My Money Talk

Eddie Cochran was once quoted as saying that there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues, could he be right? Financial Collapse, dishonest bankers and no growth in the last few months has more than backed Eddie’s statement up. Obviously some things are out of grasp for mere mortals and we must all look at ways to brighten up any summertime blues we may currently be going through. Hold on though, we may not have much to shout about with regards to current bank balances but what about celebratory events such as the Jubilee and both the Olympic & Paralympic games, are these not in enough inspiration to go out and celebrate all things British. What better way to celebrate than with a getaway retreat somewhere in the UK. Here, a few tips to ensure you get the best deals.

Last Minute deals

Not everyone feels comfortable booking a last minute deal online as they feel they will have less input in to where they want to go and what kind of deal they want, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Obviously in the hospitality industry there will always be a surplus amount of rooms which lay empty due to cancellations. In the best interest of the Hoteliers though, it make sense to put these rooms online at a cut price. For instance when searching for accommodation in Dartmouth, results showed that over the coming weeks there are various types of accommodation available at a cheaper rate.

Hotel Inspector

Hotels haven’t necessarily attracted the best attention in recent years with various TV shows highlighting which ones are the best to avoid and highlighting the Hotels which like to attract unwanted visitors of the rodent kind, so lets face it, Hotels are not ideal for everyone. With self-catering cottages up and down the country though, people are opting to ditch the Hotel and fend for themselves in a variety of luxurious cottages. With many providing spacious living quarters with WI-FI and en-suites included it makes more sense to stay here than one of the many chain hotels scattered across the nation.

If you’re expecting a throwback to stoves and larders then think again, the majority of self catering kitchens have up to date fully functional modern kitchens. So forget about firewood and Gas lanterns and think more in the line of IKEA and Clapper Lights.Take your own food, why splash out on eating in restaurants every night when most probably you can prepare a meal just as nice for less than half the price.

How to get their?

Any form of traveling at the moment is bound to be expensive as the price of petrol balances on the pendulum of very expensive per litre to very very expensive per litre and with news that train fares are set to rise once more in the new year, which ever way you choose to get to your destination will be costly. It’s recommended that you do your research first, does your accommodation have free parking? Is it close to the Train Station? How long will both journeys take? Ideally though in many cases it makes sense to travel by car. With car travel, it can take away the constraints of public travel and means you don’t need to worry about running to the next platform to meet the connection which luggage and family in toe.

The Best Things in Life Are Free

Once the ideal location has been found to defeat your summer time blues, do some research. The majority of locations across the country have free museums, art galleries and local attractions which maybe only asking for a small donation to maintain running costs. Remember public parks and beaches are all free to access (the ice-creams won’t be though).

Hopefully these simple suggestions are enough to prove Eddie Cochran wrong.

Making it month to month can be very difficult today, let alone planning long term with so much uncertainty. For those who have experienced a redundancy or inability to find employment, it is just one more stress to keep the lights on and hot water in the boiler; both of which are essential and are markers which one would see the difference between living adequately and in poverty. It is horrible that this line has grown so thin, and the possibility to fall on the other side has become so easy.

Utility bills are one constant drain on our income; they’re always consistent and reliable to fall on the doormat. It can sometimes feel like we only just paid this , or that we’re paying more than we agreed to when we first signed up. Below are a few tips which can help you ensure you’re getting the best deal:

1) Ask your friends and families about their providers for gas, electricity, water, telephone etc. Sure it’s not the most entertaining or enthralling topic of discussion but it’s something we all have in common, and makes a nice change from chatting awkwardly about the weather or Olympics. Try and segue the conversation into that direction, and ask about who they’re with, how much they value they think it is, the service etc. They may give you a handy tip, or tell you about a provider you’ve never heard of before that is worth looking into, or better yet, to avoid completely! It’s quite likely that if you ask your friends or neighbours, they’re from the same socio-economic background as you, so will have the same requirements and needs to yourself.

2) As boring as it is, review how much you’re paying and that you’re getting the best deal. When you sign up for certain terms, these may have seemed like a good idea back then, but now your own circumstances may have changed, the introductory rate and terms may have expired etc. It can be tedious going through paperwork or even facing how much is going out of your account per month, but it is something you need to face head-on sooner rather than later. While we try not to think badly of providers, sometimes customers may not be informed of changes by them until it’s too late and we notice we’ve been debited more than we agreed initially. Make a note of when money is meant to go out of your account, what for and for how much; and then check up on it (online banking or SMS services are a good way to do this).

3) Don’t jump on board with a provider offering a great, spanking new deal on the spot. This includes people coming to your door, phoning you up or approaching you in the street, shopping centre etc. The strategy of fobbing you off by giving them your details and saying ‘Yes’ to anything so they’ll leave you alone will likely be regretted later especially if you don’t consult your other half or others you live with who have a say in bills.

