you enjoy music & reading have you thought about reducing your spend by going digital? A hardcopy of a novel costing £9.99, may only cost £6.99 as an ebook. Want it even cheaper? Websites such as Amazon also show prices of books that have been used but which are still in very good condition which can cut costs considerably – look out for the used & new listings which come with a description of the item’s condition, seller information & service ratings.Streaming servicesLook into services which give you unlimited access to music. Prime Music gives you access to 40 million songs, including the latest releases for a cost of £9.99 per month or £7.99 per month for Prime members. Kindle Unlimited provides access to over 1 million books, thousands of audio books & a wide range of magazines for £7.99 per month. Both these services from Amazon allow users to sign up for a free 30 day trial. Your local library (Libraries NI)Another option to consider is joining your local library. Libraries now provide a wide range of services including free access to digital content such as books & magazines all of which can be delivered straight to your devices. www.librariesni.org.uk/Pages/default.aspx The free Libby app allows you to download thousands of free audio books & ebooks to learn more use this link. They also provide free training on using digital content.Music & Reading

9. Childcare voucher schemeThe SHSCT’s Childcare Voucher Scheme is provided by Busy Bees Benefits & is aimed at helping parents pay for their childcare costs. The scheme allows you to exchange up to £243/month to pay for childcare costs directly from your gross salary before tax & national insurance are deducted. A summary of the scheme can be read from hereHSC PensionTake charge of your pension & manage your policy online with the HSC Pension Self Service portal. Sign up with your personal details (Email, National Insurance number, DOB) at: https://mypension.hscni.net/ For full information on HSC Pensions visit: www.hscpensions.hscni.net/ Inspire Wellbeing (Formerly Carecall)Southern Trust staff can access free confidential counselling over the phone or face-to-face via Inspire Wellbeing. For more information Tel: 0808 800 0002 or visit: http://vsrintranet.southerntrust.local/SHSCT/HTML/Working%20for%20us/documents/NICSleaflet.pdfPayroll givingIs the easiest way to support your favourite charity or cause.  Sign up & your regular donation will come directly from your salary. Not only is Payroll Giving simple it’s also tax effective as your donation gets deducted before you pay the taxman.  For instance, if you donate £5, only £4 comes out of your salary, the taxman pays the rest.  To sign-up visit: www.shsct.givingonline.org.uk Make use of work schemes

10. Staff discountsHalfords 10% – Don’t forget that through the Trust’s Cycle to Work scheme a 10% discount is available to Trust staff for all Halford’s goods. For full terms & condition see the voucher which is available from the Intranet. The voucher will only be valid when supported by proof of entitlement (ie. Staff ID, payslip, membership card). Stop smokingStopping smoking will benefit your health but it will also help you save a considerable amount of money. For advice on stopping smoking & NRT (nicotine replacement therapy)Tel: 028 3756 4400 stop.smoking@southerntrust.hscni.netUnion benefitsPart of a union at work? Make yourself familiar with the membership benefits & support that they provide. Some of the most common unions that represent SHSCT staff are featured here, for information on other unions visit: www.tuc.org.uk/find-union-you NIPSA - the ‘Membership Plus’ service gives you discount towards many different services from getaway breaks, golf, health & beauty, gym memberships, restaurants, cinema tickets, clothing stores, gift shops, food & drink retailers including (Marks & Spencer, Sainsburys, Tesco’s – you can save 4-5% on your weekly shopping). Members & their families can save £20 on glasses from Specsavers £99 range or above. Vouchers are available from NIPSA Headquarters or through Branch Secretaries. For more detail click hereMake use of work schemes

11. Royal College of NursingRCN provides support & advice to nurses whether employed by the NHS or the independent sector, an agency worker, self-employed or a student member. For a full breakdown of the support on offer visit: www.rcn.org.uk/get-help Tel: 028 9038 4600 or Tel: 0345 772 6100 or email: ni.board@rcn.org.ukUnison Also provide discounts through their membership service scheme ‘Unison Living’ this covers health plans, health & well-being, travel, money, motoring, insurance shopping discounts & local provider discounts. There For You – the independent charity ‎supported by UNISON - ww.unison.org.uk/thereforyou, provides support when members find themselves in situations of extended illness, family bereavement, funeral expenses, relationship breakdowns eg help with white goods & setting up new home.  They also help with cost of special equipment & home adaptions when members or those they care for have disabilities or special needs. It also provides members with hardship grants, winter fuel grants & school uniform grants & wellbeing breaks for those recovering from illness, getting over a bereavement & for families who haven't had a break for years. Tel: 020 7121 5620‎.Unison’s Debt line service is Tel: 0800 3893 302. This is provided free in partnership with Pay plan a leading debt advice provider. Make use of work schemes

