Posts Tagged ‘Money Saving Tips’

Saving Money over the Christmas Period

No Comments
Posted 16 Sep 2010 — by Admin
Category Saving news

Christmas is one of the busiest times of year. There are so many things to think of. People have usually got family or friends visiting, the Christmas meal to cook, gifts to buy and wrap and decorations to put up. It can also be a very expensive time of year. Many people report huge regrets every January when they have over spent on Christmas presents and all the related costs.

If you are worried about finances this Christmas, or want to cut down a little on expenses there are a few simple money saving tips you can take.

Secret Santa

First of all there are gifts. Depending on the size of your family you may spend a lot of money on gifts over the Christmas period. One of the things you might consider doing is arranging a secret Santa. These are a great way to cut down on gift costs and can also be a lot of fun. How it works is you get a group of friends or family members together and put everyones name in a hat. Then you each pick a name from the hat at random. This is the person you buy a present for. The game guarantees that everyone gets a present while at the same time meaning that you only have to buy one present. You can keep the gifts anonymous or not depending on your preference.

Another thing you can look at doing this Christmas if you want to save some money is consider making gifts. You can bake cookies or cakes, or make gifts using some craft you are good at or enjoy such as knitting, cross-stitching or patch working. You can also make your own Christmas cards. This can be fun and many people will appreciate the personal touch.

Debt Consolidation

Christmas shouldnt be all about saving money, but it shouldnt be about falling into debt either. It is generous to give but no one expects you to give more than you can afford. If you are having trouble with debts then you shouldnt be over spending this Christmas. There are many things you can do to get debts back under control. One option would be debt consolidation. This means taking out a loan to pay off all your existing debts. The interest rates will be far lower than those on other debts such as credit cards and the savings will give you the chance you need to get your finances back under control.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Great Money Saving Tips

No Comments
Posted 01 Jul 2010 — by Admin
Category Saving news

Everyone wants to save money, but no one wants to change his or her lifestyle to do so. Many people think that the only way to save is to go without; Give up eating out at restaurants, stop going to the movies, stop shopping, etc. This is not the case! It is very simple to still enjoy going out, as well as save money. You just have to find ways to spend less while going out. Here are some examples:

When going to a restaurant:

Always use coupons! I cant stress that enough. There are many ways to find them. The Sunday paper usually has coupons for a few restaurants. Many restaurants send out coupons in the mail hoping to get you to visit them. The Entertainment Book has coupons for many restaurants. The restaurants own website might have a coupon that you can print out and bring in. Sometimes you will find coupons in their take-out menu. You will be able to save a few pounds just for taking a few seconds to look for a coupon.

Share a meal. If youre going out to dinner, many times you can get away with ordering one main course and an appetizer or salad and sharing them with your partner since the portions are so large. By splitting them, you will save a lot more then if you had each gotten your own meal, plus you will get more of a selection since youll get to taste both an appetizer and an entre.

When wanting to see a movie:

If you want to go to the movies, consider going during the day, or in the early evening. These are all considered matinee showings, and you will usually pay about half of the price you would pay at night! It doesnt sound like that big of a savings, but if you go to the movies just once a month, you can save 54 a year per person. Youll save even more if you go more often!

If you want to save even more money, you can rent the movie once it goes to DVD. Many websites will allow you to buy packs of 10 DVD rentals, and you will end up saving anywhere from 0.50-1.50 per rental! This can really add up. If you rent one movie per week, you can save up to 78 a year! Also keep an eye out for coupons that allow you to rent one and get the second free.

There are many other simple things you can do to save money when going out to enjoy different forms of entertainment. For other tips like the ones you just read, see the website below.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Money Saving Tips For The Self-Employed Insurance Seeker

No Comments
Posted 27 May 2010 — by Admin
Category Saving news

Everyone knows that health insurance costs are at an all time high. With the cost of medical care also skyrocketing, people, especially those that are self-employed are desperate to find ways to save money on their health insurance. This can be a difficult task as most insurance companies are far from excited to offer coverage to the self-employed.

Your first step would be to shop around. Contact an agent that deals with many companies instead of contacting the companies directly. This will save you not only time but also some money in the process because an agent will not be paid unless he or she finds the insurance that is right for you and you agree to take it. Tell the agent exactly what you are looking for and how much you wish to spend on premiums, deductibles and so on. Remember, be specific! If you want to ensure that you are getting what you want then you need to give as many details as possible.

