Moving away from big suppliers and using alternative methods can save money on your landline bills
• Save money on your phone bills by using alternative methods to call your friends and family and moving to a budget provider by comparing online.
Most phone companies offer landline packages for free calls during evenings and weekends, but what if you want to call someone during the day?
Rates for daytime calls even to another landline can cost as much as (10p) per minute, so even the shortest calls can start adding up if you need to use your phone during the day. The most popular suppliers like BT and TalkTalk also tend to be the most best expensive in this regard, as well as being more costly from a line rental perspective.
Moving away from the big name providers and comparing phone line rental deals is a good way to make sure that you’re not paying above the odds for your phone line service. While most people still rely on phone line rental for broadband services, if you don’t use your phone for any other reason switching to a cheap phone line rental supplier is a great option, or you could look out for free phone line offers.
Methods for keeping your bills low:
Use your mobile: With mobile costs generally much higher than landline prices, it might seem weird that you would use your mobile to make calls, but did you know that over 40% of mobile users don’t use their maximum amount of free minutes every month? If you have any free time on your mobile, it makes sense to use it up rather than using your landline, especially if you want to make calls to other mobiles during the day. You can download applications for your phone for up the minute information on how many minutes you have left to avoid going over.
Find a VOIP service: VOIP (Voice over IP) services can help you save a ton of money on phone calls by using your internet connection to make them for free. Services like Skype can be installed not only on your computer but on most phones too, so they are more portable than they used to be. It’s not as well known, but Skype can also call landlines and mobiles as well. Although you have to pay for this service, it’s usually much cheaper than the rates you would pay to your phone company.
Britain uses less gas than ever, but gas and electricity prices still rising
• Despite households using less gas than they did five years ago, energy bills have still been rising
It’s pretty common to hear news about gas and electricity prices rising, but it’s only when you look back at how much energy cost in the past that you realise just how much more energy costs today than it did only a few years ago. In fact, despite the fact that as a country the UK is now using 17 per cent less gas than we did five years ago, our gas bills have risen by nearly 50 per cent. Even though many households in the UK are doing their bit and conserving energy where they can, it’s not paying off for their wallets.
Many households have implemented energy saving methods in an attempt to keep costs low and help the environment. These include everything from simple turning the thermostat down by a degree or two to more drastic measures like loft and home insulation. However, these figures from a study undertaken by the Centre for Economics and Business Research suggest that while these methods have obviously cut costs, they haven’t stopped the average consumer bill for gas and electricity prices from rocketing upwards, which is a little disheartening.
The biggest change a household can make to keep their energy prices low is installing a more modern condenser boiler. It’s the slow introduction of these boilers that has been one of the driving forces of keeping the UKs gas usage low.
Director of Competition Economics at CEBR, Jonathan Thurwell said:
“Using detailed modeling techniques we were able to determine that energy efficiency measures are the primary driver of the average annual decline in underlying gas consumption. The message is clear: in a global environment of rising commodity prices the most effective way for households to reduce costs is through basic energy efficiency measures”
About Energychoices.co.uk:
Launched in 2005 the Energychoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to change their electricity and gas supplier. The site offers a large range of information about the world of moving providers and saving money on one of the biggest monthly outgoings most families have to face; everything from energy saving tips to how to find the best business energy price comparison.
While the main function of the site is to compare different service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals, including exclusive offers.
Motorists who compare breakdown cover save more annually
• Colder winters and more treacherous road conditions make breakdown cover even more crucial in 2011
• Breakdown cover could become part of law in the future
For many motorists, finding the best breakdown cover is a crucial part of owning a car, but in 2011 the need to find good breakdown cover on top of car insurance might get a lot more important. Under proposed new changes to legislation surrounding motoring and car insurance, and could become illegal in the future not to get breakdown insurance. Right now car insurance is a required part of driving, but breakdown cover, which can also be very important especially if you have an older car, is not covered by the same rules and is totally optional.
