0:00:03 > 0:00:05Whether you're a spender or a saver,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09we could all do with knowing how to make the most of our cash.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12So, we've found simple advice for you to do just that,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16and taken it to people right across the UK.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Whatever help you need with your finances, we are right on the money.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Hello, and welcome to Right On The Money,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28the show that goes all out to boost your piggy bank.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29And the best part is,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32we're going to show you how to do it in the easiest possible way.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Sounds good to me.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Let's get on with it. Here's what's coming up in today's show.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42The full extent of one husband's impulse shopping habit is revealed
0:00:42 > 0:00:45when he's confronted with bags of evidence.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Nickie, your face says it all.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Oh, my word!
0:00:50 > 0:00:55And when it comes to contactless cards, we've gone barking mad.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Smudge is wearing the new contactless coat.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00People don't tend to carry cash any more,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03so it's a simple way to make a donation.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05BEEPING
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Now, the great thing about our show is that it's full of top tips and
0:01:10 > 0:01:12expert advice.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Which is something our next family is definitely in need of.
0:01:17 > 0:01:2143-year-old Nickie Herrick and her husband, 48-year-old Graham,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24have been together for 20 years.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27It was a mutual love of sports and fitness that initially drew them
0:01:27 > 0:01:28together.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Met each other, started dating.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Went on a holiday.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Come back, got engaged.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Got married. Had children.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Yeah. It was just meant to be, I guess.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45They live in Luton, together with their children, Bethany and Sophie.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Five years ago, former gymnastics coach Nickie's life changed
0:01:53 > 0:01:57after she was diagnosed with a rare, debilitating, genetic condition.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02I think it took a good nine months of testing
0:02:02 > 0:02:08and it eventually came out that I have the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10and also gastroparesis,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13which basically means paralysed stomach.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16So, my food can't break down.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19It has just been quite a rapid decline.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22It now means that I'm just sort of left in a wheelchair.
0:02:22 > 0:02:28I can still walk, but things really hurt and I get extremely tired.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32People don't realise how much pain she's in because you look at her and
0:02:32 > 0:02:34you think everything's OK
0:02:34 > 0:02:35when underneath really it's not.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39So, you know, she's really, really positive and keeps her chin up.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43To help look after Nickie,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46self-employed driving instructor Graham cut his working hours.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Therefore, the family's income has dropped.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52I've spent so much time in hospital.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55He's always been there.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59He would come up at the drop of a hat, sort the kids out,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01which you can't ask for better, really.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Family, to me, means sticking together.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Too right, Graham.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Nickie's mobility means it's not easy for her to get to the supermarket.
0:03:11 > 0:03:12So, Graham has stepped in.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14But he's no savvy shopper.
0:03:15 > 0:03:21Um, I don't really even look at the cost of what the shop's come to.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23The cost of things is a little bit of a mystery
0:03:23 > 0:03:27because Nickie spent such a long time in hospital
0:03:27 > 0:03:31that life has come up to the top of the priority list.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Well, Graham, Miss Marple is otherwise engaged.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36But we've got someone better -
0:03:36 > 0:03:40FT Money editor and all-round financial hero, Claer Barrett.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Hi. I'm Claer. Hi, Claer.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Come in. Thank you.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Hi. Morning.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53Tell me about who manages the money
0:03:53 > 0:03:55at home.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Nickie does tend to take control of the finances.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Graham, how much do you get involved?
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Do you look at bills, look at your bank statements?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09To be honest, I'm traditionally the world's worst for keeping on top of
0:04:09 > 0:04:12things like that, but it's something really that...
0:04:12 > 0:04:14It's hard to find the time to do.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16..I don't really take much notice of.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Understandably, the family's focus has shifted away from their finances
0:04:22 > 0:04:24over the past couple of years.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27But now it's time to regain control of the coffers,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30as they want to adapt their house.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Over the last few years,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34I've become more and more dependent on a wheelchair.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Unfortunately, we only have one toilet.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Right. And that's...?
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Upstairs. Upstairs.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Yes. So, even if we could extend in some way
0:04:45 > 0:04:47so that I could have some downstairs living...
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Well, let's try and make that happen.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Claer has got a moneymaking and money-saving plan for the Herricks
0:04:55 > 0:04:57and cracks on with some saving suggestions.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00First up, with four mobile phones on the go,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03their monthly bills are pretty hefty.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07And where better to start the journey to financial fitness than in
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Graham's garage gym?
0:05:09 > 0:05:12We've been looking at your bank statements to find out how much,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15as a family, you're all individually spending
0:05:15 > 0:05:17on your different phone contracts.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Feel the weight of that monthly bill, Graham.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21Oh.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24?101.99.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Yeah. That's how much all our phone bills come to.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30All added together, per month.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Now, for some good news.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35I've worked out that you could actually get a much better deal for
0:05:35 > 0:05:37your mobile phone usage as a family
0:05:37 > 0:05:40if, guess what, you get a family deal.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Ah! But how much will they save?
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So, this is how much it could go down to.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Yes. This would be your new monthly bill
0:05:49 > 0:05:50if you switched to a family contract.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55?45. ?45.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57So, we'd save like ?60 a month.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00The deal Claer found them is SIM only,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03which means the four of them get a SIM card,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05but have to keep their existing handsets.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Let's hope that gets a good reception from the girls.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Wow! Have you got the phone number?
0:06:12 > 0:06:14That's a lighter load to bear.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18By switching to a family deal, they could save around ?60 a month,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21or 683 smackers a year.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22What a result!
