Could your gift voucher be an “oucher!”?

Gift vouchers are always a popular choice at Christmas; especially when you are unsure what to buy the ‘person who has everything’. A voucher so they can get what they want from their favourite retailer?


The website Vouchercodes.com says consumers have accessed 14.3 million vouchers from its site in 2009 year, compared to 9 million in 2008, 2.5 million in 2007 and 35,000 in 2004


Before you rush off to the retailer, consider this…many big name brands have gone into receivership this year alone. Ouch!
This means those customers who bought vouchers may have a hard time getting their money back. Ouch!


It also means that the administrators may change the terms and conditions of the voucher to make it more difficult to use; like, only using on full priced (not sale) items, or having total spend double that of the voucher. Ouch!


You may be smiling if you have been smart enough to use a credit card for the voucher purchase, because you might find some protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. However, even if you have paid by credit card The Office of Fair Trading says gift cards and vouchers are normally covered by Section 75; but, when a company goes into administration, he law may apply differently as each administration is different…so you may be in for some pain. Ouch!


Minimise your pain and loss
• Check retailer is solvent before you buy? How? Check for profit warnings and other distress signals in the press. It provides what little comfort there is in these modern times!
• Check with Which? Magazine (or other consumer press) for complaints about delivery…another good indication of a company able to fulfil its promises.
• Also research shows, only half of all vouchers are ever used so consider giving cold hard cash instead. I know it might see a bit thoughtless, but at least you both have the security of knowing it will be safe and will be used.

The Easter Egg Rip-Off - and what you can do about it

Ok, so we hear in the press that we are in the middle of a recession...people are hurting financially and we are all having to 'tighten our (money) belts'. So why is it that the chocolate companies are hiking up the retail price of Easter Eggs? Is it that we, as a society, buy more comfort food when we are depressed and will buy at any cost, perhaps? :-)

To read the full story, click on this link: The Big Easter Egg Rip-Off

The worst offender is the Galaxy Minstrel Egg, weighing just 324grams, it was £2.50 last year and is now retailing at £6!!!! A 140% rise! Now I know that VAT has gone up...and so has Employers National Insurance (1%) but come on, this has to be a joke...good job it wasn't 1st April otherwise I would have thought it an April Fool prank!

The makers of the egg, MARS Chocolate Company, should be ASHAMED of itself. Now we know how it makes its annual revenue of $30 billion so easily (and it boasts about this on its website)! Mars Company also claim to recruit ethical people...is it really ethical to increase the price

The easiest way to protest is to avoid purchasing any of their products this Easter. If you decided not to purchase any products made by the Mars Company this year, they might think carefully for next year!

The big question is: who is profiting from this; the Mars Company or the high street retailers?

Either way, Easter Eggs this year will make a BIG hole in your pocket, so buy wisely and enjoy the fun! :-)

At Last, Sensible Advice From a Business Man with Success On His Mind...

Once again I find myself in California as I write this... and oh yes! It is raining! (I bet you didn't expect me to say that, did you? And I have to say - I am surprised too!)

I'm here to research attitudes of smaller business owners amidst the media hype around the current global financial crisis, recession, credit crunch or whatever you wish to call it.

As part of this research, I attended a BNI International Networking event earlier this week - on a sunnier day in San Diego :-). At this event a speaker gave a presentation on marketing a business in the current downturn. Interestingly, she mentioned two companies that grew out of the American Great Depression... Kellogg's and Wrigley's (you know the one... the chewing gum company!). So here is a bit of history for you:

The speaker explained how each of these companies had continued to market during this era and as a result have now become the leading brands.

At the time of the American Great Depression, Post was Kellogg's main competitor (I hadn't even heard of "Post"... until I got back to my condo and noticed that “Post” make my favorite breakfast cereal brand - Shredded Wheat). It seems that Post cut back on their marketing during the Great Depression... whereas Kellogg's did not.

Wrigley's main competitor was Beemans Chewing Gum (Who? Yes... that's what I thought! Apparently they are still selling gum to this day. Pardon my ignorance, but I don’t chew gum and my Google search seemed futile). Again, it appears Mr. Wrigley also continued to market and used the power of the press, and Beemans did not.

