I recently received an email telling me about a new (free) cashback site called My Money Pocket. As a fan of cashback sites I was very happy to check it out.
My Money Pocket is a UK site. It is therefore entering an arena currently dominated by what might be called the Big Two here, Quidco and Top Cashback.
As with those two sites, My Money Pocket offers members the chance to earn cashback by following links to a variety of online retailers. These are affiliate/referral links, and My Money Pocket receives commission for any purchases made by people clicking through them. My Money Pocket then shares this commission with the member concerned.
Getting Started
Before you can use My Money Pocket to get cashback, you do (of course) need to register on the site. All they require for this is your email address and a password. On the plus side, that makes signing up very quick and easy. On the minus side, I find it slightly odd that they don’t ask for your name, which means you can’t see this when you are signed in. That could be problematic if you share your computer with other family members, as you may not know which of you is actually logged in!
I did ask My Money Pocket why they don’t ask for a name when registering, and they said it was to avoid privacy issues. Personally, though, I would much sooner see “Welcome, Nick” (or whatever) at the top of the screen to reassure me that I am actually signed in to my own account.
Once you are logged in you can start earning cashback by clicking through the links provided to a wide range of online stores. Most of these are also available with Top Cashback and Quidco, but the cashback rates (and terms) are different – better in some cases, worse in others. As with all things shopping related, it really does pay to shop around!
The website looks bright and welcoming, but a large area at the top is taken up by an offers carousel, which personally I find a bit obtrusive. I thought the site navigation was okay, but not quite as intuitive as the Big Two. I would prefer a traditional tabbed navigation menu of the sort that is used on Top Cashback and Quidco (and many other websites), but maybe I am just being a bit old-fashioned.
There is a drop-down Categories menu at the top left of the screen. This takes you to cashback offers in the following categories:
Fashion
Food and Drink
Health and Beauty
Electricals
Travel
Broadband
Entertainment and Leisure
Utilities
Gifts
Mobile
Home and Garden
Free Cashback
Gaming
Shopping
Office and Business
Sport
Gambling
Within most of these categories there are sub-categories as well. Incidentally, ‘Free Cashback’ lists offers where you don’t have to spend money to get cashback – for example, you might just have to request a quotation for your car insurance.
As with Top Cashback and Quidco, once you have made a purchase with one of the merchants on My Money Pocket, you will then have to wait for your cashback to be tracked, approved, paid and credited to your My Money Pocket account. You will then be able to withdraw this money, either to your bank account (through BACS) or via PayPal.
One other feature is that you can refer other people to My Money Pocket and receive £5 cashback yourself when they have earned a minimum of £10 in cashback. Note that all links in this blog post include my referral code 🙂
Final Thoughts
It’s early days for My Money Pocket and the site is still to some extent a work in progress. Nonetheless, there is nothing to lose by signing up for free now and checking out the deals on offer. As I said earlier, I would recommend checking and comparing My Money Pocket, Top Cashback and Quidco to see which site is currently offering the best terms for any retailer you intend to buy from.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about this post, please do leave them below.
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The full cost of an NHS prescription in England is now £9. If you need regular medications, that can quickly add up to a substantial sum.
The good news, however, is that many people are entitled to free prescriptions, and others have methods open to them to save money.
Before I go into that, though, I should point out that all NHS prescriptions are now free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. So if you are lucky enough to live in one of these countries, you won’t normally be required to pay for your prescriptions.
Who Is Eligible for Free Prescriptions in England?
Here is a list of everyone eligible for free prescriptions in England, taken from the NHS website:
You can get free NHS prescriptions if, at the time the prescription is dispensed, you:
are 60 or over
are under 16
are 16 to 18 and in full-time education
are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx)
have a specified medical condition (see below) and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
have a continuing physical disability that prevents you going out without help from another person and have a valid MedEx
hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
are an NHS inpatient
The medical conditions which qualify you for free prescriptions include cancer, diabetes (unless treated by diet only) and hyperthyroidism. For the full list, see this web page from the NHS Business Services Authority. If this applies to you, you will need to complete an application form FP92A from your GP, who will also sign it to confirm that you have the qualifying condition stated. Certificates are valid for five years, and once you have one you will be eligible for free prescriptions for any condition, not just the one through which you qualified.
You’re also entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive, or you’re under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving:
Finally, you will qualify for free prescriptions if you’re entitled to or named on:
a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate – if you do not have a certificate, you can show your award notice; you qualify if you get Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (or both), and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)
People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) may also get help with prescription costs.
What If You Don’t Qualify for Free Prescriptions?
If you don’t qualify for free prescriptions on any of the grounds set out above, there are still some things you can do to reduce the cost of your prescriptions.
One is to buy a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC). These are available for three months or a year and entitle you to free NHS prescriptions for all conditions during this time.
At the time of writing a three-month PPC costs £29.10 and a year’s costs £104. In general, if you need more than one prescription a month and have to pay for it, a PPC will work out cheaper.
