Turn one pound into one million

To Fix or Not to Fix?

2012-03-16T10:38:00.002Z

I am in a dilemma with my gas and electricity supplier. My fixed price period is coming to an end, something which I am very glad that I did. However, I have been offered a new deal but I am not sure whether to take it. My new deal is 7.2% above the prices in January (they have put them down 5% since). This means that I am paying more than the standard rate but it will be fixed for three years and therefore protect me against any price rises.

I want to do the thing which will save me the most money, but it hard to know which that will actually be. I have heard that an energy supplier has just put its prices up and it is expected that others will follow but it will be a while before they go up as high as I will be paying on this new contract. So difficult to know what to do, just wish I had a crystal ball!

My instincts are usually right when it comes to these things, I chose a tracker mortgage just before rates fell and am paying 0.49%+base rate which is fantastic, I fixed my utility bills before and saved money and I Invested in premium bonds and have seen a much higher than average return. But what to do this time......I am thinking fix at this point in time but will discuss it with family over the weekend and see what they think.

Saving with Solar

2012-03-15T11:17:00.003Z

I cannot believe how much money I have saved with my solar panels so far. Next month I will be able to read my electricity generation meter again and apply for my third feed in tariff cheque. These lighter days are making a big difference to the amount that we are generating which is fantastic.

With the deadline passed for the feed in tariff rate that I am getting, it may be that people are more reluctant to do it now. However, I would encourage you to still do the maths. Take a look at some information about solar panels and this will give you more information. Have a look at what is available and then get a few quotes. Find out how much you will have to invest and calculate what your return is likely to me. Even if you do not make a big return, imagine how it might do compared to the stock market or just being in the bank. The return could potentially still be higher. Of course it all depends on interest rates but it could still be a really good gamble.

Quoting Accurately

2012-03-15T11:09:00.002Z

One thing that I have learned when running by business is that it is very important to quote your customers a good price. Before i got some accurate weighing scales such as the mettler balance, I used to quote postage at too low a rate. This meant that I could often make a loss in the products that I was selling because I was having to pay more in postage than they were giving me for postage and the profit margins could be extremely low on some items. It can be well worth just calculating all of your costs to make sure that you are charging the right amount of money. It might be a tough time and we need to be competitive, but we will not be able to function as businesses if we make a loss.

ISA Allowance

2012-03-15T10:57:00.003Z

I do keep thinking about investing in an ISA. It is not long until this years allowance is up. However, I am happy with my money in premium bonds at the moment. I feel that it is safe for one thing but also I can get the money quickly. I am getting a good return on the money with a lot of wins as well which is really good. I have calculated my interest rate and it is more than I can get on an instant access ISA even if it is a stocks and shares one. I will keep an eye on what is going on with regards to wins and interest rates.

Having a Clear Up

2012-03-15T10:36:00.002Z

All the renovations on the house has given us a good excuse for a good tidy up. It is good to use storage cabinets and things like that to put everything away in and to have everything looking really nice. There are still quite a few things to put away still but it is looking really good and is feeling really worthwhile. The house is lovely and quiet without any workmen in, having had them in since the beginning of January has been lovely too.

Work

2012-03-15T10:32:00.002Z

The work is trickling in at the moment. It is good that I am getting bits and pieces in and it is all adding up this month, which is good. It is certainly going to be a much better month than February and it still feels really good to know that I am earning and contributing to the household income and still being at home so I can keep the house looking good and be around for the children too. Happy days!

Getting Value For Money Everywhere

2012-03-14T18:21:00.003Z

Sometimes, I think that people only look to saving money on the big things. they think about cutting their mortgage rate, their utility cost and things like that. however, if you try to save money everywhere then it really adds up and you can see a significant difference.

Some habits that we have can be extremely costly and these can be worth looking at. We might enjoy our food and eat too much, we might drink a lot of alcohol or smoke cigarettes. If we can tame these habits, then we could make significant savings. for example, giving up smoking could save a significant amount of money, especially if you smoke a lot. you could easily save enough to pay for a family holiday, in a year and this could really help you. Imagine what you could do with that extra money.

So why not get eating less extravagantly, cutting down on the vino and looking at the 2010 best electronic cigarette or some e cigarette reviews to save yourself a big chunk of money. It may not be easy but the rewards will be fantastic.

Yesterdays Experiment

2012-03-13T08:17:00.001Z

I worked hard yesterday looking for opportunities and put a lot of feelers out, but actually only received one payment for £20. Quite disappointing, but on the bright side, I have already earned double what I did last month, so things are still looking very positive.

Saving Money on Credit Cards

2012-03-12T15:58:00.002Z

It can be easy to just assume that when we see promotions for balance transfer cards that they are just another way for banks to make money. But if we are clever, we can actually make them work very well for us.

If we can transfer any money we owe to a 0% credit card, then we can save a lot of money. There are fee for transferring balances over on credit cards, but if you save a significant amount of interest because you are not paying any for a fixed period, then it can be really worthwhile. Do some calculations and work out whether you can save.

The best thing about transferring to a 0% card is that you can start to pay off the balance rather than just paying back the interest. You will have some extra money each month and you can use that to pay off the debt that you owe, which can start to make a big dent in your debt.

Even if you cannot transfer to a 0% card, there are still some great deals out there and it is worth taking a look and seeing whether you can save any money. Even a small monthly saving can make a significant difference in the long term.

Targets for Today

2012-03-12T09:07:00.004Z

I am very determined to earn a lot of money today. I have decided that I would really like it to be my best day ever with regards to receiving payments. This could be quite a challenge for me, but I have made a great start by getting my travel news done and invoicing for it already. That is just over £20 so I have quite a long way to go, but we will see what happens.....

I have now had a look back to see wht my best earning day was. It was the 24th August 2011 and I received £510.73 - Wow! That was payments for weeks of work all coming in and as I am not due any payments like that then, it may be a bigger challenge than I thought. Still remaining positive though as it is very early still.....

Cherished Plates

2012-03-08T14:22:00.002Z

Cherished number plates are rather more special than just personalised ones. They are ones where you just have a few numbers and a proper word on the number plate. they stand out a lot more and it is very obvious to every other driver that you have got personalised plates. these are something that many people desire.

Look up the plate that you are interested in and look at a selection of places that sell them. you may find that you can save money with certain places and this could be a good way to go. however, do be sure before you spend the money.

It is also very important to make sure that when you change your car, you take the plates with you. you should be able to move the registration to a new vehicle, but it is worth investigating how you do this with the DVLA before you change the car as you do not want to lose your rights to that number plate.

New Carpets

2012-03-08T14:20:00.001Z

My new carpets are being fitted and I am so pleased with them. I did spend a lot of money on them, buying an expensive underlay and carpet but it seems like it will be really worth while. It looks really great and feels good too. I am really hoping that my investment will pay off and that the extra money paid will mean that the carpets last a good long time. I guess only time will tell, but at the moment i am very happy with my decision.

Personalised Number Plates

2012-03-08T14:08:00.003Z

If you like the idea of having a special car, but just feel that a brand new vehicle is too expensive then there is a way that you can make it look a lot more interesting without having to pay out a lot more money. Getting some private number plates, can make a huge difference. It can make you feel really proud of the car that you are driving and also make it look great. Imagine what your friends will say when they see your initials or nickname on your car. It will stand out immediately to anyone that knows you and will be a lot cheaper than buying a new vehicle. They probably will not even notice that it is not a different car as their eyes will be drawn to the plate! Price for a new numberplate start at just a few hundred pounds, which is a lot less than purchasing a new vehicle.

Taking A Loan

2012-03-08T13:47:00.002Z

It can be felt that loans are always a terrible thing to have. However, there are circumstance when loans should be considered, but it is important to make sure that you make a sensible decision and also a sensible choice as to who to take the loan out with.

Firstly, think about the reason for the loan and whether it is a good one. You may have an investment opportunity which you need money for that will pay you back more than you are paying to borrow the money or you may need to buy something and you just do not have the funds. If this is an essential item or will massively increase your quality of life, then it is a good idea to take out the loan.

Then you need to look at the company you take the loan from. You may love the sound of A J Cash loans but it is always a good idea to compare a few places and make sure that you are getting the best deal for you. As each case is different, it is a good idea to make sure that you consider your own circumstances and what will be the best for you.

Small Business Tools

2012-03-08T09:38:00.004Z

If you are running your own business, it can be a really good idea to make your life as easy as possible by using a selection of tools. For example, I save money by doing my own books and because I have done several courses on how to do this, I use a spreadsheet package and find it all very simple. However, some people use bookkeeping software. It can be a good idea to do this as it can save you a lot of money in paying a book keeper.