What really interested me, as a business woman and business coach, was that at the time consumers hadn’t stopped spending but simply looked for better deals. (This is something that the Press tends to forget to mention, don’t you think?) As a result, the companies providing better deals were the ones that became the market leaders after the depression ended. Why? Well, once spending picked up again, consumers remained loyal to those companies with which they were more familiar.

With all the doom and gloom about the credit crunch and financial crisis, I was DELIGHTED to watch Trusted Places founder Sokratis Papafloratis being interviewed on Sky TV News today. He said it is not all bad and that he gets a perverse sense of pleasure listening to the doom and gloom… a man after my own heart!

He openly admits that the past three years have been tough, however in this current economic climate he is finding it easier to recruit great staff (Recruiting difficulties is very common complaint that I hear frequently from clients on my Executive Coaching Programme).

He also said “If your business is going to be successful it has every chance even now.” And I agree.

This is a time for immense opportunity. A chance to separate the men from the boys (and women from the girls!). A chance to prove yourself in your business or your company. A chance to seek out opportunities in the marketplace – because they are there.

You may have heard how some people get rich on the stock market irrespective of market conditions... The same applies to you in this current climate. You can play victim and give up or you can seek out the opportunities and become the hero. Which path will you choose? (The majority will go for the path of least resistance - Don’t let that be you!)

It’s time to think differently and keep your focus on your business, focus on what you want (not what you DON'T want!) and focus on your goals. Yes, many businesses are struggling in the recession, but others regard it as an opportunity – and I believe that some larger companies are using the "recession" as an opportunitiy to lay off workers. This is, my own humble opinion, of course!

Now is certainly a time for "survival of the fittest". Of course it is going to be tough, but when you know what you want and you focus on that and let go of the distractions of negative attitudes, watching too much “doom and gloom” TV and newspaper reports and instead focus on what you want from your job or your business and ask yourself “Where’s the opportunity in this?” those opportunities will soon show up. I set my business up in the middle of a recession when business people abound were saying how bad things were. I made a healthy profit in my first year because I did NOT buy into the hype. I hope you won’t either. Whether you are employed or self-employ, debtfree or working toward that goal, you do not have to buy into the hype.

A friend of mine contacted me recently as said that her company had started laying people off. I asked her if she felt threatened by this. She said that she didn't but was secretly hoping she would be able to reduce her days from 5 days per week to 4 days per week. I suggested that she keep this in mind and take action to communicate this to her bosses (she pitched it as "doing them a favour") and guess what? She got what she wanted. Will you get what you want? Or are you too focused on what you DONT want, thus attracting that very thing you are afraid of?

For business owners here are some practical tips to apply if you want to thrive in the current climate:

Clear the clutter and rent smaller premises if possible – or better still work from home (it becomes a tax right off too!)

Keep an eye on your budgets – I’ve said this time and again in the DebtFree and Happy Programme, you have to get control of your cash flow. Have budgets in place and chase client payments quickly. If you are employed, work with your employer to bring the cash in more quickly… you’ll be seen as the kind of employee they have to hold onto.

Find cheaper more effective ways to market your business. The internet and email marketing is one way.

Negotiate deals – after all, everything is negotiable. Service providers are offering all sorts of special deals. Suppliers are cutting their revenues.

Until our next encounter....

Power to the People in Debt....

Yes I’m back! I’ve had hundreds of emails asking me why I’ve been so ‘quiet’ lately. No, I wasn’t abducted by aliens, but I’ve been an Alien…. spending some time in the USA (as a non-American I’m described as an Alien! I just love that phrase). So what exciting things have been happening? Lots! Let me explain …..

I’ve been researching the current policies of the banks and lending institutions. There has been a marked change in policy by the lending institutions in the way that they handle people who cannot afford to repay their debts.

You’ll remember, last year I commented on the new legislation that made it ‘easier’ to declare bankruptcy? Well now it seems that this has resulted in some lending institutions actively ENCOURAGING debtors (those owing money) to do this. In fact, some are even ‘selling’ this idea to those who may not need it if they simply had some help (educated guidance), support (freezing of exorbitant interest rates) and encouragement (‘we’re here to find the right solution for you’ not ‘whatever’s easiest for us (the lending institutions) so we can write the debt off and claim from our own insurance’.

