There has been a big increase in men asking for help due to financial difficulties according to The Consumer Credit Counselling Service.  The CCCS is a charity that gives free help and advice to thousands of people every week throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Traditionally it has always been women who seek help. But the proportion of female clients at the CCCS has fallen and at the same time there had been a 51 per cent jump in the number of men calling the helpline over the last 3 years.

The data seems to back up that the fact that the recession has turned out to be like the recessions of the past by hitting working class men the hardest.

This theory seems to be backed up by The Office for National Statistics who have confirmed that more men have lost their jobs during the recession than women.

Women seem to be better at working more flexible hours and are usually more willing to work part time hours in order to get work.  Men, on the other hand, have quite often found it hard to take on part-time jobs once after they have been made redundant.

The loss of income, due to job losses, was the main reason for them asking for debt advice.  Nearly a quarter of men gave unemployment as the reason for their debt problems. A further quarter said that a reduced or irregular income was the reason for their current debt problems.

Many experts are predicting that many more people in the UK will soon be seeking help for debt problems as they have been using their credit cards to make ends meet through the current recession.

With those credit cards now at their limits and with the high monthly interest charges, many are finding it impossible to keep up with payments.

Banks; where would the UK economy be without them?  Bankers have shouldered a lot of the blame for the current economic crisis so lets let a some ways we can beat the banks and save money.  The first thing to remember is that your bank will offer a lot of products but very few of them will be great deals.  Banks rely on customer loyalty so up-sell you things such as credit cards, holiday and car insurance etc.

Tip number 1 – Never get insurance policies from your bank.  these policies will often be over-priced and you can get a much better deal by shopping around.   If you do get a quote from your bank, shop around.  You may well be surprised by the money you can save.

Tip number 2 - Be wary of Credit Cards.  If you have been issued a credit card from your bank, you should ensure that you pay your balance, every month, in full. Otherwise you will get hit with high interest charges. If your bank offers you a 0% interest card, by all means take it but remember they’re not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts.  They are doing this because statistics show that the majority of people will have a balance on their credit card after the interest free period and this is where they make their money.  If you can you should try and get a cash-back credit card.  This will let you earn money out of the banks. Every time you spend on one of these cards, you will earn a cash bonus.

Tip number 3 – Borrow money from other lenders.  As your bank’s loans may not be competitive, you should always look elsewhere to get a better rate on a personal loan.  It can save you hundreds of pounds over the duration of the loan.

Tip number 4 - Exchange your holiday money elsewhere.  If you get your holiday cash  from your bank, you will rarely get the best rates. While they wont be as bad as the airport bureau de change there are better deals to be found. Search online for your currency.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  If you’re stuck check out CompareTravelMoney or CurrencyExchangeUK.

Tip number 5 – Loyalty doesn’t save you money.  Being loyal, in many aspects of your life, can be admirable but in the world of banking and money, loyalty rarely pays.  Your bank is a business and more than likely, you are just a number to them.  Do not let a sense of loyalty stop you from getting the best deals.

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