Surrey money coach reveals top tips to tackle the January blues

Churches across Surrey are offering free money coaching, debt help & life skills in 2025 to help locals beat the winter blues and take control of their finances.

295 money coaches in the South East have been trained by Christians Against Poverty to run free money coaching sessions in local communities throughout 2025.

Alison Berry has worked as a Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Money Coach for 13 years. The charity offers free debt advice, money coaching and a range of support to people struggling with their finances.

“Winter often brings financial anxieties, and with energy bills and prices continuing to rise, the pressure all adds up. However, CAP’s Budget Not Blues campaign offers a clear path to taking back control of your finances. Here are my simple, effective steps to improving your finances in 2025.”

Find out your financial personality

Try out CAP’s new Money Personality Quiz which provides useful tips on building a better relationship with money and helps people understand their spending habits.

Create a personal budget

Creating a personal budget is key to understanding your financial situation in order to make positive changes. Download CAP’s budgeting guide at capuk.org/budgeting to create your own personal budget.

Cut back, cut costs and cut out

To make your money go further, you can reduce spending by cutting back (reducing how much or how often you buy something); by cutting the cost (finding it cheaper elsewhere), or by cutting the expenditure out completely (identifying if it’s a need or want).

Build up an emergency fund

It's important to save for future emergencies. Start small so that it is manageable within your budget, and set up your bank account to transfer the money into a savings account automatically each month so that you’re not tempted to spend it. An emergency fund can offer huge peace of mind if and when unexpected costs arise.

Seek free help

Attend a CAP service in your local area to help you further improve your financial situation. You can find more information on all CAP’s free services in your area at capuk.org/help. If you’re struggling with unmanageable debt, call our free helpline on 0800 328 0006. Alternatively, visit moneyhelper.org.uk for a wide range of support.

CAP provides practical solutions and emotional support to those in need and their free services, delivered through Welcome Church, Woking, St. John’s Church, Egham, The Kings Church, Addlestone and many more, have transformed lives by helping individuals gain control over their finances.

Alison continued, “We are determined to help people in our local community improve their finances and we do this by offering free Debt Help, Job Clubs, Life Skills and money coaching.

“This January, as we launch our Budget Not Blues campaign, we’re encouraging people in Surrey to make it their New Year's Resolution to prioritise their financial health.

To learn more about CAP’s free services and resources, including a free benefits calculator, visit capuk.org