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Talk Money Week, organised by Money & Pensions Services, encourages people to have more open conversations about their money, and continue these conversations all year-round.

With this year’s theme being ‘Do One Thing’, Norwich branch colleagues Harriet, Bukey, Jamie, Bailey, Alex and Amanda share their top tips on taking positive action to improve financial wellbeing.

Harriet: Remember you’re not alone

I think it’s really important to keep discussing money and finances throughout life as your priorities change. At 16 I’d spend my money on things I wanted and going out with friends. Today, my relationship with money is different, and in future I know my priorities will change again, as I think about taking on a mortgage or starting a family. My finances will play a large part in those plans, and that’s something I need to be aware of.

My top tip for customers when it comes to taking action is really about reminding them that they’re not alone. Talk to us –– it’s our job to help them through the tough times and celebrate their successes with them too. 

Bukey: Complete a Financial Health Check 

For me the key components of being in a good place financially are planning and budgeting – whether you’re planning a holiday, your children’s education, buying a car or even a house.  That’s why my top suggestion for customers is always to do a Financial Health Check with us and see if we can help them save money or make their money work harder for them. 

Jamie: Review your direct debits

Not everyone feels confident managing their money, but I think the more we talk about it, the easier it becomes to understand – and that’s really important because money underpins so many key things that happen in a customer’s life.

One of the first actions I always suggest to customers looking to take control of their finances is to look at their direct debits. Often when I do this with customers, we find things like direct debits for insurance for a washing machine or a games console that no longer exists. 

Bailey: Use our Insights tool

You never know what’s going to happen in life. Bereavements and job losses can come about unexpectedly, and it’s really important to be prepared. Talking about these things can help you to plan so you don’t end up in financial difficulty if the worst happens.

I always recommend customers take some time to better understand where their money is going – and using insights available in our mobile app can be really useful. The tool can help set budgets, life goals and start a ‘rainy day’ fund. I find it so easier to manage my finances and finding areas where I can save money by using the tool.

Alex: Attend a fraud and scam event at your local branch

I think talking about fraud is so important. It really is the best way to raise awareness and help empower people to be able to better protect their money.

When talking about fraud with customers, I always recommend they attend one of our Financial Foundations Fraud and Scams workshops at their local branch. These events help to highlight current trends and ways to protect your money that people might not have considered. And they also help to reassure customers that if they do fall victim to a scam, there’s no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed. Just come and talk to us and we can offer support.  

Amanda: Keep an eye on your credit score

It’s so important to talk about money. Everyone has hopes and dreams for their future - and money plays a big part in achieving them.

One tip I always share with customers is to keep an eye on their credit score. It’s really easy to do via our mobile app – and if it’s not where you’d like it to be, you can get useful tips to help you improve your score too.

The material published on this page is for information purposes only and should not be regarded as providing any specific advice, or used by consumers to make financial decision. Terms and conditions apply to any products or services mentioned.

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