Spring is in the air and if you're thinking of a spot of spring-cleaning, don't give up after the bathroom sink - spruce up your finances too. There's no time like the present to stop your savings from gathering dust and make sure your mortgage lender is not taking you to the cleaners. And with a few handy hints from Tiscali you shouldn't need too much elbow grease.
Dust the cobwebs from your mortgage
The mortgage you took out when you first bought your home no longer has to be a lifelong companion. With all the different mortgages available on the high street, you could end up paying a lot less by shopping around to try and find a better deal, but remember a low headline rate isn't always the best total package.
Find out whether a new mortgage deal would help you save money on you mortgage.
Polish the silver
When was the last time you checked how much interest your savings are earning? Use our interest rate checker to make sure you are getting the best deal around. If you have money you can afford to stash away for a while, look around for a tax-free savings account such as an ISA (Individual Savings Account). You can invest up to �3,000 a year in a mini cash ISA and up to �7,000 in a maxi ISA. Check out our Isa section.
Vacuum store and credit cards
With some store cards charging more than 25% APR, compared with APRs of on the lowest cards of 10% and with transfer balances sometimes being 0% you should get rid of the dust on those old cards.
You could save up to �1,567 (over two years) by transferring their card balance of �5,000 from a less competitive high street bank to a more competitive product. Look at the best deals on credit cards.
Or why don't you consolidate all your outstanding payments on store cards into one personal loan. Some loans are currently as low as 6.7% for the Co-op or 6.9% for Direct Line or Alliance and Leicester. Not only will the debt be paid off a lot quicker, you also end up spending less money doing so.
Disinfect those bills
Now it is possible to buy your gas and electricity from an increasing choice of companies, take advantage of the situation and discover who can give you the best deal. By switching suppliers you could save up to �150 a year. Find out how you can cut your bills.
Don't waste money on unnecessary over due penalties. By switching your bills onto Direct Debit you will not only reduce the chance of receiving fines for outstanding payments, some companies reward customers who pay this way by giving them money off their bills.
Tidy Up
Make sure you put all the documents that you will need to complete you new tax form in a safe place all together as they arrive during the year. Eg your P60, notification of interest paid on savings, dividend payments and so on. It will save you a lot of time when you come to complete your tax return.
Throw away any junk
If you have debts, use any savings you have to pay them off. Even if you receive a high level of interest on savings, it is unlikely that it's going to be higher than the level of interest payable on your debt. If it makes you happier, keep some of your savings for security, but once your debts have been paid, you will be making much bigger savings.
You can also literally chuck out your junk. Sort out what you no longer want to keep. You could think about doing a car boot sale and making a few quid and if there is anything you think might be valuable then take it to your local auction house. Anything else can go to the charity shop or in the bin.
Stocking up
By simply choosing wisely which supermarket to do your weekly shop at, you could make great savings over a period of time. Research carried out by Verdict, showed that the cost of a typical weekly shopping basket for four people was �6.53 cheaper at Morrisons compared to Safeway. Buying supermarket's own brands and writing a shopping list before you set off are also great money savers.
Don't forget the skirting boards and underneath furniture
- Check behind the couch and underneath car seats for lost and forgotten coins; a great way to collect petrol money.
- Rediscover your childhood piggy bank; a jam jar will do. Put it in the same place as keys are kept, and every time you come in empty your pockets of any copper. Recent Yorkshire Bank research has shown that the UK has �380 million sitting in jam jars and piggy banks. Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.
- Track down your cash. It is estimated that more than �15bn of financial assets is unclaimed. This includes bank accounts, life insurance policies and pensions that people have forgotten about. One way to track down any money you think you might be owed is via the Unclaimed Assets Register (UAR) which is owned by Experian. It is a unique database of unclaimed assets that may be searched by members of the public or their legal representatives. Life policies, pensions, unit trusts and dividends are included. There is a small charge of �18 for everything other than pensions which is �35. Check out the UAR website now.
- And finally National Savings has around �2.5 billion in unclaimed assets, such as premium bonds and saving certificates. To track down unclaimed winnings or "lost" accounts or certificates call the National Savings Enquiry Line at: 0645 645000 and visit: www.nsandi.com or you can find out whether you have an outstanding prize online if you know your bondholder number at Have you won? or write to:
Premium Bonds,
National Savings and Investments,
Blackpool
FY3 9YP