4) The Government’s Green Deal initiative hopes to improve the energy efficiency of homes and small businesses. The additional benefit is that providers who put up the costs of improving buildings energy efficiency through maintenance, will be repaid easily through the savings on monthly bills. The other great thing about this, is that it saves households from applying for loans or reaching into savings to make these changes themselves. As far as long-term planning, this is a terrific strategy and there won’t be a nasty surprises once the changes have been made, like there being no saving or, worse, it amounting to more to be paid out; your provider and assessor will ensure that the total cost of the measures must amount to less than the estimated energy efficiency savings. Homes will be subject to a green deal assessment, which will be carried out with the findings reported back to one of many green deal providers to choose from.It’s a great ay to teach your family about being green, government policies and saving a bit of money along the way.

5) Monitor yourself. This can range from ensuring that you don’t leave lights on when you’re no longer occupying a room, to turning off the tap when brushing your teeth. It may not sound like much in small periods but put together, when your bill for several months comes through, you’ll notice. If you can, outsource; for example, charge your phone at work if it won’t be noticed and doesn’t conflict with your workplace’s policy. As a family, make it an excuse to spend more time together rather than in separate rooms, each watching a television or on a laptop. Watch one television together (lights out to create atmosphere) or do away with the electrical entertainment and play a board game/s.

Planning family holidays can sometimes be a real nightmare as you have to take many things into account.In fact, the whole family doesn’t have the same tastes so there can be some problems when it comes to choosing your holiday destination, as all the members of your family will have different point of views. One might like to a campsite another one will want to go by the sea.

However, when it comes to the holiday accommodation, generally the whole family agrees with what they expect from their accommodation. In fact, they expect to be together and not having to share any part of the accommodation with someone else or with another family. In fact, the main aim of family holidays is mainly to spend quality time with those you love and the last thing you need is having intruders.

If you’re looking for a flexible holiday accommodation in which you’ll feel at home then you probably need to book a holiday cottage. In fact, holiday cottages are ideal for family holidays as they are just like a normal house with all the modern facilities you may need on a daily basis such as fridge, washing machine, oven and so on and so forth.

In addition, if you book a your holiday cottage in Dartmouth you will even have a private fishing spot for your family and a private terrace for your family barbecues. Dartmouth holiday accommodations attract people from all around the UK thanks to their comfort but also for their quite affordable prices.

So if you still don’t know where to go for the summer holidays then you can go down to Dartmouth to enjoy the breathtaking landscapes, the sea but also the countryside. If you’re interested in history you can go and visit the castles and its fortification that were built to protect the city from external invasions

The cost of fuel keeps increasing day by day, which makes driving more and more expensive especially for people who have to drive daily for instance to go to work.  But on this atmosphere of crisis it is really important to save money whenever you can, and there are a few simple things that you can do to save your fuel consumption and save some money.

1. Drive Only when you Really Need to

When you own a car you become so used to your car that you drive to go everywhere even to go to places that are not far from your home. But if you try to change that you will be amazed on who will be able to save your fuel. In addition, if you’re not really a sporty type you can reduce the use of your car and walk more, this will also help you to lose weight if you need to. So you will not only be able to save money but it will also help you to remain healthy.
Actually, if you’re too much used to use your vehicle to go to some places that are not far from your house it might difficult to walk to that same place, but the more you do that the quicker you’ll get used to it.

2. Ready for Action

Don’t start the engine if you’re not ready to go, only start it when you’re ready to go and this will help you save some fuel as well.

3. Listening to the Radio

Some people start their engine just to listen to music while doing something else like washing their car or repairing it, but this can also increase your fuel consumption especially if you do it for more than fifteen minutes. So be careful with that, as an alternative you can listen to some music via your mobile phone and this will help you save fuel and save some money at the same time.

4. Save as Much Fuel as you Can

The key thing is saving money so anything you think can help you reduce your fuel consumption then don’t hesitate to do it. There’s a quite funny thing to do to help you quit your bad habit of going everywhere with your car even to short distances. You can write a list of the places that are not too far from your house but where you usually drive to, and stick it somewhere in the car where you can see it as soon as you enter in your car and you’ll understand that you shouldn’t be driving to go to that place.

5. Don’t Speed up Uselessly

When you’re on the road try not to speed up constantly because speeding up is dangerous and it can cause you get speeding fines UK.

6. Drive Eco-friendly

Try to get your car serviced on a regular basis, this helps decreasing pollution.

7. Take the Bus

Taking the bus is the best way to avoid driving offences but also to save some money, so you can take the bus on weekends in order to save your fuel for your working days.

With gas prices, housing costs, and a lot more essential things on the rise, it’s truly important to lead a frugal life. It’s not really something that you may practice every now and then; it’s an overall change in your way of life. Nevertheless, you can’t forget that times are tough and scores of Americans are trapped in the vicious cycle of debt. Although they seek different ways to become debt free, they can’t ignore the option of practicing frugal habits. Once you start living a frugal life, you’ll be capable of getting your finances under control. Frugal living basically means making wise choices with your day to day expenditures. Most of your spending preferences must be planned and with your financial goals in mind. Read on to know about a few simple but effective ways to help you lead a frugal life.