You may still use an accountant for some tasks, but if you can keep your own records it will save you lots of money. Some people even use the account to do their book keeping and this is extremely expensive as they charge a lot of money. So it can be worth paying out money for software like this as it can save you a lot of money in the long term. Just make sure that you use it!

More Money Coming In!

2012-03-06T19:08:00.001Z

It is continuing to be a good month with a selection of small amounts of money coming in. I won £3.50 from the school 50:50 club and although I pay in £4 a month to this charity lottery, it is nice to win something for a change. I sold the shower door which did not fit our new bathroom on eBay and will be getting £50 for it later, which is good. We also won £25 on the premium bonds this week.

I have also made a few business sales of some blogposts and received a cheque for my Amazon Kindle sales in USA amounting to $146.80, although that will probably be worth about £70 by the time I have paid the charge for paying it in and it has been converted to pounds.

These might all be small amounts, but they all add up and it is good to be able to keep adding a bit of money in to the household finances. Lets hope it continues!

Community Spirit

2012-03-05T22:49:00.003Z

I love where I live because the neighbours all take really good care of each other. This is one of the main reasons that we have invested so much money in doing up the house, rather than wanting to move anywhere else, as well as the fact that it is cheaper than moving.

I find that in some areas this is not the case and neighbours do not always even speak to each other. I think it really helps everyone to be a lot happier of they not only care about the place that they live but the people who live there. this is why I like the idea of the Rochester website. This is a site where the people who live in a community can share there views. Not only is there information about things going on the area, but there is also a forum where people can exchange their views. The Forums Rochester NY is a friendly place where people can discuss things going on in the area, whether they like them or not and a great way to see what others are thinking. I think if we all understood each others viewpoints more we would live in a better place. I think this sort of thing is a way of beginning to see things form others points of view and it can help us all to become more open minded and accepting. I also think that this is a really great way to bring people together and as we all become more confident at using computers, it is something that I think should be done more often.

Great earnings

2012-03-05T22:45:00.002Z

I am so thrilled by my earnings so far this month. I have sold something on eBay and sold some books on Amazon, in addition to the money already earned this month. I have even got a cheque from Amazon Kindle which I hope to cash this month. not sure how much I will get in the end, it is for $146.80. There will be a charge for them cashing the cheque and of course it will be converted in to pounds, but i am hoping that it will still be more than £80, but we will see.

Premium Bonds Win!

2012-03-03T07:48:00.001Z

I did not have that high expectations this month because of drawing out money from my Premium Bonds. I was therefore very pleased with my £25 win. Of course, the million pound prize would have been a lot better but I think that £25 is still a great amount to have. I will still be hoping that it will be more next month!

Value For Money

2012-03-03T07:39:00.002Z

If you want to get good value for money then it is really important to make sure that you buy products that work. For example many people buy diet pills on line, but they know very little about them. It is very important to find out about the pill and the brand, find out about the side effects and what it does for you. For example, if you are interested in phenteripped, make sure that you find out what it actually does and whether you think that the way that it works will suit your body. Then find out whether there are other similar alternatives available that might be better. Remember to read reviews of the product as well as the supplier and then you can be happy that you are getting a good quality product from a good company. Although price is important it is most important to make sure that you are getting a good service and a good product for the money that you are paying.

A Great Start to March

2012-03-03T07:36:00.002Z

Wow, I am so excited about March so far! I have earned more so far in March than i did for the whole of February. Some of the opportunities were ones that I started investigating last month, but it is still great to see some significant chunks of money coming in already. Hopefully the month will continue to be a profitable one as we have been spending a lot of money. It would be great if I could start to see some significant earnings so that I can start putting some chunks of money into my savings account.

Sunny Weather

2012-03-03T07:31:00.002Z

I am really enjoying the warm weather for a variety of reasons. It is not that I am obsessed by money all the time ........ well maybe I am, but there are several good financial reasons for the weather to be good. Firstly my solar panels have been generating a lot of electricity which is fantastic, we will be saving money on our electric bill and getting paid fee din tariff for the energy generated. Also my heating does not have to be on so much because the warm outside is keeping the house warm. I do like snuggling up in my CozyWinters.com heated vest to keep warm, but ditching that saves money as well.

I will miss the crisp mornings and the snow ball fights. I also like snuggling up in layers of warm clothing and feeling toastie in front of the fire watching the snow falling, but saving money is such a great feeling!!

UK householders increase monthly income using sharemystorage.com

2012-03-02T18:02:00.002Z

Newly launched online social marketplace sharemystorage.com gives householders the opportunity to rent out garages, spare rooms, basements and attics to like-minded locals seeking storage space. Its a unique service that empowers communities to meet each others storage needs whilst earning extra income and reducing the costs associated with self-storage.

As big-brand self storage providers such as Safestore and Big Yellow continue to post bumper annual profits the opportunity to earn extra income from what would otherwise be vacant space will come as a welcome fillip to many home owners continuing to struggle with the increased cost of living as a result of the current economic downturn.

Imran Azam, Founder of SmS, reveals the inspiration behind the service;

“Back in July 2010 a neighbour asked if she could store her children’s bikes in our garage whilst her home was being renovated. She explained that she had found it extremely difficult to find a storage facility that was close at hand and reasonably priced. We were only too happy to help but her story intrigued us so we decided to have a closer look at the big-brand self-storage industry. What we found was quite staggering; out of town industrial locations, premium prices, a neglect of rural and northern communities, and over priced packaging material and insurance. We thought there had to be a better way of meeting everyday people's storage needs; if our garage was suitable then why not other private spaces? It was really the light bulb moment that gave birth to sharemystorage.com.”

SmS has been termed the ‘ebay of storage’ as registered users are able to list, search, communicate and come to an agreement with other SmS members through the sites private messaging system. SmS members are also encouraged to build up their personal profiles with photos, background information and testimonials so users get to know who they are dealing with. The service is totally free for those seeking a storage solution with storage providers charged a one off fee equivalent to a weeks rent once a booking has been arranged.

‘Katherine’, a busy mother of four and GP in Manchester, recently used SmS to secure a local garage space with Mr & Mrs ‘Rose’;

“Initially I thought SmS was just a creative way of reducing storage costs. Of course we did manage to save a lot of money but the most pleasing aspect of using SmS was actually getting know people living right on our doorstep! The Rose family were extremely accommodating and although we’ve now finished renting their garage we still see each other regularly. It's strange to think we probably would never have met had it not been for the service provided by SmS.”

Whilst SmS members can benefit from cheaper storage costs the service also aims to target specific environmental issues associated with the self-storage industry. Co-founder, Nizam Patel, explains;

“Every year thousands of unnecessary miles are driven and tones of cardboard boxes discarded whilst using self-storage. It’s completely inefficient. Having teamed up with the UK’s leading reusable packaging supplier Eco-boxes and the carbon reducing haulage specialists uShip we can ensure all SmS members have the option to make a positive contribution to the environment.”

Sharemystorage.com is part of the global 'collaborative consumption' movement and one of a growing number of online services helping everyday people swap, share, barter, trade and rent all manner of goods and services through the latest technologies in ways and on a scale never possible before.

Finding a Bargain

2012-03-02T07:50:00.002Z

It is so worth hunting around for bargains at the moment. With the recession, there are many companies that are desperate to make sales and they are cutting their profit margins in order to do this. For example, lets say you are looking at cameras, you will need to research to get a good price. Once you have decided which one you want, you need to look at many online sources to find the best possible price, remembering to bear in mind how much the postage is. Then go to high street retailers and see if you can negotiate better prices from them. Although online tends to be cheaper, there is no harm in making sure that you cannot get a better deal on the high street, the sales team are likely to be on commission and may be able to get you some good deals.

February Results

2012-03-02T07:47:00.002Z

I was a bit disappointed in the results from February really. However, it was not that surprising that I did not earn much. I spent a lot of time decorating the house, which saved us thousands of pounds and I also had a son in hospital and spent time looking after him. Considering that, the amount of money made was actually pretty good! Of course, I would still like it to be more, especially as we are coming to the end of the tax year. It is always nice to have a nice big figure after twelve months. I guess, if it is lower, it means I will not have so much tax to pay, but really I would like a big tax bill as it would mean I was raking it in!

