Fathers first

It’s that time of year again when we get the chance to show our dear dads just how much they mean to us by lavishing them with love - and gifts! For those who read my Gifts of Love blog…

Food glorious food – A Foodbank Story

With 13 million people living below the poverty line in the UK alone, the amount of people turning to foodbanks is on the increase as more and more families find themselves suffering for all sorts of reasons, from redundancy to…

25 alternative date ideas without a red rose in sight

Whether you’re going on a first date or out with your partner of many years, these ideas won’t leave you stuck in a rut.

Live Below the Line challenge

Living below the line refers to the 1.2billion people worldwide who live below the poverty line. The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than £1 a day...

Storage ideas to make your groceries last longer

As a nation the cost of our weekly shop is going up, and yet we’re throwing away more food than ever before. Do you ever find that when you come to use your fresh ingredients they’ve already gone off, even…

Christmas Spending Habits Visualised

Last month, Payplan conducted a study into Christmas spending and asked 1,000 people about their finances in the run up to the festive season. The survey found that many people rely on credit cards, overdrafts and, for some, even payday…

The Payplan guide to getting married on a budget.

While your wedding day can be one of the best days of your life, the cost of getting married can easily spiral out of control, especially if you get caught up in the excitement and keep adding things to your…

Things to do this half term for FREE!

It only seems like last week that the kids were packed off back to school, but half term is just around the corner. Trying to think of fun things to do with them is difficult, especially when you are on…

How to get rid of unwanted Christmas gifts

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving – and whilst gift giving comes with the best of intentions, not everyone gets it right. Every year, British households are inundated with presents that may be unwanted and often go unused.…

3 quick and simple Christmas decoration ideas for you to try at home!

Why not get creative this year and try some homemade Christmas decoration ideas? These ideas are simple, cheap and fun to make with your family.

Top tips to cut your energy usage.

Every year we as a nation waste hundreds if not thousands of pounds in electricity, this may be due to a lack of knowledge of how to reduce electricity usage or laziness. Whatever the reason may be, with the cost…

Top 5 tips for staying out of debt as a student.

Moving out of your family home into university halls of residence is a huge step for most students – not only is it the first time you are living away from home, but it is also the first time you…

Protect my PC for free

As we all know, budgeting often comes down to the smallest and obscurest of things. There are opportunities to save in every aspect of your life at home and, while it may not seem like a particularly damaging expense to…

Top tips to cut impulse buying.

When you are out shopping it is easy to get carried away and give in to all temptation. In these tough economic times giving in can have knock-on effects and consequences that ruin your carefully constructed budget. This latest blog…

Are we a nation of Shopaholics and “Comfort” spenders?

As a woman I am well aware of the dangers that "comfort" shopping can bring. A bad day at work, bad mood, row with the other half or general stress from life; anything can trigger that feeling of emptiness that…

Back to school on a budget

It is that time of year again as we pack the children back off to school. On one hand we are relieved to have a bit of peace and quiet and a bit of normality back, but on the other…

The true cost of owning a pet

By Rebecca Sowter Croll When you first set eyes on that cute ball of fluff or multi-coloured reptile, long term cost may not be the first thing on your mind. It definitely was not the first thing I thought about…