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Debt shouldn’t be the cost of living.
Keeping your plan on track.

This information is for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Life is getting more expensive. We are reminded every time we go to the shop or get a bill through the post. And with uncertainty around the world, plus the colder weather and Christmas on the way, this is not getting any easier for any of us.

You have come so far to get advice and set up your plan. It is really important to us that you can keep your plan on track and also cover your everyday costs. You may feel as though you are doing fine right now, we hope so. But if you are starting to feel the pinch of rising costs, we can help.

Quick links

✓   Check your budget is really working for you

The amount you pay through your plan is based on what you can afford after living costs have been covered.

If you need more money to live on, your budget may not be right. And it may be that we need to think about changing your monthly payments.

This is nothing to worry about! Far from it. The whole point is to make this work for you.

Why it might be a good idea to take another look at your budget

You might have told us you need less than you really need to cover household costs. With prices creeping up, your monthly spending might be higher than you thought. Let’s make sure we have got this right.

It is tempting to put all your available cash into your plan to pay off your debts more quickly. But we know how important it is to put some money aside each month in your budget to cover spending that can come without warning.

Have you got enough to cover occasional costs, things like repairing a car or a vet bill. This sort of thing can eat up the money you need for other things. You can add them to the ‘Sundries and emergencies’ section. Let’s make sure you are covered.

You might have missed a debt when you came to us for advice. If that happened, maybe you have been trying to pay it off alongside everything else. That could be a gym membership was cancelled before it was paid off. Or an old debt which reappeared after being sold on.

We can add it to your single monthly payment so you don’t need to worry about it. Let’s make things easier for you.

You might be dealing with something else that is making it harder to keep on track. Job changes, moving house, relationships ending, ill health or losing a loved one. These can all affect your finances in different ways.

As well as making sure we are realistic about your budget, there may be other support available to you. So, let’s make sure your plan is right for what you are dealing with.

✓    How to get your budget and monthly payments right

  1. Go through your bank statements, utility bills accounts and receipts to work out how much you really need to spend to cover your daily needs and any arrears you may have
  2. Make sure you add enough each month to the ‘Sundries and emergencies’ section to cover irregular spending, things like Christmas, car repairs and the like
  3. Log into OnlineDMP and go to Review – this will guide you through all your details
  4. Update your budget in OnlineDMP. We will update your plan payments based on what you can really afford

We are here to help you through this if you need help at any time. As you go through the steps, you will see hints and ways to get in touch with us.

✓   Try out our five ways to get more money coming in

A second job might not be practical or possible. But there may be other ways to boost your income that you have not thought of.

1.   Have you checked you are getting everything you are entitled to?

You might think that benefits are not for you. But did you know that millions of pounds in benefits, tax credits and other support goes un-claimed each year? These include things like discounts for people who live alone and top-ups for people on low incomes.

We have a free calculator that can work this out for you. You have nothing to lose by trying it out.

Use our free benefits calculator

2.  De-clutter and make some money

Thanks to online marketplaces, it has never been easier to earn some money by selling items you no longer need or make the best use of.

3.  Check your tax code

You could be on the wrong tax code if you recently started work or changed jobs. Find your tax code on your latest payslip, P45 or P60.

Find out more at Gov.UK

4.  Use the Help to Save scheme

If you are on a low income, you could use this and boost your savings by 50p each time you save £1.00. It is open to people on Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit.

Read about the Help to Save scheme

5.  Get others to contribute more

Can others who are living with you help out more? If you have adult children living with you or if you are in a houseshare where you end up picking up the tab, this is the time to speak out.

Ask the kids to:

  • Pay you a bit more each week or month
  • Pay for meals or certain things you buy for them
  • Cover petrol costs

Ask housemates to:

  • Take it in turns or put into a kitty to cover cleaning costs and the like
  • Pay a fair share of the goods or services you all use. Such as the internet or digital channels

More ideas for getting more money coming in

✓   Try out our top five ways to spend less

The little things can really add up to make a difference. We know, it is easier said than done, but there are some things you can try. If you try some of these, total up how much you saved or didn’t spend. You can put it away for a rainy day or to treat yourself.

