As I was filling out our new family planner last week with all the birthdays, school events and insurance policy end dates it got me to thinking about the decision to switch and save or plod on with an existing policy for convenience. Switching providers can be seen as an inconvenience but you really can save money if you compare what you have now with others on the market.
Home Insurance
We have been pretty lucky with our home insurance quotes, I always try to shop around and for the past few years I have managed to get our buildings insurance free and just had to pay the contents insurance so that can save us a couple of hundred pounds each year. Although make sure you opt out of any future marketing or you end up getting hounded like I was by our last provider.
Car Insurance
For many years I was on Mr Boo’s policy and it was only when we had two cars and I had to insure one in my name that I was shocked at just how much the expect ‘new’ drivers with a no claims to their name to pay. Although one helpful gentleman on the phone asked me if Mr Boo would also be driving the car at some stage to which I replied I suppose so. He added him as a named driver and the cost of my policy halved! I questioned why this would be, apparently it lowers the risk as two people instead of one would be looking after the car. I still don’t really understand but hey it saved me a lot of money so now we always make sure we are on each others policies.
Gas and Electricity
I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets weekly if not daily phone calls from various energy companies offering to save us money on our energy bills. Personally I would suggest that you pop over to Uswitch, enter your annual consumption figures and get an estimate of how much money you could actually save before taking up any of these offers.
Broadband
Personally as a family I don’t think we would know what to do without a reliable broadband service. Take in to count this very blog requires me to be able access the internet, with photo downloads and research a slow speed connection just would not cut it. Add on to that the on demand services accessed via the TV, Mr Boo accessing work emails etc and Roo completing homework and maths online for school, we just couldn’t be without broadband.
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