0:06:23 > 0:06:27But now we're going to move on, Graham, to your credit card.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29OK. I think I'd better put these down.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31LAUGHTER
0:06:31 > 0:06:33No use running away, Graham.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38Claer is determined that her training regime will make you financially fit.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Graham has racked up ?1,300 on his credit card.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44But each month, he's only paying the minimum.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46A big no-no in Claer's eyes.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51Imagine, Graham, that you're 21 again.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52I wish. OK.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55So, hold that thought. You're feeling positive about being 21.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Imagine also that you've got a ?3,000 credit card bill.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Now, if you only paid off the minimum payment on that bill
0:07:02 > 0:07:03per month,
0:07:03 > 0:07:08how old do you think you would be before your balance was cleared?
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Er, probably the age I am now.
0:07:10 > 0:07:11You're exactly right.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14It would take you until nearly the age of 50...
0:07:14 > 0:07:15That was a good guess. ..to pay it off.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17So, that's nearly 30 years.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21The average British household owes around two and a half grand on their
0:07:21 > 0:07:26credit cards. That's a whopping 67.6 billion across the country.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Claer's advice is to pay off your credit card every month
0:07:31 > 0:07:34if you can to avoid those interest charges.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Claer reckons, if they used the ?62 saved on their mobile phone
0:07:38 > 0:07:42bills to do this, then the credit card debt will soon vanish.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45All of the charges and interest that you're paying
0:07:45 > 0:07:48are fattening the pockets of the credit card companies.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51So, we need to act.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55So, what do you think of paying ?62 a month in order to clear that
0:07:55 > 0:07:57balance? Does that sound achievable?
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Yeah, that's definitely a good suggestion.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05If he ups his repayments, Graham will be debt-free in just 21 months,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and could save ?416 overall
0:08:08 > 0:08:10in interest charges.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11Ker-ching.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Time to put the family's shopping habits under the spotlight.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Claer's noticed they spend a hefty amount in the supermarket.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20While Graham's out,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Claer decides to lift the lid on where all that cash is going.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Graham confessed that whilst he goes out to the shops
0:08:27 > 0:08:29and tops it up every week,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32he doesn't actually know what's in the middle and the bottom.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35So, I thought I'd sneak out here.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Go on, Claer. Get in there.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Dig deep. Sausages.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43What's this?
0:08:46 > 0:08:50OK. Another packet of frozen chicken breast fillets.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54That's about the fourth one we found so far.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Wow! It just goes on and on.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01I wonder if they know just how much money they've got tied up in this
0:09:01 > 0:09:04chest freezer. I mean, this is hundreds of pounds.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08That's a lot of frozen assets.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Earlier, Claer suggested a small experiment
0:09:10 > 0:09:14to find out why the Herricks have got so much tucker
0:09:14 > 0:09:15tucked away in the deep freeze.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19So, we've sent Graham off to the shops.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21It's going to be fun. You've given him a list,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and that list had five things on it. It did, yeah.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26How many things do you think Graham will probably bring
0:09:26 > 0:09:28back with him? Oh, gosh.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32I would say possibly double it.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35Behave yourself, Nickie.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37You're way, way off.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Right. Oh, my God!
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Nickie sent you out to the shops with a list
0:09:47 > 0:09:51that had five things on it and you've come back with four bags.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Five things, not five bags.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58What...? What caught your eye in the supermarket, other than all of it?
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Well, our super snooper will soon find out.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Er...chocolate.
0:10:05 > 0:10:06Chocolate.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09Chocolate.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12More chocolate.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Ooh, we've got some shampoo and conditioner.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Were these on offer? Is that why you bought them?
0:10:18 > 0:10:22No, I just picked up shampoo and conditioner.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25But you haven't got any hair, Graham. No, they're not for me.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26They're not for me.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Oy, oy. Steady on, Claer. Graham looks just fine to me.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Chicken breasts. Always need chicken breasts.
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Interesting.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38There's at least 20 individual chicken breast portions
0:10:38 > 0:10:40in your freezer.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44You're buying lots and lots of food, but you don't know what you've got.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49I've got to ask, how much did you spend? This come to ?124.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51?124!
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Nickie, your face says it all.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Oh, my word!
0:10:58 > 0:10:59Too right.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Let's hear what Graham's got to say in his defence.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09I think I just pick up stuff that takes my fancy.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Life is such a rush
0:11:11 > 0:11:15that I don't spend the time looking at the labels
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and the items and the deals.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I just want to get in the shop, get round it
0:11:20 > 0:11:22and get out as soon as possible.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25But Claer thinks that ordering their groceries online
0:11:25 > 0:11:29is a simple way for them both to decide what they actually need
0:11:29 > 0:11:30from the supermarket.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35A bit of planning ahead is a pain but the ultimate reward is,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38if you can really control the amount of money that you're spending,
0:11:38 > 0:11:43then your dream of the home extension can only come nearer.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Claer reckons that by doing this
0:11:46 > 0:11:47they could save a staggering
0:11:47 > 0:11:50?2,340 a year.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Graham is a classic impulse spender,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56but it seems that Nickie is prone to a spot of that, too.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03I must admit I love spending on the girls.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04Yeah. Just treating them.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Because they've had so much to deal
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and they're so brilliant with everything.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11What a nice mum!
0:12:11 > 0:12:16But Claer's worked out that Nickie spent ?1,327 last year
0:12:16 > 0:12:19buying designer clothes from websites
0:12:19 > 0:12:23that specialise in flash sales and deal-of-the-day offers.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25But Claer wants to delve deeper.
0:12:26 > 0:12:32What the big brands do to make us spend money is making us think
0:12:32 > 0:12:34like we're getting the deal of the century.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Even if the price is actually quite high,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40the fact there's some money off makes us think, "This is OK.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42"I'm getting a deal here."