If you have a long-term condition, a one-year certificate will usually represent the best value. A person getting two prescriptions a month would save more than £100 a year by this means compared with paying for individual prescriptions. The simplest way to get a Prescription Prepayment Certificate is to apply via the NHS Prescriptions website.
Finally, it’s worth bearing in mind that some medications, especially for minor conditions, are available over the counter without a prescription. This can often work out cheaper than paying a prescription charge.
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
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Today I have a post for you on how to save money on clothing.
Like it or not, we all have to spend money on clothes. And over a year those costs mount up.
Any of my friends will tell you that clothing isn’t my specialist subject, so I asked my fellow UK money bloggers for their advice on this subject. I’m pleased (and grateful) to say that they came up trumps 🙂
So here, without further ado, are the UK money bloggers’ top tips on how to save money on clothes shopping…
1. Kirsty Holden from The Money Saving Mum says, ‘Go to outlets! My new fave shop is a local Next outlet. I’ve always been a Primark girl but honestly the quality is getting worse and I only ever buy from there now if it has a red tag on it 🤣 I would never normally go into Next and pay their prices but the outlets are fab!’
2. Fiona Elizabeth Hawkes from Savvy in Somerset writes, ‘Buying second-hand from charity shops can save you a fortune and means you could afford brands you might not otherwise be able to, meaning better quality clothing for less money. Also they often have lots of brand new clothes that have never been worn with the tags still attached.’
3. Emma Jackson from Bee Money Savvy says, ‘If you’re a student, make sure to check to see if the retailer offers student discount either through the UNiDAYS app or the TOTUM/NUS card. Student discounts can save you anything between 5% and 20% at most major retailers.’
4. Laura Dempster from Thrifty Londoner writes, ‘If I’m looking for something specific I always check eBay first! I’ve got brand new jeans for £15 instead of £30 just by looking on eBay. I’ve also found that brand new books are often cheaper on eBay than Amazon.’
5. Stephanie Addison from Debt Free Family advises, ‘Buy winter clothes at the end of winter. Likewise, buy summer clothes at the end of summer. They are so much cheaper then, when the shops need to clear out.’
6. Emma Bradley from Emma’s Savvy Savings says, ‘Voucher codes – shopping online gives you extra discounts via voucher codes (quick Google search) and/or Top Cashback and Quidco. You can also try on the clothes in the comfort of your own home and not feel pressured or rushed into buying.’
7. Lisa Garwood-Cross of Living Thrifty says, ‘Take a look at websites like Everything 5 Pounds. They are often selling end-of-line high street items brand new for a fraction of the price. There may be limited sizes but the website often has loads to choose from. You won’t know which brands they are until they arrive, but you’d be amazed at what you can get for a fiver!’
8. Emma Bradley from Emma’s Savvy Savings adds, ‘Another one is not so obvious but use a personal shopper. They really are brilliant at finding and putting together outfits that suit your body shape. This saves money as you don’t buy things that you later regret and store in your wardrobe with the tags still on!’
9. Francesca Henry of From Pennies to Pounds says, ‘If it’s for a special occasion, ask your friends and family if they have anything that you can borrow first. You can return the favour – it works particularly well if you have a lot of weddings to go to!’
10. Faith Archer from Much More With Less says, ‘Pick up clothes with your food shopping. I’ve nabbed great basic T-shirts and workout gear from supermarket ranges like Tu at Sainsbury’s and George at ASDA, and they tend to offer a wide range of sizes. Great for bargain school uniform too, especially in the Tu 25% off sales.‘
11. Nikki Ramskill, who blogs as The Female Money Doctor, says, ‘I save small amounts of money every month and then when the sales are on, buy what I need then. Knowing WHAT I need really helps before I go. Do I really need another pair of jeans, when actually it’s work dresses I am lacking, for example. Saving money to have a few big shops a year to search for key pieces and creating a capsule wardrobe saves me so much money.’
12. Hayley Muncey of Miss Manypennies writes, ‘Try looking on Facebook buy/sell groups in your area. People will often have a clear-out and offer a huge bundle for free or very cheap. Then you can look through, pick out anything you like, and pass the rest on again.’
13. Claire Roach from Daily Deals UK says, ‘I clothes swap with friends – we both get to refresh our wardrobes that way for nothing. I have asked on Facebook as well once and got a great response. I got three new dresses and got rid of three that I hadn’t worn for years.’
14. Lynn James, who blogs as Mrs Mummypenny, recommends, ‘Create a capsule wardrobe! My friend Claire came shopping with me and created a wonderful capsule wardrobe for me. Everything goes with everything. And from maybe 10 items of clothing I have 20+ outfits, all timeless styles and colours. I still wear all the clothes now, bought three years ago.’
15. Emma Maslin from The Money Whisperer says, ‘I hate clothes shopping and do most of it online. I am on the email lists for my favourite brands so whenever they have a sale or promotion, I get notified and I buy then.’
16. Jennifer Graudenz of Monethalia comments, ‘I like going to fashion outlet stores and buy from their clearance sections. There isn’t as much choice, but getting as much as 90% off the normal retail price is possible.’