At 5.30am this morning (my favourite reading time) I was reading a copy of “The Vegetarian” and an article on press coverage The Vegetarian Society received after it discovered Masterfoods - owners of Mars chocolate (candy) bars - was changing its production methods and it was not possible for the company to confirm which products were suitable for vegetarians because Mars, Maltesers, Snickers and other popular products were to be made with the use of animal derived rennet.

The article went on to explain how the Vegetarian Society asked its members to complain – SIX THOUSAND of them did so in a single week! That set about a massive press campaign and had even been discussed in Parliament.

Masterfoods reversed its decision within 7 days of the press coverage. That’s the power of our friends in the press.

What does this have to do with Debt Management …. patience please!

That got me thinking about the need for people like you and me to learn more about how institutions are changing their tactics. I truly believe the general public need to know that bankruptcy and IVAs are not the only option. And often it’s not the right option either. Many times I have quoted research, which suggests that the majority of people that get in debt do so again, shortly after getting rid of their original debts. There are exceptions of course.

Many of those that don’t get into debt again, I suspect, do not take out any kind of credit because of the fear of ending up in debt again (certainly this is the feedback I’ve had from clients when they initially contact me). However, this confirms the teachings in my course - that these people have a fear of money… and such fears result in a limited ability to create the kind of money one dreams of.

When I read the article about the Vegetarian Society members collaboration and how they forced the giant to back down, it proved to me that the power is still with the people. What's happening in the USA is the same - I salute Mr Obama's campaign tactics... it's resulted in major change, because the people took action.

You can do the same by complaining to your MP about the lack of education for the average person in debt who does not know where to go for impartial help. Let’s lobby for better education about money management and building ones self esteem, rather than simply forcing someone into bankruptcy and not dealing with the psychology of the self esteem issues that rise when someone loses almost everything. Power to the people!

And to back that up, I've made the decision to reduce the price of our DebtFree & Happy Programme to just £129.00 + VAT (sorry, can't do anything about the VAT), including postage and packing. And, on 1st December, you'll be able to get copies in MP3 downloads, for just £69 +VAT., so keep an eye on the website www.debtfreeandhappy.com

Road To Freedom, by Val M: A story of Debt

Val M, a colleague and friend of mine wrote this posting. She doesn't have her own blog, so this has been posted here in her own words:

Notes made on 5th June 07 - My beloved husband John only 65 and oh so young for his age. Gone to another world, a new adventure for some one whose whole life had been an adventure. He had died as he’d lived with courage, dignity and a smile. His body wrecked from the ravages of cancer, his mind and spirit finally at peace. What am I left with? A warm and loving family the best of friends a beautiful home lent to me by two of those friends, my health. What I don’t have is money or financial assets - £4.34 in the bank on Sunday.

Now that John has gone there is a hole in my heart the size of an ocean and debts so high they can’t be paid I had given all that I could to care for John. My car had been sold, our savings gone and large credit card debts had been incurred, all in our search for a cure. I had given up my career to care for John full time - 24/7 we were together, something that we learnt to love. What I want now is to use our story to inspire hope and courage in others. Something, also, that helps me make sense of the world that I now live in, A world in which I believe that everything happens for a purpose and that the challenge is to make something positive out of it. There is so much to write so much to share and so much to sort out. I didn’t know where to begin so I started with a diary spurred on by the support of someone whom John and I had met in the last year of his life and my dear friend Amanda whom I had helped (in a small way) put together a programme called DebtFree and Happy a few years ago. Little did I know at that time that the programme was for me.

These postings tell my story. I hope that it helps change not just how you might be feeling about money and debt but also how our financial institutions handle our growing debt mountain. At the moment the prevailing advice is go bankrupt make a fresh start and a new life - certainly it seems that is what a number of my creditors want; why? I really don’t know.

