Posts filed under 'advice'
I love a bit of glitz and glamour and this time of year is a fantastic time for it. The warmer weather always seems to bring the more daring side of us out as we dare to bare a bit more flesh and wear bolder, brighter colours.
Ladies day at Ascot is one of those events that you can be as outlandish and daring as you possibly can - at least as far as hats and colours are concerned as you can see from the picture above. But I wonder just how much betting takes place at this event. Do people have much money to gamble away?
We all know about the growing cost of petrol and the decreasing value of property but now Malcom Wicks, Energy Minister, has warned that a significant increase in gas and electricity prices is ‘very likely’. He blames the increased cost of oil, gas and coal, and estimated that the increase could be as much as 40%.
The one area that seemed to buck the trend was that retail sales in May unexpectedly surged with sales up by 3.5%. According to The Times this is the fastest pace of growth since the 1986. However, this may prompt The Bank of England to raise the UK interest rate in an attempt to control inflation.
So it looks like we all need to continue to keep those belts well and truly tight, but it doesn’t mean we can’t try and enjoy ourselves at the same time. As long as we plan and budget how to spend our money carefully we should all be able to enjoy a little flutter on the horses.
June 19th, 2008
Shell and its tanker drivers have finally come to an agreement over pay and Shell have agreed to a 14% pay rise over two years according to BBC news. This should take a little bit of strain off of us drivers as Shell garages should now be back to normal with full supplies at least for the next two years.
However, there is still the very real issue of petrol prices which now stand at 118p a litre across many garages. A debt charity called Elizabeth Finn Care helps professionals who have fallen on hard times and give financial support to those that are struggling including those with long-term physical or mental illness and family breakdown. Rebecca Ward from the charity says that “The rise in the amount we have paid out in the past month is entirely to do with the increase in cost of fuel”.
Unfortunately we aren’t able to influence this but there are ways in which we can make our petrol go that bit further.
The Telegraph and car insurer swiftcover.com have come up with their top tips for driving more economically.
The top tips include:
Lightening the load - The more weight your car carries the harder it has to work, so lose any unnecessary weight. For example, remove roof racks that aren’t being used and make sure that the car doesn’t contain too much clutter.
Pressure - driving on under-inflated tyres requires more engine power so keep you tyres at their recommended pressure level.
Smooth driving - according to Swiftcover, driving smoothly and intelligently can save up to 30% on fuel consumption.
Be speed efficient - the most fuel efficient speed for driving is 55-65mph so try not to exceed this.
One of the top tips is - if you don’t need to drive then don’t! For short distances it may be worth forgetting about the car and walking instead. Not only will you save on fuel consumption but you will also feel better for the exercise. Also, driving less miles can have a positive effect on your car insurance premium so that could reduce your costs even further.
June 18th, 2008
There has been great concern of late as to the content of some websites that are targetting children and young adults. It is becoming increasingly more difficult for parents to monitor exactly what their children are accessing on the web.
New guidelines introduced in February 2008 now requires content providers to ’signpost’ material that may be deemed as unsuitable for children, i.e. using a pop up warning box. The guidelines have been endorsed by the BBC, Channel 4, Bebo, Google and Yahoo, but personally I’m not sure how effective this will be. Parents can’t supervise their children 100% of the time they are on the internet and surely children will just ignore the pop up box.
A report by the National Consumer Council reviewed 40 websites that are popular with children and found that users were being exposed to more than 200 ads. It covered activity across sites like CBeebies, Neopets, YouTube, Bebo, MySpace, eBay and Lime Wire. Many of the ads were advertising dating and gambling and other products or services prohibited to children under 16. However, many of the sites are not specifically aimed at children so it is very hard to regulate this activity.
On the back of this The Telegraph have listed their top 20 websites for children and families. Some of the sites like CBeebies, Mr Men, and Nickelodeon are aimed at younger children whilst other sites like How Stuff Works, Guinness World Records, Cool Reads and Funology are aimed at older children and are educational and fun.
One really useful website for parents is Travelling with Children which has some great tips on where to holiday, how to travel and some very useful products.
June 4th, 2008
Do you have any guilty secrets when driving? Do you do anything when you drive that you know you shouldn’t be doing?
