It’s no secret that purchasing a home is complicated. There are countless fees, endless acronyms, chains before you exchange, solicitors, and unfortunately a lot of waiting before you know whether you’ve actually landed your home. But don’t worry! The habito team has put together some trade secrets for first-time home buyers to help make the process faster, easier and much more transparent. 15 essential dos and don’ts when getting a mortgage and … [Read more...]

Anybody who’s researched the costs of getting a college degree will know that it doesn’t come cheap. However, for many students, it is an investment that pays off if it allows them to pursue better careers in their chosen industry in the future. But, if you’re unable to foot the cost of going to college right now, then it’s difficult for you to make that investment in the first place. Luckily, there are several options available to you that could … [Read more...]

Personal financial concerns encompass wide-ranging responsibilities, including debt management.  But while carrying debt can itself be an intimidating prospect, it is a natural part of healthy finances.  In fact, debt only becomes a problem when it overshadows your ability to pay or creates cash flow crises. Effective debt management is essential to achieving long-term prosperity, keeping your options open and protecting your access to … [Read more...]

It has been suggested that the level of self-employment in the UK increased from 3.8 million in 2008 to 4.6 million in 2015.  This is a huge rise which looks set to continue.  There is certainly a growing presence of women working from home and starting their own small business. This largely appeals to mums because it can give them the flexibility to work around childcare and set their own hours.  There are a number of cottage industries … [Read more...]

Saving money on utility bills is often high on everyone's agenda.  Yet it is often the simplest ways that are missed. There are many consumers that still never switch providers and they are certainly missing a trick.  Some don't switch thinking it is not worth it. Considering it is more of a hassle but actually the process is now much simpler.  Forget salesmen knocking at your door with a clipboard asking you to fill in copious amounts of … [Read more...]

Being financially healthy means feeling safe within your financial situation; something that we all strive for, particularly when you have a young family to consider. This could involve having a backup plan in case of emergency, money left over once all expenses are paid and ideally a cushion of savings. What with the rising costs of living, expense of raising a family and possibility of debt to take into account, financial health might seem to … [Read more...]

If you are struggling with debt, you are not alone. Debt affects a large percentage of those living in the UK, with 8.2 million people estimated to be suffering with problem debt. This amounts to 16.1% of the population and suggests that debt and financial worry is felt amongst many up and down the country. Read on to discover what you can do to help your financial situation to ensure some stability and ease worry on a day-to-day basis: … [Read more...]

For too many people the winter brings with it added stress and worry. Those who are living on or near the poverty line find that the cold months are the months that tip them further into the poverty trap.  Utility bills increase in the winter as we battle to keep our homes warm. Therefore we need clever tips to save money for those expensive winter utility bills. There are ways to cut cost through the year that will help offset the cost of … [Read more...]