Cllr Allan Witherick has used some of his Locality Budget to help support St Albans Credit Union (http://www.stadcu.org/) so that it can carry on its work supporting local people.

Allan said “The work that groups like St Albans Credit Union and others do to support local families can be invaluable during this recession.  Many will have never had to face a situation this bleak and it can be daunting. Below I’ve given a few hints and tips that I find invaluable.”

Money Saving Expert www.moneysavingexpert.com

This is an  invaluable site and my starting place for many savings options.  It has everything from how to reduce bills through to advice on budgeting.  It’s independent and has featured in both papers and on TV.

Child Poverty Action Group http://www.cpag.org.uk/publications/personalfinance/

As a Councillor I get many of the staff newsletters (trust me there’s a lot of them!) and recently the article for the CPAG Personal Finance Handbook 3rd edition caught my eye. Helping families and children both avoid, and get out of poverty is essential to building a better community.

Finally, one I enjoy using… www.quidco.com  which is a cashback website (and no I don’t get any commission from any of the links above!).