0:12:42 > 0:12:45It's understandable that Nickie wants the best for her girls.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49But Claer suspects they would rather the money went into extending the house.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Something that would make their mum's life much easier.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56They don't want to see you struggling at night
0:12:56 > 0:12:59and not being able to have everything on the same floor.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02I'm sure they would swap a million jumpers if they...
0:13:02 > 0:13:06I'm sure they would. If you could get that. Definitely.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08At the end of the day, they'll want their mum to be happy
0:13:08 > 0:13:11more than they'll want, you know...
0:13:11 > 0:13:14A sweater or a pair of jeans or something. Exactly. Yeah.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18I think it's time to stop the sales.
0:13:18 > 0:13:19Good.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Great work, Claer.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25And another ?1,300 saved.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Now it's time to think about how Nickie can make some money.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31She's become an expert in nail art
0:13:31 > 0:13:34because her illness means that she no longer coaches gymnastics.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Claer thinks Nickie could turn her hobby into a handy money-spinner.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I hear you've got a bit of a talent for nail treatments.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Claer sent Nickie to her local college in Bedfordshire to meet
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Alex, who runs courses for aspiring nail technicians.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53It runs on a Wednesday evening for about 36 weeks.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58That will give you all the skills you need to be able to set yourself
0:13:58 > 0:14:00up as a self-employed nail technician.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Alex says a qualified nail technician could earn
0:14:03 > 0:14:05around ?10 an hour working from home.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08It's a relatively cheap set-up really to do nails.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11You just need, you know, an area that's a good height for you
0:14:11 > 0:14:13to work for your posture.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16So, perhaps, a nail station, a stool and a chair.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19That's all you need. Well, I've got one part.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25I'm so excited. Thank you.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Nice one, Nickie. If you think this is the career for you, go on,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31pick up the phone and give your local college a buzz.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33They'll have all the details.
0:14:35 > 0:14:41Just made me feel like, I don't want to get tearful, that I'm actually,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43or can be worth something again.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48I don't have to just sit in my house feeling down about things.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50So, to feel that
0:14:50 > 0:14:55I can be someone again is like a second coming.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Join us later when Claer dishes out some more money-saving tips.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07How does that make you feel? That would be amazing.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Smashing!
0:15:13 > 0:15:15And Nickie and Graham will be joining Dom
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and I to talk about the whole experience.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20First, let's speak to Andy Webb from the Money Advice Service
0:15:20 > 0:15:24and consumer psychologist Dimitrios Tsivrikos.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Andy, I'm going to start with you.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28The family's situation has been pretty dire
0:15:28 > 0:15:29over the last couple of years.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33As a result, their finances have suffered. What's the advice?
0:15:33 > 0:15:38I mean, we all have stages in our life where life gets in the way.
0:15:38 > 0:15:39When that happens, I think,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42often the things that drop down the priority list are those kind of
0:15:42 > 0:15:45financial issues. But that's not the thing we should be doing.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Take a couple of hours, and get all your credit card statements,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51your bank statements, and list out everything you've been spending.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Just pick them out one by one
0:15:53 > 0:15:56and try to find the ways where you can get a better deal
0:15:56 > 0:15:57or you can cut back.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59If you do it bit by bit, or one by one, as I say,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01it's not going to be too overwhelming
0:16:01 > 0:16:03and hopefully you'll get your finances back on track.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Nickie, she said she was an impulse spender, didn't she?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09She did. She found it quite funny but... Self-confessed.
0:16:09 > 0:16:10So, how do we stop them?
0:16:10 > 0:16:13How do we curb that bargain-hunting spirit
0:16:13 > 0:16:14that we find in so many people?
0:16:14 > 0:16:18I think that we have two techniques. One of them is quite easy.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Go out with a full stomach. Don't go out shopping hungry.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Research has shown that people that go out hungry,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28they spend 30% to 40% a lot more than otherwise.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31The second thing is, actually, withdrawal costs.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I think, when we spend with Visas and a lot of other cards,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37we don't really realise how much money we might be ending up spending.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39So, set yourself a limit,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42and actually withdraw the amount of cash that you will be spending.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45The physicality of actually exchanging cash for goods
0:16:45 > 0:16:48is so much more powerful... It hurts.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50It does, it really does hurt.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52I've decided to get you a little present, Dom.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Because... About time. ..I know you like to spend on coffees.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56So, Tom...
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Can you just come over and give Dom his little present, please?
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Certainly. What's going on here?
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Right. Right. Dom... Roll up your sleeve, please.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07That's not a watch you've got there, is it?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Well, we've got a little watch for you.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Mm-hm. A little wearable device,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15which will help curb that impulse to buy the coffees.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Can I ask why it hasn't got a watch face,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19but got a picture of a lightning bolt on?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21You don't need to worry about that. Tom... It's a bit of a clue.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Tom, explain how this watch works.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26So, this isn't a watch, this is a bracelet
0:17:26 > 0:17:28that gives you electric shocks.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Oh, charming. Thanks, Denise.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32And we know... Yeah.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35..how people are using cards, using mobile phone payments
0:17:35 > 0:17:38and what we're doing here is we're connecting people's bank accounts
0:17:38 > 0:17:41with devices such as this
0:17:41 > 0:17:44so that we can bring that physical element of their spending back into
0:17:44 > 0:17:46the real world.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48So, you, as the consumer, can set your spending limits.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Then, when you go and use your card to make that purchase,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53or your mobile phone payment,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55that's when, if you go over that limit,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57you'll get a little reminder.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Let's just test it to see if it works. How powerful's this going to be?
