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Are you in a bit of a money pickle or don't know where to get started? Confidentially text or WhatsApp 07800 005227 for support and advice on any of the topics on this page.

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Here are a few useful and easy tips to help you save money in on your supermarket shop.
1. Get friendly with the freezer
Pop as much as possible in the freezer rather than risk it going off in the fridge. Divide big packs of meat into portions, put in freezer bags and put them in the freezer.
Keep a sliced loaf in the freezer and take out individual slices for sandwiches or toast. Even cheese can be grated and frozen (sounds a wee bit bonkers, but works brilliantly).

2. Cook in bulk
Cooking in big quantities can save time as well as money. It doesn’t take much more effort to make twice as much bolognese - then you can take half as a packed lunch or freeze it as a home-made ready meal.

3. Try a use-it-up meal
If you’re no Nigella or Jamie and struggle to come up with ideas, try out a website such as SuperCook (although there are loads to choose from). Just enter the food you do have, and it will come up with recipes based on the items you already own.
The Money Advice Service also has a great video on the topic - Click below to watch!

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If you are in a Crisis due to COVID-19 and are

Self isolating

Over the age of 70

In receipt of a letter from the NHS advising you are high risk

Medically vulnerable according to the government criteria

Single parents

you can refer yourself to the crisis support team by filling out this form, calling 01389 738282 (lines open 9am-3pm, Monday to Friday) Or text ‘help’ to 07800 002 582.

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Need help with your CV, finding work or a different job? 

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Need help with your CV, finding work or a different job? 

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Working4U's Employability Service can help you create a CV, job search, obtain industry specific training and interview coaching. This is a free service open to all WD residents. You can refer yourself into the service by filling in this form, calling 01389 738296 or you can WhatsApp or text 07800 005227.

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All high street banks in West Dunbartonshire are still accepting walk-in appointments, however hours may be reduced. Remember you can bank online and via telephone banking, however waits may long.  It might be a good idea to phone early in the morning, when lines tend to be quieter. If the phone representative can not help you on the phone, some banks then are offering appointment slots for branches so you don't need to wait in lines, or re-explain your problem once you are there.
Click below to find the opening times of your West Dunbartonshire bank, including customer service numbers should you wish to call.

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The Money Advice Service has a great tool which allows you to keep on track of your monthly budget and help you see clearly where you money is going. It's completely private - only you will be able to see it.

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Budget Planner - Free online daily, monthly and yearly budget planning tool

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Use the free online Money Advice Service Budget Planner tools to work out how much money you have coming in and what you're spending it on.

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Do you need a replacement birth certificate/ID? 

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Do you need a replacement birth certificate/ID? 

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Life without the proper ID may make it difficult to access some banking services or employment. If you need a copy of your birth certificate, you can only request one online by going to Scotland's People website (click here to access). A replacement will cost £13.40 including delivery, and will take 15 days to arrive. If you need a hand with this process, text or WhatsApp 07800 005227.

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West Dunbartonshire Council can help you with money if you find yourself in an emergency or crisis which you do not need to pay back. Examples include, you've lost all your money, you're a victim of domestic abuse and need help moving away, you're facing a gap in your normal income or an unexpected crisis occurs. You need to apply but decision, and payment, can usually be made the same day. You can apply by clicking here or you can call 01389 737640 9:00-15:30 Monday-Friday.

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We can help you gain a range of SQA approved qualifications for FREE.

There are lots of choices available for you to get qualifications - all currently on zoom which you can be supported with joining.
Here's a look at the courses we offered from January 2021 - more coming soon. If you are intrested please email communitylearning&development@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

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Where can I check my credit report for free?

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Where can I check my credit report for free?

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Your credit score is created from information held in your credit report, also known as your credit file. Experian is a great way to check your credit score for free. They may ask you for confidential information such as who your bank account is with - don't worry they just checking its you! You can access your free credit score by clicking here.

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Tips on saving money on supermarket shop

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Tips on saving money on supermarket shop

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Food - we cant live without it! But it's also one of our biggest household expenses. The video below has some great tips on how you can cut the cost of your supermarket shop.

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If you are in need of free sanitary products, you can request a three months supply by filling out this survey money form. Products will be discreetly delivered by RoyalMail to your home, but can take 2-3 weeks to arrive. You must be a resident of West Dunbartonshire to apply!

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Here are a few useful and easy tips to help you save money in your home.
1. Dial it down
Turn down your thermostat by just 1°C, and you could cut 10% off your heating bill.

2. Light up with LEDs

Switch the light bulbs to energy-savings ones next time they need changing. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs. You can get them for around £3 in Home Bargains /B&M. Even if you swap them out slowly, you will save money in the long run.

