It used to be a fear of the dentist that kept us away from the dental chair but today it is more than twice as likely to be the cost of dental care that’s holding us back, according to research from Tesco Bank.

Over a third of us (35%) haven’t visited the dentist in more than 18 months and one in ten hasn’t been for more than five years. Just 13% admit to staying away for fear of the drill. However, for almost a third, it is the high cost of treatment that stops them from visiting the dentist and a further third (34 per cent) have not registered with a local dentist.

The survey, examining our oral hygiene habits, also reveals that a lack of available NHS treatment is causing people to travel further for their dental treatment. So highly-valued is NHS treatment that, on average, a UK adult would travel nine miles to secure a place with an NHS dentist.

These journeys, or “dental miles”, increase to as many as 16 for the people of Aberystwyth or 13 for Geordies.

Prepared to travel the most “dental miles” to register with an NHS dentist:

Rank        City                  Average miles

1.                Aberystwyth     16 miles
2.                Newcastle         13 miles
3.                Swansea           11.5 miles
4.                Gloucester        11 miles
5.                Aberdeen          11 miles

Head of Tesco Dental Insurance, Jeremy Sutton, commented: “Far from being a nation of ‘dentophobes’, the research actually suggests we are prepared to go the extra mile, or even ten, in order to receive affordable dental care. Dental health should be a major part of everyone’s daily routine and regular check-ups can actually reduce the risk of needing expensive major procedures.”

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Freelance out your skills - If you have a talent for writing, proofreading or data entry for example, you can cash in on these skills and earn a little money for it. Sites like Peopleperhour.com or Elance.com can be a good place to find work. Simply register and bid for work with numerous job postings.

You can easily earn £5-10 an hour copywriting for example, which can really add up to a considerable amount if you work in the evenings or at weekends.

Selling your old jewellery - With the prices at an all time high for gold, it can be a good time to sell off your unwanted jewellery and pocket the cash. Often you can find items that you no longer wear, which could be cashed in and used towards your next loan repayment or credit card bill.

So have a rummage around your jewellery box or drawers to see if there is anything worth trading in.

Give your opinion and get paid for your time - Why not consider doing some market research work or completeing surveys for a little extra money. Search in Google for ‘market research work’ or ‘paid surveys’ to return a number of different opportunities. These may not pay that well, but for a few minutes work the pennies will add up quickly.

Although the above tips will not neccesarily make you rich, they are a quick way to add a little extra cash to your monthly income. All of which can be put towards paying off any outstanding debt or bills that you may have fallen behind on.

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Many people find themselves in debt through circumstances that are beyond their control, but for others, debt can be avoided by following some simple guidelines.

1. Manage your salary.

By breaking down your monthly income and working out exactly how much money you have left over each month will help you to understand how much cash is available for you to spend. Keep a record of what you have spent so you don’t feel tempted to spend money that you do not have.

2. Don’t be tempted

If you cannot trust yourself with a credit card, don’t be tempted to apply for one and if you have any in your wallet, cut them up. Do not have an overdraft facility on your bank account if you feel that you will not be able to stop yourself from using on to buy unnecessary items.

3. Don’t overspend

At certain times of the year, such as Christmas it is easy to spend more than you can afford. Gifts are constantly being advertised, enticing us to part with our cash to give our loved ones nice presents. Your friends and family would not want to see you in debt, struggling for money just so that you could buy them more presents.

4. Shop around

Shop around for the cheapest prices on any major purchases. If you are making an expensive purchase then the amount that you could save by shopping elsewhere could be the amount that stops you getting into debt.

5. Save for a rainy day

If you can afford it, try and put a little bit of money away into a savings account each month. This way, if an unexpected emergency occurs, you will have some money saved up and it may be enough to stop you getting into debt.

Debt means different things to different people, but ultimately, a debt is when you have spent more money than you own. By spending less and saving more, we can all help keep our bank accounts in the black and stop them going into the red.

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If you are likely to make a purchase online anyway, it is always worth searching for discounts before making a purchase. Usually, all that is required is to add a specific code to the checkout process or click through to the vendor from the Coupon Chief site.

Some of  the best on the site for UK readers include Play.com coupons and others well known brands like Tesco and Argos. Give the site a go, it has a simple navigation to use and a user friendly list of all available coupons. You can tell the site itself has a solid team of bargain hunters at the helm, as the homepage is updated frequently with the latest offers.

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• Have a budget of your own - having a plan on how to spend the money aside from tuition fees and all miscellaneous fees at university, will certainly make life easier. List all the necessary things to buy and stick to the budget. Try not to deviate from this plan, but be realistic too. Leave yourself some money aside for entertainment and having fun - thats what university is about!

• Do not spend too much money on food - Obviously eating well is still important, but you can be frugal with your shopping habits. Be practical when buying some foods as there are ways to save on your shopping bills, buy purchasing lesser brands. This also includes making your own tea or coffee and not paying someone £2.50 for the priviledge. The same goes for lunches, why not make your own food and bring it into university with you.

