Use your prepaid credit cards almost any place where MasterCard or Visa cards are accepted, without racking up any interest charges whatsoever.

Got kids? A prepaid credit card makes a great instructional tool and present. Buy them one for an initial setup fee (usually from $5-50), and let them pay smaller fee to renew it when it runs out. Explain that if they let it lapse they have to start all over again with a much larger fee than if they simply renewed in a timely manner. Suddenly, your kids become financially responsible!

Pre-funded cards are not a bad way to keep your own finances in line either. Just come up with initial scratch and you're on your way to enjoying ease and flexibility of plastic again!

Using an experienced broker in above circumstances can have major advantages, in ensuring that costs and right lender balance is maintained. For example not all bridging lenders offer development finance, however in a small scheme with a short development period it could be more cost effective to stay with same lender, even if interest rate is higher, due to savings on valuation, legal and lenders fees.

Bridging loans can come into their own for auction purchases. Lenders have ability to act extremely quickly, so time constraints posed at auction are not a problem. Indeed a 14 day completion is becoming quite common and provides luxury of knowing that you can bid safely at auction, knowing that funds will be available on time and just as importantly with minimum amount of fuss.