1.   Do the ‘No spend day’ challenge

Pick a day of the week when it is easier not to spend and see how you get on. Maybe you can try:

  • Making a meal from leftovers
  • Walking or biking instead of paying for transport
  • Taking lunch into work
  • Using vouchers or loyalty points that have built up

Even if you cannot make this last a whole day, it will make you think about the little bits you pay for as you go about a normal day.

2.  Add regular free or low cost ‘dates’ to your diary

We do know that all too often advice on living on a budget is about telling you about the things you cannot do. So we want to turn that around. This is about doing things to make you happy that are free or will not cost a lot.

The important thing is to make time for these ‘dates’ – which you can go on your own or with other people. These ideas might not float your boat so have a think about the little things in life you get joy from. Maybe you can try:

  • If you are arty: Photographing quirky buildings, landscapes and other areas of interest near you. Snap away, be creative and maybe you can build a collage from it?
  • If you like sports: Checking out the local league teams in your area. There is no charge for watching the games and you might find a new team to support
  • If you are into the natural world: Use a “trainspotters” book or app to discover different trees, birds or animals where you live

3.  Take a closer look at your bank account

Do you notice every little thing that goes out of your bank account? It is easy to miss especially if you don’t use an app that tells you what you have spent.

You may discover ongoing payments you set up a while ago that are still going out of your account.

Maybe you can try:

  • Using online banking and setting up notifications – you can see what is going out in real time. It can make you think
  • Reviewing your balances
  • Checking through your ongoing contracts, direct debits and standing orders

4.  Review what you are paying for online shopping and home entertainment

It is important to keep entertained, especially when going out is a treat rather than something you do often. But you will not be the only person who has signed up for six months for a show you binged in a week. And then found nothing else you fancied watching…

Maybe you can try:

  • Going through each streaming account and counting up the shows or films you are likely to want to watch in the next few months. And then cancelling the ones with nothing of interest
  • Visiting the library, exchange or charity shop to see if there are any box sets available (obviously, you will need a DVD player or disc drive)
  • Reviewing the levels of the accounts you pay for: Will the basic level work okay for you? Do you really need the next-day delivery add-on?

5.  Cut what you spend at the supermarket

This is where most of our money goes. Partly because supermarkets are very cleverly designed to make us spend more than we need to. There are some tried and tested tips you can try:

  • Always shop on a full stomach - you will be less tempted by tasty treats
  • Only buy what you need – make a list before you go and stick to it. If it’s not on the list, it is not going in the basket. Yes, that does include special offers, unless they are already on your list
  • Pay with cash only – get some money out, leave your card behind and only spend what you have on you
  • Use the loyalty cards to get discounts

And here's another one...

6.  Be smart with energy (we know it isn't easy)

We are not telling you to go cold or hungry. Far from it. But there are some ways to spend less, even if it is small amounts each week. You will have heard the phrase “heat the person not the room”. It may be a cliché, but it can help to save on bills.

Maybe you can try:

  • Getting a smart meter
  • Turning off the radiators in rooms that are used less
  • Using heated throws, water bottles and fleeces to keep warm
  • Using a slow cooker or air fryer instead of the oven. Or if you do use the oven, double up what you are cooking so you do not have to switch it on as often

More ideas for spending less

Thanks for trying to help but I need more than this

Have you –

  • Checked your budget?
  • Tried to get more money coming in?
  • Tried to find ways to spend less?

We are sorry things are tough for you. We really want to make your plan work – and make sure that you can live as comfortably as possible.

If you simply cannot find a way to keep up with your monthly plan payments as well as living costs:The first step is to complete your review in OnlineDMP or call us if you need to.