Best money-saving advice for cheap airfare
Best money-saving advice for cheap airfare
1. Flight Sales Campaigns. Several low-cost airlines have free ‘flights sales’ usually starting at one dollar or one pound, to promote their latest routes and services and attract new customers. Be sure to check that the sale price includes all extras such as taxes and supplements because it could still add up to /£30 each way.
2. Ticket Brokers. Buy tickets through a ticket broker or a “bucket shop”. They buy blocks of tickets and sell them at discount prices to help an airline fill up all available seats. You will find a lot of information online under “Ticket Brokers” or check the travel section of your daily newspaper.
3. Travel Auctions. An online flight auction site sells current, available offers to the highest bidder. You put in a bid as to what you are prepared to pay and if your offer is accepted you will get the flight. The price you will pay is likely to be a lot cheaper than a standard ticket to the same destination. There are a few restrictions, you can only state the destination you wish to travel to and the departure and arrival dates. Some things such as the airline and flight times are normally out of your control.
4. Courier/Delivery Service. Become an air courier by registering with a courier company. The company purchases tickets from airlines and gives them to the courier for a cheap price in return for their work. Check the company is officially recognised. A good place to look is the ‘ IAATC – International Association of Air Travel Couriers’. They have advice and information on the most trusted courier companies, last minute flights and the best offers. Alternatively, look up “courier companies” online or in your local directory. You have to be over 18 years old with a valid passport. Check the terms and conditions before signing on. After registering, you will usually be required to show up at the airport at a certain time to be given instructions as to where to meet the courier agent (the person you are handing the baggage over to at the destination airport). Couriers can save approximately 50%, sometimes more, off the regular air fare price. Destinations are limited however and the length of stay usually varies between 2 and 3 weeks.This method of travel is recommended if you are looking for an interesting, fun way to save money.
5. Direct buy. If you find a flight independently, for example, through a comparison website, refer to the airline’s own site and enter the flight details. When you book directly through the airline, you can save you up to £15 or and there will be no service fee. Low-cost airlines are not always the cheapest.
6. Frequent flyer programmes. Most of the major airlines offer frequent flyer schemes as an incentive to fly with their airline. Choose an airline and go to their website. Enter your details in the frequent flyer section and you will be issued with a personal number. Then, quote your “frequent flyer number” whenever you book a flight, either online or through an agent and reward miles will be credited to your account. This is ideal for people who travel on a regular basis. There are several airline-linked credit cards which offer free return trips as a reward if you successfully apply for one of their cards. Buy anything that you would normally buy and repay in full on receipt of your statement.
7. Code share flights. A code-share flight is a flight which is on sale with two different airlines.When you have found a flight, ask a travel agent if it is a code-share flight. . Make a note of the other airline and check into what they are charging. Only one of the airlines will be operating the flight. The actual operator always offers this flight for less, so go with them.
8. Standby/Charter/No frills flights. Standby fares are appropriate if you’re flying off-season and a good option if you are prepared to wait around until a seat becomes available. Choosing to fly standby in peak season is not recommended because most airlines overbook flights, making it difficult to obtain a spare seat. Charter flights are supplied by tour companies to transport their passengers. If you’re going to a popular holiday destination, you will have a good chance of getting a cheap ticket. The operator books the whole plane and sometimes there are spare seats, which are offered very cheaply to flight-only customers. You could contact the charter airline directly and ask them for top last-minute charter deals although local travel agents can often beat them. No-frills or low-cost airline tickets have to be booked directly via the airline’s website. There are no extras included such as preferred seating or entertainment but the cost is minimal, as low as £13 or , depending on your destination.
9. Apex fares. Superapex and Apex tickets are normally the cheapest on offer by major airlines. However, they do have the most restrictions. They are non-refundable and have to be bought up to 28 days in advance, depending on the airline’s conditions. No stopovers are allowed and a minimum stay at the destination is compulsory. This type of ticket is suitable for flexible travellers as there can be up to 12 different fares for the same seat in economy class.
10. Flexible Options. Save money by travelling through the night and midweek. Fares are a lot cheaper and there is no weekend supplement.
Avoid travelling in school holidays eg June to September as prices increase dramatically, up to 3 or £200.
Contact airlines between midnight and 1a.m. Monday to Friday to get cheaper tickets. Airline agents change their fares and load them into their computers at midnight and the best fares are available just after they have updated their records.
Compare local airports. Check the prices at 2 or 3 differentdeparture points which are in close proximity to your initial departure point. Low-cost airlines often use smaller airports which are not as busy. Similarly, check secondary airports to the initial destination you plan to go to. Prices differ between airports in the same area. Budget airlines often have sales that offer cheaper flight deals on specific dates. People with a flexible schedule who can fly with any airline at any time will be able to get a good bargain.
