Staying in control in difficult times

I wasn’t sure if it was my new perfume or my generally charming nature, but I found myself unprecedentedly busy at the Department of Health ‘Healthy Lifestyle Convention’ that was held in Castle Buildings on October 14th. Many people might wonder what the connection between Healthy Living and the Civil Service Benevolent Fund might be, but there was a very lively and genuine interest in the dozens of people who stopped by to have a chat. All joking aside, I am quite aware that the current climate is really affecting people, in a real or an imagined way and more than ever people are turning to the Fund for advice, reassurance and financial assistance where it is needed.

Every day that we turn on the television or radio, and indeed almost every conceivable form of print media we are assailed by news of the credit crunch and the economic downturn. Even if we are not directly affected by what is happening, the impact of the continuing coverage is to make us feel quite negative and under siege. It is at times like this that it is particularly important to stop a moment, stand back and assess our own personal financial status so that we know exactly where we are positioned and if we need to be a bit more careful or prudent with our spending. I know that for me personally there was a feeling of panic and anxiety until I sat down and made very sure of where all of my spending was going and how I could budget for the coming winter months.

The Fund is produces 2 booklets that can help you assess your financial position. One of them is specifically about ‘Dealing with Debt’ but the other one is a more general booklet on Managing your Finances. There is a simple financial balance sheet inside the booklet where you can have a look at your income and expenditure and see exactly which runs out for you first: the money or the month! At our stand at the Convention, we distributed more than 50 booklets to people who had some concerns and who were interested in being in control of their personal financial situation and understand it fully.

I live by the dictum that ‘every penny is a prisoner’ in my household and I identify where it came from and where it will be going. A daily excel spreadsheet is a very useful device for controlling spending, so that you remain fully in charge of your affairs. The FSA have an excellent website for people who want to manage their finances with knowledge, and its a great place for a range of advice. These money saving tips are also well worth having a look at.

I hope you find that useful for now. Thanks to the many people who continue to e-mail me through the site. I wish you wouldn't be so shy about posting comments, it can be done anonymously if you like, and I think it would be great to get a discussion going on the issues of the day.

Before I go, a big thanks to Pat and Marylou who organised the Convention. They did an excellent job for the attendees as well as the organisations in attendance and the huge attendance was a great testament to their hard work. The relationship between your money and your health may not be obvious to everyone, but to anyone worried about their position, it can be very detrimental. I look forward to my next invite!