3. Stop energy-sucking on standby
Switch off appliances on standby, and you could save around £30 a year. Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. Just check with satellite and digital TV recorders – some may need to stay switched on, or they won’t record your favourite programmes. We don’t want you missing Strictly!

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You’ll have seen the letters ‘APR’ if you’ve ever looked for a loan. They stand for annual percentage rate and show the total cost of borrowing money over a year. APR doesn’t just include interest, but any fees automatically added to the loan, like arrangement fees. Knowing what the APR is can help you fairly compare personal loans or credit cards. All loan products must show the APR rate.

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Online banking, has become increasingly popular over the past decade. It’s a great way to take control of your finances and make sure you’re keeping up with payments. You can set up online banking from a computers, tablet or smart phone.
The Money Advice Service has a great resource on how to get started with online banking, including what to do if things go wrong. Click here to access the resource.

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Tired of waiting in the post office or shop queue to pay your bills? 

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Tired of waiting in the post office or shop queue to pay your bills? 

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Most bills can be paid with one of two things either a direct debit or a standing order which is amount taken out your bank account each month. You might have a lot more control over this amount than you think. Companies usually offer better rates for people paying by direct debit too.
Watch the video below explaining how Direct Debits work. Remember if you need an extra hand with how Direct Debits work and setting them up for yourself you can text of WhatApp 07800 005227

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How to make payments using your bank account  - The Money Advice Service

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Your tiny bundle of joy comes with a not-so-tiny list of requirements. From cots to clothes, to car seats, the costs can add up quickly. This calculator can help you plan for expected costs along the way.

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Did you know that a baby could cost as much as £7,200 or as little as £1,600 in their first year, excluding childcare? Our baby costs calculator helps you to plan how much you need.

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Want to find the cheapest place for fuel in your area?

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Want to find the cheapest place for fuel in your area?

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You will need to create an account, but it's free!

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Sponsored contentA study by Motorway, the used-car marketplace, reveals that 6.3 million Brits have accepted a bad deal when selling their car. Those accepting bad deals did so out of convenience, ultimately losing them money from the sale. What's more, 3.5 million...

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Compare UK petrol & diesel prices - PetrolPrices

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Check out today's fuel prices in your area. Click here to compare and find the latest rates for petrol and diesel on PetrolPrices.com

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We know debt can cause stress and sleepless nights. Our advisers are here to help you to make an informed choice in your route out of debt.  This can include options such as reducing current repayments, Bankruptcy, Minimal Asset Process (MAP) and Trust Deeds.  We will assist you throughout the process.
This is a free and confidential service to all residents in West Dunbartonshire. For support, call 01389 738296 or text or Whatsapp 07800 005227

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If you’re struggling to eat, your local food bank may be able to give you a few days supply of food.

Food banks can also give you vouchers for gas and electricity if you’re on a pre-pay meter and you’ve no money to top up.

You usually can’t go straight to a food bank.

You need to speak to someone who can refer you first.

People who can refer you include:

your GP

support worker, including some West Dunbartonshire Council Workers

a local charity, like Citizens Advice

the police

If you are in a crisis during Covid-19 in unable to afford food, you can refer yourself to the crisis team by filling in the form below.

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Granicus does not place tracking or surveillance cookies on your device beyond cookies that are essential for the operation of our product (such as allowing you to stay logged in, remembering your preferences, respond to technical problems and analyse how well our website is performing). We do not use Analytics or Advertising technology on our product platforms.

Some of our customers may install Analytics or other types of tracking technologies upon your device, for example; in order to monitor your website use and they may share this with third parties. If they do this, they have an obligation to let you know where this is the case, and what the benefits and costs are, and what options you have. More information on cookies

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Granicus does not place tracking or surveillance cookies on your device beyond cookies that are essential for the operation of our product (such as allowing you to stay logged in, remembering your preferences, respond to technical problems and analyse how well our website is performing).

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www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org is a fantastic website which has some great resources for people who feel their Mental Health influences their money decisions.

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Tips if you're prone to overspending on impulse purchases which you often later regret

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Tips if you're prone to overspending on impulse purchases which you often later regret

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Even the best of us make money decisions we didn’t intend to make or, avoid making them at all. Click below to find out some helpful easy things you can do if you're prone to impulse spendings.

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Tips for Staying Safe while shopping online

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Tips for Staying Safe while shopping online

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Online shopping is a great way to compare prices, find bargains and save money, but there are risks to be mindful about. Thankfully, if you follow a few simple rules you can have a safe and secure online shopping experience.