According to various travel agents, the best time to book a flight is 11 months in advance which is just after they have been released and there are more cheaper seats available.
The sale price on a ticket is not always the lowest price available. You could find a lower price on a nonsale ticket from another airline. Also, discount, low-cost airlines aren’t always the cheapest. Use a comparison website which checks lots of budget airlines, normal airlines and brokers, to find the cheapest quote for your trip.
Finally – Before booking, always check for any hidden charges and confirm that the ticket price is fully inclusive. Some advertisements do not include extra fees, taxes etc which will increase the price of the ticket.
Money Saving Advice for Auto Insurance
Money Saving Advice for Auto Insurance
Do not speed. When you suffer traffic infractions and end up with speeding tickets you tarnish your driving record which in turn makes your auto insurance coverage get higher and more expensive to pay into. Drive fewer miles to qualify for a low mileage discount.
Compare quotes. Compare quotes online and with your local agents. Spend around 10 minutes with each provider getting quotes and you will find that there is a comparable difference between the different companies. There is nothing that will save you more money than that of comparing quotes between the leading automobile insurance companies.
Auto discounts. There are a variety of auto discounts that you can get. There are discounts covering an array of safety features in new and used cars. You can ask your auto insurance provider if they have discounts for new cars cars with low theft probability cars with safety features sharing a policy with another automobile or carrying another type of policy with them. Students especially those with great grades and t hose that have taken drivers education courses qualify for auto insurance discounts.
Raising deductible. Raising the deductible on your collision coverage and comprehensive coverage to lower your monthly or annual premium. Just make sure that you can afford to pay your deductible in cash or out of pocket if the need arises.
Eliminate rental reimbursement and towing insurance coverage. This type of coverage is unnecessary if you have AAA and/ or a new car extended warranty. You can have the coverage removed to save you additional money on your auto insurance.
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Guide to the Government Car and Van Scrappage Scheme ? Money Saving Advice
Guide to the Government Car and Van Scrappage Scheme ? Money Saving Advice
The experts have a difference of opinion when it comes to saving money by trading in your old banger for a new car just because you can get an extra £2,000 off a new car. The main reason for this government incentive is to increase car sales and to boost the economic situation in the UK. The car industry has been hit badly by the downturn in the economy. They have seen sales drop by nearly a third in the last year. During the past twelve months vehicle manufactures have reduced staff, temporarily closed down factories, placed staff on a three day week and asked the government for help in order to save their industry.
The Government has responded by announcing an investment of £300 million in the scrappage trade-in scheme starting today for all cars that are over ten years old. They will provide car owners with a £2,000 discount on a brand new car bought when they trade in their old car. All cars traded-in will be officially scrapped. Death by a crusher will follow so that the cars will not be resold on the second-hand market. This incentive by the government is expected to last until the £300 million runs out or until March 2010.
There are around 30 million car owners in the UK and it and it is estimated that less than 1% of us will actually qualify for the £2,000 discount from the Treasury before the funds dry up. This government incentive is good news for the car industry and for the thousands of people who work in or are dependent on the car manufacturing sector in the UK today.
To qualify for the governments’ £2,000 car scrappage discount you and the car dealership need to meet the following requirements:
1. The owner of the new car or van must be the same person who owned the scrapped car.
2. Your car must be over ten years old. Any vehicle offered must have been registered before 31st August 1999.
3. Trade-in a ten year old vehicle for a brand new car or van under 3,500 kg.
4. You will need a current MOT certificate
5. Any car offered must have a valid DVLA registration documents in the name of the owner.
6. The owner must have owned the car for at least 12 months prior to trading-in the vehicle.
7. Initially it was thought that the vehicle should also be legally taxed and insured. After further clarification by the Telegraph Motoring, the SMMT have decided that neither a tax disc nor car insurance will be required.
8. All cars offered for scrap must be a car or van weighing up to 3,500 kgs
9. First registration date of new car must be Britain 18th May 2009 and there must be no previous owners of any description and should meet British specification only. This excludes bargain priced cars unused and already pre-registered and unused foreign specification vehicles.
10. The new car or van can originate from any motor manufacturer anywhere in the world.
11. The brand new vehicle should be fuel efficient and low-polluting.
12. Participating car dealerships need to sign up to the Government incentive to be able to operate the scheme.
13. Car dealerships are required to contribute £1,000 towards the £2,000 discount being offered by the Treasury Department
Last week the price comparison company uSwitch.com said the £2,000 incentive would effectively be “lost” in depreciation within 88 days of consumers buying a new vehicle within the scheme. The AA responded by backing the scrappage initiative and saying that the depreciation analysis was irrelevant and misleading and that the scrappage scheme would benefit “hundreds and thousands of consumers”.
