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Price rises are never good news, especially when they’re on the ‘essentials’ like food and energy.

For some people faced with rising prices, a spot of cutting back on spending and tightening their purse strings may make enough in the household pot to cover the extra living costs.

But if you’re already struggling to keep your head above water and any price rise, however small, is going to tip you over the financial edge and into serious debt, you need to get help.

Get free help if you’re struggling

Citizens Advice, National Debtline and StepChange are all brilliant organisations that offer free advice. And don’t put off contacting them for fear of being judged, or given a hard time as that’s not what they’re about at all. They’re there to offer free help, support and advice.

And contact your lenders too, so your mortgage lender or landlord, energy supplier, local council if you’re struggling with council tax, credit card companies and so on; basically whoever you owe money to, and find out about making reduced payments and any financial help.

Check you’re claiming every penny

If you’re on a low income, it’s worth checking you’re getting all the benefits and payments you’re due.

There’s often no ‘one size fits all’ criteria, as with some benefits the level of payment and what you’re entitled to depends on your personal circumstances.

You can plug your details into this handy free benefits calculator for a quick five minute financial check up.

Quick cut blitz tips

Go through all your bills and if you’re out of contract on your TV package, mobile deal or gym membership, ditch it to save money, or try and haggle down the price.

When going for a ‘haggle’, always ask for ‘disconnections’ as they’re the ‘power people’ who can authorise the biggest discounts to keep you as a customer.

Switching was once my favourite moneysaving tip, but right now, certainly within the energy world, sticking with your supplier’s standard deal with the price cap is likely to be your best bet, but there’s still ways to switch and bag some cash.

Some banks offer free cash if you switch. Right now Nationwide dish out £100 to new customers switching to its FlexDirect account and it’s £130 with First Direct

Check your bank statement

Yes it’s never going to be fun bedtime reading but five minutes ‘work’ could save you some serious cash.

Check for old direct debits and standing orders you’re still paying out on. Stuff like old subscriptions for magazines you don’t read, gym memberships you don’t use, extended warranty insurance for gadgets you no longer have or even those pesky anti virus ‘auto renewal’ things. Yes I’m looking at your Norton! Once again you can haggle down the price.

Smart supermarket shopping

I’m a big Aldi fan and having ‘consumer tested’ lots of products in their range for my magazine column I really can’t tell the difference, beyond the packaging. But what I do know is our grocery bill is so much cheaper than my usual supermarket. So well worth giving the likes of Aldi or Lidl a go, as you can save serious cash.

When it comes to Christmas presents, it’s the season of goodwill, so what happens if you’ve been given a gift you won’t use or like?

A jumper that’s too big? Too small? Or not your colour? Or maybe you’ve been given duplicate presents, like two fabulous coffee makers, but only need one?

When it comes to getting a refund or exchange on unwanted Christmas gifts, you can be at the mercy of the retailer.

Returns rights on the high street

Bricks and mortar stores don’t legally have to offer refunds or exchanges on unwanted items, although many do have very generous returns policies.

These are typically around 30 days, although can be far longer over Christmas, often well into the New Year.

However whether you can get a refund, exchange or gift card depends on the store’s own returns rules. Some may insist on the original receipt, or a gift receipt, while others may just be happy to see the item’s unused with the store branding on the label, wrapping or box.

Watch out with refunds. Even if stores offer refunds on unwanted goods, in most cases, they’ll only process them back on the original payment card. So unless the buyer paid cash, or comes with you to return items, you may have to accept an exchange or gift card.

Gift receipts

These are a valuable tool, as they ‘transfer’ the buyer’s rights to the person they give the gift to. Plus it means any refund or exchange is given at the original price paid, not the current selling price, which may now be discounted by 70% in the sale.

If items are faulty, and you produce a gift receipt, you should get a refund or replacement, rather than the buyer having to return the item.

Returns rights online

When buying online, you get a whole heap more rights than buying on the high street, and can get a full refund on unused items, simply because you change your mind.

Great if you’re the one buying, but with presents bought online, it’s the original ‘buyer’ who gets these rights. And even if you pluck up the courage to ask them to return your present, chances are post Christmas, they may be beyond any time limits set out under the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

This gives the buyer 14 days after receiving items to tell the seller they’re returning the item, and another 14 days to send it back. So if friends and family are early shoppers and snapped up your pressy way back in October, any returns limit may have long since gone.