The new proposals have been put forward by the coalition government and the news has been well received by the British Insurance Brokers Association who has welcomed the plans as they believe changes will promote a fairer system for honest and safe drivers and breed a responsibility culture amongst drivers in the UK. Currently there are no details for the kind of penalties that could be associated with driving a vehicle without full breakdown cover.
While these changes aren’t likely to be put into action for a long time, colder winters and more extreme weather makes getting breakdown cover a great choice regardless. If you have a vehicle more than a few years old there’s a very good chance you’ll save money by getting a good breakdown cover deal.
You can pick up breakdown cover through a variety of different sources such as a premium bank account or through your existing car insurance company, but before taking out a contract through these methods it’s worth your time to compare breakdown cover online. Some breakdown providers offer more services than others at the basic level, while others offer alternative ways to set up and pay for breakdown cover that might make more sense for your particular situation, so it’s always worth checking what’s out there before you make a decision.
About BreakdownChoices.co.uk:
Launched in 2005 the BreakdownChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to either find new providers or to switch from their existing provider, including motorcycle breakdown cover.
While the main function of the site is to compare breakdown cover providers, the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.
Piracy Issues Take a Back Seat Thanks to Fantastic New Music Sharing Website
Over the last few years the issue of Piracy has almost crippled the music industry, but as we have now reached the stage where it is clear that the industry has to change, there are some great new ideas out there which are going to allow people to take advantage of the situation and change the way that people find and buy new music.
One such company is http://omp3.org. They have an incredible new service which actually allows webmasters to create their own music sharing website. It involves an incredible piece of software which will enable you to have your own music sharing platform, and the flexibility of the service means that it is easy to monetize the software with affiliate tie ins with the major commercial download sites, like amazon and 7digital.
Omp3 have a huge passion for music in all its forms and their efforts to create a free software program to allow people to discover new music is something that has to be admired. They recognise the difficulty buyers have when walking into an offline store – the inability to listen to the music and the blind decision that often takes place. Omp3’s software will allow people to discover and listen to new music, all from the comfort of their own home.
Another great aspect of this piece of software is the fact that it is perfectly set up for sharing music. It promotes the idea of legal social sharing of music, and this can only be a good thing for the music industry as a whole, and of course for the webmasters that decide to use the free software. In no time at all they can sync this software with their existing website, and use the social networking sites of Facebook and Twitter in order to promote the idea of responsibly sharing great new music.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this service is that it is completely free! Amazingly you will have access to over 8 million songs, and the features that can be calibrated to your site are enormous. You can focus on new artists, the software supports video and everything can be integrated into your existing site with no need for expensive redesigns.
Omp3 has a belief that it is not free downloads that draws people to music sites – it is the music itself. Once you have a site that has this, it is easier to monetize from this point of view. You will find that because the software is so easy to tie in with so many social sites, you will easily draw new people to your site, which of course will lead to financial conversion.
They believe that by giving this software away for free, they are in a great position to be able to start an independent internet music consortium which so many webmasters can be a part of quickly and easily without the traditional costs associated with this sort of software.
For more information, visit: http://omp3.org
Compare energy tariffs before EDF price freeze ends urges Energychoices.co.uk
Energychoices.co.uk is urging consumers to shop around for a new energy tariff as a further 3.3 million people prepare to be hit by price hikes.
As EDF Energy becomes the last of the “big six” energy suppliers to put up its prices, Energychoices.co.uk is encouraging people to get online to compare gas and electricity prices and switch to a better, more affordable tariff as soon as possible.
EDF Energy announced that its winter price freeze will come to an end at the beginning of March and as a result 3.3 million of its customers will see their electricity and gas bills jump up.
On average EDF Energy is set raise its standard residential tariffs for gas bills by 6.5% and electricity bills by 7.5%.
Chris Eagle, commercial manager at Energychoices.co.uk, says: “Although EDF has held off from putting up its prices longer than all the other major suppliers – and avoided doing it during one of the coldest winters on record – this price hike is one of the larger ones and is still not going to be welcome.
“It will be especially galling for EDF customers who remember that the supplier already put up its electricity prices 3% back in October.”
The rise means that the average household energy bill for a dual fuel EDF Energy customer will now go up from £1,046 to £1,118 – an increase of £72 a year.