12. Unison continued…The local Advisor on Welfare rights & financial/ pension advice can deliver information on a group or one-to-one basis. Contact:Deborah Yapicioz Mob: 079 2087 5562 Unison Orchard BranchJohn Creaney Mob: 079 3597 5475 ‎Unison Craigavon BranchMargretta Chambers Mob: 079 5194 1627 Unison Newry & Mourne Branch Unite - offers a wide range of services to members, from representation in the workplace & free legal advice, to union benefits like reduced rates on mortgages & insurance. For a full list of member benefits visit: www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/memberoffers/ Make use of work schemes

13. Money Saving ExpertThis comprehensive website www.moneysavingexpert.com/ provides lots of information on manging your money, spending, saving, investing, getting the best deals on utilities, credit cards, loans, holidays & many other topics. Consider the Money Mantra before buying anything. Spending

14. AgeNI Benefits CalculatorEvery year in Northern Ireland, almost £200m of benefits that older people are entitled to go unclaimed - including Pension Credit, Housing Benefit & Lone Pensioner Credit. Some benefits, like the Winter Fuel Payment, are entirely dependent on age - & not at all related to income. So, even if you think you're getting everything you are entitled to - it doesn't hurt to check. Visit: www.ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland/money-matters/claiming-benefits/benefits-calculator/ Christians Against PovertyHelps people find their way out of debt. Provides advice & support to anyone struggling with money worries or lifestyle issues & addictions that can cause financial stress. The helpline can be contacted on Tel: 0800 328 0006 . Visit: https://capuk.org/about-us Citizens Advice Debt Advice ServiceProvides free confidential & impartial advice to those who are struggling with debt. Tel: 0800 028 1881 (free phone) Email: debt.advice@citizensadvice.co.uk Step Change Provides a range of services & information on dealing with debt. The helpline can be contacted on Tel: 0800 138 111. Visit: www.stepchange.orgAdvice & Dealing With Debt / Gambling Addiction

15. Consumer RightsIt’s always good to know your rights if you are unhappy with a product, purchase or service. For advice try: www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights or the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland: www.consumercouncil.org.uk/Money Advice ServiceThis national organisation set up by government provides free advice & guides to help improve your finances, budgeting tools & calculators to help keep track & plan ahead as well as support by phone & online Tel: 0800 138 7777 visit: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en NI DIRECTIs the main government portal for Northern Ireland citizens. The site provides information on many different topics including debt:www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/dealing-debt-problems-guide , money tax & benefits: www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/money-tax-and-benefitsNorthern Ireland Welfare Changes HelplineThe independent Welfare Changes Helpline is available for anyone needing help or advice about any of the changes to the welfare system, including practical tips on how to make your money go further. The helpline is operated by the Welfare Reform Advice Services Consortium (Citizens Advice, Advice NI & the Law Centre NI). Tel: 0808 802 0020 (9-5.00 pm) Advice & Dealing With Debt / Gambling Addiction

16. GamblingGamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men & women who share their experience, strength & hope with each other that they may solve their common problem & help others to do the same. The website offers various help for the compulsive gambler including a Forum, Chat Room, Literature & a meeting finder. Within the Southern Trust meetings take place within Armagh, Craigavon, Dungannon & Newry. Other meetings are available across Northern Ireland. For further information visit: www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/ Dunlewy was founded in 1987 & provides specialist services to those experiencing addiction issues.  Branch offices are based in Belfast, Lisburn, Armagh & Portadown. The service offers a free & confidential counselling & mentoring programme for those experiencing difficulties with their own, or other people’s substance misuse or gambling issues. For further information visit: http://dunlewey.net/ or Freephone NI Tel: 0800 0886 725.Advice & Dealing With Debt / Gambling Addiction

17. Northern Ireland Helpline NetworkHelplines Network NI is a membership–led organisation consisting of over 25 helplines operating across Northern Ireland. The helpline members provide a variety of vital support services including, information, advice, counselling, a listening ear & be-friending, covering a wide range of issues & needs. Many of the services take place over the phone, but some can help via email, text & in some cases with live web-chat.  Not all helplines are free to call, so please check each website for more information. www.helplinesnetworkni.com/ Northern Ireland Helpline NetworkClick on the leaflet to view