That said, once again, always worth eamailing the retailer, to ask if you can get a swap or exchange if the item’s clearly branded.

Black Friday is a massive American import that’s now flagged up both sides of the Atlantic as an annual shopping bonanza, with stores eager to lure us in with the promise of deals and discounts in the hope we’ll splash the cash.

Before you dash out in the hope of bargain hunting, here’s my five easy ways to stay smart on Black Friday!

Use a price tracker

Most important message first – Black Friday isn’t the last day on earth to ever bag a bargain! So don’t get carried away and give yourself a financial hangover by overspending and racking up a massive credit card bill.

You know the old saying ‘all that glitters’ and all that? Yes many Black Friday deals aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

In fact well over 90% of last year’s Black Friday deals were actually cheaper in the six months before the much hyped sales event last year according to consumer group Which?

So if you’re buying on Amazon always use its exclusive price tracker tool that number crunches prices all year round to check if today’s deal really is the best one.

Watch out for scams

Fraudsters are jumping aboard the Black Friday bandwagon, eager to rip us off and relieve us of our hard earned cash, so be on your guard for random emails with links to ‘special offers’. And if you’re expecting parcels to be delivered, don’t fall for any of the spoof texts claiming to be from the likes of DPD and Royal Mail needing payment before delivery.

Shopping online? Always make sure online sites have a padlock in the address bar and the website starts with ‘https’ to ensure they’re super secure for payment.

Comparison sites are your best friend

Saves trekking round the shops comparing prices, just pop in what you want and see who’s got the best deal with price comparison sites like Idealo and Pricespy

Remember to factor in any delivery charges, or check the minimum spend for free delivery, and check model numbers carefully on gadgets and tech. One wrong letter or number and you can be comparing prices on last year’s model instead of the newest one!

Check returns rights

You’ve more rights buying online than in bricks and mortar stores, as you get 14 days to change your mind, plus another 14 to send stuff back.

Unless stuff’s faulty, you may be liable for return postage if you change your mind, so always check returns rules on the website before buying.

On the high street, many stores have generous ‘goodwill’ returns policies, so you may still be able to get a refund or exchange if you change your mind on an impulse purchase, but check before you buy. So hang on to that receipt – just in case!

Best way to pay

Pay by credit card if what you’re buying costs over £100.

Means instant legal protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, so if the company you buy from goes bust, or goods arrive faulty and the company won’t play ball, you can tap up your credit card company for a refund as ‘Section 75’ makes both the ‘supplier’ and your card company jointly liable!

Debit card payment also offers protection under the Chargeback scheme but it’s not legally binding and PayPal has its own refund scheme too.

Just make sure you never ever pay by bank transfer whatever the seller’s excuse!

Breakdown insurance can save big bills if you run into car trouble, but there’s no ‘one size fits all’ policy, so here’s the nuts and bolts of what you need to know.

When it comes to the big players of the breakdown world, the AA and RAC are the most well known, and both use their own branded patrol vehicles. There’s lots of other providers on the road including Green Flag, Start Rescue, Gem and Emergency Assist, and they usually hook up with local breakdown providers and garages to help you out.

Basic breakdown cover costs from under £25 a year, so just £2 a month, but with ‘basic’, you get what it says on the tin. If you need help, you’ll get a free call out, usually around an hour’s help at the roadside and if your vehicle can’t be fixed, a tow to the nearest garage.

Cover for you or your car?

Vehicle cover is cheapest, and the one to go for if you only drive one motor.

If you drive other cars, then ‘personal’ cover can be a better, though pricier option. This means you’re covered both as a driver or passenger in any vehicle.

Most breakdown policies cover petrol, diesel, electric and hybrid vehicles, but do check before buying.

How much cover do you need?

On top of the ‘basic’ cover, you can choose other options, like ‘Home’ which can be invaluable on cold Winter mornings as means a mechanic at your door.

The most expensive package usually includes basic, home plus ‘Onward Travel’, or ‘Relay’, which usually covers the cost of taking you, and your passengers, to your final destination, along with the cost of a hire car while your wheels are being fixed. So if you breakdown on the way to the airport, you’ll get taken there even if your wheels aren’t up to the job.