I think one good indicator as to whether you are doing something you shouldn’t is how you react when you see a police car coming. For example do you quickly put your mobile phone or sandwich down in a panic?
Did you know that in 2007 a new edition of The Highway Code was published containing 29 new codes. It now includes rules on adjusting your satellite navigation system and eating and talking when driving. Although sucking a sweet may be ok, it is how you get the sweet in to your mouth that is the problem. Similarly with talking. Talking is fine but having a full blown argument can be very dangerous
According to Easier Motoring our top 10 guilty secrets include eating at the wheel, chatting on the mobile, damaging another car and not owning up to it, reading a newspaper or magazine and checking out good-looking drivers. Apparently 8% of people will even go as far as using a ‘Dr on call’ sign when they are not doctors.
The research carried out by the organisers of The British International Motor Show also showed that we know relatively little about the basics of maintaining a car. 43% of people interviewed don’t know how to change a tyre, a third don’t know where the dipstick is and a quarter don’t even know how to check the tyre pressure. I guess that it is so easy now to call out one of the breakdown services that people don’t need to worry about getting their hands dirty.
Do you know how to maintain your car? We would love to hear your views on this and about your driving confessions. Send us a comment for publishing on our blog.
May 28th, 2008
Over the past 12 months Moneysupermarket.com have analysed 12 million quotes and has announced that Kwik Fit and Swiftcover are the most competitive companies for car insurance in the UK.
According to the London Stock Exchange, Kwik Fit and Swiftcover were tied for the top spot with average premiums on car insurance of just £276.74.
Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at moneysupermarket.com said that smaller online insurers who have lower overheads are being very nimble on price.
Swiftcover.com for example have no call centres so they can pass these savings on to their customers. Make sure that you aren’t paying over the odds on your car insurance.
At a time when we are all trying to reduce our expenditure as petrol prices soar, it is well worth visiting the Kwik Fit and Swiftcover websites to see if you can save on your car insurance.
May 27th, 2008
We all resent having to buy car insurance and spend our time hunting around for the best deals, but what do we look for when choosing which car insurer to use and exactly what are we covered for?
I think that a lot of people take into account the reputation of the insurance company but the vast majority of people make a decision based on price first and foremost. But do we really know what the price actually gives us.
Recent research carried out on behalf of swiftcover.com found that we are all very confused about what is and isn’t covered. Here are some common misunderstandings when it comes to car insurance:
Some people think that their insurance policy automatically covers them for driving other people’s cars but in reality you are not always covered and if you are it is normally for third party cover only;
Have you ever put petrol in a diesel car? I know a friend who did this, twice. Luckily the car was fine but they may not have been covered under their car insurance policy. 10% of people from the research wrongly assumed it would be covered;
Apparently 36% of drivers smoke whilst driving and a staggering 65% of us eat. If you ever have an accident whilst smoking, drinking or eating you could be caught for negligence even if you weren’t to blame.
I found quite a funny article called The 10 most dangerous foods to eat while driving. It’s number one offender was ‘coffee’. Not technically a food but a real distraction due to its dripability. People tend to be more prone to accidents when trying to clear up coffee that has dripped on to clothes, especially on the way to work. Foods that made the top 10 included Tacos and chilli (why would you?), hamburgers, fried chicken and chocolate (don’t even try eating a flake when driving).
So make sure that you read the policy details before you buy to make sure that everything you need for your car insurance is included and when you have bought your insurance, don’t eat and drive.
May 21st, 2008
Are you one of the millions of people that suffer from Hayfever? If you are I completely sympathise with you. Just as the weather starts to turn nice and you want to spend more time outdoors, along comes the runny nose, itchy eyes and the sneezing. Not only do we have to walk around looking like we have colds, but to add insult to injury we are also now likely to have our car insurance premiums increased as we are seen as more of a risk on the roads.
Like smoking, eating and drinking, sneezing is also a distraction when driving. Especially if you are reaching down for a tissue at the same time. Joking aside - the main concern that insurance companies seem to have isn’t so much in the sneezing but the side effects that hayfever medication can have on you. It is very important that if you are taking medication that you read the instructions and understand what the side effects could be. Some may cause drowsiness and a slower reaction time when driving. If you suffer very badly from hayfever you may be tempted to mix your medication and this can make matters worse.