Since the other main suppliers started putting up their prices back in November, a further £560 million has been added onto our energy bills, highlighting how important it is to find the cheapest deal available.
In fact, by January price hikes from five out of the “big six” energy firms saw the typical household energy bill shoot up to an average £1,250.
Eagle adds: “EDF’s move has completed the latest series of prices hikes from all of the “big six” suppliers and means that it is the ideal time to start comparing tariffs and shopping around for a better deal.
“With energy prices soaring, consumers need to do all they can to cut costs. This includes implementing as many energy efficient measures as possible to reduce consumption, but most importantly it involves going online to compare energy tariffs and switching to a better deal where possible. “
About Energychoices.co.uk
Energychoices.co.uk is a price comparison website which offers comprehensive and impartial advice on home energy services. It is an independent service for consumers who want to compare gas and electricity prices and save money on their bills.
New research from Energychoices.co.uk shows Brits can save more than 60% on a boiler service just by shopping around
Consumers can cut nearly two-thirds off the cost of getting their boiler serviced if they shop around for the best price, research from Energychoices.co.uk has discovered.
It may take 20minutes, but it pays to call several heating engineers for quotes before asking one to service your boiler, research from energy comparison service Energychoices.co.uk has found.
On average, consumers could save 61% on the cost of a boiler service simply by comparing quotes from different plumbers in their area.
In nine of the 12 towns and cities used in the research, the gap between the cheapest service and the most expensive was more than 50%. For example, in Southampton, the cost of a boiler service ranged from £55 to £90, a difference in price of 64% between the highest and lowest quote.
The worst case scenario was in Cambridge, where the cheapest boiler service quote found by Energychoices.co.uk was £42 including VAT, whereas the most expensive cost £118 including VAT – a difference of 181%.
If you’re fortunate enough to live in happening Manchester, you’ll lose out on boiler servicing as its was the home of the most expensive quote for a service. One company said it would cost £120 to do the job.
In contrast, the cheapest place to get your boiler serviced appears to be just 70 miles away in Nottingham, where residents could get their boiler checked out for just £35.
The research from Energychoices.co.uk found that there is a huge disparity in the cost of a boiler service throughout the country and getting a fair quote is not as straightforward as it might seem.
Chris Eagle, commercial manager at Energychoices.co.uk, says: “In order to get a fair and accurate quote you should ring around at least three heating engineers in your area. The cost of a boiler service is likely to vary dramatically, so it is best to have a clear picture of your options before making a decision.”
Throughout the country, Energychoices.co.uk found that the average cost of a boiler service was £70, so this should be the ball park figure to have in mind when you start your enquiries.
To make sure you get the most appropriate quote, Energychoices.co.uk recommends the following tips:
- Ask the plumber/heating engineer whether the price quoted includes VAT
- Make sure you have the age and make of your boiler to hand – this should avoid any confusion on cost later on
- Ask them whether there is an additional call out fee and whether you may need to pay for their parking
- Only use an engineer certified by Gas Safety Register (formerly Corgi).
Eagle adds: “To save yourself the hassle of ringing around numerous plumbers, it could be a good idea to compare boiler insurance from a company like HomeServe or The AA. Policies from providers like this usually include an annual boiler service in their prices.
“You can even save time by using our online tradesman search tool – just type in your postcode and you will get up to five quotes from plumbers or heating engineers in your local area for free.” Find it at: http://www.energychoices.co.uk/service-magic-boiler-quote.html
*Notes for editors
Energychoices.co.uk is a price comparison website which offers comprehensive and impartial advice on home and business energy services. It is an independent service for consumers who want to save money on their gas and electricity bills.
Energychoices.co.uk called five plumbers in a single postcode in each major city of 12 different UK regions, between 12 January and 27 January 2011 to find out how much a boiler service would cost.
The plumbers were then found via a postcode search on Yell.com and the first five selected.
The companies were asked for the cost of a boiler service including VAT, if there was a call out charge and how long the service would take, based on servicing a five-year old Baxi Combi boiler last serviced three years before.