You can pay more to extend UK cover across Europe in case of unexpected holiday breakdowns too.

Call out limits

Handy to have, but breakdown cover isn’t a licence to call a mechanic for every niggling problem or save money on servicing.

Most breakdown companies won’t come out for recurrent faults, and with some, having a regular service may be a condition of policy cover.

Watch for call out limits. Some providers, like Emergency Assist, have a four call out limit per year on basic cover, while Green Flag has unlimited call outs, even on its most basic ‘Rescue’ option.

The RAC’s cheapest ‘Standard’ policy offers five call outs a year, although it’s more expensive packages are unlimited.

The current energy crisis has sparked off because the wholesale or ‘bulk buy’ price energy firms pay for gas has shot up by 250% since the start of this year. 

This has put the squeeze on suppliers, especially smaller ones, who lured in customers with super cheap deals, and some including Avro, Green Energy, Utility Point and People’s Energy have now gone bust.

Here’s what you need to know if your supplier goes out of business.

How will I know?

You’ll probably hear it on the news but if your supplier goes bust, don’t panic, as you won’t lose power.

When a supplier stops trading, it’s down to Ofgem, the energy regulator, to find you a new one. Any credit balance you may be owed is protected, and if you owe money to your old supplier, that gets transferred over too.

What should I do?

All you need to do is take meter readings. Ideally take a snap on your phone, and Ofgem say at this stage, if you want to, you can cancel your direct debit with your ‘old’ supplier.

Then sit tight and wait. Once Ofgem’s found you a new supplier, they’ll be in touch directly; although it may take several weeks for your account to be moved across.

If you’re worried about scam companies getting in touch, claiming to be your new supplier, check the Ofgem website as it will flag up details of which company you’re being transferred to.

Will my bills go up?

Yes they will, as any cheap deal you were on, will disappear with your old, now ‘defunct’ supplier.

When you’re transferred to a new supplier, you’ll usually be put on what Ofgem call a ‘deemed’ tariff. This is a special ‘transfer’ rate but it’s bound to be more expensive than any previous deal you were on.

But you don’t have to stick with this as you can ask your new supplier for their cheapest deal and ask to be moved to this. And you’re also free to shop around at this stage and switch to another supplier.

Can I still switch suppliers?

If you’re in the middle of a ‘switch’ from your old supplier, when it goes bust, this should still go through as planned.

However it’s best to hold off starting a new ‘switch’ until you know who your new supplier is.

While ‘switching’ has long since been a fast track to find cheaper deals, some price comparison sites including both GoCompare and Comparethemarket.com have temporarily ‘paused’ their switching services, as deals are so limited.

When I stumbled upon the Rising Cafe in Lincoln last week, all I knew about this hidden gem was it was number one for ‘Cafes in Lincoln’ on TripAdvisor.

And after a morning enjoying the city’s sights, (along with the climb up ‘Steep Hill’), we thought we’d pop along. This place is beautiful, decked out in vintage style, and tucked away in a church, but beyond the door the story unfolded on meeting the amazing Lizzie who came over to find us a table, and tell us about the cafe and how it had changed her life.

Until that point, I thought we’d just found a great cafe, but what makes this place special is that every penny from the cafe goes to the Betel Charity, which helps and supports people affected by drug and alcohol addiction and homelessness. And all the volunteers working in the cafe, including Lizzie, and the chefs, have been helped by its support programmes.

Every bite helps

Well worth popping by if you’re in Lincoln. Not only will you get a warm welcome by some super friendly people, but the food is amazing, with everything from breakfast to burgers, afternoon tea, snacks, salads and kids’ meals on the menu.

We shared the Mexican Quesadillas, (which was a really generous portion), along with the Halloumi fries and with drinks the bill came to £14; which was amazing value. But the important part is that every bite goes towards helping an amazing charity.

Cash only

Couple of things to flag up if you’re going along, it’s cash only, and there’s a cashpoint just down the road if you need one, and it’s alcohol free.

If you’re in Lincoln do pop by for breakfast, coffee, cake, lunch or the lot. It’s a beautiful place, run by some of the most amazing and inspirational people.