Use the library – Buying books and movies get expensive and even hiring them could be costly. Visit your local library and you might come across the complete range of latest books and movies available for free. You might also read several books on debt reduction, frugal living, and open-handed simplicity. Go through the Internet and “frugal blogs” or “personal finance blogs”. When you come across other people’s motivating stories, it’ll make you feel less frustrated and present you with some real life frugal living tips. You might even consider starting your own frugality blog.

Make use of discount coupons – Discount vouchers are an excellent way to save you loads of cash per month. Make the most of all types of special discounts and totally free products during the festive season of the year. You may either use the Internet or consider taking ideas from your friends and family who have already used these discount coupons. These vouchers can help you lower your monthly expenses and bring your finances under control.

Plan your weekly menu – If you’re preparing lunch or dinner, it’s mostly advisable to plan a particular menu. If you don’t have a suitable plan, you’re more inclined to go out for lunch or dinner. Going out might be fun, but its lot more expensive than eating at home. Once you start preparing your meals at home, you’ll see your bank balance growing. When you plan a weekly menu, it helps you lower your chances of going out for dining, hence saving you money on expensive restaurant food.

Consider saving electricity – Heating consumes loads of electricity due to which you have to bear a sharp increase in your electricity bills. Thus, it’s always advisable to turn off the lights and fans when you go out of your room. When you leave an electrical device plugged in a socket, it continues drawing a small amount of power. These things can really show their results on your electricity bill.

You could also buy renovated products. If you need a new laptop, just check the company’s website that you want to buy from, to search for any offers on renovated goods. There are lots of people who want to have Apple laptops, but can’t really afford to buy them. Under such situations, they may opt for a slightly used edition of the product they’ve been longing after.

You’re probably doing your best to save as much as you can already and rather than buying lunch (even meals deals can add up and be expensive over a week!) treat the upcoming holiday as an incentive to take lunch from home for work. It will save quite a bit if you take a sandwich, some fruit and a drink (something sweet too like a cereal bar perhaps?). If you need any more incentive, then think that with a more calorie-controlled lunch you’ll look that much better by the pool. If you do this for 6-8 weeks before you leave, you may very well find you’ll have a bit of money for silly purchasing of goofy souvenirs that you only buy on holiday.

While it may not be as exotic, a road trip with friends some where far away (or not) in the UK can be very exciting. It’s one of those things that is really good if you have a group of mates that you haven’t seen in a while so it’s a great opportunity to catch up too. Petrol costs can be split between the group, and the hire of a cottage or a house for a week can be quite cheap. Alternatively you may know someone who has a place in the family that is going spare for a few days, so ask next time you’re home or talking to the parents.

I was dragged along to the cinema the other day as part of a group social and as a compromise had to see a film I didn’t really mind waiting to see when it came out on DVD. Grrrrr indeed but at least I got to see my friends.

Still, going to see a film, a popular pursuit, like this one which was in 3D, can add up. First you have trans to get there and back; then ticket prices which if you are not a student, are about £8, or more for 3D. Then there is food which if you’re a bit of a fatty like me, you won’t be able to resist. A hotdog at my local is about £3, and then you need a drink to wash it down with too. Overall, this experience can be quite the trip indeed, so you’d better hope the film is a good one.

Here are a few tips to save on the film-viewing experience:

• Sneak your own snacks in a handbag/ shoulder bag/backpack. They will check but you can always be thorough and hide a bag of something in a side pocket. If a busy film, then the staff will be very quick and probably quite lax.
• Eat before you go to the cinema to ave craving something later.
• Alternatively, think about all the salt content in that popcorn and what the hotdogs are really made off to put you off completely.
• Always keep your 3D glasses for future visits to prevent having to pay again and again for such a silly purchase.
• If the film does not demand the 3D add-on, see it in traditional 2D; you probably won’t notice the 3D after about 20 mins anyway.
• Orange Wednesdays where you can take a friend for free if you’re on that network. 
• A Cineworld monthly card, where for £15 you can see as many films as you wish in a month. A good investment for the Summer blockbuster season.
• Stay at home and watch a film on television. An obvious choice given the amount of digital channels available. Maybe try something you wouldn’t usually watch, like an hilariously bad film on an obscure film channel.
• Similar to above, buy a cheap DVD for £2 from the supermarket which is horrifically bad, and laugh yourself silly.
• Netflix and LoveFilm are increasingly popular over here in the UK and are giving a number of free trials to hook us in to subscribing. There is a wide selection of current films and TV to choose from as well, and with some nifty code-alterations you can access the library for the US as well, through an X-Box set-up (technically, this is still legal).
• Look on YouTube to see if someone has been “kind” enough to upload a full film. It won’t be there for long, so watch it soon and don’t opt to ‘Watch Later’.
• If you’re a student, your campus may have special screenings of films each week, especially if there is some sort of film society. Usually it is free to join or at the most a pound or two. This would be a good way to meet new people as well.