February Earnings

2012-03-01T12:41:00.007Z

Pay to Blog - £64.60

PayU2Blog - £8.70
Blog post - £55.90

Writing - £139.32

Article Writing - £139.32

Other - £18.31

Amazon book sales - £18.31

Making a Grand Total of £310.10

Happy World Book Day!!

2012-03-01T12:31:00.001Z

Why not treat yourself to a bargain book on World Book Day! There are plenty of great ones around. Remember that ebooks are much cheaper than a printed version and even if you do not have a Kindle, you can download an ebook reader to your phone, PC or laptop and still have a read. Take a look at these books to start with and see what you think!

It is also worth considering buying second hand books instead of new. You can always sell them once you have read them as well. It is easy to set up a seller account on eBay or Amazon and so you can make some money back. Check out the bargain books that I have available in my Amazon shop and enjoy the day!

Happy Leap Day!

2012-02-29T11:37:00.002Z

February is usually a low earner because it has less days than the rest of the months in the year. An extra day this year means an extra opportunity to earn more money this month. I am not due any payments today, but have had an enquiry with regards to advertising on a website. I will see what comes of it!

Career Choices

2012-02-28T12:43:00.003Z

One thing that has occurred to me lately with regards to money is how much your career choice can determine your future income. I was no good at deciding what I wanted to do and found that the career guidance I got was not good. Teachers at school knew little about working in the outside world and I never went to see a career advisor while I was at university. I ended up making decision which probably ended up in being poorly paid. I am not regretting what I am doing now as it suits my lifestyle perfectly, but had I known about gradsolutions and other similar websites, I would have been a lot better off. Had I found a way to use my qualifications I am sure that I would have been paid better. However, I looked for jobs only in one place and thought that there was nothing suitable. had I consulted grad solutions I would have found out a lot more about how to use the qualifications that I had and it would have probably meant a very different career for me. Being a positive person, I feel that my career lead me to where I am today and I am very happy, but I would advise others to take a look at www.gradsolutions.com.au to make sure they are making the most of their qualifications and getting the pay that they deserve.

High Price Shock!!

2012-02-28T12:41:00.003Z

I was looking around for costumes for the children to wear on World Book Day. I needed a black cape and red t-shirt and was shocked by how expensive everything was. I was looking in charity shops for clothing and the tops were three or four pounds. I would have though you could buy new ones in some shops for that price. I do not normally shop in charity shops and must admit that I was rather shocked at the price. Unfortunately, there was nothing at all suitable and so I am rather stuck and may end up having to make something or get the children to make a different costume choice - could be tricky either way!

Savings Calculator

2012-02-27T12:18:00.004Z

It can be really useful to save up for items, rather than buying them right now and paying the interest on a credit card and loan. It is very satisfying knowing that when you have an item, you have worked hard in saving up to pay for it. You can even find that the savings add up quicker than you might think.

This savings calculator below can be a great way to start. You can put in the details of what you are saving and you will be able to work out how long it will take you to save up for what you want.

You can even put the widget on your own website, so that others can use it and you can easily use it yourself. It is a great way to make sure that you do not pay extra for those items that you want to buy.

savings calculatorHalifaxmortgagesloanscredit cards

Saving in a Cash ISA is a great way to prepare for your future.

Saving on Toiletries

2012-02-23T08:02:00.002Z

Saving money can be done on all sorts of things. If you want to cut down then you can spend time doing price comparisons on all sorts of products. There are comparison websites which can be really useful but it is also good to do your own research as well. For example, if you want to see whether your favourite seaweed shampoo can be found cheaper then you can try several things. Go in to high street stores or look on their websites and find out how much it costs there. Then search on the Internet at the big retailers and places that sell toiletries. It can also be useful to search for the name of the product you are buying and see what websites come up that sell it. Once you find the cheapest one, you can buy it, but remember that buying online often has a postage charge which you will need to factor in. Next time you need to buy the same product, you might want to search again as sometimes places have special deals on certain products and it is worth checking to see if this has happened. However, remember that it takes time to do this sort of search and if you are using time where you would otherwise be earning money, then it might be the best use of your time.

Money Saving Tips

2012-02-23T07:59:00.002Z

A Facebook friend has just asked if anyone can give her any money saving tips. This is a huge question as there are so many ways that we can save money. I directed her towards money saving experts website. I think this has such a lot of good information about big ways of saving money. Spending less on groceries, is something she has been trying to do, but this is often not our biggest expense. It is important to look at the things that we are spending most of our money on, this tends to be rent or mortgages, loans and utilities. Sometimes by just noting down everything tahtw e spend our money on each m,onth, it can be a real shock to see where the money is going and by comparing prices of things like electricity and bank charges you can see how much you can save.

Throw Away Society

2012-02-21T10:37:00.002Z

It makes me sad when I see people replacing things in their home so quickly after buying them. Things are made a lot more cheaply these days and they can break easily. This means that although they are more affordable, they are having to be replaced more quickly and this is a complete waste of money. It seems common sense to pay more money for better quality and then get things repaired rather than replacing them if they get damaged. For example why not get a leather couch repair done, rather than just buying a brand new one? It makes a lot more sense, saves a lot of money and saves waste. It is something worth thinking hard about, before spending lots more money on a new one.

Earnings This Month

2012-02-21T10:35:00.002Z

Things have been quiet this month. Kindle book sales are much lower than last month and I have had only small bits of writing work in. However, I have used my spare time to decorate teh house and have felt that this has been a fantastic use of my time. It has saved me so much money,. meaning that i have not had to pay someone to do it. I will be searching around for more work, once the decorating is finished though as we will need more income after March as my hsuband will no longer be getting any 'on call' at work so we will not get that extra money any more.

Music Gifts

2012-02-21T10:28:00.002Z

My father likes music and playing instruments and my nieces are learning to play the violin and guitar as well. They all think that music is a great way to relax and they really enjoy being involved in it. It is therefore always nice to be able to buy them music presents when it is their birthday because I like buying presents that I know people will really enjoy, or else I worry that they will have wasted their money. I have come across a really interesting thing which I am considering for their next gift. It is an ebow and it can make the guitar sound really great even if you use it instead of a pick. I think it will appeal because it is technical and funky and musical all at the same time.

House Progress

2012-02-21T10:21:00.002Z

Things were going so well in the house. The painting has come along really well and I had plans to get most of it finished over the weekend. Unfortunately my son was rushed to hospital and had his appendix out on Saturday morning and it has rather thrown everything. However, he is back at home, recovering well and now I have to focus on my plans. I have work to catch up on, which I hope to get done today. I have my husband doing a selection of chores for me in the house, which should help. I am hoping I might be able to finish off painting the gloss in the kitchen this evening, but it depends on how tired I am as I have not been getting much sleep lately. Once that is done, it will be the sitting room to do, where I will move the furniture in one half and do that and then move it to the other half and do that. Then my husband has to decide if he wants his office done, which is an easy paint job, but moving all the books and computers out will be hard work. Lastly, the downstairs hallway will need to be done, which is again, an easy job but had the painting stuff in it, so is best left until last. We have found the carpets we like and will be ordering those as soon as we have a few questions answered about them and then have to order the furniture. Then everything will be complete!

Cutting Down Spending

2012-02-21T10:05:00.002Z

I think that this is a time more than ever when we should think about cutting down on spending. Many of us are struggling financially and even if we are okay, we should be planning carefully for the future as we never know what might happen. Spending carelessly is never a good thing, it is much better to save as much money as you can as you never know when you might need it. Obviously, you do not want to make yourself miserable by depriving yourself of everything that you like. However, it is worth seeingw hether you can get things cheaper or whether you can be jsut as happy without buying so many new things. For example rather than buying lots of new trailer hitches when yours break, see if it is better to get one repaired and make sure you do not get new ones until it is absolutely necessary. It can be tempting to think that you are spoiling yourself when you spend money but you are spoiling yourself by holding on to it for a time when you really need it. You could save yourself a lot of stress and worry.

Interest Free Credit Card

2012-02-21T09:44:00.002Z

My husband got approval for his interest free credit card recently. This is great news because it means that we can buy our carpets without having to use our savings. Obviously we will have to pay off the card eventually, but it means that we will be able to keep the money tied up in premium bonds for another year at least and it could mean that we will win more money. At the moment winnings are still going well and so I am positive that it is currently a good place to have our money.

Home Insurance, Mistakes to Avoid

2012-02-14T16:11:00.000Z

Although gathering home insurance quotes can be a slightly tedious affair, it is highly advisable to shop around before committing to a policy. As insurance companies are not government regulated there are many scam artists who will be reluctant to pay out if a claim is made. Sticking to well established companies or those who have been recommended by friends and family is the best option.

