TOP TIPS FOR SAVING
POUNDS
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| But don't spend them all at once |
They say if you watch the pennies the pounds
will watch themselves. But money saving expert Martin Lewis says that you have
to do more than simply watch your pennies to save money.
Martin says that there are many ways in the South East
that people can save money and improve their financial health.
Martin says, "We spend our lives being screwed by companies.
But if you鈥檙e canny and you鈥檙e sassy you can screw them back."
As a professional, full-time money saving expert, Martin
has turned money saving into an art form.
Here, he shares his top ten ways to say money in the
South East.
1. Pay less for gas and electricity
Martin claims that by switching to a different supplier,
you can slash the combined cost of gas and electricity bills by 25%.
Contact a comparison company such as Save On Your Bills
or Stay Warm who will advise of the most appropriate providers to switch
to, depending on your area.
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| Martin lays money
saving tips on the table |
2. Reduce your credit card bills
There are over 25 cards offering 0% interest on balance
transfers at the moment. Shop around to get the best deal and save on
the interest that you would be paying each month.
3. Shop on the web
Online stores often give a discount as they don鈥檛 have
the same overheads involved when selling online. Search for the goods
that you want using a search engine or ask the retailers themselves if
they have an online store.
4. Get designer gear form low prices
Designer outlet villages give large discount on clothing
and other household items. Inside Out presenter Paul Ross took a trip
to a discount clothes shop in Brighton where he found labels such as Ralph Lauren,
Jasper Conran and Paul Smith at up to 60% off.
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| Changing your
mortgage could save you pounds |
5. Pay less for your mortgage
Martin says that many people sitting on a standard rate
mortgage could save themselves one or two percentage points.
First you need to check that you are not tied to your
existing mortgage and whether you will be charged redemption penalties.
Asking the advice of a financial advisor, bank or building society is
the next step.
6. Pay less for petrol
By using a Free AA service called Petrol Busters you
could save money on the cost of fuel. The service is online (see weblinks
below) and by typing your postcode into a database, the service will provide
you with details of the cheapest petrol stations within whichever distance
you have specified from your home.
7. Don鈥檛 let water be a drain
There鈥檚 no competition in the water market as you have
to use whoever your local supplier is. However, Martin suggests that if
the number of people who live in your house is the same or less than the
number of bedrooms in your house, then you may be wise to switch to a
water meter. Contact your local water supplier for more details.
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| You could even
spend your savings on sight-seeing |
8. Shop in France
If you live in the South East and want to save money
on your shopping, it might be time to leave the country and go continental
shopping.
Carole and Ray Sidoli go shopping in France about once
every six weeks and say that they save up to 50% on their groceries. It
is possible to get themselves and their car to France for just nine pounds
return, meaning the costs involved are reasonable.
9. Make money from your credit card
Amazing though it may seem, there are some credit cards
which give you money for spending. The blue Amex cards and the Circle
Rebate card give you one percent on everything you buy. This seems too
good to be true, especially if you spend a lot on your credit card every
month. Well, it is. It all goes wrong if you forget to pay off your card
each month - so bear that in mind.
10. Haggle
Presenter Paul Ross proved that good old-fashioned haggling
can save you a few pounds.
Paul went into three high street electrical retailers
to purchase a DVD. He asked for a discount if he paid cash for the DVDs,
which all cost around 拢200. Although one retailer said no, one gave Paul
a 拢10 discount and one threw in a Scart lead worth 拢12.99. Although the
retailers said that this is not something that they will always do, they
will consider it if the item is ex-display or the end of a line - so it鈥檚
worth asking. | 