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Online shopping is a great way to compare prices, find bargains and save money from anywhere with an internet or mobile data connection. But as its popularity has increased, so have the risks, with more and more people trying to scam you out of your money or steal your card details. Thankfully, if you follow a few simple rules you can have a safe and secure online shopping experience.
Online shopping safety tips

These are some really simple ways to shop safely online you can use every day:

1. Research retailers online to make sure they're legitimate.

2. Make sure the website is secure.

3. Know your rights and the company's returns policy.

4. Keep software and virus protection up-to-date and use strong passwords for online accounts.

5. Don't use public Wi-Fi. Your standard data connection is more secure.

6. Pay using a credit card. You will have more protection. Alternatively, online services like PayPal mean scammers will not be able to get hold of your bank details.

7. Be smart. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

You can find out more about these tips in the rest of our guide.

How to shop safely online

Research the website and seller

There are thousands of websites to go shopping on the internet, many with thousands more independent sellers. The majority of these are perfectly legitimate, but spotting the fraudulent ones takes a bit of research.

If you're using a website you've not used before, search for them online to see if they have any negative feedback. For independent sellers on a website, you can check out their online reviews on a site like TrustPilot.

Better known ecommerce websites are certainly more reliable, but can be vulnerable to pharming attacks. You can find out more about these later on. If in doubt, check Companies House, or, for financial services companies, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register.

Returns and counterfeiting

Top tip

If you're buying an expensive item, check the manufacturers website to make sure you're using an authorised distributor or seller.

There is also some information you should find out before buying online.

How long will delivery take and where is the item being sent from? A UK or Europe-based seller should be able to deliver within a week, if the item is in stock.

What is the returns policy? If they don't seem to have one, you should be suspicious. Knowing what the policy is will help you if something is not delivered or arrives broken, even if the seller was not trying to scam you.

There is also a large online market for selling counterfeit goods. These can be hard to spot, even when you've got the product in your hand. But being aware of this and researching what the real thing would cost, will give you an idea of when an offer is too good to be true.

How you can tell if a website is secure

Only ever put your card details into secure websites. Be on the look-out for the following signs to know you are shopping safely. Remember, this only means the site is secure, not that the seller is honest.

Padlock symbol - There should be a padlock in the address bar next to the website address.

Website address - This should start with https://. The S stands for secure

Green address bar - On certain browsers and websites the address bar will turn green.

Valid certificate - If you click the padlock symbol or just to the left of the address bar, you should see information on the site certificate. This should tell you who has registered the site. If you get a warning about a certificate, avoid the website.

What are website pharming scams

You should also be aware of pharming scams, where fraudsters attack the website you are trying to use.

It will appear as if you've gone to the correct website, but it's a fake version designed to steal your information. Be on the lookout for strange looking web addresses with a selection of numbers or a different spelling.

Online security

There are several things you can do to keep yourself safe online.

Make sure your software and anti-virus protection is up-to-date. Updates often contain changes which help protect you and your devices from scammers and online criminals.

Always choose strong passwords for your online accounts, using a combination of upper case, lower case, number and special characters. Using a phrase or sentence is good practice.

Wi-Fi security

Make sure the internet connection you are using is secure. Don't use public Wi-Fi in coffee shops, shopping centres and other places to shop online, use internet banking or anything else requiring you to send personal information.

This is because public Wi-Fi is often unsecure, which means any information you send while connected to these networks can be accessed by fraudsters. Even your ordinary mobile data is more secure than public Wi-Fi.

Safest way to purchase online

Remember

Even if you pay using a credit card through PayPal, or similar service, you will not get the additional protection.

Protecting yourself when paying is very important. You might lose a bit of money if you buy from a fake seller, but you can lose a lot, or even everything, if your details get stolen.

Many banks and building societies are adding extra security when you buy online, involving two-factor authorisation (2FA).

This means, when you're at an online checkout, you will have to pass an extra level of security to prove it's you making the purchase.

The most common form of 2FA is a one-off code, sent by text message, to the phone number registered to the account. However, it could also involve a security question, logging into your mobile banking app, or a fingerprint scan.

Using an e-money service like PayPal is worth considering as you don't have to give out your actual card details.

How you're protected using a card to buy online

Under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, paying by credit card will also give you added protection on purchases over £100 up to £30,000. This means the card provider has equal responsibility with the seller for faulty, unsatisfactory or undelivered items.

You might also be covered for purchases under £100 made on a debit or credit card under a voluntary scheme called chargeback. This allows you to claim a refund from your card provider if a purchase does not arrive or is faulty.

What to do if something goes wrong

The first step, if you have been sent the wrong or defective items, should be to contact the online seller and the website you used such as eBay or Amazon.

If you paid on card and you're not happy with the retailer's response, or you have received no response, contact your card provider.

If you think your card has been used fraudulently let your bank know straight away so they can stop any further use of it.