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Don't worry about that. Have to wait and see.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Order a coffee, please, Dom.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Can I have a skinny latte, please, extra hot?
0:18:09 > 0:18:13It does... Did it get you? It was like a needle prick, wasn't it?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16I was expecting a little tingle, but it was one of those.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21It's good, but it's a bit of a harsh way to curb your spending, isn't it?
0:18:21 > 0:18:25I'd save money, but I'd end up spending a weekend in A, wouldn't I?
0:18:25 > 0:18:28You may laugh, Lewis, but I think you should have a go at this, as well?
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Come on, Tom. Stick it on Denise here.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Here we go. Right. Maximum power, please, if you don't mind.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Thanks. Thanks, friend. Lewis... Right.
0:18:38 > 0:18:39Where's my coffee?
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Oh, God!
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Exactly. You see.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Thanks, Tom. I like that.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47You are rotten.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49I'll have one, please. Oh, gosh.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Thanks, guys.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Now, we love a good fact on this programme, so here's one for you.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It's been ten years since the first contactless payments were made
0:18:58 > 0:19:01in the UK. Can you believe that? No, I can't.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04And here's a couple of great statistics, too.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Us Brits now have more than 100 million tap-and-go cards.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Last year, we spent a whopping ?25 billion using them.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15That's three times as much as the previous year.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18So, is paying contactless making us more careless
0:19:18 > 0:19:20with our hard-earned dosh?
0:19:21 > 0:19:24In simpler times, we paid cash for our goods,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27buying what we could afford with the money that was literally in our
0:19:27 > 0:19:28pockets.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32At the checking out point, the counter comes in for the first time,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34as purchases are totalled up and paid for.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Cash was king.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37How times have changed.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45The growth of contactless in the UK has been amazing.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Right now, probably about a quarter of all card transactions are
0:19:48 > 0:19:49contactless.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50BEEPING
0:19:50 > 0:19:54I absolutely love using contactless because it's guilt-free shopping.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57No PIN, it's better security. You're not wasting paper. It's brilliant.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59You're just waving your card in front of the machine.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01It's magic money. It's like the never, never card.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06This radical reshaping of the way we spend our money is eating into our
0:20:06 > 0:20:07everyday lives.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13In this South London cafe, cash is off the menu altogether.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18So, in January of this year, 2017, we stopped accepting cash.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22I'd gone to Sweden, to Stockholm, and just never took out any cash.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24I was able to use my card anywhere, everywhere.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Little shops, big shops.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27It just made it really easy.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Coming back home, I just felt that that was the future.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33There seems to be no complaints from the customers either.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36You can just tap and go and I'd be on my way.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40It's a lot faster service. Saves mucking around with cash.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46For Ross, being contactless means less time counting coins
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and more time mastering the perfect macchiato.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52You don't have to count cash. You don't have to wander around
0:20:52 > 0:20:55to the bank. Ultimately just saving myself and everyone that works here
0:20:55 > 0:20:57time that we can reinvest back into doing things
0:20:57 > 0:20:58that we actually want to do.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04But others are worried about the potential pitfalls of a cashless world.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Concerned that we don't always notice
0:21:07 > 0:21:10what we've spent when we're using contactless.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13In experiments where they ask people how much they've spent
0:21:13 > 0:21:15when they've just been in a shop, if they've spent cash,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19they're much more likely to know how much it was than if they spent money
0:21:19 > 0:21:20on a contactless card.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Because just looking for the cash in your wallet, thinking,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25"I need a five and 6p to make that up,"
0:21:25 > 0:21:27it forces you to think about how much money it is.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30If you do it on a card, you don't have to think about it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35So, how can you avoid the downsides of the contactless revolution?
0:21:35 > 0:21:39If you find you are overspending a lot on contactless,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43then I think it's a good idea to try to imagine that you're getting the
0:21:43 > 0:21:45cash out of the cash machine - that exact amount -
0:21:45 > 0:21:47and what that exact amount would look like
0:21:47 > 0:21:49every time you're spending it,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52and to deliberately take note of what that amount is.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Because, otherwise there's a danger of even stopping noticing
0:21:55 > 0:21:58what's good value and what's not.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02And, it seems, us Brits are reluctant to give up physical money.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05A recent survey revealed that we're one of the least keen of all EU
0:22:05 > 0:22:09countries on becoming completely cashless.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Personal finance expert Sarah Pennells isn't surprised.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I think in the UK we've got a bit of a love affair with cash.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Although a lot of us are using different ways of paying now -
0:22:19 > 0:22:22contactless, paying with our mobile phone and so on -
0:22:22 > 0:22:25I think there are some real advantages of cash that people love.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28So, you know, you can see it, you know when you've run out of it.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30You have a real sense that you are spending money.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34However, there are practical ways to keep in control.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36If you are going to use contactless,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39first of all, I'd make sure you always ask for a receipt,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43so at least you know exactly how much money you've spent.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45And also if you're checking your bank balance online
0:22:45 > 0:22:48or on your mobile, don't forget the contactless transactions
0:22:48 > 0:22:52can sometimes take three, or even four days to show up.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Lastly, if you do find you're spending too much money
0:22:55 > 0:22:59on contactless, then switch back. Use either real money, use cash,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01or use your chip and PIN.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06At the moment, vendors are not obliged to offer you a receipt.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09So, if you want to remind yourself of how much you're spending,
0:23:09 > 0:23:10just ask.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Every time I pay with contactless, I need the receipt.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16It's like mentally you need some sort of proof
0:23:16 > 0:23:18that you've spent the money.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21I just keep a receipt and then I just check it at the end the week
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and make sure everything's accounted for in the bank.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Yes, I'm fully aware how much I've spent.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29I know to the penny whether I spent it on my card or whether I spent it
0:23:29 > 0:23:32via cash. It shouldn't matter which way you're spending it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34You should be to keep a track of your monies.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40And technology guru David Birch says contactless gives users more -
0:23:40 > 0:23:42not less - information on their spending
0:23:42 > 0:23:46because there's a digital record for every transaction.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49You know, I would say to people, use the data.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Right? You're not using cash, you're using the card.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53That's giving you information.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55So, if you feel that you're overspending,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58you should sit down and look at what you actually spent the money on.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01You can't do that with cash, with contactless you can.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05So, check your monthly statements and keep across where your money is
0:24:05 > 0:24:06going.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Now everybody has contactless cards, and everybody uses them,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13you could start to see contactless being built into other things.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Now the innovation can be unleashed.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Or put on the leash.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Hello. I like your jacket.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Even charities are getting in on the act.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Meet Smudge, one of a crack team of cashless canines.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Smudge is wearing the new contactless coat
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and people can make a contactless donation
0:24:31 > 0:24:34simply by tapping their cards onto his coat.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36So, if you just hold your card there on the card reader...