Buy second hand books to save a small fortune at university

• Always find good deals for books - inevitably, books are part of student’s life. Without them, knowledge would never be sufficient enough. Canvass bookshops to find which ones are cheapest, shop around and look on notice boards to find second hand text books from ex students.

• Do not spend too much on fashion - if you are to treat yourself, always find fashionable clothes which will not cost you too much. There are often vintage or discount clothes stores where you can do both.

Fashion is not about how expensive your clothes are, it is about style and how you carry off what you are wearing.

As a student, you should aim to do well to give you the best chance of success in the future. Remember that you can have all you want if you finish your studies, stay out of debt and work hard.

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If that problem sounds familiar, remember you’re not the first person to borrow money - or to have to deal with changes to their financial situation. If you realise you can’t make your payments any more, it may be the first time you’ve been in this situation, but your lenders will (almost certainly) have ‘been there before’.

So you may be surprised to find they’re willing to listen to your story, help you explore your options, and do what they can to help you find a way of repaying the money you owe them in a way you can realistically afford - i.e. more slowly than you originally agreed.

Having said that, they can’t help if they don’t know you’re struggling financially. That’s why it’s vital you get in touch with your lenders - or ask professionals to do it on your behalf.

A ‘debt management plan’ is a repayment plan that takes into account the fact that your situation has changed and you simply can’t keep up with your repayments any more. It involves talking to your lenders and telling them what you can realistically commit to paying every month once you’ve taken care of all your essential costs, from your mortgage/rent and food costs to your utility bills and essential transport costs.

Your unsecured lenders should understand that paying for these essential expenses has to be your top priority, and they may well agree to accept a pro rata (i.e. in relation to how much you owe them) portion of your disposable income (the income that’s left over once you’ve taken into account all your essential costs).

It’s up to you whether you talk to them on your own or ask a debt management organisation to do it for you.

Some people will prefer to do it on their own, maybe because they don’t want anyone else involved in their financial affairs, or maybe because they’re keen to save themselves the fee that the debt management organisation may charge.

Others would rather get some professional help so they don’t have to do all the calculations, negotiations, payments, etc. - they’d rather hand it all over to professionals, make one monthly payment and leave the rest to their debt management representative.

Either way, there are ‘cons’ as well as ‘pros’ associated with debt management. For example, repaying a debt more slowly will mean you’re defaulting on your agreement (not sticking to the terms you originally agreed to) and this will stay on your credit report for six years, which can make it harder and/or more expensive to get further credit during that time. It can also add to the overall cost of repaying your debt, since you’ll be paying interest for longer (unless your lenders agreed to freeze interest on your debt - or reduce it sufficiently).

Having said that, your lenders wouldn’t accept lower payments unless you were genuinely unable to keep up with the payments you originally agreed to make - so if you’re in that situation, there’s a fair chance you will have damaged your credit rating already.

Further reading

You can find more helpful advice on debt management here.

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While seeking debt solutions most people are debating between Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) and Debt Management solutions. To learn which of the two options is best suited for you, read ahead and find out for yourself. Though both are capable of preventing you having to resort to bankruptcy.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement commonly known as IVA is a formal agreement between a debtor and his creditors while Debt Management Plan is not.

The main difference between the two is that IVA is legally binding whereas Debt Management is not, which can cause problems if the creditors decide to change the repayment terms. The main idea behind both options is to pay a reduced, affordable amount regularly each month. However in IVA, the interest charges will be frozen. Moreover, the debt will be written off on behalf of the creditor after five years. Under Debt Management, even though you pay an affordable amount, there is no provision for writing off your debt as there is no time limit involved to pay the debt. It can go on for a longer term, or until the full amount is paid.

Since the IVA is legally binding, the creditor cannot pressurize the debtor or change his mind. Thus, it is more secure. The Debt Management Plan does not offer this solution. Since it is not bound by law, the creditor can change the terms and conditions at his convenience.

The cost of administration is lower than IVA, thus enabling higher payments for creditors. It is always advisable to read the terms and conditions of both forms of solutions before making an informed decision. Beware of huge interest charges and other fees involved in the two processes.

One downside on an IVA however, is the credit rating of the debtor is likely to be affected more severely, which is not true with Debt Management.

Which one to choose greatly depends on the amount you owe and your income. By all means, the help of a professional must be sought if you are not completely sure which financial route is best for you

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Eligibility Conditions

To qualify for a debt management plan you need to have at least £8,000 in debt and owe more than two creditors. Debt management plans are only applicable to unsecured loans and credit card debt.

Debt management can be an option for many people in the UK.

Advantages of a Debt Management Plan

The main advantage of a debt management plan is that you will find it easier to pay off all your loans, even if it appears to take longer than the initial debt repayment plan, and your assets will be protected. However, since you have most likely been missing payments and accruing late fees and penalties the schedule may in fact be quicker than if you attempted to ignore the problem and continue as you have until now.

Another advantage to a debt management plan is that creditors will most likely stop calling you as long as you meet the agreed upon payment every month, which will be significantly lower than if you were paying each creditor individually.

Disadvantages

There are two sides of the fence in any situation and a debt management plan also has its drawbacks. For one it will take longer to pay off all your debt and even if the interest rates appear lower your loan will still cost you the same or even more. This is because your repayment plan will be spread out over a higher number of years and since interest rates are calculated per annum you will most likely end up paying a significantly larger amount.