As long as you haven't acted fraudulently or negligently, you'll usually get your money back from your card company if your card details are used online by a criminal to commit fraud.

If you think you've been targeted by a scam you can also report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, use their online reporting tool or on the FCA Scam Smart website.

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Online shopping is a great way to compare prices, find bargains and save money from anywhere with an internet or mobile data connection. But as its popularity has increased, so have the risks, with more and more people trying to scam you out of your money or steal your card details.

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Did you know Dumbarton Credit Union is still open? The building is closed but you can call them 9:00-13:00 Monday to Friday. They can take on new applications over the phone including savings accounts and loan applications. A Credit Union may be able to offer you a lower interest low. Dumabrton Credit Union has also recently started offering payments via payment, which means you can conveniently pay into your account from your local PayPoint Store

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Dumbarton Credit Union

LEARN MORE

Your local alternative to banks and money lenders

Dumbarton Credit Union is a savings and loans co-operative owned and managed by its members all of whom live or work in 'G' postcode area.

Save with the credit union first and then borrow.

As a not for profit organisation Dumbarton Credit Union funds are used locally and ethically to help others.

We can help

Avoid payday lenders! Dumbarton Credit Union offers low cost loans and helpful advice.

An alternative to bank loans! No external shareholders. Our members are our shareholders as they own the credit union. Compare our interest rates.

Ethical Lending. For the socially aware, as a non-profit, our ethos is to support the local community and our members

Dumbarton Credit Union funds are used locally and ethically to help others

Borrowing

£

Term
months

Monthly Payment
£ 4.44

Total Repayable
£ 53.28

Illustration APR
%

Whilst this calculator will give an indication of monthly payments and APR, you can find out your personalised rate by applying. The rate you're offered may differ from the illustrative APR shown - and will be based on your personal circumstances, the loan amount and the repayment term.
APPLY NOW

Access your account 24/7

With our online banking facilities it's easy to take control of your account.

Check your account balances

View your personal statements

Amend your personal details

Request or print membership forms

Send an online enquiry to the Credit Union

LOGIN

Dumbarton Credit Union funds are used locally and ethically to help others

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Dumbarton Credit Union LEARN MORE Dumbarton Credit Union is a savings and loans co-operative owned and managed by its members all of whom live or work in 'G' postcode area. Save with the credit union first and then borrow. As a not for profit organisation Dumbarton Credit Union funds are used locally and ethically to help others.

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Waiting for your first universal credit payment

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Waiting for your first universal credit payment

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It can take up to five weeks to get your first Universal Credit payment because Universal Credit is calculated monthly in arrears. If you will have little or no money until your first payment, you can request an advance payment through your online Universal Credit account, by talking to your work coach or by calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644. Below is a handy video explaining advances - remember you will need to pay them back!

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Use this handy calculator to check what benefits you may be entitled to and how to apply. It is important to note that this calculator can only act as a guide and they are not a guarantee. If you require Welfare support from our a member of our Welfare Team you can WhatsApp or text 07800 005227.

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Benefit and budgeting calculator | Policy In Practice

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By 2023, everyone in the UK applying for certain benefits for the first time, or on certain existing benefits, will be moved over to Universal Credit. Sometimes changing to UC can bring about uncertainty. The video below explains Universal Credit and what you can expect from the switchover.

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If you, or someone you know does not have a bank account, it may be difficult for them to accsess certain services or pay certain bills without incurring a charge. If family members share bank accounts, this may sometimes cause conflict. Here's a handy video guide to opening up a bank account. You, or someone you know, can also text or whatsapp 07800 005227 for support opening a bank account, including getting ID.

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Fuel poverty is an ever increasing problem.  Some of our staff hold a City & Guilds qualification in Energy Awareness and can offer advice and assistance on issues such as heating and fuel bills and fuel debt.  West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau are currently providing support on these issues, and tariffs, via the Local Energy Awareness Project.  Residents can contact them by clicking here.

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Want help with reading, writing or maths? 

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Want help with reading, writing or maths? 

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Wether school was too many moons ago or there's a topic you need help with, your lovely adult learning team is here to help. Phone 01389738775 or email communitylearning&development@west-dunbarton.gov.uk for more information.

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Are you paying too much for your mobile? 

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Are you paying too much for your mobile? 

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Why pay more than you need on your monthly mobile bill?

Contracts for the latest iPhone can top an eye-watering £90 a month. But if you hang on to your old handset, you can find SIM-only deals for less than a tenner. That’s a difference of more than a grand a year!
A pay-as-you-go phone doesn’t require a credit check, so could be good if your credit record isn’t great. Watch the video below for info on how to find the best deal for your mobile.