0:24:37 > 0:24:39..and you've made a ?2 donation.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42People don't tend to carry cash any more,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44so it's a simple way to make a donation.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46What could be easier?
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Thank you very much. Thank you. Bye.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53And if you think a contactless dog is odd, hold on to your hats.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55The future is invisible payments.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58The payment experiences that consumers like the best
0:24:58 > 0:25:00are the ones they don't have to deal with.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02You order a taxi, you get in a taxi,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04you go to where you're going, you get out and walk.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07You don't even think about it. Then you sit down at the end of the month
0:25:07 > 0:25:09and you can see all your taxi rides.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Payments will just vanish from day-to-day experience.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15They'll all just happen in the background,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17they'll be part of the warp and weft of life.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18Like it or not,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21sounds like we're all going to have to get used to change
0:25:21 > 0:25:23but not in our pockets.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Now, some people are more savvy than others at keeping track of their
0:25:31 > 0:25:35spending, but none more so than the blogger who's so thrifty,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37she's known as Miss Thrifty.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39She's here to tell us about her savvy ways,
0:25:39 > 0:25:40along with Clare and Leanne,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43who'll be doing a little bit of an experiment for us.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46More about that a minute. I've got to ask you a question, Miss.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Do you think it makes a difference to your spending habits
0:25:49 > 0:25:51if you're paying hard, physical cash,
0:25:51 > 0:25:53or whether you're just using the contactless card?
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Lots of people find that if they pay via contactless,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58they end up spending more. Me, I'm the opposite.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01I find that if I'm trying to keep track of what I'm spending every day
0:26:01 > 0:26:04with cash then, by the end of the day, I've lost count,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06I don't know where I am. Invariably, I end up at the till
0:26:06 > 0:26:08and I don't have enough money for what I need.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11So, I think it's a case of finding out what works best for you.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Over the past few days,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16we've been asking Clare and Leanne to keep a diary of their spending.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19One using a good old-fashioned pen and book and writing everything down
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and the other one using a smart app.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24I'm going to come to you first, Clare.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26You had the old-fashioned way. A book and a pen.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Was there any shocks here, anything where, at the end of the day,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32or the end of the week, you looked at it and thought, "Gordon Bennett,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34"I didn't know I was spending that on that?"
0:26:34 > 0:26:37I was kind of shocked by the amount I spent on food and drink.
0:26:37 > 0:26:38I think it was about 50% of everything
0:26:38 > 0:26:40that I'd spent the whole week.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43I don't suppose it's until you actually take this much effort
0:26:43 > 0:26:47that you actually realise those sorts of things. No, absolutely not.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Previously, I'd never asked for a receipt before.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51I'd always just used contactless.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53I wasn't really paying attention to what I was spending.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56It made me feel like I was being watched a little bit.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58You're watching yourself, aren't you? Exactly.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Leanne, you went sort of more 21st-century, didn't you?
0:27:02 > 0:27:03You put an app on your smartphone.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Tell me how that works cos I've not used one yet.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09So, I used just quite a basic app, that you literally just put in your
0:27:09 > 0:27:12income and you put out all of your expenses on the app
0:27:12 > 0:27:16and it categorises it, so into sort of eating out, clothes,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18other shopping, and then you can write notes on it.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Clare, how much do you think you've saved by monitoring your spending
0:27:22 > 0:27:23using the system?
0:27:23 > 0:27:26I think probably around ?50. What about you, Leanne?
0:27:26 > 0:27:30I think mine was probably quite similar, probably around ?40, ?50.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31I'll tell you what, it does add up.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Thank you, ladies. Thanks, Dom.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Now, a recent survey showed that many people in relationships
0:27:40 > 0:27:44don't talk to their partner about money and their spending habits.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49In fact, one in six haven't got a clue how much their other halves earn.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53So, is a financially open and honest relationship the key to a happy one?
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Let's see what the punters in Stockport Market have to say?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Whisper in my ear and give me a ballpark figure
0:28:00 > 0:28:02what you think he's earning.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Yeah? Go on. Whisper in this ear.
0:28:09 > 0:28:10Right. Is it right?
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Very, very impressive you two.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17No secrets between you then in terms of, oh, no little stashes,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20no secret money hiding anywhere?
0:28:20 > 0:28:23No. No. Not that I'm going to say on camera.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Do you discuss your financial matters together?