A debt management plan bares no legal implication for either party which means that a lender can withdraw from the agreement any time they see fit and you can end up in the same situation as before. It should also be noted that creditors have no obligation to accept your debt management plan but most will if they see your payments are late or you have been missing them completely.

Money Management as a Debt Management Tool

Even if you do qualify for a debt management plan and successfully negotiate with your creditors, you will still have to employ a money management system to make sure you can make your monthly repayments. Whether you are in this situation because of the harsh economic climate or purely due to bad spending habits you still have to learn how to manage your money to avoid a similar situation in the future.

A good money management system is based on a budget. Yes, the dreaded budget, but if you don’t know what is coming in and what is going out then you will never be able to get out of debt. So, consider drafting a simple budget for the first month and only spend what you allot to each category. Of course, this is easier said than done but practice makes perfect.

Debt Management Plans: The Process

Your best option would be to consult a company that specializes in debt management plans because a professional counsellor will help you analyse your income and expenditure to determine the minimum payment you can make and to draft a customized programme for you.

Your debt management counselor will also negotiate with your creditors on your behalf and they are more likely to succeed as they have much more experience in dealing with lenders and drafting these types of agreements. A good debt advisor may even be able to help you write-off part of your loan and reduce your debt load, depending on your financial situation.

A debt management plan is the best solution as it does not place any of your assets at risk, unlike a debt consolidation programme, because it does not involve taking out another loan. Debt management is one of the best options for you to avoid bankruptcy, clear your debt and eventually repair your credit rating.

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Myspace

Myspace is still one of the largest sites on the web to find music.

Myspace, the hugely popular social network is still a great place to discover new music, stream preview tracks and get the latest news on your favourite artists. By allowing users to upload music to their own integrated MP3 player, the site quickly became the most popular site in the world to find and share music. While there are still plenty of maniacs, with their, ear piercingly awful screamo/funk/gabba hybrid creations, you can still find some great music on there.

Last.fm

Last.fm, the music streaming portal is a fantastic way to get free music streamed directly to your speakers. The site has a fair amount of niche or unheard of tracks that you may struggle to find anywhere else.

Another cool feature is the site will recommend artists and tracks that match your tastes, which is a great way to find new musical talent with ease.

Hypem

For the next big thing in indie music, you simply have to try Hypem. With the songs lifted straight from blogs and websites around the world, you can search for most artists and be delivered a deluge of tracks to listen to for free. There are also some great journalist highlights mixed in amongst their network of blog contributors.

Mixcloud

For the electronic music fans out there, Mixcloud is a great place to stream full mixes, which come with their very own set lists to get the low down on the next big thing. While the site has only been up and running a number of months, it has the backing of big name DJs like Erol Alkan and numerous techno, house and dubstep producers.

Although you cant download the mixes from all DJ’s, more often than not they will post directly download links from their Myspace profiles.

Spotify

Spotify works by streaming songs from an iTunes-like interface. User accounts save your playlists for later use.

Now with its very own shiny iPhone app, Spotify is probably one of my favourite sources of free music available right now. Although their funding comes from premium account sign ups, Spotify can still be used for free if you don’t mind the odd advertorial inbetween your painstakingly well crafted playlist.

With a very slick user interface, Spotify works by allowing searchers to stream tracks directly from their servers, create playlists and listen to themed radio stations across a wide spectrum of musical styles. Because you are required to create a password protected account when signing up, your playlists will be saved whenever you log out of the service, making Spotify great for music on the move.

Of course all of the above examples require a web connection to use, with the cheap or often free internet access available, you should always be able to find a great song any time of the day. It wont cost you a penny either!

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As the new student year is on the horizon, many students will soon realise that university life is not cheap. Despite the increasing expense of further education, there are numerous was to stay in the black and enjoy yourself while you are at it!

If you are about to start university this autumn you could graduate with on average £30,000 in personal debt over the course of your studies. With an estimated expenditure of £10,000 per year over the course of a 3 year degree, there are numerous ways to help cut this figure and reduce your overall level of debt.

Being intelligent with your accommodation choice is just one way to save money over the course of your student career - “Consider staying in shared halls during your second year, not just your first year” suggests Amy Holt, a third year student at Birmingham University. The tendency to move into private accommodation may be somewhat appealing during your later university years, but this can often come with added costs.

It is estimated that students spend around £2,900 on accommodation in their first year of university, rising to £3,300 in second and third years. A saving of around £300 over a year may not sound like much but over a 5 year degree this can be a considerable reduction in your student debt levels - which makes the appeal of university subsidised accommodation an attractive prospect.

At some point, you may find yourself contacted by a debt collection agency, but this is not always as intimidating as it is made out to be. Keep in mind there are laws that these companies must adhere to, and they are acting on behalf of whoever your debt is owed to. If you are courteous and professional while speaking to a representative, they should return the favor.

Along with some of our other money saving tips, we will be continuing a series of student debt management ideas to keep your debt levels to a minimum during your student years.

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