We are being beseiged with Black Friday offers everywhere we look. Most of them do not deliver what they promise. But if there is something you need or really, really want make sure you do your research to make sure you are not scammed, charged too much, or sold something that is not worth what you are paying.

While you are doing the research you can also prep by selling some of the items in your wardrobe, spare room, kitchen or garage that you no longer need or like. It is easier than ever before to sell old clothes, toys, kitchen equipment and earn much more to fund new purchases.

Fraud increases during the Black Friday big sell. Pay with your credit card to protect yourself and remember if the price seems to be good to be true the item either does not exist or is not as described.

And remember if you do not buy anything during the extended Black Friday sales you have savedc 100%.

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The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have caused many people to make very difficult decisions about their spending to be able to keep within their stretched budgets. But an alarming number of workers need to look at their spending again if they are to avoid a poor old age.

Up to 25% of workers stopped paying into their pensions to increase their take home pay, according to one survey. This also had the effect of saving their employers money as well.

Times are still hard. But as the state pension is the worst in the developed world, workers need to invest for their old age and to make sure they do not miss out on their employers' pension contributions and the generous tax relief available.

Pensions are a key part of our wage packages and many companies will help employees to catch up with their pension pots. In just the same way as employers pay employees different rates of pay they may pay more into individual pensions as this helps to keep the beneficiaries loyal. If you don't ask you don't get.

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It has never been more important to make our money go further. Inflation may have reduced, but we are still paying a lot more for our food,energy and homes.

One way open to us all to make money is to sell stuff. It may be old clothes, old books, games, tech toys, kitchen equipment, in fact anything you have finished with.

Remember we typically wear less than half the clothes we own. We have wardrobes, chests of drawers, and rooms full of items that could boost your bank balance.

Every household has stuff that can be sold.

It is straightfoward to set up as an online seller, and surprisingly addictive. There are no selling costs with most sales, and there should be no tax to pay either.

Selling can make a big difference to our family budgets and as a bonus make space in our cluttered homes.

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