0:28:26 > 0:28:31Yeah. Yeah. It's important to be honest and straightforward.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33You share an account, you're a team.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35When you get married, you're a team and share an account.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39You two, you discuss everything, all money matters.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Yes. Yes, I suppose we do, really.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44I think it's best to be open and honest, cards on the table,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47you know where you're up to with everything. We've got a family,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49so it's important that you budget for everything.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Do you know what his spending habits are like?
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Yes, because I'm always with him.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57She doesn't trust you out alone, basically. That's what she's saying.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Can I just ask you, do you have joint bank accounts?
0:29:00 > 0:29:02No. Separate.
0:29:02 > 0:29:03Separate? Why is that?
0:29:03 > 0:29:06What Viv's got is hers and what I've got is Viv's.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Now, earlier on, we met Nickie and Graham who were struggling to find
0:29:14 > 0:29:18time to sort out their finances, since Nickie became seriously ill.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22Let's see if personal finance editor Claer Barrett has managed to work
0:29:22 > 0:29:23her money magic.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30Nickie and Graham love nothing better than spending a spot of quality time
0:29:30 > 0:29:32with daughters Bethany and Sophie.
0:29:32 > 0:29:33No!
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Our parents, they do a lot for us.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38They're just, like, dropping us, Bethany to college,
0:29:38 > 0:29:42dropping me to school, to a drama academy, to riding.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45But Since Nickie became seriously ill four years ago,
0:29:45 > 0:29:47keeping abreast of the family finances
0:29:47 > 0:29:50has not been their top priority.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52As much as they would love to adapt their home for Nickie,
0:29:52 > 0:29:57who uses a wheelchair, their lack of cash has been a stumbling block.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00There you go, catch! Eh!
0:30:00 > 0:30:04Earlier, we sent personal finance expert Claer Barrett along to save
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and make some money for this family.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11But the couple were in for a shock when Claer revealed just how much
0:30:11 > 0:30:13those impulse buys were costing.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Nickie, your face says it all.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Oh, my word!
0:30:19 > 0:30:23So far, she's saved them thousands of pounds.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27Now she's back, and Claer's determined that nothing goes
0:30:27 > 0:30:29to waste on the road to financial stability.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34So I couldn't help but notice when I came in that you've got a ginormous
0:30:34 > 0:30:37camper van sitting on your drive outside.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Tell me about that. That's Harvey.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Harvey? Harvey, Harvey the RV as I like to call him.
0:30:45 > 0:30:46He's my baby.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49That's some baby, Nickie.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52The Herricks adopted Harvey three years ago, but sadly,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55he's spent most of that time parked on the drive
0:30:55 > 0:30:57and not enjoying the open roads.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01When we first got it,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04we were literally going to jump in it every weekend
0:31:04 > 0:31:05and go off somewhere.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Oh, didn't see you back there, Claer.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11But didn't really happen like that.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17In fact, we've only been away in it, like, a handful of times maybe.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22I think I've got a plan where you can make some money out of him.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25We'll pull in a little further up the road at a campsite I know,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27and I will reveal all.
0:31:27 > 0:31:28Brilliant.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Time to enjoy...mm...the traditional British summer.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37So you've probably heard of websites that people can use in the so-called
0:31:37 > 0:31:41sharing economy to rent out their spare rooms
0:31:41 > 0:31:44or maybe even their house when they go on holiday.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48Assets, essentially, that you've got, like Harvey,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50that you're not using all the time.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53So why not rent him out to other families
0:31:53 > 0:31:56who want to take him on holiday?
0:31:56 > 0:31:58I think that's a brilliant idea.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02Millions of us love to get out and about in the UK,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05whether it's staycations or heading to a festival.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09So Claer thinks Harvey the RV could be a nice little earner.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11In terms of the rewards that are on offer,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14so for a van the size of Harvey,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17you could potentially get up to ?500 a week.
0:32:17 > 0:32:18OK. Really?
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Yeah. Wow! ?500 a week?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23I had no idea.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25That's a really good idea. No idea.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27So how would it work in terms of insurance?
0:32:27 > 0:32:32So if you were doing it yourself and renting out Harvey to people,
0:32:32 > 0:32:34then you would need to inform your insurer
0:32:34 > 0:32:36and get specialist insurance.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40But if you're doing it through one of these third-party websites,
0:32:40 > 0:32:42it will be in the terms and conditions
0:32:42 > 0:32:45but they often as part of their fee have insurance
0:32:45 > 0:32:48which will cover everything. But you're absolutely right, Graham.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50That is a fundamental thing that you need to check out
0:32:50 > 0:32:52before you hand over the keys.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55If Nickie and Graham rented out Harvey
0:32:55 > 0:32:57for as little as two weeks every year,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00they could earn an extra grand.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05The other great thing about the sharing economy is that one of its
0:33:05 > 0:33:08biggest fans is Her Majesty's government.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11They've introduced a new sharing economy tax break,
0:33:11 > 0:33:17so you can actually make your first ?1,000 of profit from renting out
0:33:17 > 0:33:19your flat, your driveway, you're spare room,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23or your camper van without having to pay any tax.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Great advice, Claer.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29That's more dosh towards that much-needed extension.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31And talking about the house,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34it's time to tackle Graham and Nickie's mortgage.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36So Claer, I know Graham loves his workouts,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39but I think you should explain what you're doing here.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Well, my theory is you feel at home in an environment like a gym,
0:33:43 > 0:33:48so it's a good place for us to tackle the issue of your home
0:33:48 > 0:33:50and the debt that you've got mortgaged onto it.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54Nickie and Graham bought their house ten years ago
0:33:54 > 0:33:56using an interest-only mortgage.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00Every month... Yep. ..you're just paying off this one brick
0:34:00 > 0:34:02in interest, and every month,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04it's being added back on.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08So the size of your loan is never actually going down.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11It's staying the same. All you're doing is paying off the interest.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Is that something that worries you?