There are many mistakes that, when made, affect the price of a policy; this is why thorough planning is essential. Here are a few examples of common mistakes that people make when insuring their home:

Not contacting an existing insurer – Many people will begin their search for quotes on comparative sites in order to reduce time. Although these types of search engines are useful, they also ignore a vital component. Combining home insurance with car, life or pet insurance with the same company can result in a substantial discount of up to 15%. Most providers will reward existing customers for their loyalty and should always be the first port of call.
Paying unnecessary contents cover – As households change and tenants move on, so will the contents cover. Many people find themselves paying for coverage on expensive jewellery, electronic items and appliances that they no longer use or own. Keeping up to date and informing insurers of changes in circumstance is of great importance when attempting to keep payments low.
Paying for unnecessary risks – Whilst some insurance companies will automatically include flood, earthquake and hurricane damage cover, others may provide this as an addition. It is important to check with the provider if this has been added automatically as those situated in areas of low risk will find themselves paying for unnecessary cover. However, those who live in an area of high risk should never remove this cover and include it as one of their necessities.
Paying for damages – The majority of households who have home insurance choose to pay for minor breakages and damage to the home with their own money, even though they could make a claim. If this is occurring, it may be worth reducing the deductible on the policy. According to a recent survey of insurance rates, increasing the deductible from $2000 to $4000 on a homeowner’s insurance policy can save nearly $200 a year from a policy’s principle.

When households are in the process of purchasing their home insurance, it is important to thoroughly consider the type of coverage that is required well in advance. Additionally, in depth research is also essential to ensure that the best deal is obtained. Although this can be a lengthy process and deemed as an inconvenience, it is important to find the best policy to suit the needs of the whole household.

The Importance of Good Website Design

2012-02-09T16:29:00.004Z

Many people pay a lot of money for websites for their business and as someone who likes to save money, you may feel that I would say you need to go for a cheaper option. however, if you go too cheap or design something yourself then you are taking a big risk.

Your website could be the first thing that someone sees about your company. They will use it to judge you and therefore it is important to make the right impression. however, you also need to make sure that you come up high in search engines so that people can come across you in the first place. Things that you put on your website will have an effect on this as well.

It is therefore important to make sure that you get teh right company for the job. You need a good balance between expertise and experience and competitive prices. You want to make sure that you are getting good value for money and so it is perhaps even more important to do lots of research about this than anything else. make sure you ask around and see if you can get any personal recommendations, look for reviews of top web designers in London and most importantly speak to the companies. Ask them to give you details of clients they have worked for and ask those people how much business they have gained which they feel was a direct result of the new website that they got. Do not be afraid to ask questions, a good company will not mind answering them as they will understand that you want a good job and that you want to make sure you are getting a good service for your money.

I have seen some pretty websites lately but they do not give enough information to their customers, are difficult to navigate and they do not come up high in search engines. So make sure that you talk to your web designer about SEO as making something that is easy to use as well as making it look good.

0% Credit Card

2012-02-08T12:38:00.000Z

I have been taking a look at the deals on 0% credit cards. We will soon be buying carpets and furniture for the house, once the building work is completed. I have decided that if we put it on a 0% credit card, we will be able to keep the money that we have to pay for it invested for longer. There are two cards offering 15 months interest free credit at the moment and so these look really great. The problem is that until my husband applies, we will not know whether they will give us a high enough credit limit to get everything that we need. I will therefore get him to apply for one as soon as possible so that we can find out if we need another one as well. It could be a great way of letting our savings earn us some extra money.

How the Payday Loans Market Operates

2012-02-07T14:24:00.003Z

It can be useful to use a Payday loan if you do not have enough money to pay for essential bills before the end of the month. It is quite a different thing to a loan form a financial institution though. They will tend to lend money over a long period - at least a year if not significantly longer but a payday loan must be paid back when you next get paid. It is therefore likely that the lending period will only between seven and eighteen days. The amount this borrowing costs will depend on how much you choose to borrow and how long you have the money for. It is necessary to be earning over a certain amount of money before you will be accepted for payday loans. You will normally be able to get one if you have a regular income. In order to qualify you will also have to have some finance checks to make sure that you are capable of repaying the loan and it is possible that this could take a few days in some cases. This will depend on the company you choose and your financial circumstances. It is very important that even if you are accepted for a loan, that you make sure that you can pay it back when necessary. Your lender may have faith in you, but you need to make sure that you can trust yourself as well. It is an expensive way to borrow money and if you do not pay it back on time then it can end up costing even more. You do not want to be in this situation. It is also necessary to make sure that you talk to the lender and make sure that they can answer all of your questions before you start. Ensure that you fully understand the terms and conditions, know how much you will be charged for the loan and when you will be expected to pay it back and make sure that you can do this. Also get in touch with other cash advance lenders to make sure that you look at all your options and compare the cost and service that others are offering so you know that you are getting teh best deal for you.

Premium Bonds News

2012-02-06T11:37:00.001Z

Despite the fact that I have removed a significant chunk of money out of my premium bonds this month, I still managed to win £25 in February's draw. My husband has twice the money that I do and he won £50. This is still higher than the odds of winning and so it looks like it was the right decision as not only is it earning 'interest' it is also giving me peace of mind knowing that I will get my capital back whenever I need it. I will need to take more money out to pay for carpets and furniture this month and so it will be interesting to what impact that might have on next months draw results.

Cash For Gold.....

2012-02-02T21:11:00.002Z

I know there is a mixed opinion about cash for gold. I can see where it could be useful for people who really need some money, but I also know that it is well worth getting a selection of valuations before you should sell anything. I was walking past one of the many cash for gold shops in town with my six year old boys today. I didn't even notice we had walked past one until one son said 'it would be really good if you found lots of jewellery as you could take it in to that shop and get lots of money for it'. I know he is only six and so I can understand why he said this, but it did make me start to worry whether there are people out there, who have not been lucky enough to be taught anything about money, who would think this sort of place will be the best place to go if they need money. There must be people who think like this or else there would not be so many shops like this opening everywhere. It is so important to make sure you are getting the best deal, often these places just pay you for the value in gold, minus some profit for themselves. However, you may find a jewellers or antique dealer may pay you more as they will see the value in the item as well as the value of the gold it is made of. However desperate you are, you surely can spare a bit of time, even to visit several different place sin the town where you live.

January Earnings

2012-02-02T14:25:00.001Z

Pay to Blog - £65.64

PayU2Blog - £59.84
Blog post - £5.80

Writing - £399.63

Article Writing - £345.22
Amazon ebooks sale - £54.41

Other - £84.57

Quidco - £1.68
Waterproof Memo Board - £10.00
Amazon book sales - £72.89

Making a Grand Total of £549.84

5 Ways to Save Money Online

2012-02-01T17:44:00.002Z

With the power of the Internet, it is possible to do many things like stay in touch and get the latest information. However, one of the best things you can do online is save money. By using the Internet, you can save money in many different ways.

Comparing Insurance Quotes

One of the most effective ways to save money online is to shop around for insurance. For example, you can compare life cover options on many different insurance comparison websites. To do this, you simply enter in the information that you want to search for, such as whether you want term or whole and the face value. You may also have the option to get quotes on additional riders such as accidental death and dismemberment. Then many different life cover insurance companies will provide you with quotes.

Coupons

While many people are used to getting coupons out of the Sunday paper, the Internet can be a much more valuable source of coupons in some cases. By looking online, you can zero in on the types of coupons that you want to find. For example, if you're about to go to the store and buy a specific product, you can simply do a search online and try to find a coupon for it. You then can print it off and use it immediately.

Buying Products

If you're in the business of saving money, purchasing your products online can be a lifesaver. Many businesses that sell online do not have the large overhead that traditional brick-and-mortar merchants do. Online businesses may be nothing more than a warehouse or even a single person working from home. With this lower overhead, the online business can save money and pass the savings onto customers. In addition to the extra savings, most purchases online are not subject to sales tax. The only thing that you have to watch out for is the shipping costs. Some online merchants will charge you more for shipping and the extra savings you realized may be lost.

Online Auctions

Another way to save money online is to get involved with auctions. Many online auction sites sell practically every product that you can imagine. If you time it right, you may be able to get a product for much cheaper than you would ordinarily be able to elsewhere. When using online auctions, you have to be careful to ensure that you are getting the exact product that you want and that it is in good condition.

