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SLOW DOWN This is more about confidence than number skills. Don’t be afraid to ask your bank or energy firm to give you time to go over the figures. Maybe you have been quoted a rate different to the one advertised, or you need to work out how your repayments will change over time. It’s not like school, you don’t have to hurry. No questions in the financial world are silly – only the ones you don’t ask that leave you with a duff deal. Always ask for an explanation if you don’t understand something, like how the firm gets to a certain figure. Percentages If you only tackle one thing, make it percentages. These are the areas of everyday maths which most people struggle with – and they crop up everywhere. If you want to understand the information given to you by banks, shops, travel companies and even politicians, then it is worth brushing up on these. Check your level Research has found that any kind of practice with numbers improves your confidence with money, even just 10 minutes here and there. Use the National Numeracy Challenge to do this. Take a look at your current numeracy level, check your skills and do some practice online.