With the economy teetering on the brink of a nervous breakdown, it is time to prepare for the worst...
BEAT THE PROPERTY CRUNCH
1. Take a break from your mortgage
If you are struggling with your mortgage repayments many lenders will let you defer payments for a few months. Here is a guide explaining how to arrange a mortgage holiday
2. Negotiate cheaper rent
With first-time buyers unable to get on the property ladder, demand for rental properties is increasing. Here is a guide on how to negoiate the cheapest rent possible
3. Move to one of these counties
House prices may be falling but not everywhere. Here are the 10 most recession-proof counties in England
4. Rent a central London flat for just £60
With house sitting it is possible to live in luxury for a fraction of the usual cost
5. Remember: property is not as safe as houses
Don’t throw your money away like these people who made the 10 worst property investments ever
DRIVE DOWN THE COST OF MOTORING
6. Beat higher fuel prices
Petrol and diesel prices may be at record levels but there are ways to drive down costs. Here are ten tips to save on petrol
7. Appeal all parking tickets
Don’t let the parking profiteers unfairly take your hard earned cash. Here is a guide on how to appeal your parking tickets
8. Save on car insurance
With petrol prices at record levels you cannot afford to be paying too much for your car insurance. Here are ten tips on how to find cheap car insurance
9. Share your car journey
There are four empty seats in your car. Here is a guide on how to make use of them
DON'T BE TAXED BY TAX
10. Get a free financial makeover
Times Money’s experts are happy to help. Here’s how to apply
11. Maximise your profits
If you are making money there are ways to make sure you minimise the amount you have to share with the Government. Here is a guide on how to avoid capital gains tax
12. Claim a council tax rebate
Millions of homeowners could be owed rebates worth hundreds or thousands of pounds because their homes are in the wrong council tax band. Here is a guide on how to claim a council tax rebate
BEAT RISING DOMESTIC BILLS
13. Energy needn’t be expensive
Gas and electricity prices are expected to rise by up to 40 per cent but there are ways you can cut costs. Here are ten tips on how to save on gas and electricity bills
14. Don't pay for phone calls
Still paying for your phone calls? That is so 1990s! Here is a guide on how to make free calls over the web
15. Get the cheapest energy deal
With energy prices soaring there is simply no excuse not to be on the cheapest deal. Here is a guide on how to switch energy supplier
BOOST YOUR INCOME
16. Sell your childhood toys for profit
Those old Star Wars toys in your loft may be worth a fortune. Here are the 10 most collectable Star Wars toys
17. Reclaim your PPI
You may have been mis-sold payment protection insurance when you took out a loan. Here is a guide on how to claim a refund
18. Become a guinea pig
Make money on medical trials, shopping, or even going to the pub.
19. Become a film extra
Working as an extra is a fun way to earn extra cash – and a lot of bragging power. Discover how easy it is to find film extra work
20. Find treasure
If all else fails, why not go metal detecting? Here is a guide on how to find buried treasure
BEAT THE STOCK MARKET
21. The 20 golden rules
The stock market is no place for the faint hearted at the moment. But you can minimise the risks by following the 20 golden rules of investment
22. Get 7% on your savings
The credit crunch has been good news for savers as interest rates have soared. Here is a guide on the best savings rates
23. Profit from a falling market
Just because shares are losing value doesn’t mean you cannot make money. Here is a guide to absolute return funds.
24. Save without even noticing
When times are tough, saving isn’t easy so here are ten ways to squirrel away cash without even noticing
25. Six stocks to buy on the way down
He who dares wins. Here are six stocks with plenty of recovery potential
26. Have some perspective
The current stock market turmoil is just not that bad. Here are the 10 biggest stock market crashes of all time
LEARN SOME OLD FASHIONED THRIFT
27. The thrifty 50
There is no shame in a bit of economy in times of trouble. Here are 50 easy ways to save some cash
28. Perfectly prudent
Why cash is tight make sure you don’t waste a penny. Here are the UK’s ten best bargain retailers
29. The good old bad old days
There are ways you can save in the kitchen. Here are 20 thrifty recipes from the Times Archive
SHOP SMART
30. Get stuff free
From music to films, food to French lessons, here is 50 great things you can get free
31. Buy one of these
Petrol and food prices may be rising sharply but not everything is getting more expensive. Here are the 10 items that have fallen in price most this year
32. Why pay when it's smarter to barter?
Local exchange systems allow members to trade their skills cash-free
33. Fight for your rights
Don’t become a downtrodden consumer. If you have a problem with a company let Times Money’s Troubleshooter help you. Find out how here
34. Get paid to shop
If you are spending anyway, why not use a reward card? Here is a guide to the best reward cards on the market
35. Get your news for nothing
Get the best news and comment on the web free at www.timesonline.co.uk
36. Music to your ears
There is no point paying over the odds for internet downloads. Here is a guide on how to find the cheapest tunes online
37. Compare before you buy
By comparing different financial products before you buy you can save yourself hundreds of pounds. To compare the cost of anything from pet insurance to credit cards, visit The Times money shop.
38. Share a millionaire's lifestyle
You don’t have to be rich to be able to afford a luxury lifestyle. Here is a guide to fractional ownership
39. Learn to haggle
Even supermarkets may negotiate on price. Here is a guide on how to drive a harder bargain
40. Go on holiday for next to nothing
Going away can be cheap if you know how. Here is a guide on how to cut the cost of travel
BE FASTIDIOUS WITH YOUR FINANCES
41 Budget sensibly
It may be boring but budgeting a sensible way of managing your money. Here is a guide on how to draw up a workable budget
42. Don’t get sunk by debt
If you are in real financial difficulty, don’t panic. Here are ten ways to deal with debt
43. Get cheaper credit
Affordable credit is now much harder to come by so that’s why it is more important than ever to have a good credit history. Here is a guide on how to improve your credit rating
44. Consider the emotional strain
Money, or the lack of it, can prove a major strain on any relationship. Here is a guide on how to weather the emotional strain of an economic downturn
DON'T WORRY ABOUR WORK
45. Be positive
Losing your job need not be the end of the world; with a little help it could mean the beginning of a better way of life. Here is a guide on how to gain from redundancy
46. Know your rights
Should the worse happen and you lose your job there are laws that can help. Here is a guide outlining your rights if you're fired.
47. Smarten up
Wearing a tie may cut the chances of being made redundant, according to Moss Bros
IF ALL ELSE FAILS...
48. Leave the country
Fed up with the doom and gloom? Here is a guide on how to take a career break
49. Dance your way to happiness
Cheer yourself up, have a laugh at Matt
50. Have a rant
Let us know how fed up you are with Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and the entire Labour government. Get it off your chest by posting your comments below. You will feel better...
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