Money Saving Tips

Here are some useful tips that should help to cut your costs and put more money back into your pocket.

Telephone
At least twice a year review your phone bills for the previous three months to see what local, long distance and international calls you normally make. Call several phone companies, to find an inexpensive calling plan that meets your needs.

Food
You can save hundreds of euros a year by shopping at the lower-priced food shops. Convenience stores often charge the highest prices.
You will spend less on food if you shop with a list.
You can save hundreds of euros a year by comparing price-per-pound or other unit prices on shelf labels. Stock up on those items with low per-unit costs.

Credit Cards
You can save as much as €450 or more each year in lower credit card interest charges by paying off your entire bill each month or by using a cheque, cash or debit card for purchases.
If you are unable to pay off a large balance, pay as much as you can and switch to a credit card with a low annual percentage rate (APR).
You can reduce credit card fees, which may add up to well over €45 a year, by getting rid of all but one or two cards, and by avoiding annual, late payment, and over-the-credit limit fees.

Petrol
You can save hundreds of pounds a year by comparing prices at different stations.
You can save up to €30 a year on petrol by keeping your engine tuned and your tyres inflated to their correct pressure.

Renting a Car
Since car rental rates can vary greatly, shop around for the best basic rates. Ask about any additional charges and special offers.

Buying a New Car
You can save thousands of pounds over the lifetime of a car by selecting a model that combines a low purchase price with low financing, insurance, petrol, maintenance, and repair costs.
Having selected a model, you can save hundreds of pounds by doing a comparison. Call at least four dealers for price quotes and let each know that you are calling others.

Airline Travel
You may lower the price of a round trip air fare by as much as two-thirds by making certain your trip includes a Saturday evening stay over, and by purchasing the ticket in advance.
To make certain you have a cheap fare, even if you use a travel agent, contact all the airlines that fly where you want to go and ask what the lowest fare to your destination is.
Be flexible, if possible. Consider using low fare carriers or alternative airports and keep an eye out for fare wars.

Mortgage Refinancing
Consider refinancing your mortgage if you can get a rate that is at least one percentage point lower than your existing mortgage rate and plan to keep the new mortgage for several years or more.

Home Purchase
Have a full survey done and use the results of the survey to negotiate a lower sale price.

Home Improvement
Select from among established, licensed contractors who have submitted written, fixed-price quotes for the work.
Do not sign any contract that requires full payment before satisfactory completion of the work.

Major Appliances
There are often great price and quality differences among brands.
Once you've selected a brand call at least four shops for the prices of specific models. After each shop has given you a quote, ask if that's the lowest price they can offer you. This comparison shopping can save you as much as €75 or more.