Free Content

Instead of spending a lot of money on entertainment expenses, you could cut those out by using the Internet. For example, much of the television programming that you pay for on TV is available for free online. Most of the TV networks allow you to watch their shows on demand. You can also listen to music for free and even play video games for free online. This can allow you to cut other expenses that you pay for as long as you have an Internet connection.

Record Kindle Book Sales

2012-02-01T11:33:00.002Z

I was very excited in December when I sold my biggest ever amount of Kindle books at 34 in the month across all Amazon sites. However, during January I sold 73! I do have a few more titles out now, but it is not the new titles that are doing so well. I know that Kindle has been having a sale, but I am not aware that my titles have been involved. I did have less books lent this month and I wonder whether people who borrowed copies last month are buying them this month. I also think the high sales are due to a lot of people getting Amazon vouchers and new Kindles for Christmas. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts.

Personal Injury Claims

2012-02-01T11:13:00.004Z

Many people do not like the idea of personal injury claims. they feel that most claims are fraudulent and just end up in people ending up having to pay higher insurance premiums. however, it is important that people realise that this is not always the case. there are many genuine claims, where people have been injured through no fault of their own and been put in a financially disastrous position as a result. No one likes false claims and Spencers, a personal injury lawyers have just put together an interactive campaign to try to prevent this. They have put together a selection of Youtube videos at their website http://www.shouldtheyclaim.co.ukand encourage people to take a look at the accidents and work out whether the people involved have the grounds to make a claim or not. This is a very interesting approach from this company of solicitors and will hopefully start to get people thinking that they are not just interested in representing any case because they think they will make money out of it. They do have morals as well.

How you benefit from overall stock market growth

2012-02-01T11:09:00.001Z

Taking the plunge into making investments can sometimes seem a little bit daunting at first, particularly if it’s something you’ve never done before. However, if you are keen to make some investments and are willing to invest your money over a long period of time in the hope of achieving maximum growth, read on to find out more about how you could benefit from overall stock market growth.

In particular, let us take the example of some of the best stocks and shares ISA. For those not already in the know, this is a kind of ISA that invests in – you guessed it – stocks and shares. There is an annual limit as to how much you can invest (£10680 for the 2011/2012 tax year), but all your interest and dividends are tax free, which is one of the reasons these ISAs make such a popular form of investment.

If you are looking to invest your money over the long term then one good example of an investment ISA to consider is a FTSE all-share tracker ISA. This is a type of ISA that purchases shares in all of the companies listed on the FTSE all-share index, which helps to spread out the risk and means that you have your eggs in multiple baskets as opposed to one, more concentrated, investment.

One thing to note, as you are probably already aware, is that your investment has the potential to go down as well as to grow, because the growth of the stock market is not guaranteed. However, when the market is growing, if you have an all-share tracker ISA, you’ll never miss out on that growth due to the fact your investment is spread around as opposed to concentrated in a smaller group of companies.

Also, one of the benefits of this type of share ISA is that you can get share dividends, which means there is a chance your investment will continue to grow even if the growth of the market is currently struggling. Plus, if you are able to invest money in your stock share ISA over the course of five years or more, there is a fairly decent chance that the FTSE all-share exchange will grow rather than fall, so even though you are taking on a financial risk with this kind of ISA, there is a good chance for growth – and the rewards can be very good.

Overall, if you are looking for a long term investment and are willing to take a risk in exchange for potentially very good returns, an all-share tracker investment ISA could be the ideal option for you.

Getting a Good Car Insurance Deal

2012-01-30T19:06:00.006Z

Swapping car insurance can be a great way to save money. many people choose to switch after looking at a price comparison website. However, Aviva have launched a fun campaign where you can play a series of games in order to learn more about their car insurance and how you can save money.

The games feature the main character of the advertisements who is called Ollie. You have the option of creating a personalised song and sending it to your friends, you can play at catching fish, you can view the TV advertising campaign and there is a chance to win prizes.

Of course, it is all about encouraging you to find out more about their Multicar insurance. If you insure more than one car, then you can get up to a third off when you add a second vehicle to your policy. This could save you a lot of money if your household has more than one car, which many do these days and so it is well worth a look and getting a quote to see how much you can save.

Why not take a look at the video below, have ago at the game or find out whether you can save some money.

Post sponsored by Aviva

Massive savings!

2012-01-30T10:37:00.002Z

Thanks to spending nectar points and printing off a 20% discount vouchers and an in store deal, I managed to save £150 in Homebase this weekend. It was an amazing saving. I purchased 4 5 litre tubs of Dulux paint pod paint. Each 2 tubs came with a free Paint pod compact worth £30.99. We also bought undercoat, gloss, gloves, sandpaper, masking tape and other things for painting. I am always shocked at how dear these things are, but with a 20% saving as well as spending £48 worth of nectar points, we made an amazing saving. It was certainly well worth using our loyalty card (we get points from reading our meters monthly for British gas and buying petrol at Sainsburys) and searching for vouchers on line. The voucher was emailed to my husband from the Money Saving Expert so thank you Martin Lewis!

Another Feed In Tariff Cheque!

2012-01-28T20:57:00.004Z

I received another feed in tariff cheque today which was for £96.88. This was significantly less than the first but was not surprising considering the shorter winter days and the cloud we have been having. However, it was still great to receive it.

It means that we have now had the solar panels for six months and so I did some calculations to work out how much money we have saved so far:

£364.19 - Feed in Tariff
£83.54 - free electricity generated
£208.91 - reduced electricity used due to being more frugal
£267.20 - reduced gas used due to being more frugal
£923.84 - TOTAL

It is amazing to think that comparing year on year, we have saved so much money in gas and electricity. We have been on a fixed price tariff as well so it is not due to any change in cost of electricity or gas as the price per unit has remained the same. The winter has been warmer than last year which may have had some bearing on it of course.

We could have been frugal without the solar panels but it was having them fitted that made me think so much about how much we were wasting. I started turning the heating off in the day and turned the thermostat down by two degrees. I made sure lights and computers and televisions were switched off in rooms when we were not in them and even started bathing the children less often. Having an electricity meter really helped as I found out things like our kitchen lights cost 50p an hour at the highest tariff of electricity and I often left them on for a few hours each day when I was in. That could have cost me £200 in the six months - almost unbelievable!!

So even if you do not have solar panels, you can make huge savings on your utility bills if you give some thought to where you are spending money. Get a meter if you can, many energy companies are giving them away free and it could help you to save over £500 a year like me!

Frugal Christmas Spending

2012-01-20T05:51:00.002Z

Last year I managed to get a lot of great deals in the January sales. I had already done some of my Christmas shopping by the time January was over. This year I have just not had the time to go out and do this and I am rather regretting it. I did manage to get some cheap biscuits and chocolate, but that was very naughty as normally I would not have bought them at all. My weekend is booked up again and I suspect that all of the post christmas sale bargains will be gone by next weekend. I will just have to look for other sales to do my shopping, during the course of teh year and help to spread the cost of Christmas.

Utility Savings

2012-01-20T05:47:00.002Z

My energy supplier has a great function on their website where it is possible to compare your energy usage with that of the previous year. I have had a look at that and it has been interesting. Our gas usage has gone down a bit, which is probably due to me only bathing the children three times a week instead of seven and keeping the heating off during the day. The electric savings are much bigger. We are being more careful with switching off lights and computers and with the addition of the solar panels, even in the winter our spending has halved. The graph is amazing as you can suddenly see when the solar panels for fitted as the usage dips right down. With the drop in tariffs I may not be so keen to fit solar panels now, but it is still worth trying to cut down power usage by improving insulation, switching things off that you do not need and just being more aware of what you are using and whether it is necessary.

Jobs

2012-01-20T05:45:00.002Z

Seeing figures for unemployment the other day made me think that I am lucky that I am self employed. Although a lot of people seem to think that it is extremely risky. I am lucky that I have been running a business for a very long time and I have adapted to changes in the market and made a success out of it. I can still not believe that the book I write which started it off is still selling and making me money and now I have written many more and lots of other things besides. It seems a long way since my last job and with the lack of Quality Coordinator Jobs out there, I am pleased that I had something to fall back on.

Expenses

2012-01-20T05:42:00.003Z

Having all the expenses of the loft work has made me think hard about money and earnings as well as spending. I realise that we are very lucky with the fact that we found a great mortgage deal at the right time and we have some safe investments which are paying out. However, I have worked hard at studying finance and we do not over spend. I think that we should give ourselves more credit for being sensible with our money and not just assume that it is coincidence. We got a tracker mortgage because we had learned that trackers were the best investment type and then when interest rates kept dropping our mortgage tracked that and for the last eighteen months we have been paying 0.99% interest which is just £81.50 a month. This is what has allowed us to save up the money to pay for the work on the house. As well as living fairly frugally and working hard.