Back in June 07, all I wanted was a break from payment six months to a year whilst I put my life back together. I wrote a note to myself: "Now the stress of it all feels too much, my confidence is shattered and the thought of rebuilding my career a distant dream." Then, in August when I started my diary properly it was a cathartic process; it helped me to get some of my thoughts on paper. I also wanted it to help others. At the time I was incensed by the way some of my creditors were handling my case but I still had some fight in me - Like Amanda, I didn’t want others to go through what I was going through. That is still the case but I was drained and was ready to give up, take the easy option, go bankrupt and start again. I could have easily hopped on an aeroplane and left the country for a few years... making my life easier. But just before I did that… Well here it is I hope it helps: I decided to follow the advice Amanda suggests... I wrote to creditors, including the credit card companies, bank, and council... An admin job I didn't enjoy very much... but one that had to be done. I realised it was much more simple that I thought it would be. (Amanda provides templates to those who have purchased the pack... so just send her an email and you'll receive the templates). I simply adapted it to my situation and put in the various names and addresses.

Bearing in mind the media criticism of the banks handling of such debtors, Amanda and I decided to play a game... we will rate creditors on their ability to respond with respect, dignity and compassion to my situation... and then post our results here on this blog. So watch out for the next instalment when I'll let you know what happened next... (in the meantime, if you are in debt, have you taken the action that Amanda suggests in the free e-course and reiterates in the Debt Free and Happy programme).

Comment from Amanda:

I wish to thank Val for sharing her most intimate thoughts. John was a very special man and a great adventurer. John and I clicked the moment we met. He was full on fun, highly competitive (and I quickly discovered, when Val first introduced me to John at a corporate dinner party, and John and I were on opposite teams!), and he always with a tale or two to tell! He is still very sadly missed. Val is a courageous woman and I feel honoured to have her in my life.

We all have our own journey and story to tell about being in debt. Some, unfortunately, don't have the support mechanism, or the knowledge to eradicate BAD debt from their lives and learn how to make money their friend.

When you read about the next six months of Val's experience, you'll soon see why so many people fall into the trap of filing for bankruptcy when they don't need to or setting up an IVA (Individual Voluntary arrangement) when they could, in fact, have used the exact same money to pay off their debts in full, and have a clean credit history - and usually in less time!

If you had the ability to create £250,000 worth of debt, you are a genius! It means you have the same ability to create £250,000 of wealth. Believe me, I know from my own experience. And when I changed my mindset from that of a victim, and poor person, to that of a wealthy individual, my life turned around.

Val's life was turned upside down when John became ill and every penny (and all the credit) she had available was spent on finding a cure and making the time John had left on this planet a great one. You are at your most vulnerable at this time, just as you are with other life-altering situations, like divorce, relocation etc. It's then that you need the right kind of support (not necessarily sympathy) to get you back on track in more ways that just financial.

I have (and always have had) confidence that Val will turn her situation around again to a life of massive abundance. In the next posting you'll find out how the creditors responded and what Val did about it.

Claim Back Unfair Bank & Other Charges The Easy Way

It's time to claim back the penalty charges you have received in recent years. In fact, did you know you can claim up to six year?


I'm not just talking about bank charges either. It includes credit cards, store cards, loans, council tax rebates, mortgage accounts - including exit fees! - and mis sold payment protection plans... just to name a few.

No matter what your current financial situation YOU should be doing this. Let's stop these institutions making unfair charges. They are levied on your account for going over agreed limits, however sometimes these costs are excessive and provide the organsiation concerned with "easy" profits, thus unlawful.

There is no reason why every DebtFree&Happy subscriber should not be doing this! Especially when there is an organisation like Bank-Smart that do all the hard work for you.


Bank-Smart deal specifically with the reclaiming of penalty charges on a No Win, No Fee basis with NO upfront charges. They have taken on over £25,000,000 in claims - so why isn't yours included? :-)

Their analysts and programmers have developed one of the most efficient and effective claims management processing systems of any claims management company in the UK.

I've been impressed with the results I've seen my clients get. Have a look at their website by clicking here - there's nothing to lose and everything to gain...with little effort on your part.

Reclaim the money you deserve!

Wishing you great success
Amanda Clarke
DebtFree&Happy Coach



Bank-Smart are regulated by the Ministry of Justice in respect of claims management activities and registered with the Data Controller reference number Z9702452.

Articles Removed from Site

I've removed some articles from this site due to abuse by other Bloggers. All comments will be checked to ensure they are genuine comments.