17. Clair Louise of Thrifty Clair says, ‘Sites like Everything 5 Pounds [also mentioned by Lisa of Living Thrifty, above] and Single Price sell ex-high street stock for a fiver an item. If you’ve got a good eye you can get some amazing items for a fraction of the original cost.’
18. Katie Schulten of Student Skint says, ‘If you’re planning on buying something brand new that’s not an immediate buy, try it on in store so you know your size then search online – eBay, Depop, Facebook marketplace, etc. – for someone selling the same one brand new with tags for much cheaper…you know it’ll fit! Just check the description for the reason they could be selling.’
19. Andrew Young from Capital Matters writes, ‘Don’t buy too cheap and don’t buy too expensive. To use an example from my own life, I used to buy £20 shoes. They rarely lasted more than six months. I switched to £45 (on-sale) Ralph Laurens. They’ve lasted years and they’re still going strong, effectively saving me money. But anything priced above that? Likely just a waste.’
20. Katie Watkins from Katie Saves says, ‘Ask for vouchers for birthdays and Christmas. I know some people don’t like giving/receiving vouchers but as I never buy for myself I look forward to having vouchers specifically to buy anything new I need.’
22. Scott Dixon of Thegrumpygit.com writes, ‘I have just been to the Sainsburys Tu sale and bought a pair of jeans on the half price rack that still qualified for the 25% off (£16 down to £5.50 less £3 on a £20 spend with a Nectar card coupon = £2.50). I also got another pair of jeans £16 & trainers £14 with 25% off. Wait for the annual Tu sales at this time of year, go with a coupon and search through the 50% off rail is my tip!’
23. Jim Gall of Money Blog Scotland writes, ‘I shop in GAP a lot and they ALWAYS have discounts on. Their high street stores almost always have 40% off, and the online store always has discounts on. Plus if you install the app, you get a voucher code which means you get a further 5% off on top of your original discount. I have NEVER paid the listed price for anything in GAP. And it’s all good quality stuff which lasts for ages.’
24. Finally, Sian Melonie, who blogs as Little Miss Frugal, is another fan of cashback websites. She says, ‘If there is something that l have my eye on from a particular store, I always check Top Cashback and Quidco to see what cashback offers are available from the store I’m wishing to purchase from. It’s then essentially free money back!’
Thank you so much to all my fellow UK money bloggers for sharing their top tips. I hope you will agree there are some great money-saving ideas and resources listed here.
I guess I should offer a tip as well, so mine is to sign up with the loyalty scheme of any clothes store you shop at regularly. Being a gentleman of a certain age, two stores where I often shop for clothes are Marks and Spencer and Debenhams.
I have a Sparks card from M&S, which gets me special offers and discounts from the store and the occasional freebie. And I have a Debenhams credit card, which (among other benefits) earns me points every time I shop there. These are then converted to Debenhams vouchers every three months. Note that I don’t advocate borrowing on a credit card as the interest quickly mounts up, but as long as you pay off your balance in full every month there won’t be anything more to pay.
Finally, please do check out the money blogs listed above – they are all linked from the blog names – and sign up to follow any you enjoy.
As always, if you have any comments or questions on this post, please add them below. I would also love to hear any other tips you may have for saving money on clothes shopping.
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A couple of weeks ago I got home from a short break to find a letter and glossy leaflet on my doormat extolling the benefits of batteries for solar panel owners.
The letter said the company had purchased a list of names of local solar panel owners including my details. That put my back up a bit, as I’m not keen on having my personal information bought and sold. But I guess it’s publicly available info, so there isn’t really anything I can do about it.
Anyway, while I didn’t reply to the sales letter, it did inspire me to do a bit of research into solar energy storage batteries and whether they are worthwhile. That turns out to be quite a difficult question to answer. It doesn’t help that much of the information online comes from solar battery suppliers and installers, who are not exactly unbiased.
So here are my thoughts, based on what I have been able to find out in conjunction with my own experiences as a solar panel owner.
The Idea
The idea behind solar batteries is simple and appealing.
Solar (photovoltaic) panels generate most power when the sun shines, but this is probably not when you need it the most. If they are generating electricity in the day when you are out at work, some of that power is likely to be going to waste. (Yes, you might be able to sell some back to the grid, but most home-owners are paid a – low – ‘deemed’ tariff for this based on the total amount of power their panels generate. It makes no difference to this how much of the electricity generated you use yourself.)
If you have batteries, though, these can be charged by your panels when they are making more electricity than you need, and then used to provide power at other times (e.g. in the evening) when you need it. This should reduce the amount of electricity you have to buy, thus cutting your bills. It may also give you a backup in the event of power cuts (although don’t bank on this – see below).
The Reality
That all sounds great in theory, but the reality is a lot more complicated.
First of all, solar storage batteries are still new and, to a degree, untested technology. They are also expensive. To have batteries supplied and fitted to an existing solar panel installation is likely to cost anywhere from £5,000 to £10,000.