Making a Million

2012-01-20T05:38:00.002Z

After reading the book that I reviewed in my last post, it got me thinking again about being a millionaire. To be perfectly honest, I think I may have left it a bit late. I may have a business and my husband a job, but we have children and so I think that even if we earn lots, save lots and spend little, however well we invest, I think that we will still find that we are giving money to them. Of course, if my business was even more successful that would help and if I am not making that much money from it by the time the boys are at secondary school, I may consider getting some employment. However, as there are only manufacturing companies making things like industrial bearings or shops offering jobs in the local area, it may be tricky to find something. I will give it some thought once they reach the age of eleven. A lot can happen in the next five years.

Book Review : Millionaire Teacher by Andrew Hallam

2012-01-18T14:28:00.003Z

Book Review : Millionaire Teacher by Andrew Hallam

What I particularly liked about this book was that it agreed with several other books with regards to its approach towards investing. I am cautious when investing and do not do things on a whim, but if a selection of sources are giving me the same information, then I am happy to trust them more.

The book is all about investment. I am a firm believer in making money from my money or getting a good passive income. I have made mistakes with my investments and learnt from them and this is exactly what the author of this book has done and he is not afraid to admit it and help his readers learn from his expensive mistakes.

The book is written pretty simply, so you do not need any mathematical or previous investment knowledge to understand it, but on the other hand it is not at all patronising. It explains what the author considers to be the wisest ways of investing and the reasons why. It then goes on to explain other investment methods and why these are not so good.

Each chapter discusses a rule that the author feels we should take note of when we are investing money. He feels strongly that these rules should be taught in school, as do I. His book is therefore a fantastic financial investment for anyone who would not only like to learn more about investing themselves but also who would like to pass that knowledge on to their children.

So if you want to make sure that your money is invested wisely, then this is the book for you. Whether you are young and just starting out with investments or whether you are reaching retirement, there will be some useful information for you. The book does stress the importance of starting investment as young as you can and so if you do want to make lots of money, then it is better to buy this book sooner, rather than later.

Amazon sales

2012-01-17T08:12:00.003Z

The books are still selling fairly well on Amazon and a few things have sold on ebay as well. It is turniong out to be a good way of raising some extra money. The ebook sales are still good as well and I plan on starting a new book today which should be fun. Just have to post the things I have sold first which means going out in the freezing cold!

Great Amazon Sales!

2012-01-11T13:58:00.002Z

Selling my husbands books on Amazon, has turned out to be a great project. Not only has it cleared a good selection of boxes, which were cluttering up the attic and would have no space to be stored once the loft is clear, but they are also raising some money. The first batch that I sold raised £11.70 in total for six books, which I was happy with. However, my second batch has raised over £75 although I have not taken out the postage charge for twelve books. I am hoping that the books will continue to sell well and that I can sell some more things on eBay as well. The money is adding up and with Kindle Sale still doing well and some more work coming in thsi afternoon, things are looking very positive this month!

Contactless Payment Technology Gains Popularity

2012-01-11T10:06:00.000Z

Contactless payments are steadily gaining popularity abroad, particularly in the UK, but can we expect to see this technology stateside anytime soon?

What is meant by Contactless Payment?

A contactless payment system is a new technology set up at the retail point of sale. We already use a similar type of this payment with debit and credit cards, but the new technology on the rise comes in the form of key fobs, smartcards and even your cell phone. The key difference is that contactless payment relies on RFID, or radio-frequency identification.

Smartcards have already become commonplace in Europe. These look like regular credit or debit cards but there is a major difference. Smartcards have integrated technology embedding in them with circuits. These make up a microprocessor that comes fully stocked with volatile memory. They can store data, process applications and provide identification authentication.

What's different about the RFID technology is that radio waves are used to transfer data from one point to another. In the case of contactless payments, the data is being transmitted from the form of payment (a card, cell phone, or key fob) to the point-of-sale (or the cashier).

One form of contactless payment we can expect to see here in the U.S is Google Wallet. This app stores all of your credit cards on your cell phone. Simply tap the phone at a point-of-sale that accepts Google Wallet and your payment goes through as simple as that.

Many chains are already set to implement this technology in their stores this year, so we can expect a lot of changes taking place in 2012. Consumers can even store their loyalty card information on their cell phone app, making it easier than ever to have all of your financial information in one place. But is that a good thing?

Contactless payment is another way of making our money more virtual than before. Some people already struggle with budgeting because whipping out the debit card is now second nature, so what are the repercussions of having virtual credit and debit cards on a cell phone?

It will also be a while before contactless payment becomes mainstream in the U.S, so many stores are not going to have the RFID system at their point-of-sale. You still have to enter a PIN number for purchases over a certain amount, so there's still the chance that someone could steal your PIN number and even your cell phone, giving them full access to all of your accounts.

What's more, not every credit card offers the smartcard or RFID technology. People wanting to get on board early can research which cards are already using the technology by comparing credit cards at moneysupermarket.

With any new technology, there will be kinks to work out, not to mention the fact that people tend to be resistant to change. Regardless of how you feel about storing your wallet on a cell phone app, contactless payment is the wave of the future, so enjoy those plastic loyalty cards and sign those credit card signature strips while you still can. Their days may be numbered.

Credit Card Joy!

2012-01-10T08:12:00.002Z

How often do you hear those words in a sentence? Seems by bank has messed up my card payment date. Instead of my December credit card having to be paid at the beginning of January, it is now due at the beginning of February. They messed around with the payment dates and we asked for it to be changed back and the inadvertently gave us an extra months free credit. It was a big bill too, with the cost of our new bathroom on it and so it is good to have some extra time to pay!!

Kindle Sales

2012-01-09T20:44:00.002Z

I saw something today which was very interesting. Apparently one out of every ten people got a Kindle for Christmas. Whether this is true, I do not know, but my Kindle book sales are certainly doing well at the moment. Already this month I have sold almost as many as in my best month (which was last month) I am selling two or three times the amount of books that I normally sell per day. I have just had a new book published, which is great and should help to add to my sales. I have a list of five other potential titles to write about and may start another new book soon, but I have other work to catch up on tomorrow first. It is all very exciting!

Clearing Out

2012-01-07T12:05:00.002Z

My husband and I have been sorting out our books that were in the loft. He has managed to empty 4 boxes of books, finding just one valuable book in there. I have sorted out my half a box and put half of those books up for sale. They can be found on my Amazon shop Hopefully we will be able to raise some money as well as having a clear out.

We already raised £11.40 from trading in six of his books and I will be looking through more of his books later. Of all the ones that he decided he could get rid of, not one of them was worth selling, which was a real shame. However, I am hoping that some of his other books, that he wanted to keep, might be worth so much money that he will decide to sell them after all. The more that we can get rid of the better. It would be great if we could get rid of a lot more stuff both the things that were in the attic and the things cluttering up his office.

House Negotiations

2012-01-06T13:55:00.002Z

My friend has been looking in to buying a house. At the moment she is renting a place and owns one house that she is renting out. She is looking to buy a house so that she no longer needs to rent. She has put in an offer on one place which was turned don, but is still looking around for an old property that she can do up, live in and then sell on at a profit. She as been getting really organised, chatting to estate agents and even looking at raleigh nc attorneys to find someone who can help out once she does find a place that she likes. It is an exciting time for her and will mean that she can have some money sensibly invested and save money on rent.

Premium Bonds

2012-01-06T13:51:00.002Z

My hopes for a big prize were again dashed this month. This is the second month when I have really hoped to win big and have won just £25. Perhaps I need to almost ignore it next time and then I may win big.....not much chance of me not thinking about it though. I have withdrawn £10k and I will be taking out even more before the next draw and so I will be massively lowering my chances of winning anyway.

Medication

2012-01-06T13:45:00.002Z

Sometimes I feel that medication is far too expensive. It seems very silly that you can buy paracetamol for a few pence unyet if you want something a bit stronger it is significantly more expensive. I also am amazed when people buy branded products when they are exactly the same as generic ones and they are much dearer. Research has even shown that they work better for people because there is a placebo effect. I am much more interested in finding cures which do not need medication. Companies that are looking in to these things are great but with drug companies making so much money out of people it can be difficult to know why anyone would want to do this. I know someone who has migraines and they are looking for an alternative to medication. They are going to find out the results of a Franklin migraine conference where all sorts of migraine related things will be discussed and they are hoping that they might be able to get something out of it, that will help them.