Whilst we understand the reasons for the incentive of £2,000 discount on a new car when you trade-in your old banger. It is important that you have a look at the price of a nearly new vehicle as well. Let me explain. If a new car is £13,000 after the £2,000 discount has be applied and you have the choice of a second-hand car that is six-months old with 5,000 miles, in first-class condition for £10,750. Then you have to ask yourself whether it is worth paying the difference £2,250 for a brand new car that will depreciate within the next 88 days as previously suggested.
Another point of concern is financing a new car purchases and at what cost. Remember that interest rates have fallen and lenders are charging upwards of 7%. Finance lenders still do not have a great appetite for lending. However, arranging finance on a vehicle might be easier as long as you have no adverse credit on your Experian credit report and are squeaky clean financially. The reason for this is that the finance is secured against the car or van and can be repossessed if you stop paying the agreement. Just watch-out for the cost of borrowing – a deal is only a great deal when it does not cost you a fortune
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Leave a commentMoney Saving Advice – Sixteen Ways to Save Money on Your Gas and Electricity Bills
Money Saving Advice – Sixteen Ways to Save Money on Your Gas and Electricity Bills
We have just had the worst snow in twenty years last month which brought some parts of the UK to its knees. The Bank of England is trying to control deflation by reducing interest rate to one percent and still the prices for certain imported foods and energy costs are rising. Everybody is now feeling the fallout of the credit crunch and the recession is starting to take victims. Last month I noticed the biggest jump in my gas and electricity costs so I called my provider. They informed me that the costs were about right for the size of house although my gas was a bit high. My Gas and Electricity bill had jumped to £282 per month. (Ouch!)
Am I being mugged by my utility provider?
It certainly feels as if I am being mugged by my utility provider and the gas and electricity that is being supplied to my home is providing free gas and electricity to the rest of the homes on our development. At least Dick Turpin wore a mask when he was robbing the public. So faced with increasing utility costs I put on my money saving expert hat and started to investigate how I could reduce my gas and electricity costs.
Government Grants website
You could use the Government Grants website which provides a source of information for UK grants for gas central heating, loft insulation and cavity wall insulation. Government grants from 40% to 70% are available to homeowners and tenants for loft and cavity wall insulation. These grants are funded by the utility companies and are non-refundable. These grants will not be around forever and once the funding that has been allocated is exhausted they will finish. They also offer a solar heating grant of £400 towards the cost of installation of solar panels which cost around £4,000 depending on the size of your home. If you do not meet their eligibility criteria for free insulation, then grants from around 50% are available for loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, so you can still achieve a massive saving on the normal cost.
The Governments’ Energy Saving Trust Website
I also discovered that there were grants available to help us implement energy saving measures and help reduce our carbon foot print. The Governments’ Energy Saving Trust website provides grants and they have a wonderful search tool to help you find grants or offers that are available for you in your area. All you need do is complete the questions asked on their search for grants and offers page. You will then be presented with a list of providers offering discounted prices or grants in your area. This is a brilliant site and is packed with great advice and help for saving energy, saving money and reducing your carbon dioxide emissions from your home.
What Savings can I expect from loft and cavity wall insulation
Our homes lose 35% of their heating through the walls and 25% through the roof. At the Governments Energy Saving Trust website they have an Energy Saving House where they show you a full range of energy saving measures. For example by insulating the loft and having cavity wall insulation with a grant you could reduce you’re heating bills by around £365 a year and reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions by up to 1.5 tonnes.
You can complete their online Energy Savers report which allows you to understand your homes energy efficiency performance to reduce your energy use and how to save money. The average cost seems to be between £225 to £249 for either cavity wall insulation or loft insulation depending on the size of your home. Although I did find that B&Q the DIY store was charging £199 for either cavity wall insulation or loft insulation depending on the size of your home. If you are over 70 years old you can receive loft insulation and cavity wall insulation for free from the Energy Saving Trust or the Government Grants website.
You can find some great energy and money saving tips on the ThinkMoney.co.uk website.
Old central heating boilers are inefficient
Changing you’re a central heating boiler that is over ten years old will reduce your gas bill as it is thought that these older central heating unit are only 70% efficient. This means that for every £1 of gas that you buy your old unit wastes 30pence of the money you pay for your gas. Add some heating controls taps to your central heating radiators and they could help save you a further 17% of your heating bill when fitted with a condensing boiler along with an upgraded heating control and you could be looking at a total saving of as much as 40% of your heating bill providing a saving of £275 a year depending on the size of your home.
Sixteen ways to save money on your monthly utility bill
To summarize here is a list solutions and other money saving tips that are available to help you reduce your gas and electricity bill. The grants and discounts available will vary according to the size of your home, your location, your annual income and your age.