Solar batteries also have limited lifespans. Because the technology is so new, nobody is really sure how long they will last, but I have seen figures of 5 to 15 years quoted. That means you are likely to need to replace your batteries at least once during the 20- to 25-year working life of your solar panels.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that all batteries become less efficient over time, reducing the amount of electricity they are able to store.
My Calculation
I thought I would look at my own solar panels as an example, to see if the sums added up. First of all, here is a chart showing the total amount of electricity generated by my panels since they were installed in 2011.
As you can see, the maximum my panels have generated is just under 3,000 kWh in 2015 (after that the output declined somewhat, for reasons discussed in this blog post). For the sake of my calculation, though, let’s use a figure of 3,000 kWh for the amount of power my panels generate annually.
Now, to work out how much power could be saved by installing batteries, we need to know what proportion of power generated is surplus to my requirements and currently ‘wasted’. Because I work from home and am here in the day most days, I can’t believe this is any more than 30 percent. In reality it is probably less, but I’ll use 30% for my calculation.
Let’s now assume that batteries would allow me to save the whole of that 30% (in reality that’s highly unlikely for reasons I’ll discuss shortly). That means I would be saving 3,000 kWh x 30% = 900 kWh. The electricity companies in my area currently charge in the region of 20p per kWh (including VAT), so the saving on my bill would theoretically be worth 900 x 20p = £180 a year. Assuming the cost of buying solar batteries and having them installed was an optimistic £5,000, that means it would take 5000/180 = 28 years for the cost to be recouped – well above the expected lifespan of the battery (or the panels, for that matter).
Even if I was out a lot in the day, to the point where I could save 60% of the power generated by my panels if I had batteries, the breakeven period would be 14 years. And remember, this is also assuming the highest possible output from my panels every year and 100% battery efficiency, neither of which will be the case in reality.
Complications
There is one thing you may have noticed that I didn’t account for in my calculation, and that is the fact that electricity prices go up every year. That will, of course, have the effect of increasing the potential savings from batteries and reducing the time it takes to break even. If electricity prices go up dramatically, that will certainly make solar storage batteries more attractive.
On the other hand, there are some negative factors to take into account as well. Here are just some of them.
1. Batteries are not 100% efficient. Some energy is lost charging the battery and then releasing energy from it. The technical term for this is round trip efficiency. Typically this figure is around 80%, meaning that for every 5 kWh going in to your battery, you will only get 4 kWh of useful electricity out.
2. You can only charge a battery to its maximum (100%). If on a sunny day the batteries become fully charged, any surplus energy generated after that will simply go back to the grid.
3. If you discharge a battery fully this can significantly reduce its life expectancy. Technically this is known as Depth of Discharge, or DoD for short. Most manufacturers specify a maximum DoD for optimal performance. For example, if a 10 kWh battery has a (typical) DoD of 90 percent, you shouldn’t use more than 9 kWh of the battery before recharging it. In practice, an electronic charge controller prevents over-discharging (and over-charging) from happening. The effect of this is, of course, to reduce the amount of useful energy a battery can store.
4. Batteries become less efficient over time. This varies according to the type and make of battery, but typically over 10 years efficiency will reduce by 30%. Again, this reduces the amount of electricity batteries can store and the potential savings to be made. If you are unlucky and your battery fails completely just as the warranty expires, you could be looking at a large overall loss.
5. If you use batteries to store power, this may involve sacrificing the payments you would otherwise receive for exporting power back to the grid. This may not matter if you are getting a ‘deemed’ payment based on electricity generated (as is the case for many owners currently). But with the new generation of smart meters which can measure how much electricity you are actually returning to the grid, you will certainly end up making less money this way if you divert excess electricity to batteries instead.
6. As well as the cost of buying and installing solar batteries, there is also VAT to take into account. At the time of writing this is 5%, but it is going up to 20% in October 2019. This would add £1,000 to the price of a £5,000 battery installation.
7. Finally, although solar batteries may give you a backup power source in the event of power cuts, it appears this cannot be relied on. A survey of solar battery owners by The Consumer Association found that several people reported that in the event of a power cut, their batteries stopped working as well. That is despite promises made by sales people that this wouldn’t be the case.
My Conclusions
As I said earlier, this is a complicated field and I make no claim to any special expertise on it. However, based on my own data and research, here are the conclusions I have reached.
1. If you and/or other family members are typically at home in the day, it is doubtful whether you will save enough money by installing batteries to cover the cost, let alone make any profit. The same may apply if you use electricity in the day for other purposes when nobody is there in person, e.g. washing laundry, heating water, running a dishwasher, etc.
2. If nobody is in your home for most of the day and you aren’t using any significant amount of electricity during daylight hours then the savings from batteries may be more worthwhile. But bear in mind that you are still likely to be around (and using electricity) at weekends, early mornings, evenings, holidays, sick days, and so on. And some household appliances such as fridges and freezers go on using electricity all of the time.
3. If the price of energy rises sharply, solar batteries may become a more attractive proposition. However, they are expensive to buy and install, and have various limitations (discussed above) which may reduce the benefit you get from them. They will probably also have a shorter lifespan than your panels, meaning they will need replacing at least once over the lifetime of your panels. And they will in any event decline in efficiency over time.