Once you have some offers in hand read the fine print. This is the number one mistake made by people when seeking health insurance. Sure, the policy looks grand on the surface but then once you are locked in you find that it is full of restrictions and extra fees. Insurance companies are in business to make money, not spend it. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

Finally, do not agree to any policy until you have checked out all the offers that were made to you. More often than not, a higher premium policy is better in the end because it offers smaller deductibles, and fewer restrictions. You could find yourself paying less for a policy but then also getting a lot less in return. If the policy does not help you then it does not matter how small the premiums are.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 money saving tips when selling your home

No Comments
Posted 25 Feb 2010 — by Admin
Category Saving news

Your home is undoubtedly the most valuable asset for the vast majority of us and selling it will cost thousands. Using the money saving tips in this article should reduce the cost of moving home.

Estate Agent fees vary, so shopping around and dont forget to haggle and pay one off against the other. You should aim for 1% commission, also push then to limit the tie-in period to no more than 6 weeks, this gives then enough time to sell the house, but if they cant you can move to another agent without going multi-agent which will increase the fee to about 3%+, a big no-no! Ensure you get a fair valuation, never tell an estate agent what other agencies have valued your house at. They will use this to manipulate its offer, often resulting in wide distortions.

It is false economy to go for the cheapest solicitors, so get recommendations from all the estate agents you speak to and remember to ask for the name of specific people, rather than just the legal firms. Give them a call and ask what their charges are, also note whether they are they friendly, helpful, and most important efficient? Fees are negotiable so haggle! Play off each one against the other to get yourself the best service at the best price.

Selling you house privately can save thousands. One in twenty vendors are now taking the DIY route which could save you thousands. That is a massive money saving tip, but there are a couple of downsides, basically time and effort. You could consider newspaper advertising, flyers and signs. Newspapers usually charge per line or per word so try to keep your advert as brief as possible without making it uninteresting. The simplest way would to sell your house yourself is to use one of the many online house selling service.

Obviously it is best to sell your house when the market is strong and demand is high, so keep an eye on the local property market. Generally, the market tends to be stronger in early and late summer than the rest of the year, so aim to sell your house then. Also avoid completing with your neighbours so if there are already a few For Sale signs on your street, it might be better to wait a bit.

Research has shown that a poor presented house can take longer to sell and may reduce the price by thousands. So get your paint brushes out, give your home a lick of paint and finish all of those DIY jobs which are outstanding. Also talk to the estate agent about adding value to your property it maybe worth spending a bit of cash to make some more. However, be careful not to over spend, you might not get your money back, so talk all planned improvements through with your estate agent.

If you are determined to save money when selling your home, do some more research, as they say knowledge is power. Websites such as www.maxxsave.co.ukMaxxsave specialise in offering www.maxxsave.co.ukMoney saving tips, a brief browse around such sites will allow you to get all the information you need to save you a ton of money.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

4 Money-Saving Tips For Every Homeowner

No Comments
Posted 18 Feb 2010 — by Admin
Category Saving news

Losing weight. Finding a new job. Spending more time with the family. A new year means setting new goals. Why not make saving money one of them?

If you’re a homeowner, there are many ways you can cut costs and still live comfortably. The following tips will help lead you to financial success.

* First, set a budget. Figure out exactly how much you spend on the upkeep of your home. Compare each month’s expenses with the previous month’s to get a better idea of how much to budget for each necessity. Then, see what costs you can cut. Once you set a budget, stick to it.

* Save energy. You might be losing a substantial amount of energy pounds during the winter and summer because of air leaks. By caulking, sealing and weather-stripping all cracks and openings, you can save 10 percent or more on your energy bill.

Also, look into replacing older appliances with newer, more energy-efficient alternatives. Your light bulbs can make a difference, too. Fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs.

* Refinance. Shop around to see if you can replace your existing home loan with one that has a lower interest rate. You can easily save hundreds of pounds each month by refinancing your home.

* Purchase a home warranty. Most homeowners don’t account for possible repairs in their annual budget. There is a 68 percent likelihood of a home system or appliance failure in a given year. The average replacement cost of one of these systems or appliances is 1,085. A home warranty is your best defense against unexpected and costly repairs to your home’s appliances and mechanical systems.

The American Home Shield Home Warranty, for example, ensures you get the best possible service through the company’s network of pre-screened technicians. The minute something breaks down, you can contact American Home Shield and a local service technician will schedule an appointment that fits your schedule. The warranty covers a multitude of household systems and appliances, regardless of age.

The American Home Shield Home Warranty is a one-year contract that requires no home inspection to enroll. Several affordable plans are available to fit every budget.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,