Self Employment Failures

2012-01-06T13:34:00.002Z

I get a bit annoyed when statistics are released about small businesses failing. I know many Mum;s like me, who run their own businesses and are still doing well, despite the economic problems. I think the key is to change with the market and to make sure that you are seen. I have changed what I do several times in order to move with market demand and I think that there are too many people not doing this and this is why they do not succeed. I think in today's economy we need to be prepared to do that bit extra.

Baby Gifts

2012-01-06T13:29:00.001Z

It is probably too early to be thinking about this, but my sister will be having a baby in April. I find it very hard to buy gifts for her because she likes to get a lot for her money. I would much rather get good value for money, but if I buy a good quality and expensive item, she will take it back and exchange for lots of cheaper things. I think it is sometimes nice to have something a bit more expensive. I have therefore decided to start hunting around early and have come across some good things such as baby push presents. Not everything would be to her taste but there are certainly some things there that have inspired me. Hopefully I will be able to pick the perfect gift this time.

Equity Release

2012-01-06T13:28:00.002Z

I have been interested in the concept of equity release for a long time. My parents are running out of savings more quickly than they expected and so they have considered releasing some of the equity in their house. I have just been asked to write a selection of articles on the subject and so this gives me the perfect opportunity to research the topic and find out a lot more about it. It will not only be interesting, but it will give the chance to advise them on whether I think it is a good idea for them or not.

Tiding Up

2012-01-06T13:25:00.002Z

I have never been that happy with one of the connections on my solar panel meter. At the bottom there is a lot of black electrical tape and it looks really messy. There are also a lot of cables and I often wonder how I will manage to paint the wall under or around them. I will be having an electrician in the house soon, when the lights and things need to be done for the loft and so I think I might ask him about it. I might ask whether it is safe to paint cables or whether he can use dome cable trays or a cable protector just to make everything look a lot better. I know that it will cost a lot of money, but it will make things look a lot better.

Disruption

2012-01-06T13:20:00.003Z

I have been bracing myself for lots of disruption in the house. I have been assuming that I might have to go and work outside of the house, perhaps take a small laptop t a coffee shop or something, but things have been surprisingly quiet. I think the loudest thing is their radio which doesn't bother me at all. Maybe I am just used to having a lot of noise in the house, because of the children and I am skilled at blocking it out! The mess isn't even as bad as I thought it would be as they put out dust sheets and then vacuum at the end of the day, which is really useful.

Money Grabbing

2012-01-06T13:17:00.002Z

People are getting very desperate for money at the moment. With the economy in such a state and the lack of jobs, there is more crime at the moment. It is such a shame that people are turning to crime as they cannot see any other way through their problems. Some people are more inventive and put in claims for things like medical malpractice insurance florida or personal injury claims. It gives the whole insurance a bad name because people think that those claiming are fraudulent when it has been set up to help those ho are genuinely in need. Such a shame.

New Years Resolutions

2012-01-06T13:14:00.002Z

I have not yet got round to making any new years resolutions. I tend to forget them as soon as I make them anyway. I do have plenty of projects on the go though. I have 5 ideas for books to write, on of which I am in the middle of at the moment. I have my husbands website to work on as well as my three, one of which I have plans to change radically and I have my writing work as well. With regards to personal goals, I just want the loft finished and the house all sorted out before Easter and hopefully not bankrupt myself in the process.

Business Purchases

2012-01-06T13:10:00.002Z

I love being my own boss. It gives me such a sense of freedom with regards to my working hours and looking after the children. However, I would sometimes prefer more job security. Running a business is something that many people dream of doing and I think that they like the idea of being able to have an office of their own, purchasing exciting things and achieving a lot. In reality it is tough though and you do not want to be buying every Howard-Medical.com computer cabinet or piece of equipment that you see or maybe even not working from home because of the expense of renting. It is so important to keep costs down to ensure that you make money.

Jobs

2012-01-06T13:07:00.003Z

Sometimes I do wonder whether I should look to get a 'proper job'. It would be nice to have a regular and guaranteed income, even though it would be difficult. I would have to work an evening shift, which would mean guaranteeing that my husband finished work on time, which is often difficult. I am often tired in the evenings, but I am sure I could find the energy if I had to. It would probably have to be a job in Tesco doing a late shift, as I need to be here in the day for the children and it is the only local business that offers ;ate shits. I would have to wait until after march though, as I would not be able to work when he is on call. It is not something I want to do, but at least I have an option if I ever need it.

Buying Things

2012-01-06T13:03:00.003Z

The sales are on of course and even I am being tempted to buy things that I do not need because they are cheap. I spent 10p on some chocolate coins, that I did not need at all - what a big spender!! It is worrying watching people looking at all the things on offer and I do wonder whether they really need the things they are buying. It is great if you see some cut price stainless steel necklaces that you know would make the perfect present for someone or are something that you have always wanted, but it can be so tempting to buy things just because tehy seem too much of a bargain to ignore. This is very dangerous and it is easy to waste a lot of money this way.

Bills...

2012-01-06T12:43:00.002Z

I seem to have so many bills piling up at the moment. I guess it is just a January thing really but it is a bit disconcerting when I have such a big expense with the loft as well. I am using it as inspiration to get on with my work though, which is good. However, sometimes I find that I just go in to a bit of a panic about it all. Then I get distracted from doing anything which is not good. Must read my money management book again....!

A revamp

2012-01-06T12:11:00.002Z

I was chatting to someone yesterday that said instead of moving house she had decided to repaint the house. She said it almost felt like it was somewhere new, to have different colours on the wall and a bit of new hickory furniture it felt like a new house. I think that it sounds great, especially as we will be decorating the house once the building work is finished. It means that we might feel like we have a whole new place as well.

Earnings

2012-01-06T12:08:00.001Z

Well the months tarted well, but did not continue so well. I did earn about £19 yesterday for my travel news articles, but nothing the day before. However, I did work some more on my new book. I got some work in yesterday for $80 which I will get done over the weekend and also a selection of paid blog posts worth $45. I will get those done today and although I will not get the money in today, it is looking better again.....thankfully....!

Time Management....

2012-01-06T08:04:00.002Z

I am always good at managing my time. Being a woman I do have the advantage of being able to multi task, but I also am very good at sticking to deadlines. However, I sometimes think that I walk a bit too slowly and this wastes time when I am out and about. I do not have a watch and I do wonder whether if I got one of those citizen watches, then I might get on a bit quicker when I am out. It could be a great investment for me, if it means that I get back home more quickly and get on with my work more quickly.

Making Money

2012-01-04T07:47:00.002Z

As a start to making more money this month, I have decided that I would like to challenge myself to receive a payment each day. As I only have two days of work a week at the moment, it will be quite a challenge. I am working on a few new books as well, which will not bring in money right away. So far the month has been good with a blog post being sold on day 1, a big payment for articles that I had written over Christmas on the 2nd and a payment from PayU2Blog yesterday. I need to sell some blog posts today to get some money.....

Premium Bonds

2012-01-03T07:55:00.002Z

I am so hoping that I will see a significant Premium Bond win in January. I know it is not good to rely on luck for an income and I will be working to earn more money as well. However, it would be really useful to have a chunk of money. I am quite worried that we are the most opulent out of all of our direct family and once we spend all the money on the house, we no longer will be. It was also nice to have a years salary in the bank, which we will not have any more. You may wonder why I decided to spend the money if it is worrying me so much. It was rather silly really. I thought that I might get some money from a source and so thought I would go ahead while that money was available. Unfortunately the money was not available any longer and so we have to find it all ourselves. There are more logical reasons as well. I want the children to have their own bedrooms by the time they are eleven years old. My priority was paying off the mortgage, but I would not have done it by then and so it makes sense to spend the money that I have on the loft instead and have the use out of the room for longer.

Money Stress!!

2012-01-02T10:50:00.002Z

I know that I stress about money a lot and the loft conversion is making me worse. The family are all hoping for a significant premium bonds win, to help us pay for the work. We do have the money tucked away, but none of us want to spend it! We will be having some bonds mature and some share options available for sale in the summer which will help us to get back some of the money. We will also be able to claim for our second feed in tariff cheque, which will be good. However, these will not cover the job which looks like it will get to £30,000 without the £3k we will need for carpets and the £2k for furniture plus £2k for the bathroom fittings.The furniture might be able to wait a bit and even the carpets, but the rest of the money will need to be paid out during January and February, with some of it already paid. We are looking for ways to earn a bit more money as well, but it is hard to imagine we could make that much money, that quickly.