4. Likewise, if battery prices fall – and the technology improves – that will increase the attractiveness of solar batteries in future. But of course, if you are considering whether to get batteries now, you can only base your decision on what is currently available.
5. If you are buying a new home and/or new solar panels, buying batteries at the same time is likely to be more cost-efficient (and involve less hassle) than retro-fitting them. In this article I am mainly addressing existing solar panel owners.
6. I am also looking at this primarily from a financial standpoint. There is a case to be made for installing batteries to help contribute to the fight against global warming and climate change, although there are obviously also environmental costs involved in battery manufacture. In any event, it is for each individual to decide how important this is to them and whether the environmental benefits of having batteries with their solar panels really do stack up.
7. Some companies are currently making a big push to promote solar batteries, and it does appear to me that some of the claims made on their behalf are exaggerated to say the least. If you are thinking of getting solar batteries, be sure to do your own ‘due diligence’ and don’t believe everything you read on company websites or are told by pushy salespeople. In particular, be very sceptical about pie-in-the-sky estimates over how much money batteries may be able to save you. I found one website claiming that 75% of the power generated by solar panels is typically wasted, which is frankly laughable.
8. Don’t, either, be swayed by arguments that you need to order now before VAT rises to 20% in October. This is (unfortunately) true, but it doesn’t make the case for installing batteries any stronger.
In summary, for most existing solar panel owners, I don’t believe that installing batteries is likely to make economic sense at present. I don’t, therefore, intend to do so myself. If prices come down and the technology improves, however, the equation may change (and reducing or scrapping the VAT would help too). This is something I will continue to monitor, and if I change my mind in future I will of course let Pounds and Sense readers know!
So those are my thoughts, but what do YOU think? I’d love to hear from you, especially if you have solar batteries yourself or are actively considering them. Please feel free to post any comments or questions below.
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Today I have an eye-opening infographic for you. Do you ever wonder how you compare with the average Briton when it comes to spending your pay cheque? Are you content with your rainy-day fund or do you worry you haven’t got as much squirreled away as your friends or colleagues?
Worryingly, it appears most Brits are spending more than they bring in each month. Moreover, there is a steady shift from cash and cheques toward plastic and electronic payment methods.
According to the Office for National Statistics, British households have spent more than they received for an unprecedented nine consecutive quarters, amid a longer squeeze on real incomes. What’s more, households across the country have been net borrowers in every quarter between October 2016 – when living costs started to rise after the Brexit vote – and December 2018.
Check out the full infographic by Peachy below which neatly reviews the key household spending statistics in the UK:
Personally, I find the saving stats at the end of the infographic especially worrying. Large numbers of people say they have no savings whatsoever (and even £100 is a tiny amount really).
Living from one payday to the next is a precarious existence, though as the graphic indicates many UK citizens do exactly this. Nonetheless, it makes you very vulnerable when a sudden change of circumstances occurs that reduces your income or increases your expenditure.
An example from my own experience is when, almost five years ago, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. My treatment involved two months of radiotherapy, requiring daily trips of 30 miles each way to the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent. It was simply impossible for me to go on working during this time, so (as I was self-employed) my income took a big hit. Fortunately I had enough in the bank to cover my lost earnings during this time. If I hadn’t, it would have added to the already considerable stress I was under. (And yes, I’m doing fine now, thank you.)
i think it’s particularly important for older people to have some savings set aside. Not only are health problems more likely as you get older, your long-term earning potential reduces. Nobody should be entering later life with nothing in the bank to tide them over if – or more likely when – the need arises.
So I strongly believe everyone, whatever their age, should do their utmost to build a savings pot. Of course, for people on modest incomes that’s not always easy. So I recommend a two-pronged approach of reducing your outgoings and boosting your income (e.g. by starting a side hustle).
Saving money and making money are, of course, subjects I cover regularly on Pounds and Sense. By doing these things, you should hopefully build up a pot that will stand you in good stead when life hands you those inevitable lemons.
I guess another reason people aren’t saving as much – or at all – these days is the very low interest rates on offer from banks and other savings institutions. In itself that isn’t a good enough reason for not having a savings pot, but of course it does mean it’s extra important to look around for the best deal you can find.
In addition, once you have enough cash savings to tide you over for a few months, it’s good to think about investing some of your extra money for potentially higher long-term returns. Again, investing is a subject I cover regularly on Pounds and Sense. I won’t go into detail about this now, except to say that a good starting point is a tax-efficient Stocks and Shares ISA (I like Nutmeg’s automatically diversified robo-adviser platform myself). And you should put as much money as you can into your pension, of course.
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
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Lots of us need some extra help at times, but we don’t want the hassle (or expense) of hiring an employee. If that applies to you, have you considered using a remote (or virtual) assistant?
As the name suggests, remote assistants don’t work from their client’s premises. Rather, thanks to the power of the internet and electronic communications, they work remotely from another location, which might be an office or their own home.
They could therefore be based anywhere in the world as long as it has the connectivity required. For cultural and communication reasons, however, there are obviously advantages to using assistants in the same country or area.
