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Top Tips
Here are some Top Tips:-
Money Matters - Ten top tips on how to get a better deal
- Don't be intimidated by money matters. Take an interest in your finances
and keep track of how much money you have coming in, and how much you
have to set aside for essential bills. You can become well informed by
reading money pages and listening to personal finance programmes.
- Do your homework. Spend time shopping around, researching what's on
offer and getting advice - the Internet can be a useful resource for this.
You may think it will take too much time when you need a loan quickly,
but if you skip this vital part of the process, you could be paying the
price for years to come.
- If you can afford to pay for your goods outright, don't be persuaded
to take out credit unless it really does work out cheaper or better meets
your financial plans.
- Don't make the common mistake of looking only at the monthly payments
required under a credit agreement. Work out the total amount payable over
the term of the loan - bearing in mind that with some loans you may be
paying a variable interest rate.
- What seems like a good deal can have hidden costs. For example, reduced
monthly minimum payments or 'payment holidays' result in significantly
larger total payments. And store cards may seem like a convenient way
to pay but some of them charge a rate of interest of over 30% a year.
- Interest-free credit may seem like a good idea, but make sure you repay
the full amount before the free interest period expires. Even if you are
only one day late, you may have to pay interest on the total cost from
the very moment you bought the goods.
- Make sure you know the difference between secured and unsecured lending,
and don't put your home at risk unnecessarily.
- Think carefully whether you need the optional insurance to cover your
payments and make sure it really is suitable for you, you may already
be covered elsewhere. It can be highly expensive and add massively to
your loan and may not be worth the paper it's written on.
- Extended warranties can be poor value. Research has shown that the
cost of a repair is likely to be less than the cost of an extended warranty.
You may also be covered under consumer protection legislation.
- Think twice before taking out a consolidation loan to manage other
debts. You may be able to arrange to pay back existing debts over a longer
period of time - at less cost and less risk than a new loan.
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Top ten tips on dealing with racist incidents in your community
Racist incidents can take many forms including verbal abuse, violent assault,
graffiti and other types of damage to property, and other acts which are
threatening, abusive or annoying. Racist incidents should not be suffered
in silence and you should not put up with them hoping they will stop. Racists,
and those they influence can and do maintain a reign of terror over other
people's lives. The intention may be to drive them out of a neighbourhood,
but often there will be no clear motive. There are a number of steps you
should take if you or a member of your family is the victim of a racist
incident. Since the report of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry all police forces,
local authorities and other agencies have agreed that a racist incident
is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other
person.
- Report the incident and get advice. You can go straight to the police
- dial 999 in an emergency. Or you can go to your local CAB, law centre
or race equality council. In many areas you can also report racist incidents
to your local council.
- If you report a racist incident to the police make sure that that is
how it is logged. All police forces are now expected to record an incident
as racist, and to investigate it as such, if that is how it is described
by the person making the report (or by anyone they subsequently interview).
If you are assisting the victim of a racist incident and s/he has difficulty
understanding English, then request that the police provide an interpreter.
If there is likely to be any major delay, then with the victim's consent,
you should report the matter on his or her behalf.
- Keep a note of all information that you tell the police and of the
time and date and the name and number of the officer dealing with your
case. It is advisable to report a racist incident to the police, or to
agree that one of the other agencies should do so, so that a formal record
is made.
- Your harassers want you to feel isolated - don't let them. Talk to
your friends and family about what has happened, and find out about other
sources of support - the CAB will be able to help. In many areas there
are community organizations or monitoring groups that offer support to
victims of racist incidents as well as advocating on their behalf with
the police and other agencies.
- Keep a detailed record of any incidents. This can include photos of
people's injuries and damage to property such as broken windows or graffiti.
Keep a record of any expenses you incur, for example to repair any damage
to your home.
- If you are a council tenant and the racist incident occurred at or
near your home then contact your neighbourhood office and/or housing department
and discuss with them what they intend to do to protect you and your family
from further abuse or attack. Most councils' tenancy agreements prohibit
racist behaviour by tenants or their visitors. You should let the council
know if you would like to be transferred to other accommodation or if
you desire greater protection where you are.
- If you live in a housing association property and the racist incident
occurred at or near your home, then report the incident to your association
representative or office. Most housing associations have anti-harassment
policies similar to thoseof local councils.
- If you live in private rented accommodation and the racist incident
occurred at or near your home then contact your landlord, the CAB or a
law centre. Some private landlords may have a procedure for dealing with
racial harassment and may be sympathetic. However, many may not be supportive.
- If you own your own home or if the racist incident occurred at your
place of work or at a community centre, religious centre or as you were
walking or driving in the area, then you should seek advice from the CAB
or a law centre and the community safety section of the local council.
There are a number of legal measures that might be possible to protect
you from further incidents.
- If you find that no one is taking sufficient interest and you are worried
about further incidents affecting you and your family then you could contact
the chair of the police authority for your area, your local councillor
or MP to enlist their support.
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