1. Grants for gas central heating depends on age and benefits being claimed
2. Grants and discounts for loft insulation from £199
3. Grants and discounts for cavity wall insulation from £199
4. Grant of £400 towards the installation of Solar panels
5. Replace existing light bulbs with Energy Saving Lightbulbs, they cost around £2 per bulb and you could expect to save around £45 before it needs replacing. These bulbs use 80% less electricity and will last ten times longer than a standard light bulb. Count the number of bulbs you need and see the savings.
6. Update your Central heating unit if older then 10 years. Consider either a condensing boiler along with an upgraded heating control unit or replace it with a Combi Boiler as this will do away with a conventional hot-water storage cylinder and water tanks in the loft. Costs from £2,000
7. Add heating controls tap to all your radiators, they cost from £7.99 each
8. Switch Utility providers for a better deal.
9. Switch your gas and electricity providers to a duel fuel provider if you have not already done this for further savings, save around £115
10. Pay your utility bills monthly by direct debit for a further discount from your provider.
11. Switch to an online account with your utility provider. You can now read your gas and electricity meters monthly and update the information for an accurate bill. This will prevent over billing from estimated assessments of your usage.
12. If you are on a coin operated meter for your gas and electricity then consider switching as you are paying a premium for this facility.
13. Switch off all light switches and plugs when the appliances are not in use.
14. An estimated £910 million is wasted in the UK every year by people leaving televisions, computers, TV set-top boxes and radios on standby.
15. Use a timer to turn your central heating on and off as required.
16. Consider switching to Energy Saving Recommended household appliances as they could cut your energy consumption by up to a third compared to your old appliance. Obviously only do this as you replace broken or old appliances.
For further ways of reducing your gas and utility bill then you should visit the Energy Saving Trust website where you will find a mountain of further money saving ideas and help.
Anyone can reduce their Gas and Electricity bills
Anyone can reduce their Gas and Electricity bills by at least 20% following the sixteen ways to save money listed above. Unfortunately, like most things you need to spend some money to save money; but the rewards will return each month. By implementing a few of these money saving tips at home you will certain reduce your gas and electricity bills in the future and save money. You’re thinking I cannot afford to make all these changes. Start with the changes that cost the least and then work your way through the list above. Remember by making these changes you will not only save money each month but you will be helping our planet HOME by reducing your carbon dioxide emissions.
Posted in Saving Advice | advice, Bills, Electricity, Money, Save, Saving, Sixteen, Ways | Leave a commentMoney Saving advice for Mortgage Borrowers facing Negative Equity
Money Saving advice for Mortgage Borrowers facing Negative Equity
During the 1993 housing recession it was estimated that one and a half million homeowners had negative equity. The Council of Mortgage Lenders has announced that approximately 900,000 homeowners currently have some degree of negative equity. They believe around 600,000 of these homeowners have seen modest shortfalls of around 10%. When compared with the previous economic downturn which was more concentrated amongst the young and first-time buyers this time around it seems to be more evenly spread across a wider age group and people at different times on the property ladder.
Throughout the 1990’s the average base rate was 8.1% they did not witness interest rates tumbling to their lowest level since records started as we have seen this time. It seems that most people previously did not move house but choose to stay and continue to pay their mortgages. By 2000 their negative equity situation had reversed and they then found that their homes had increased substantially in value and equity.
Negative equity is never an issue unless you have to sell your home. The best money saving advice I can provide is that you stay in your home and weather the storm. The housing market has a habit of bouncing back it might just take a while to bounce back this time. As interest rates are low you should take full advantage of overpaying your mortgage if you are fortunate to have a tracker rate mortgage or a standard variable rate mortgage that has reduced your monthly mortgage payments.
Negative equity is a problem when people are struggling after a change in their financial circumstances possibly where one partner may have lost their job and they find themselves needing to sell their homes. This is often the case where people have over extended their finances by having large repayments for their mortgage, credit card debts and loans. All too often they have not taken out any redundancy cover to protect their mortgage payments and associated bills should they lose their jobs. Selling your home when you have negative equity is a nightmare!
So you think more of the dog or the kids and the wife?
When times are good most people believe they can walk on water and that it will never happen to them. When problem that was avoidable then comes along and knocks them off their self-satisfied branch high in the tree they seem to fall and wonder why they did not protect their home and family. Insurance of any kinds is a waste of money until one day you need it and you don’t have it but alas it’s too late. Its strange people will insure their pets with a £35 a month health plan for Rover the dog, their cars for fully comprehensive insurance and yet they don’t seem to insure themselves and their families should they lose their jobs or have an accident or sickness.
Posted in Saving Advice | advice, Borrowers, Equity, facing, Money, Mortgage, Negative, Saving | Leave a comment