Money Saving News for December 2009
- Christmas 'perfect time' for cheap bargain cars - 14th December, 2009
Consumers looking to take advantage of the value of a used car may wish to do so now, as there are many cheap bargains currently available at showrooms across the UK.
According to the Guardian, Christmas is traditionally a good time to buy a used car as other people are too busy getting ready for the festive period, but this year has the added bonus of falling quotes... - Ireland launches rail travel discount voucher codes - 11th December, 2009
Brits hoping to take a short break in Ireland over the Christmas holidays could take advantage of cheap rail travel in the country thanks to a discount voucher code campaign being run by the government.
Foreign visitors of age 66 or over will receive the discount voucher codes in order to get money off the cost of a train ticket with Ireland's rail operator Iarnród Éireann, it was announced in the Republic's Budget report on Wednesday (December 9th)... - Claiming on home contents insurance 'not always best option' - 11th December, 2009
Although the cost of home contents insurance is supposed to allow customers to be able to claim back money on lost or damaged items, filing for a payout may not be the best idea in some situations.
That is according to financial website lovemoney.com, which suggested that insurers often have a 'three strikes' policy, which means that those who make three claims in as many years will be blacklisted by cover providers... - Fixed-rate mortgages see interest levels drop - 10th December, 2009
Major mortgage lenders such as Abbey, Alliance& Leicester, first direct and Yorkshire Building Society have reduced the interest on their fixed-rate deals this week, a move which has been welcomed by industry players.
Independent mortgage lender John Charcol said that those who have been holding out for a quality fixed-rate loan since interest peaked in August are now getting an early Christmas present from the banks... - Expensive champagne for cheap bargain prices - 10th December, 2009
Those looking to add a bit of fizz to their Christmas celebrations might be put off by the perceived price of good quality champagne, however, supermarkets are offering cheap bargain drinks this year.
The recession has taken its toll on luxury goods manufacturers such as champagne-makers, causing them to lower the amount they charge for their products, according to the Guardian... - Tips given for using credit cards abroad - 9th December, 2009
Brits thinking of using their credit cards abroad on a winter break in the next few months should make sure that any plastic they apply for will not come with hefty charges for purchases overseas.
Moneysupermarket.com said that ski enthusiasts should shop around for the best deal from credit card companies regarding foreign usage charges and exchange rates before they head for the slopes... - Home contents insurance needed for Christmas - 8th December, 2009
While cooking food, hosting parties and exchanging presents are the traditional way to celebrate Christmas, one firm has said that these activities could end up requiring a home contents insurance claim.
According to Aviva, the increasing trend of buying the latest gadgets as Christmas presents means that burglars may have their eyes on the pile of gifts under the tree this year... - British Gas cuts cost of utility bills - 8th December, 2009
A new tariff from British Gas has emerged as a worthy competitor to current market leader OVO Energy by reducing the cost of utility bills for seven regions of the UK.
Those areas served by East Midlands Electricity, Manweb, Scottish Hydro-Electric, Scottish Power, Swalec or Sweb can enjoy the cheap rates of the company's Websaver Tariff 5, which replaces its previous Websaver 4 option... - Scots get best auto insurance deals - 7th December, 2009
A new survey looking at the cost of auto insurance across regions of delete the UK has revealed that Scotland is home to some of the cheapest policies in the country.
Carried out by moneysupermarket.com, the research placed seven postal areas of Scotland in the top ten most inexpensive list - Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Aberdeen, Grangemouth, Elgin and two in Dundee... - Cheap rail travel with Virgin Trains this week - 7th December, 2009
A new deal offering up to 50 per cent off the price of a Virgin Trains advance return ticket from Glasgow to London has seen cheap rail travel return to Scotland.
Readers of the Scottish Sun will be able to take advantage of the discounts by collecting at least three of the five passwords the newspaper will be printing throughout this week and entering them onto a special website to receive a unique pin code...