So how do you hire a remote assistant? There are various methods, but if you want a simple, cost-effective solution, you might like to check out Remote Bob. This fast-growing company has offices in London and Croatia and offers a remote assistant service to individuals and businesses across the UK (and further afield).
So what services can you expect your remote assistant (or team) to offer? Here are just some of the services Remote Bob offers to individuals:
Planning holidays
Ordering groceries or food
Booking sports activities and hobbies
Organizing holidays
Searching for a new flat or apartment
Helping with online clothes shopping
Helping with picking restaurants
Filling in some forms on your behalf
Managing your household
Managing your lifestyle
Buying birthday presents
Managing personal budgets
Research on properties to buy
For entrepreneurs and businesses, the services Remote Bob offer include:
Supporting office teams and directors with general operational tasks
Scheduling and coordinating meetings, appointments, presentations, and other office-related events
Opening, sorting and distributing incoming electronic correspondence
Handling requests by answering questions and providing information and data
Organizing and scheduling travel arrangements
Booking conference calls, rooms, taxis, couriers, hotels, etc.
Developing and updating administrative workflow to improve efficiency
Preparing and modifying documents including correspondence, reports, drafts, memos and emails
Assisting in the preparation of presentation materials and agendas for meetings
Maintaining electronic filing systems
Resolving administrative problems and inquiries
Performing general accounting and bookkeeping duties
Examining and reconciling expense reports of office staff
Writing letters and emails on behalf of office staff
Maintaining up-to-date employee holiday records
The staff working at Remote Bob are all EU-based, thus minimizing any potential issues with time zones and significant cultural differences.
Remote Bob handle people management, regulatory arrangements and payroll, so you don’t have to worry about this. They say they only work with proficient, well trained and approved specialists, and pledge to deliver work on time and under budget.
Special Offer
Remote Bob are kindly offering Pounds and Sense readers a huge (36%) discount on their service. By clicking through this link you can request their Personal Assistant service for one month (five hours per week) for £320 per month instead of the normal £500. Just remember to enter the code SENSE2019 in the Discount Code box.
Note that completing the inquiry form does not create any obligation to buy. Clearly everyone will have their own particular requirements for their remote assistant/s, so Remote Bob say, ‘Talk to us, tell us about your goals, your worries and your hopes. We will then construct a customized route for all your needs.’ Only when you are fully satisfied with the proposed solution will you be asked to make any commitment to buy.
I would also highly recommend you spend a little time looking around the Remote Bob website, as this will give you a good idea of the range of services on offer and how the platform works in practice.
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. If you click through a link in it and make a purchase, I will receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect in any way the service you receive or the price you pay.
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As from today (1st July 2019) you can switch your mobile network provider with just a single text message. This is good news as it makes switching and saving money even easier.
If you want to keep your current number (as most people do) the process now is as follows:
1. Request a switching code by texting PAC to 65075. This is a free call.
2. You will then immediately receive a PAC (Porting Authorization Code) from your current provider.
3. You then pass this code on to your new provider when you sign up with them. They are obliged to switch you within one working day.
If you don’t want to carry over your current number, there is a slightly different procedure.
1. Text STAC to 75075 to request a Service Termination Authorization Code.
2. You then pass the STAC you receive onto your new provider. There is no need for you to contact your current provider to cancel your contract with them.
Either way, you should also receive information from your current provider about any early termination charges or pay-as-you-go credit balances that may apply.
PACs and STACs are valid for 30 days, after which if they haven’t been used they simply expire. You would then need to request another one.
This new method makes it easier and less hassle to change mobile service providers. In particular, it avoids the awkwardness of having to phone your current provider and ask them for a switching code. Many people hate doing this, as it gives your current provider the chance to twist your arm to try to persuade you to stay with them.
As regards deciding when and where to switch, that is a topic for another post. However, many price comparison services (e.g. Compare the Market and USwitch) now also allow you to compare prices for mobile phone tariffs and suppliers. I also recommend Billmonitor, a free service that analyses your usage and recommends the best deal for your needs. They send you monthly updates by email as well.
As always, if you have any comments of questions about this post, please do leave them below.
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Carpet isn’t something you buy every day, but when the time comes the cost can be substantial. Fortunately there are various ways you can save money on carpet without compromising on the things you want. Here are ten top tips to guide you.
Educate yourself on the different types of carpet available. There is lots of helpful information online. The more you know, the less likely you are to waste money on something that is unnecessarily expensive or just plain unsuitable.
In particular, get to know about carpet fibres, synthetic and natural. If you want a synthetic, nylon offers the greatest durability and resilience. However, it will also cost you the most per square metre. If you don’t need as much durability, alternatives such as polyester are cheaper and have other benefits, e.g. better stain resistance and eco-friendliness. Wool carpets are generally more expensive than synthetics but offer the greatest level of comfort and will retain their colour and elasticity for many years.
Shop around before you buy. This will give you a good idea of the options available and how much you can expect to end up paying. Don’t just go to the usual high-street and out-of-town stores, though. You may be able to save a lot of money by buying carpet online.