December Earnings

2011-12-31T18:10:00.005Z

Pay to Blog - £12.18

PayU2Blog - £8.70
Blogsvertise - £3.48

Writing - £702.77

Article Writing - £686.90
Amazon ebooks sale - £15.87

Other - £72.86

Quidco - £27.46
Waterproof Memo Board - £20.00
Amazon Affiliate Earnings - £25.40

Making a Grand Total of £787.81

Kindle Lending

2011-12-31T14:17:00.002Z

This month I agreed that a selection of my Kindle ebooks would be available for lending. I was limited in how many I could agree to do this with as they could only be lent if they were not for sale elsewhere, when some of my books are for sale on another website. I may change this, however, because the lending looks to have been really good. Out of the selection of books I have made available for lending, they have not only been borrowed by people, but also been bought. I am wondering whether people have borrowed the book, decided that they like it and bought themselves a copy. I have sold more books this month than ever before which is why I think this might be the case. Amazon also pay something out for lending books, they have an amount of money which is split evenly between books lent and so I have no idea how much it might be, but it will be a good bonus. It is all looking extremely positive at the moment.

Get Christmas Bargains now - for 2012!!

2011-12-30T21:42:00.003Z

Now is the time to start your Christmas shopping for 2012. You may just be relive that the Christmas season is over and be hoping to have a whole 11 months gap before having to worry about it again. however, this is the best time to take advantage of the bargains. Many shops will be selling off their gift wrap and Christmas cards, their Christmas themed gifts and winter stock and you can get it at a fraction of the cost.

Buying now will not only save you money but it will take away some of the stress of buying for next Christmas. Why not take some tips from my Happy Frugal Christmas book while you are at it and challenge yourself to make a massive saving from your Christmas budget next year.

Kindle Blog

2011-12-30T08:45:00.004Z

You can subscribe to this blog on your kindle. So if you want to be kept up to date with all my latest money making and frugal spending tips on your Kindle, then please click here : Turn One Pound into One Millionblog. Thank you.

Gifts for adults

2011-12-28T10:22:00.002Z

I find it so difficult buying Christmas gifts for grown ups. Once we get older and start earning a decent amount of money, we do not really need many things. We can usually afford to buy the things that we need unless they are extremely expensive such as a loft conversion or jeep parts and then no one can afford them! I think that I will try to get people to only buy gifts for my children in the future, they get far more fun out of opening them anyway. In fact, I often find it rather embarrassing opening gifts form other people, especially if they are there when I open them as I have to pretend to love it, even if I do not. Yes, I know it sounds ungrateful, it is not like I do not appreciate it, but I just worry that they have wasted their money on something I do not want or need and that it would be better that they spent it on themselves or their family.

Solar panels

2011-12-28T10:17:00.002Z

I had an interesting discussion about solar panels at a Christmas party. Most people agree that it is a good investment if you have a south facing roof. we are still so happy that we made the decision to get them and we will soon be putting in a claim for our second feed in tariff cheque. Some people seem to think that the feed in tariff will be restored to its original level soon, but what many people do not understand is that it is the electric companies that pay for the feed in tariff and so if the government do put the tariff up, then electricity bills will continue to rise, where everyone has to pay towards it. I am not sure how I feel about it really, with many people struggling to pay their bills, it seems unfair in a way that they should be having to pay towards my feed in tariff. But on the other hand, my taxes pay towards their taxes and benefits, so maybe it is a good payback for me?

Different Ways to Celebrate Christmas

2011-12-28T10:14:00.002Z

It was so interesting seeing how my relatives abroad celebrated Christmas. Some of them spent the day in bed watching movies and others lay in front of their pool fence miami and enjoyed the sunshine. We spent a lot of money on food and drinks and presents and have been celebrating for a whole week whereas in some countries they only have the day off and then straight back to work. It is interesting and I do winder whether perhaps I should have spent a lot less and worked more. On reflection, it was nice to have the time with my family and my extended family but I do regret spending quite so much money, especially on food.

Relaxing!

2011-12-28T10:12:00.002Z

It is so funny, this is the first holiday that I have had for 18 months and I have a cold! It is funny how a lot of people would moan about that and say it was typical etc. However I do get colds from time to time and many people get them around Christmas, I think we just notice it more when we are not working. My attitude was at least I wasn't having to work while I was unwell and it was only a cold after all!

New Loft

2011-12-28T10:07:00.002Z

I am rather in shock about the loft conversion we are having done. There are all sorts of things that I am worried about. Firstly we have to clear everything out of it and the bedrooms and live on the bottom two floors of the house, which will be very cramped and difficult. Then we have to decorate the whole house after they have finished which will be a lot of hard work. We have to buy new furniture and carpets as well as pay for the job itself and it will all add up. I am most concerned about the cost of it all. We have decided to have a quality job and quality furniture and bathroom furniture because we want to get good value for money, but of course it means paying out more. We have not been silly and gone for one of the bathsofdistinction clawfoot tubs which will take up too much room, but we have gone for a brand that we have used before and trust. I think we are all hoping,as a family, that we have a significant win on the premium bonds this month. We do have the money, but I would really love to be able to do the job without having to worry about the cost. I was expecting some money to arrive from another source, but it never did and so I have had to spend more than I thought I would and although I can afford it, it has become rather a bigger worry than I had imagined.

January Sales

2011-12-28T10:05:00.001Z

It can be so tempting to go out to the sales and buy things because they are great bargains. However, before you spend your hard earned money, make sure that you think hard about whether you really need what you are buying. Just because something is a good deal it does not mean that you have to have it. Only buy what you actually need and you will find that you have a lot more money left in the bank by the end of January.

Unwanted Gifts

2011-12-28T10:00:00.003Z

I often feel ungrateful at this time of the year, but I tend to be left with gifts that I do not want. It is always hard to know what to do with those items that you have been given but do not need or want. I have had all sorts of strange things in the past and have heard even more odd stores. This year, one of my cousins got three copies of the same book and I have heard of people getting several lab coats or a huge selection of different sweets. It can be difficult but there are solutions. It can be best to just agree with people not to buy gifts. Do it now, before they can even start buying their Christmas gifts in the January sales. Another solution is to ask them what they would like for a gift, in November time and hope they might ask you the same thing.

New Website

2011-12-28T09:57:00.002Z

My husbands new website is now becoming a big focus for him. He is trying to find a good way of making money out of it. In my experience it takes a few years of getting great content on a website and some steady readers to be able to make a worthwhile income from one. However, we are hoping to speed up the process by putting lots of quality content on there to start with and then adding new content on a daily basis. I also need to use some SEO techniques to get visitors and then hopefully we will be able to start making money from it sooner.

More Stuff, More Hassle, More Cost?

2011-12-28T09:54:00.002Z

There are a lot of people who keep advising me to move to a bigger house. There are many reasons why I do not want to do this, but one of them is the cost of hassle of having more things. I think that if we have more space to put things then we will accumulate more. This creates more hassle than people realise. Think about how much time we spend tidying and cleaning as well as worrying about where to put things or what to do with things. With less stuff, we would not have this hassle and with no space to put things we cannot buy more. Hearing someone complain about the cost of their motorhome repair made me wonder whether it really was worth the hassle. It might be nice to get away from it all, but if you have to do a job you do not like to be able to afford it and then worry about maintaining an extra vehicle, does it actually add more stress or take it away?

Passive Income

2011-12-28T09:51:00.001Z

I am great believer in passive income. That is making money without having to keep working for it. That might sound very lazy, but it means that I can boost my income. There are several ways that I do this. I have investments such as premium bonds and solar panels which give me an income. I also have written books which I have for sale and they generate income with me not having to promote them. I also sell waterproof memo boards which generate some income too. My aim for the future is to have more of these passive income streams. Therefore I plan on writing more books and investing more money and so I can get more income. I would also like to find other ways of making my money work for me and it will be something I will be thinking of when I have less work to do.

Investing

2011-12-28T09:49:00.003Z

The great thing about earning well and being frugal is that you have money to invest. However, knowing where to invest can be difficult at the moment. Many people are losing money on the stock market and not getting good returns on their savings. Some are turning to investing in solid items. Many lost money on property so are looking to antiques, paintings or certified gold coins to invest in. These can be great, but it is always wise to know something about the market before you buy this sort of thing. Values of everything can change and so wherever you choose to put your money, you are taking a risk, but the more you know about that type of investment, the more calculated a risk you can take.