Kim is a mum of one and, after separating from long-term partner Ray, knows all about juggling household bills on a shoestring.

"I'm bringing up baby Jess on my own and I'm completely responsible for my finances," she explains. "Although I have to say my mum and dad are round all the time and tend to give me lots of advice about juggling household bills on a budget."

Government Tax Credits are an important part of Kim's income, but she still finds that she sometimes goes overdrawn. So taking control is important, this means Kim prefers to pay in instalments rather than big lump sums. She finds Direct Debit helps her spread her costs really well.

When funds are limited, it helps to arrange to pay as many of your regular household bills as you can by Direct Debit. This means you can:

• Often pay the bills on dates which suit you
• Spread the cost instead of forking out large lump sums
• Qualify for a discount on many household bills – find out how you could save.

To find out more about managing your finances why not try the budget calculator?