Think about how long you plan to go on living in your house. There is no point paying top whack if you expect to move on in a year or two. On the other hand, if you plan to put down roots, it clearly makes sense to buy good-quality carpets that will last a long time.
Although the obvious option would be to get the same carpet across the whole house, it may not be the most sensible. For rooms that get a lot of use, such as the lounge and master bedroom, clearly you will want carpet that is hard wearing as well as comfortable. On the other hand, with rooms that get less use, such as the spare bedroom, you can get away with something a bit cheaper and less durable.
If you are carpeting a small room or flat, you may be able to save money by purchasing offcuts or remnants. These are basically left-over sections of carpet at the end of rolls. They are usually discounted to clear, so can be great value if you can find something suitable for the room (or rooms) you have in mind.
Do as much of the preparatory work as possible yourself. In particular, move furniture out of the way before the fitter (or fitters) arrive. Most will move furniture for you, but they will charge you extra. If large pieces of furniture are too heavy for you to move, buy (or borrow) furniture sliders. You just slip these under your furniture and can then easily move large items around. Packs of reusable furniture sliders are available for a few pounds from Amazon.
You may also be able to save money by removing and disposing of the old carpet yourself. Take it up carefully, removing underlay and staples as well. Don’t remove the tack strips, though, as this could damage your floor (in most cases anyway the fitters will use the tack strips again). Taking the old carpet to the tip yourself can also save money, as commercial installers typically have to pay a fee for doing this.
Remember that as well as the carpet itself, you will need to pay for underlay, gripper rods, and so on. Be sure to get a fully itemized quote from your chosen supplier showing everything included as well as the total price you will have to pay. This should help to avoid any nasty (expensive) surprises later.
But finally, DON’T try to save money by fitting the carpet yourself, at least unless you have professional training and experience in this field. Carpet fitting is a skilled job, and if you make a hash of it you could end up wasting a lot of money as well as voiding any guarantees (which often stipulate that carpets must be professionally fitted).
Good luck, and I hope you save loads of money on your new carpet!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Flooring Superstore, the UK’s leading online flooring specialist.
As always, if you have any comments or questions on this post, please do leave them below.
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A garden shed or cabin is a serious purchase. Erecting a building in your garden doesn’t come cheap after all, even if it is made of wood.
As it’s such an expensive buy, you’re going to want to make sure that the shed is going to be fit to serve you for many years to come. The ultimate way to waste money when buying a garden shed is to have to replace the thing after a year or two!
Some shed manufacturers make sheds that look just like their higher-end peers, only they have been built using every shortcut in the book. Some might feature inferior wood varieties, construction methods, glass, or delivery options. Spending a bit more up front and going with a quality supplier will ultimately save you the most money, since it will need minimal maintenance work or repairs over its lifespan. Remember, you’re buying something for years here, not simply a few months!
Unfortunately, there’s not really any getting around the fact that your new shed or cabin is going to cost a reasonable amount. Whilst there are loads of manufacturers that are happy to sell you a building for less than the average asking price, these are often shoddily constructed, and the likely result is an angry customer needing to replace their shed much sooner than they expected.
One possible way to relieve some of the sting from your wallet when buying from a quality manufacturer is to use a discount voucher. This will allow your money to go that little bit further and, ultimately, you’ll end up with a much more rugged and durable building. Remember the mantra: buy cheap, buy twice.
There are loads of different manufacturers around that all run different promotions throughout the year. You’ll find two such special offers– one for Waltons discounts here and one for Shed Store discounts here. Both of these companies offer exceptionally high-quality garden buildings and these promotions make their products a little easier on the pocket.
Save Money by Getting it Right First Time
As is often the case, the best way to save money on a new garden building is to spend a little more up front and go for the highest quality possible. Although it is perhaps counter-intuitive, higher quality sheds pay for themselves in a couple of ways. Firstly, a superior garden building is much more likely to protect whatever you store in it from the elements as well as would-be intruders. If you end up having your lawnmower nicked because you bought a cheap summer house or shed with a rubbish lock, did you really save any money?
Secondly, a higher quality shed will need much less spent on it in terms of either maintenance, repairs, or even replacement. The cost of a new shed is certainly going to be more than whatever you saved by buying the cheap one in the first place. Again, remember the mantra, buy cheap, buy twice.
With that in mind, here are some things to look out for to make sure you get the best shed possible first-time round:
Building materials – Is the wood used suitable for outdoor construction? Look for slow growing varieties and beware of manufacturers not displaying the type they use.
Treatment – Does the product come with a treatment included? Sheds coated in a protective treatment last MUCH longer.
Building techniques – How are components joined together? Look for tongue and groove here over square cut joints or shiplap cladding.
Door hangings – Are doors hung externally or rebated? Rebated doors are much more secure and offer far greater draft exclusion. Are hinges recessed?
Windows – Is the glass thick enough to offer protection? Is it even glass? Are they rebated?
Roof – Does the roof come with an adequate covering? Felting protects sheds from succumbing to the elements and isn’t always included in the asking price.