0:34:13 > 0:34:16So we've been worried about this for quite some time now, but obviously,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20you know, with our circumstances as they were,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23it's just another thing that we've neglected.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25So the good news, Graham,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29is I'm confident that with other savings I've identified for you
0:34:29 > 0:34:31to make, you'll be able to cope
0:34:31 > 0:34:34with a slightly higher mortgage repayment every month.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40Graham is one of more than two million interest-only mortgage
0:34:40 > 0:34:41customers in the UK.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44If you're one, too, the advice is to switch to a repayment
0:34:44 > 0:34:47or part-repayment mortgage if you can,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50so you're not left with a massive financial headache
0:34:50 > 0:34:51at the end of the loan period.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Graham, how does that make you feel?
0:34:58 > 0:35:01That would be amazing to just smash down the whole loan like that.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06So we need to replace some bicep curls with some phone picking up.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Yeah. You need to speak to your mortgage lender,
0:35:09 > 0:35:10get a plan arranged.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13You've convinced me to do it, absolutely, yeah. Great.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Sounds like a knockout idea to me.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18Job done.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24And now that Graham's financially fighting fit,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Claer's earned herself a nice cup of coffee with Nickie.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32But the caffeine has spurred her on to make even more saving suggestions.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34How often a week would you say
0:35:34 > 0:35:38that you're treating yourself to a coffee out?
0:35:38 > 0:35:39Is it... OK?
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Almost everyday, and sometimes if I'm really bad,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46it can be up to three times a day.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49I know what you mean, Nickie.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51I love a latte or five,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54but constant trips to the coffee house soon add up.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58In fact, it's costing Nickie over 50 quid a month!
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Now, she could cut that to just a fiver if she made her own,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04and Claer has got a couple of presents to get her started.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06What a diamond!
0:36:06 > 0:36:10It's a lot better than 50 quid a month on drive-thru coffees.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14Exactly. And I think you'll find that this might even be nicer.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Cutting down on those posh coffees could boost the coffers
0:36:20 > 0:36:22by ?540 a year! Ouch!
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Have you got any of those cups spare, Claer?
0:36:25 > 0:36:29It seems that no-one in the house escapes Claer's money-saving marathon.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Animal-loving Bethany is mad on horses,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36and doting Mum and Dad shell out one and a half grand a year on riding
0:36:36 > 0:36:39lessons. But Claer wants to rein that in.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42So they've all trotted down to their local stables to meet owner Kimberly
0:36:42 > 0:36:45to chat about volunteering.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48What sort of stuff would you get up to on a day-to-day basis here?
0:36:48 > 0:36:51When you come in, the first and most important thing we do is we groom
0:36:51 > 0:36:54and we get the horses ready for lessons.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Making feeds, doing hay nets,
0:36:57 > 0:37:01sweeping the yard, and sweeping the yard, and sweeping the yard again.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04And having a good time.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06All right, it sounds very good.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09But Kimberly saved the best bits till last.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13After every sixth time that you've come down and you've helped,
0:37:13 > 0:37:15you'll get a free riding lesson.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17That sounds a lot of fun.
0:37:17 > 0:37:18It's more involved with the horses
0:37:18 > 0:37:21and it sounds like something I'd like to do, yeah.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24It's a win-win.
0:37:24 > 0:37:25By volunteering,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Bethany gets to hang out with her favourite animals more often,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32and Mum and Dad can say goodbye to spending ?28 a pop on lessons,
0:37:32 > 0:37:34saving them
0:37:34 > 0:37:37a total of ?1,456 a year.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Let's have a quick look around the yard, and then let's get you up
0:37:40 > 0:37:41on a horse and see if you like one.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Thank you.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Many riding schools offer similar schemes.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49You can find a list of approved ones
0:37:49 > 0:37:51on the British Horse Society website.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Kick, full, there we go, yes!
0:37:54 > 0:37:58Back at the house, it's time for a final reassuring pep talk
0:37:58 > 0:38:03from Claer about how best to move forward and make that dream extension a reality.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07It's absolutely normal to feel scared about these big decisions.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11The key thing is to have the courage to pick up the phone and make those
0:38:11 > 0:38:16calls, and you'll find out that it's probably not as scary
0:38:16 > 0:38:17as you were thinking.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20And it's just reaffirming your goals by making that
0:38:20 > 0:38:23decision, saying, "I'm not going to spend the money on that,
0:38:23 > 0:38:25"I'm going to save it instead."
0:38:25 > 0:38:28You're moving a step nearer towards the bigger goal.
0:38:30 > 0:38:31So let's talk turkey.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34How much could the family save in a year?
0:38:34 > 0:38:37?683 of the mobile bills,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39?416 on Graham's credit card,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42?2,340 on groceries,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45?540 on posh coffees,
0:38:45 > 0:38:471,300 on online shopping,
0:38:47 > 0:38:51and ?1,456 on horse riding lessons.
0:38:51 > 0:38:57Making a grand total saving of ?6,744.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Plus, if they rent out Harvey the RV,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01and Nickie starts a nail business,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04the family's income will get a healthy boost, as well.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Actually tackling your money issues is not as daunting
0:39:08 > 0:39:11as we had believed that it was.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15For me to be able to get back to work is going to mean a lot to me.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19I spent the last couple of years kind of festering,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23so to get my brain active and up and out again,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26it's just going to be amazing.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39Well, Nickie and Graham are here, along with Harvey the RV.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42You've learned a lot, haven't you, on this whole experience for you?
