Libraries supporting businesses, jobseekers & consumers across the North West

I’ll Credit You With That One

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If you have never heard of a Credit Union or simply don’t understand what they are now is the time to get your facts straight, the essence of a Credit Union is Community Lending.

They fill an ever expanding gap in the loans market, where people are struggling to find competitive interest rates and achievable credit ratings to secure a loan that many of the banks cannot or will not offer.

They prevent the need to use a payday loan or doorstep lending, which on the surface offer instant cash but on closer inspection should be steered well clear of.

An Example of a PayDay loan terms

"Representative 1734% APR. Representative example: Borrow £50 for 30 days. The total charge for credit is £14.75Interest is fixed at a rate of £14.75 per £50 loan (359% per annum). The Total Repayable is £64.75."

An Example of a Credit Union Loan Terms

"Most loans are made at a flat rate of either 1% or 2% per month on the reducing balance of the loan, which represents an APR (Annual Percentage Rate) of just 12.68% or 26.8%"

Looking for work?

Whether you're looking for a part-time job, or hoping to change career, libraries have lots of useful information.

Take a look at the new Ask About Jobseeking section. There's lots of resources to:

keep yourself informed
impress potential employers
stand out from the crowd
find ways to uncover leads
give yourself the competitive edge

Just click here to find out more!

The Chest

iStock 000016576964XSmall Easily find local authority tender opportunities in your area with the The Chest, the North West's Local Authority Procurement Portal. The Chest enables existing and current suppliers to view local authority contract opportunities.

Local Authorities in the north west currently spend between £6bn and £6.5bn each year on goods and services so they could provide long-term stability for local businesses. It's FREE to register on it and could bring benefits to YOUR business!

Getting started

Start up

People the world over dream of setting up their own business and working for themselves but are often overwhelmed by the prospect.

Ask About Business has a range of resources to offer support and sign posting, whether you are setting out your stall or building your empire.

News

jean-oelwang Why aren’t more women in leadership positions?

There's an excellent post on Richard Branson's blog today - thoughts from the CEO of Virgin Unite, Jean Oelwang:

"Collaboration is queen – the fight for the top rung of the ladder is becoming irrelevant in the face of the issues and opportunities we are facing as a global community."

Make sure to read the comments - there are some great quotes and lessons from women in business.

Take a free unbiased financial health check

logocheck Whatever the situation with your finances, it’s good to know where you stand and that you are making the most of what you have. The health check, a new online money planner from the Money Advice Service, is for everyone.

It takes just 10 minutes to answer some straightforward questions and the health check will give you a personalised action plan which identifies the top three things you can do to make the most of your money right now, and to plan for future goals.

Best of all - it’s free and it’s unbiased. The Money Advice Service won’t recommend a particular product or provider or try to sell you anything.

Click here to take the health check now.

COBRA: a free online business tool

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Discover hundreds of practical guides to starting up more than 350 different types of business on COBRA, the online start up encyclopedia. If your library is a member of Ask About Business you can access all areas of COBRA right now. Simply click here and log in with your library ticket.

COBRA also contains around 4000 factsheets, market reports, contacts, and sources of funding and support to help entrepreneurs.

Ideal for anyone looking to start a business, write a business or marketing plan or conduct research into a new market, COBRA is also available at any Ask About Business library with internet PCs.

Credit checking

Being in business always involves some risk.

Don't gamble with your business!

Minimise the risks by using our free company credit check service. Everyone wants to avoid a bad debt, and setting up a good credit control system is vital for any business.