Delivery – Is delivery included or do the company charge extra for it? How are pieces delivered? Avoid companies unloading components to bigger sheds by hand.
Shop Around Before You Spend
It’s a really good idea to shop around, visit review websites, and read a load of customer reviews about different products. This will give you a good feel for what’s out there. It will also help you to determine if the shed you’re considering is priced highly versus the rest of the market or seems more in keeping with it. Check the different manufacturers’ specifications with the above bullet points in mind. Pay close attention to dimensions of components used. This is a common place for manufacturers to save a bit of money by offering something that isn’t really fit for purpose.
You can even pay a visit to most manufacturers’ showrooms. This allows you to see prospective sheds in action, so to speak. You can look at and touch the products themselves to determine whether the sheds on display have wobbly floors, ill-fitting doors, or other design imperfections.
It’s likely that the shed you were thinking of buying won’t be on display when you visit a particular showroom. Don’t let that put you off, though. You can still learn a lot about the manufacturer by looking at the other products they make. If the rest of their stuff seems exceptional, it would be very bad luck for you to pick the one rotten apple, after all.
By combining your own visits with internet research, you’ll be able to make a reasoned decision about your eventual purchase. It won’t feel quite so much like a stab in the dark and you’re much more likely to end up with a garden building that will last for years with minimal maintenance. Even if it costs an extra £200 up front, if it remains useful for five or more years longer than the cheaper alternative, you’re quids in really!
As always, if you have any questions or comments about this post, please do leave them below.
There are under five months left for consumers to reclaim Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). 29th August 2019 is the official cut-off date for all people to submit PPI claims to their banks. This date was chosen by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to encourage those who have not yet made claims to do so.
Since the announcement of the deadline nearly two years ago, thousands of people have made successful PPI claims. With the deadline approaching, if you haven’t yet submitted a claim, you must act now before August.
Do You Have a PPI policy?
The first thing to establish is whether you had a PPI policy. Most PPI policies were sold in the 1990s alongside mortgages, loans and credit cards, but some successful cases date back to the 1980s. As a general rule, the older the policy, the harder it can be to prove you were mis-sold PPI.
You may remember being mis-sold a policy. If this is the case, you will need to find the old paperwork with evidence of this. If you can’t remember whether you had a policy, old statements and documents should be able to highlight if this is the case.
On the paperwork, PPI may be listed under a few different names. Here are just a selection of the other names for PPI (this list is not exhaustive):
Accident, Sickness and Unemployment (ASU)
Account cover
Loan protection
Payment cover
If you can’t remember whether you had a PPI policy or you can’t locate the paperwork, there are a couple of ways to find out. You can either contact the bank or lender and ask if they have a record of any PPI policies attached to your previous accounts, or you can use the services of a PPI claims company.
There is no guarantee that the bank will have a record of previous PPI policies, but if they do confirm a policy, you can then submit a PPI claim. Alternatively, a claims company can investigate any old accounts and seek to identify policies on your behalf.
Claim PPI before August
Once you find evidence of your PPI policy, it’s time to make a claim. Again, there are two different ways to submit a PPI claim. You can make a claim yourself by contacting the bank or lender that mis-sold you the policy or ask a reputable PPI claims company to do it for you.
Whether you submit a claim yourself or use a PPI claims company, you must explain how the policy was mis-sold to you. Here are just a few ways that policies were mis-sold to customers:
You were told it was compulsory with your credit card, loan or mortgage purchase
You weren’t told about the policy — it was added automatically and without your knowledge and consent
The terms and conditions were not explained — this includes not being asked about medical conditions and employment
You were promised a lower price if you bought the PPI policy
If any of these apply to you, you could be eligible for a refund. You may also be eligible for a refund if you were charged a high level of commission. Due to a landmark PPI case, individuals can claim PPI if a policy had over 50% commission and this was not disclosed — even if you knowingly bought a PPI policy. This is known as the Plevin rule and means thousands’ more people can make PPI claims.
Some banks allow you to claim PPI online by submitting a form (though you may need to also send evidence with your application). For others, you will need to write a letter and complete any relevant paperwork. Once the bank has acknowledged your claim, it should respond with an outcome within eight weeks. However, be aware that some cases can take longer, especially if they’re older or more complex.
The alternative option is to use the services of a PPI claims company. Some essential details will be required for them to act on your behalf, but they will handle all communication with the bank. If you don’t have the time or don’t want to deal with the process yourself, it can be beneficial using a claims company. Always check the fees involved and read the terms and conditions.
What if Your Claim Is Rejected?
If your claim is successful, you’ll receive notification from the bank and receive the payment shortly afterwards. If, however, the bank rejects your claim, but you think that the decision is wrong, you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS will independently review your PPI case and either uphold the decision made by the bank or decide that you are due the PPI refund. It’s important to be aware that PPI claims at the FOS can take up to two years to be resolved due to a severe backlog.
Whether you remember having PPI or not, now is the time to check. In four months, you will no longer have the chance to reclaim PPI. Act now before it’s too late.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post on behalf of Canary Claims.
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