So if you are taking medication, please read the label before driving. There are so many speed cameras on the sides of our roads and hidden cameras in cars that it is much easier to be caught driving dangerously, so be vigilant.
May 14th, 2008
It is actually finally starting to feel like summer and it is that time of the year when people start to book their holidays. It is very easy to spend all your time choosing your holiday destination and then busily buying new summer clothes and shoes that forgetting to buy or check your travel insurance is common place.
There are many travel insurance providers and it can be very confusing as to what type of policy to go for and who to go with. Some people may already have received free travel insurance through their bank account but please ensure that you have read the small print and understand exactly what you are insured for.
The Times Online have compiled a really helpful article about how to choose your travel insurance policy. It takes you through what The Foreign and Commonweath Office recommend your travel insurance should cover and more useful information.
Don’t forget that if you are travelling in Europe you need to apply for your European Health Insurance Card as this entitles you to free or discounted medical treatment.
Make sure that the Travel Insurance you buy is the best for you in terms of price and cover. For example if you normally have two or three holidays in the year then it would probably be cheaper to buy an annual multi-trip policy rather than a single policy for each trip. Also, if you are a sporty person and plan on taking part in a certain sporting activity on holiday, make sure that this is included on your insurance. An article by MSN gives more tips on this including ensuring you have adequate car insurance cover if driving abroad and the all important luggage and baggage cover should anything go missing or get damaged.
May 6th, 2008
I read an article on The London Stock Exchange website which identifies the rising cost of car insurance as a contributing factor to people not being able to afford to run a car any longer.
A poll carried out by MoneyExpert.com says that 25% of motorists who completed the poll are using their cars less as a result of increased costs. 8% of these people said increased car insurance premiums was the main reason. However, a substantial 76% said that it was the rising petrol prices that effected how much they use their car.
These people won’t be happy to hear that petrol prices could hit £1.50 per litre by late summer according to a report in The Guardian. The increase is due to the price of a barrel of crude oil hitting almost $114 and the sharp fall in the value of the dollar.
Gordon Brown in visiting the United States at the moment to discuss the Credit Crunch and has called on Opec to increase production in a bid to drive costs down. It looks like it is a simple supply and demand situation. However Opec appears to be standing firm.
So with all these costs rising it looks like we all need to tighten our belts a little. Spring is officially here so now would be a good time to Spring Cleaning your finances. Make sure you are getting the best deals for your loans, car insurance, mortgages and shop around for the cheapest petrol prices.
April 17th, 2008
As a member of the public, I was really pleased to read that The RSPCA has announced that at their Society summer conference they will be examining the challenge of managing dogs within our communities.
There have been many reports over the past couple of years where children have been unexpectedly and uncharacteristically attacked by family pets in their own homes, some leading to them sadly dying. It is certainly something that I am more aware of nowadays and more nervous about when I see a stray dog in the street.
Miranda Luck, RSPCA Strategic Campaigner said : “There is a concern amongst the public at the moment about dogs, whether it be high-profile attacks on children, organised dog fighting, or young people with tough-looking dogs on street corners. The RSPCA wants to bring people together to discuss these issues, and hopefully we’ll come up with effective solutions.”
Speakers at the one day conference will include Richard Brunstrom, North Wales Chief Constable and Neil Davies, the head of the Dog Unit for Merseyside Police. Following the death of Ellie Lawrenson in 2007, Neil Davies introduced the ‘pitbull amnesty’.
The RSPCA have also launched a new scheme in Brixton to try and address the problem of anti-social behaviour and the intimidation of dogs on London’s streets. The scheme brings together Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, The Blue Cross and the RSPCA and has the backing of the Mayor of London.
An educational pack was put together with a video exploring issues of dog ownership. It addresses topics like irresponsible dog breeding, inappropriate exercise areas and organized dog fighting.
With so many high profile attacks it brings to the fore the need to have some level of pet insurance. Make sure that you are covered if your pet injures or kills someone or damages someone’s property. It can happen so easily and can cost you thousands of pounds. Also, with pet’s rating so highly in our affections it is good to know that your pet will also be looked after if they are ever hurt or attacked by another animal.
April 10th, 2008
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