Mental Health Awareness Week 2023

15th May 2023 2:30 pm Comments Off

Mental Health Awareness Week 2023

Taking place from May 15th – 21st, the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety.

Defined in the dictionary as ‘a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome’, anxiety is a normal emotion. One of the leading causes of it is money, which anyone with concerns over how they’ll afford to pay for food or energy can likely attest.

The good news is that saving even a small amount of money each month can have a positive impact on your mental health. Here are a few of the ways:

It reduces stress and anxiety

Financial stress is a common cause of anxiety and can have a detrimental impact on mental health. By saving money each month, even if it’s only a small amount, you can reduce financial stress and anxiety by building a safety net and having some funds to help cover unexpected expenses.

It improves feelings of security

Having savings can help improve feelings of security and stability. Knowing that you have money set aside provides a sense of comfort and peace of mind, which can improve overall mental health.

It increases confidence and self-esteem

Saving money can also increase confidence. Achieving your financial goals, no matter how small, can provide a sense of accomplishment and boost your self-esteem, which helps improve mental well-being.

It reduces the financial strain on relationships

Financial pressures are a common cause of relationship problems. By saving money to make you more financially resilient, you can reduce any financial strains in your relationships and help reduce your anxiety and stress levels.

It provides a sense of control

Saving money can also provide a sense of control over your finances. This can help reduce feelings of helplessness and increase feelings of empowerment, which can have a positive impact on mental health.

Get saving with Leeds Credit Union

Making saving a priority is a great way to improve your financial well-being and boost your mental health. We offer a range of savings accounts that enable you to make regular contributions and access your money instantly – for more information, click here.

We also offer a Money and Budgeting Advice Service (MABS) to our members to help them make the most of their money. Find out more about it here.

For more information about Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, you can visit the official website here.

Mental Health and Saving

25th April 2023 6:30 pm Comments Off

Mental Health and Saving

Saving money each month can have a positive impact on your mental health in several ways. Here are a few of them:

It reduces stress and anxiety

It improves feelings of security

Having savings can help improve feelings of security and stability. Knowing that you have money set aside provides a sense of comfort and peace of mind, which can improve overall mental health.

It increases confidence and self-esteem

It reduces the financial strain on relationships

It provides a sense of control

Get saving with Leeds Credit Union

We also offer a Money and Budgeting Advice Service (MABS) to our members to help them make the most of their money. Find out more about it here.

Show Your Finances Some Love for Valentine’s Day 2023

3rd February 2023 5:11 pm Comments Off

Show Your Finances Some Love for Valentine’s Day 2023

Love is in the air for Valentine’s Day 2023, but instead of focusing on your partner, why not turn your attention to your finances?

Here are our top tips for looking after your money.

Saving

Whether it’s to help keep you safe for an emergency or to help you afford a big ticket item like a car, most people are aware of the importance of regularly putting money aside. But with the current cost of living putting a significant strain on many people’s finances, how can you start saving money now if you weren’t already doing so?

The quick answer is reduce your outgoings wherever possible and save the difference. Begin by working out what you’re spending money on, identifying what you can do without and then start saving that money instead. Take a look at what subscriptions you have, whether it’s Netflix, Amazon or ‘bolt-ons’ related to your mobile phone and if you can live without them, cancel them and start saving what you would have spent. Even if you only save a few pounds per week, it all adds up.

At Leeds Credit Union, we offer a comprehensive range of savings accounts to help ensure your money can grow consistently and securely.

Consolidate your existing debts

If you have several loans and/or credit cards to your name and are having a hard time keeping up with the repayments, it might be worth combining them all into one loan.

Known as a debt consolidation loan, this type of loan involves you borrowing enough money to pay off your current debts from a single lender, which helps you reduce your monthly outgoings and allows you to take back control of your finances.

At Leeds Credit Union, our members can borrow from £250 to £25,000 to help them become more financially stable. For more information about the different loans we offer, click here.

Budgeting

Making a budget is one of the simplest and most effective ways of keeping tabs on your finances, so sit down with your bank statements and work out how much you need to spend on essentials (your rent/mortgage, utility bills and groceries), how much you can afford to spend on hobbies/events (such as birthdays or days out) and how much you should therefore be able to save each month.

By ensuring you always know how much money you have coming in and going out, you can identify potentially expensive periods – such as Christmas – ahead of time and take proactive steps to ensure you have sufficient funds set aside to cover the cost without getting into debt. Making – and sticking to – a budget will also make you think twice before making any purchases you haven’t already accounted for, reducing your risk of overspending.

If you don’t already make regular budgets, now is the time to start. Lots of budget planners are available for free online to help you get started (this one from Money Saving Expert is great) and our Money and Budgeting Service (MABS) is also available to help tenants of Housing Leeds create realistic budgets and ensure their bills are paid on time.

Sign up to online banking

Although the vast majority of credit unions and banks still have branches which customers can visit in person, online banking is now the most popular banking method in the UK.

As well as being incredibly secure, online banking delivers a raft of other benefits including providing 24-hour access to your accounts, whether at home or out and about, via your bank’s website or app. It also enables you to carry out transactions, such as transferring money, almost instantly, all via your smartphone, tablet or laptop, making it easier than ever to keep track of your finances.

If you are an existing Leeds Credit Union member, you can sign up for our online banking service here and download our app here.

Talk to somebody

Discussing your personal finances more openly increases your financial and mental wellbeing so, if you’re having financial difficulty, talk to somebody about it.

Studies indicate that talking about money makes you feel better about it and helps you build healthier money habits, such as saving more regularly and making less risky financial decisions. In addition, talking about money reduces stress and anxiety and strengthens relationships.

Whether you choose to talk about your finances with your partner, family or friends, broaching the subject is an excellent way of getting to grips with your financial situation.

How can Leeds Credit Union help?

At Leeds Credit Union, we provide straightforward and affordable financial products and services to our members, helping them take back control of their money and achieve financial security.

If you’re interested in becoming our newest member, visit this page.

Tag Archive: Savings