I'll republish the comments over the next few months and make a note on when they were first published.

The Articles removed included the following titles:

What does it Mean to Be Debt Free & Happy? First Published June 30, 2006

Christmas is Coming.... Some tips! First Published September 11, 2006

Tories to tame your inner tosser?First Published November 24, 2006
Credit Card Annual Fees on the Increase. First Published March 19, 2007



Apologies to those linking here from other sites.

Are We Being Encouraged to Declare Bankruptcy When in Debt?

Hello Friends!

Yes I’m back! I’ve had hundreds of emails asking me why I’ve been so ‘quiet’ lately. No, I wasn’t abducted by aliens, but I’ve been an “Alien”…. spending some time in the USA (as a non-American I’m described as an Alien. I just love that phrase!). So what exciting things have been happening? Lots! Let me explain …..

I’ve been researching the current policies of the banks and lending institutions. Recently there has been a marked change in policy by the lending institutions in the way that they handle people who cannot afford to repay their debts.

You’ll remember, last year I commented on the new legislation that made it ‘easier’ to declare bankruptcy? Well now it seems that this has resulted in some lending institutions actively ENCOURAGING debtors (those owing money) to do this! In fact some are even ‘selling’ this idea to those who would not need it if they simply had some help (educated guidance), support (freezing of exorbitant interest rates) and encouragement (with statements like: ‘we’re here to find the right solution for you’ rather than whatever’s easiest for the lending institution because then they can write the debt off and claim from their own insurance).

I was reading a copy of “The Vegetarian” this morning at 5.30am (my favourite reading time) and was drawn to an article about press coverage that The Vegetarian Society received after it discovered Masterfoods - owners of Mars chocolate (candy) bars - was changing its production methods. The company stated that it was not possible to confirm which products were suitable for vegetarians as Mars, Maltesers, Snickers and other popular products were to be made with the use of animal derived rennet.

What does this have to do with Debt Management?…. patience please!

The article went on to explain how the Veg Society asked its’ members to complain – SIX THOUSAND of them did so in a single week! That set about a massive press campaign and had even been discussed in Parliament.

Masterfoods reversed its decision within 7 days of the press coverage. That’s the power of our friends in the press.

That got me thinking about the need for people like you and me who need to know how institutions are changing their tactics regarding debt settlements.

I truly believe the general public need to know that bankruptcy and IVAs are not the only option. And often it’s not the right option either. I’ve often quoted research by Credit Action that suggests that many people who get in debt do so again once they are out of debt. Of those that don’t get into debt again, I suspect many refuse to take out any kind of credit because of the fear of ending up in debt again. This is in fact a fear of money… and such fears result in limited ability to create the kind of money one dreams of. (There are exceptions of course!)

I’m going to take you on a journey over the next few weeks and months so that you start to learn what strategies the lending institutions currently employ. I think you’ll be surprised at what you learn. Then perhaps if thousands of our readers complain about being encouraged to declare bankruptcy then we’ll make progress and help many more people get out of debt through the process of education. This journey is in collaboration with a real life case.
A colleague of mine, Val M, was recently widowed. Val is a vivacious, calm, caring, thoughtful and generous woman in her 50’s. A little on the short side, she makes up for her height with a massive personality. Always immaculately dressed, she is the picture of elegance and sophistication. She describes herself as a fairy godmother and grants wishes to all those she meets. Her husband, John, was Mr Big Personality and the life and soul of any party. He was an adventurer and certainly Val’s Prince Charming. Perfect for the Princess she is!

When John was diagnosed they decided to use all the financial resources they had available to them (i.e. credit cards, selling personal possessions, cars etc) to have the treatment he needed in the hope of a recovery. Unfortunately a recovery was not to be – and sadly John passed away a few months ago.

Val and I discussed her situation shortly after John’s death and I gave her the encouragement and support she needed to deal her creditors.

Through out blog, Val will be sharing her thoughts and experience … and I’ll coach her through the process at the same time.

This is a very challenging situation and currently Val is struggling with some of her creditors. She’ll tell her story in her own words. This case study starts in the next few weeks – so watch out for it in your mail box.

Perhaps by reading this experience, it will encourage you to respond to the posting and give your thoughts and encouragement.