TIP: Pay an extra £10 per week or £20 per fortnight on your home loan. After all, what is £10 per week? But on your home loan it will save you thousands in interest. If your lender desn't calculate your interest weekly, you can still develop good budgeting habits by putting the money aside.

Get it in writing. Any negotiations need to be in written form. If you do not have a copy in writing then you can consider it non-binding. Do not trust anyone at their word. If a clerk or loan officer is offended you asked for a copy, it could mean they are being less than honest. This is why you should request it.

In case you are having problems with your home loan, inform your lender as soon as possible. The earlier you tell them, the more sympathetic the lender will be to such problems making the necessary arrangements for under repayments until you retake your financial stability.

Before seeking your lolly, sit down and begin doing some budgeting. Get paper and pen ready, and start by making a complete list of your expenses. That way, you will have an exact idea of how much you can afford to pay after researching the cheapest home loans.

Credit rating: Although you may not actually take out a loan, it will be shown in your record and asking 20 lenders in two weeks will look bad when applying for any other loans in the future, so limit yourself to asking for quotes and apply only for that loan offer you consider to be the best.

Another way to winnow out the best company is to contact them via email, and see what they send you back. Call them on the 'phone as well. This, coupled with your impression of their web site, will give a good clue as to whether they're a 'sound', active company, or moribund i.e. on the way out of business. ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR GUT INSTINCT. The mind has doubts, the heart has its rosy desires, but the guts don't lie!

TIP: Be wary of promises of getting the cheapest home loans quickly.   Many borrowers are told that their deal will finalise within a particular time.   They don't make payments on existing debts, in anticipation of the new loan. After several delays, they become delinquent, with no money from the new loan.  

Some lenders then order new credit reports, and charge the borrowers higher fees, and a higher rate, because of the delinquent loans, which resulted from delays caused by the lender!

You hear people griping about the cost of home loans. The socialist-student-worker-miser believes capitalism is inherently wicked. Someone is out to screw him. The truth is 'yes', someone is out to screw you, and will, but only if you let them.

They're not obliged to get you the best deal, and you're not obliged to take the first deal they offer, either.

Choose the right lender. You want a good deal but it's important you're choosing a lender with a good reputation. Ask your lender, family, friends, and future neighbors for recommendations.

Make sure they're not looking up your credit rating when they give you a quote. Your credit record will show any home loan applications you have made, so it makes sense not to apply for several cheapest ones at the same time.