Consumer Revenge

In a few weeks’ time, I’ll be giving a talk to my local U3A all about
how to save money using the internet. I put the finishing touches to
it last night, (setting it all up on a slideshow with Open Office’s
Impress).

If you’re living in the UK, you will most likely have heard of
Martin Lewis, and his Money Saving Expert website, which contains a
huge amount of information on how to save loads of dosh in most
spending areas. Readers are invited to comment in his forums, which
are useful ways of finding out say the quality of customer service an
insurance company offers, in sorting out claims. Buying the cheapest
service is not always the best policy.

Cashback is worth going for with sites such as Quidco and TopCashback,
and also on credit cards if you can pay off in full every month. It’s
a good idea to delete all the cookies on your computer, before you go
on to a site like Quidco, if you’ve done preliminary research into
which insurance company you’re going for, elsewhere. So if you’ve
already been onto the Aviva site for home insurance, you need to
delete the cookie relating to your visit, so as to get some cashback
when buying Aviva insurance via Quidco.

“Haggling” on the phone with these companies, to get reduced premiums,
is also very worthwhile. For example, Churchill Insurance had a
half-price offer on home insurance a year ago. This year, I persuaded
them to continue with this for another year.

I’ve saved over £900 in 4 main areas by doing all this … on buying
Broadband internet, car insurance (and breakdown cover), home insurance,
and dual fuel, switching to Scottish Power’s Online 7 service with
SimplySwitch. With hindsight, I could have got about £100 more cashback,
had I seen a special deal with TopCashback. (This deal has ended
unfortunately). It shows how fierce the competition there is between
energy companies for them to offer such huge incentives to join. I
think it’s worth switching provider annually to get the cheapest deal
(and to get some cashback at the same time). Consumer Revenge!

Mrs C and I are going to Cromer on the Norfolk coast this weekend for
a week, on a joint holiday with our daughter L and her family. I’ll be
taking my bucket and spade, and my brolly with me … plus my camera,
of course. Here is a little slide show of photos I took at Cromer, from
our visit in 2006 .... click HERE.

Talk to you, when I get back.