How Care Assistants in Fareham, Gosport & Southampton can Save Money!

How you can YOU save money as a Care Assistant in 2022?

Based on industry figures released recently from the RAC, it is likely that the current fuel-price situation is still likely to worsen, continuing to create a cost of living crisis for motorists in Fareham, Gosport, Southampton & New Forest East and all over the UK. Although Care Assistants at Right at Home Solent are far from being alone in suffering the current, life-changing consequences as a result of the fuel cost crisis, which has seen petrol prices rise by a minimum of 24p a litre on average (to 182.31p) and diesel by 30p (to 188.05p) since late February; we understand that the financial stress that this is putting on our Care Assistants in Fareham, Gosport, Southampton & New Forest East under. As a result of the dramatic inflation rates, recently we increased our mileage allowance to 30p per mile for all of our Care Assistants, as well as trying to keep their travelling time from client-to-client to as little as possible (which we have always done, but we are aware that it's more important than ever to be fortifying this!). We thought we'd share all the tips we have to help our Care Assistants and Clients in Fareham, Gosport, Southampton & New Forest East to help save some money wherever they can!

Here is How You can Save Money Whilst Driving!

• Check your Tyre Pressure! Under inflated tyres increase drag which increases the amount of fuel used!
• Declutter you car! The lighter your car is the less effort it needs to get moving!
• Air conditioning uses power so turn it of unless you really need it, or use it when you're travelling at lower speeds.
• Drive efficiently – speed up smoothly, change up earlier, look ahead to slow naturally and save on braking.
• Find your cheapest fuel using PetrolPrices.com

Review Your Monthly Contracts!

• Gas and Electric - Can you review your direct debits to make sure you haven’t overpaid.
• Water – can you save by getting a meter?
• TV – are you paying for unnecessary channels, packages or subscriptions you don’t use? Can you haggle? Can you lock in lower price if you sign up to a year/2 year contract?
• Phone and Broadband – Don’t assume a bundle is cheaper! Fast is good but how fast do you actually need for your usage?
• Mobile Phone – how much data/minutes/texts do you actually use?
• Do you have any Direct debits for things you don’t use? Gym? Netflix? Pay-TV? Magazines?

We are Here to Help You to Save and Budget Efficiently!

One way to keep track of your cash spending, is to stop using a contactless bank card.  Instead, take cash out once a week.  Another way is to use an app bank account; load the app account with your spending money for each month, not your bills money and you’ll be able to see exactly where it’s all disappearing to.

• Set budget for food shopping, buy non branded alternatives or buy more from budget supermarkets. 
• Bulk cook (consider a slow cooker) search for discounted items and freeze the lot!
• Consider a prescription ‘season ticket’ if you have over 12 prescriptions a year
• Never let credit card bills go unpaid. Try to consolidate or move existing credit card debt if you have it to a cheaper rate card. The charity Step Change can help with this
• Check hot water temperature setting on boiler & reduce it
• Layer up and reduce the central heating temperature – get or set a timer for the times you are in the house!

Blue-Light Card

A Blue Light Card provides those in the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and armed forces with discounts online and in-store. Anyone who joins our Right at Home Solent team as a Care Assistant in Fareham, Gosport, Southampton & New Forest East, is eligible for a Blue Light Card. For just £4.99, members of the Blue Light community can register for 2-years access to more than 15,000 discounts from large national retailers to local businesses across categories such as holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more.

If you already work as a Care Assistant, for the NHS or emergency services or armed forces and would like to order a Blue Light Card, you can order yours here! https://www.bluelightcard.co.uk/newaccount.php

If you would like more information or ask any questions about working at Right at Home Solent, you can contact us on 01329 233755 or pop into our Fareham Office and meet some of our friendly office team!