0:39:42 > 0:39:44It's been eye-opening, honestly.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48Was it just a case of you just needed someone to come in
0:39:48 > 0:39:50and just sit you down and say, "Look, hang on a second,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52"let's have a look at what you're doing here."
0:39:52 > 0:39:54I think we're both intelligent people.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56We know finances are so important,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59but we'd got bogged down with medical issues
0:39:59 > 0:40:02and things going on in our lives,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05that really, we just ignored the important things.
0:40:05 > 0:40:10I know that sorting out your finances hasn't been top priority,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13but I think that's going to change after your visit from Claer.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17The things that Claer has suggested has just been amazing.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22So from here on out, I am on it like a car bonnet.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23Talk about Claer's advice.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26Now, Nickie, you're a little bit like me, you love a latte, don't you?
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Um, guilty as charged.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Yes, and you're cutting it down now?
0:40:31 > 0:40:37Um, I've calculated that I have saved this month ?33.50.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39That's very good. Very good for me.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41It's marked improvement on that one.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45This is my new best friend, a little gift from Claer.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47So, yeah, I think I'm doing really well on that one.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49Nickie, while we're on the subject of saving money,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52I know it's particularly important for you because you're trying
0:40:52 > 0:40:55to save up enough to make some modifications to your house, aren't you?
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Yeah, I think that's the goal
0:40:58 > 0:41:04that we mustn't forget whilst we're on this, sort of, money subject.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07There are times I just cannot physically get up to bed.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10I mean, if things were different,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13ideally I'd love to move to a bungalow.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15That's the goal, yeah? Yeah, definitely.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19But it is exciting times ahead for you guys if you stick to the advice
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Claer has given you.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Yes, definitely given me a lift that I've need.
0:41:25 > 0:41:30Because, you know, I used to be such a fit and active person.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Not quite as fit as you, but you know, almost.
0:41:34 > 0:41:35And to be left...
0:41:38 > 0:41:43..unfit and not being able to do as much as I want to,
0:41:43 > 0:41:48it's given me a focus that I need.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50Nickie, can I just say, I mean we were chatting earlier,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53and I realised how bad your condition is,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55you're in constant pain.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58And you've got a smile on your face all the time, you're jolly,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01and you are an inspiration, I think, to all of us.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03You know, good luck to you, and thanks for coming on,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05we really appreciate it. Thank you, both of you.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08No, thank you. That means so much, thank you.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Yeah. Well, let us know if you'd be interested in having one of our
0:42:11 > 0:42:14experts come round to sort out your finances.
0:42:14 > 0:42:15You can e-mail us at...
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Now we can't promise to get to everyone who gets in touch,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24but if it's money-saving tips you're after, here's a good place to start.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30Our website has everything you need to sort out your spending.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33We've teamed up with the Money Advice Service
0:42:33 > 0:42:36to bring you easy to use money-saving tools
0:42:36 > 0:42:37to plan your budget,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40calculate the cost of your car or credit cards,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43and give your money a complete health check.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44Download them at...
0:42:52 > 0:42:55Well, personal finance expert Andy Webb is with us to answer some
0:42:55 > 0:42:57questions from the people we've met today.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01Henry wants to know how he can save on running his car.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02Oh, God, it all adds up, doesn't it?
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Every time you move the car, it's going to cost you more money.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08Biggest running cost you've got is your insurance, so don't auto-renew.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Shop around, and maybe try little things that might bring down the
0:43:10 > 0:43:13price and maybe you can add someone to the insurance,
0:43:13 > 0:43:15or even try different titles for your job.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17That might reduce the price. Just make sure it's an accurate job.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19And be honest. Be honest, you've got to be honest.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22And, of course, petrol, that's ongoing cost all the time.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25You know, see if you can find the cheapest pumps near you.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27There are websites that will tell you the different prices
0:43:27 > 0:43:30in your area. And I guess it's also how you drive.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34So if you speed, if you have the air conditioning on,
0:43:34 > 0:43:37if you have a roof rack, you know, they can all, you know, damage...
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Well, not damage, it can make your fuel consumption go faster.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43So better driving, less money spent on fuel.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Even don't have a full tank, have half a tank.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Yeah, save all that weight.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Clive says, "My builder has done a bodge job,
0:43:50 > 0:43:52"and I can't get hold of him. What can I do?"
0:43:52 > 0:43:55OK, he's tried to get in touch with him, he can't.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58So the next step is see if this builder's part of any kind of trade
0:43:58 > 0:44:01organisation. They might be able to help, get 'em involved.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03If not, then you've got consumer ombudsman.
0:44:03 > 0:44:07Again, maybe try and bring you guys together and get a solution.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10If none of that is working, then you can go to the courts.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13But that really should be, you know, the last thing you go for,
0:44:13 > 0:44:15because there are costs involved, and you might not win the end.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18And also Trading Standards, they're there to help you.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Report them, because they might know about it.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23Yeah. Some great advice there, Andy, thank you.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26And thanks to all our guests today and to you at home for watching.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29We hope you've found all the advice you heard on the programme helpful,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31but until next time, cheerio. Bye-bye.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09PERCUSSIVE CLICKING
0:45:09 > 0:45:10WHISTLE
0:45:10 > 0:45:126 Music... Recommends.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14We pick...
0:45:14 > 0:45:15..new music.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20No-one... ..tells us... ..what to choose.
0:45:20 > 0:45:21Whoo!