August 2012
2 posts
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How to Defeat Summertime Blues
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...
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5 Tips to Save Money on Utilities
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...
June 2012
3 posts
Cost-Effective Family Holiday Accommodation
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...
The 7 Habits of the Highly Cost-effective Driver
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...
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Frugal habits – The secret key to your debt free...
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...
May 2012
9 posts
Something a bit different.... →
driving-nuts:
While it isn’t the usual photo of a cool car, I thought this was something worth “tumbling” in that it is both car-related but also good news economy-wise when we seldom hear in the media good news. Always a nice reminder to battle through the dark money times and that it won’t always be this grim :)
Saving money for the holidays tip #2: Pocket money
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...
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Saving money for the holidays tip #1: Holiday in...
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....
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Alternatives to paying extortionate cinema prices
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...
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Are you annoyed by those PPI automated calls? →
While they can be very annoying, those PPI calls are not necessarily scams. I just came across this article and apparently some are entitled to refunds legitimately though the process has been very complicated as one would expect. The article gives a little information summing up what PPIs are exactly. Enjoy!
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Should undergrads strip to pay their way through...
Is it degrading or it just an opportunity in an economy where jobs are scarce and more young people are going on to higher education?
There are clear ethical and social objections to lapdancing in general, but what makes this a bit more precarious a topic is that, though of legal age, the students are very usually, though not always, quite a bit younger. Some are only just eighteen, and many are...
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16-25 Young Persons Railcard →
Recently graduating, you are slowly plunged into a new world where there are no student discounts. The cinema now is extortionate, and it also means one drink less on a night out, now that its a bit more to get into clubs. However, it is not all doom and gloom; a Young Persons Railcard is a worthy investment indeed especially if you find yourself travelling around by train for interviews or...
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Market Research: An Opportunity To Be Heard By...
You may routinely receive calls from market researchers hoping to get your thoughts regarding your bank service, and you may indeed blow them off by saying that you are on your way out the door. As someone who has worked part-time previously at such call-centers, I have all too frequently seen people with strong views dismiss this option to give their feedback when their bank do wish to know how...
April 2012
4 posts
3 tags
Crunch Accounting: Accounting Made Easy
It is well known that accounting can be a real nightmare especially for small businesses that can’t afford hiring an account manager. In fact, account management concerns all kind of businesses both B2B and B2C companies no matter the sector in which they operate. Unfortunately, not everybody enjoys doing it as it is quite complicated and this can be a real danger for your business. In fact,...
7 Easy ways to cut your household bill right now
Here are a few tips to help with your utility bills:
Check your electricity and gas meters
The majority of bills are calculated based on estimates, which means that you may be paying more than you need to. Check your meters and then argue your case.
Pay your bills by direct debit
Utilities companies often offer discounts of six to ten per cent for customers that pay by direct debit.
Always shop...
The top cheap retirement destinations
Retirement abroad is the dream of many but there’s always the worry that you might run out of money. If you don’t have much saved up, here are some destinations which will stretch your money out for the longest.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica has a retirement friendly tax structure which means you don’t have to pay tax on your retirement income. Costa Rica is also one of the safest Latin American...
3 Reasons why it’s better to rent
Renting or buying, which is better? If you’ve got the luxury of deciding between them, you should read these facts before you consider investing money in buying a house.
No hidden costs or maintenance
This is the best thing about renting. Anything that goes wrong is something for the landlord to deal with. It costs a lot of money to fix the little things that go wrong around the house. Additional...
March 2012
7 posts
Free and Frugal living
Here are some great tips on frugal living:
Want to watch a DVD?
Don’t go out and buy one, rent it or consider joining a service like lovefilm who offer thousands of DVDs which you can borrow at a reasonable monthly rate.
Need a new wardrobe?
Go visit the second hand stores and charity shops. If you pick your area well (try Chelsea in London) you can pick up some great finds. Think designer labels...
How to find a cheap and good mechanic
Finding a reliable mechanic isn’t always easy. There are some great mechanics out there but knowing a good one when you don’t know the technical aspects of a car is difficult, and making the wrong decision will cost you. Here are some tips on finding a good one:
Look locally
When you’re looking for a mechanic you have some choices to make. You can choose from big chain companies or a local...
2 Reasons why you should live with your parents...
People who’ve already moved out of the nest often consider those that still live with their parents to be seriously un-cool. However, if your parents don’t mind you staying in their house and you can withstand losing a little bit of street cred, then it may be worth your while to hang on to your childhood home for a few years more.
Focus on advancing your career and education
If you live with...
Why having a Smartphone can save you money
Smartphones can seem ludicrously expensive when searching for a new phone. Why should you spend a lot of money on a handset or pay a monthly contract when all you want to do is make a call?
You have to remember that Smartphones are so much more than your average mobile. If you use a Smartphone to its full potential, you will probably end up saving yourself the cost of the phone and...
Petrol Price Panic
With petrol prices predicted to rise upwards and the threat of a tanker driver strike, should you be worried about how much fuel’s left in your tank?
A panic buying frenzy has already taken over the UK as drivers rush to fill up their vehicles. The fears have been bolstered by government ministers advising people to fill up jerry cans and even keep a little bit more petrol stashed in their...
Four Things That Mean You’re Rich
Have you ever thought that life would be better if only you were rich? Well, believe it or not, you probably already have what the rich pay hundreds and thousands for. Curious? Read on…
1. A Trustworthy Friend.
More to the point, a trustworthy friend whom you can offload all your sorrows upon, and who will not judge you.
If you had to pay for a friend like that, they’d be a professional...
The real cost of parking
With the cost of public transport going up so often, one naturally tends to assume it must be cheaper to own a car, and it could be. We tried to work out the average cost of car parking in the UK, and found a big difference between the cities.
One source estimates that the average parking space, which is enough room for 6-12 bicycles costs anything between £1,200 - £2,500, and then another...
February 2012
3 posts
Car Insurance prices soar
Motor insurance premiums have seen a rapid increase recently. This is reportedly due to the increase in claims of whiplash injuries. Briton’s hopeful of big cash payouts with the help of ambulance chasing ‘Injury lawyers’ have been making false, or exaggerated claims of injury. MPs are calling for much tougher conditions on proving injury for the payment of any compensation of...
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Barclays banker pay out
As millions of Britons all over the country struggle, scrape and claw through the ‘credit crunch’, Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond is in line to receive a £10 million bonus. The ‘credit crunch’ was predominantly caused by the irresponsible lending of banks, but now their top executives are reaping the benefits as the rest of the country suffers. Banks are now either...
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Fears over rising bills
According to recent research published by Citizens Advice, four out of ten Britons are worried that they will not be able to afford to pay their next energy bill as prices continue to rise at an alarming rate. Many energy companies raised their prices by up to 15% at the end of 2011, but many are now back tracking by offering to reduce prices by 5% for some of their customers. This still means an...
