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Get Rich on Half a Day a Year

Improving your finances doesn't have to take time

Spend half a day a year checking comparison sites for the best deals on your bills.
See our comparison pages for the best deals for you - or read on for the deals we recommend.
Make money by getting the best bank account, savings account, insurance deal, bills, credit cards and loans, and more.
Get started now for big savings over the year.

Trust us...we know what we're talking about...it doesn't take much effort at all to get rich, if you give yourself a few years to do it. All you need to do is get a few good habits going, check your bills once a year, get a steady investment habit and be a little patient. Give it a few years and you can be rich without much effort.

Ignore those 'Get Rich Quick' schemes - they're always 'Get Poor Quick' schemes when you scratch the surface. Just get the best deals you can on your bills once a year (see below for how to do that), watch your spending day-to-day, keep checking this site for more and more ways to boost your income and then invest what you have left over each month. We've got a lot of ideas on how you can invest safely for the future in this section too.

So, follow these easy steps and you will find yourself worrying less, living more and looking forward to a richer future

Get started today

Step one: Accounts.

Check your accounts and see if you can find a better version. Here's what you should be switching

Your bank account: The right bank account for you can make you money and make your life better - and it's not hard to switch. Are you usually overdrawn, usually in credit, or do you swing from one to the other? We're all different so there's no one bank account that's right for everyone. Some are better for people with big overdrafts, others are better if you want to make money on your balance.

However, we think that the Alliance and Leicester Premier Direct account is a good all-rounder, with an interest-free overdraft of up to £2,500 and 8.50% interest (AER) for those in credit.

Also, if good service is important to you then the telephone and online bank First Direct is very good. See our full article for more details on the pick of the best current accounts to see what we think of otheraccounts.

Your savings: If you've got money in the bank, check you're earning the most interest on them thatyou can. There are new deals coming on the market all the time. The credit crunch means the banks want your cash, so rates are up and you could be making a lot more money each year on your account.

Currently, we recommend the ICICI 12 month fixed rate account that pays a massive 7.2% AER. Click here for details. Alternatively Abbey has a good flexible account. Their e-Saver Direct pays 6.50% AER, providing you don't withdraw any money.

Click here for more savings account ideas in our full article on the best savings accounts.

Your credit card(s): All your credit card debts and any loans - could you switch to cheaper and better versions? Do remember to check your credit record before going for really cheap loans or 0% credit card deals. If your record isn't great then you are likely to be turned down by the better deals which could, in turn, make it harder for you to get other loans (lenders get nervous when other companies turn you down).

Step two: Utilities and Insurance.

Switch your essential expenses like utilities and insurances:

Get better deals on all your insurances including motor insurance, home contents, life insurance, pet insurance, and travel insurance. Seriously, you can save hundreds over the year by switching to better deals. Don't forget medical insurance, either, as there can be a big difference in price between policies.

Bills - check your energy providers, both gas and electricity. For cheaper offers on household utilities check out our comparison tables. Remember, you can also switch to greener tariffs too.

Your phone, internet and TV package providers. With such huge leaps in modern technology, there are a variety of options out there to talk for free – including a video link – over the internet. Check out Skype or BT Broadband for cheap calls on the Internet.

Step three: Mortgage.

Switch your mortgage if you can.

If you are in a position to switch your mortgage you could save serious money, although lenders can sometimes charge enormous 'exit' and 'set-up' fees so check with your current provider first - can they offer you a better deal? See our article on remortgaging for more tips. Also look at our mortgage comparison service for a cheaper quote. To find out everything you need to know, download our free mortgage guide here.

Step four: Extras.

Look at where you can cut costs in day-to-day life. Click here for other tips for cutting costs all round.

Also, have a look at cheaper ways of buying usual household goods. Check out online price comparison sites, like Kelkoo, Buy Central and Price Runner. for the best prices for everything from washing machines to a new mp3 player.

Cashback sites can also make you money by paying you to sign up and giving you money back on the products you buy. Check out our article about cashback sites.

Step five: Make extra money.

It doesn't stop with just saving money. You can turbo-charge your journey to riches by making extra cash on the side and using to a) pay off your debts and then b) (once they are paid off) put into savings and investments.

Look at our Making Money section for more ideas that you can use, and sign up to our newsletter so that you can get new money-making and money-saving ideas every week.

Step six: Make it regular.

Get into a habit of regular financial housekeeping

Sounds dull (and, all right, yes, it is) but honestly, if you just keep an eye on what's going in and out each month, that, on it's own, can help you get wealthier in the long-term. So...
Once a month - file your pay-slips, bills statements and any information sent to you about tax or investments. See here for more info.

What to do for the whole month

For one month - keep a spending diary to see where your money is really going and where it's being wasted. You could be surprised (and shocked!).

Also, once a week or so...check your bank accounts and credit cards online, particularly if you make a lot of transactions. Checking your statements regularly will help protect you from fraud because you’ll see early on if someone is using your identity or your card. It can also mean that you can stop yourself going overdrawn and being charged through the nose for it!

Keep yourself protected - make sure no one is using your identity to take out dodgy loans. Join CreditExpert so that you can see what is on your credit record any time of the day or night.