fine savings

Couponing

2012-05-26T13:09:00.003-07:00

Hi, I'd like to introduce two websites, where after registration you can print out coupons for some items.

My favorite one is www.pigsback.com. Register and use the coupons you wish to.
I regulary use Comfort coupons. Just wait for an half price offer at tesco and print out the coupon (€1 off). I think Dunnes and Superquinn accept them to.

Second one is www.bubblegum.ie.
You can use their coupons in Superquinn. I'm not sure where else?

There are two other places where you can get printable coupons:
companies websites and companies facebook profile.

Babies are not just expenses

2012-03-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

If you are expecting a new arrival you should:

- register at Tesco Baby & Toddler Club for free vouchers
- register at Pampers Village for free nappies, tissues and voucher
- collect from Super Value free EU Mom Gift Bag

:)

My Mobile Community

2012-03-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

Another website worth your attention is MML (mymobilelifecommunity.ie) where you simply wirite your thoughts in current topic and... that's it!

Each month moderators pick the most valuable entries and reward 4 of them with one4all gift voucher worth €15 and one, random member gets voucher worth €40.

smart shopping

2012-01-02T08:08:00.000-08:00

These are few steps to follow, if you want to spend your money smarter on groceries:

1. Know what you have at home. Simply check what you'll need to buy on your next shopping trip or shortly.
2. Plan your meals weekly and build your shopping list based on meals you are planning to cook next week.
3. Before you go, visit your store online and check what offers are available at this time. Do not hesitate to stock up.
4. Do your main grocery shopping once a week and during the weekdays buy the products that can't stay in your fridghe for a week.

This system works fine fore me. Our average spending on groceries (including household items etc) for two is approximately €60.

Don't get fool by marketing tricks!

2011-11-20T06:12:00.000-08:00

If you look at argos catalogue, you will find there many discounts, e.g. if you loook at iMac MC309 21.5" All-in-One, current price is €1199 (was €1249). You may think you just saved €50, but you actually lost atleast €50.

If you shop around and compare argos discounted prices to retail prices in other stores you will be surprised! The same iMac in Pc World or Apple online store costs €1149.

So, be aware and allways shop around.

stocking up

2011-10-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

If you are stocking up and tend to buy same household products you should start looking for special offers like. "buy 1 get 1 free" at each shop trip.

BTW It's more likely, that you'll find refill with dispenser cheaper or discounted rather than refill. Same with printers and ink cartridges.

I always follow my shoping list, but if I see e.g. domestos discounted, I buy few of them although I don't need them badly. I will nedd them sooner or later, but special offer will end till that time.

E.g. last Saturday I noticed in Tesco Duck fresh discs (dispenser + 1 refill) for €3.99 - buy 1 get 1 free. Box with 2 refills is €6.99, which means that buying 2 for €3.99, I pay for one and save €3 compare to box with refills. I bought 6 of them and saved €9:D

mysurvey.com

2011-09-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Another survey panel worth your attention is www.mysurvey.com.
It has great range of rewards and you can claim your rewards after finishing 2 surveys. You don't have to reach some level to claim. You decide how and when to convert your points. What's best, if you have a paypal account your reward will be transfered to your account. Plus, you get 5 points even if you don't qualify for survey.

That gives you more independence.
Imagine that you want to buy something online ant there is a huge discount on what you want and you don't have enough points to get your voucher or your points haven't been added to your account yet. With this panel the problem is gone!

I joined that panel recently and I'm satisfied.

energy saving lighting

2011-09-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Does it really work or is it a marketing gimmick? I checked that with my OWL Micro energy meter and 11W GE bulb (590 lumen, 10 000h, €7). I replaced an ordinary 40W bulb with the energy saving one, with similar brightness. It really works.

When the 40W bulb consumes 0,08kW (1,49c per hour), the 11W GE bulb consumes only 0,01kW (0,25c per hour). According to that, on each use hour I save 1,5c. So after 466 use hours I get back my €7, I paid for bulb and I still have about 9534 use hour left (for saving on one bulb). Calculations based on OWL Micro.

My next step is replacing all bulbs at home and I suggest to you do the same;)

social lending

2011-09-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Another way to make some money is social lending. It is definetly worth your attention.

You'll need some funds to invest, but it's up to you how much, whom you're lending and what rate suits you. Well, you can never be sure whom you lending, but it's the same as with eBay - bit of risk. No risk - no profits.

Based on my experience, you can get up to 25% of funds invested. How much can you get on 12 month fixed term deposit? 3.80%? 5%? What's the minimum deposit, €10.000? With social lending there's no limits.

E.g. last year I invested €230 and earned €46 (20%), this year I invested so far €68 and I'll get 23,5% which is €16.

You make some money and help someone by the way - everybody gain.

OWL - your new best friend

2011-09-14T03:22:00.000-07:00

Recently I bought (or actually got for free thank to coupons) an electricity meter - OWL Micro. I think that's the cheapest and the simpliest one in they offer (you can see all products at http://www.theowl.com). It shows you actual electricity usage. Thanks this little device you can see how much each appliance cost you, and reorganize your life style.

How it works?

Attach the sensor to your main supply cable (connect it in the box beside meter or inside your house to the junction box). Set up the display unit (provide rates cents per hour). And this is it! Now you can watch energy usage in KW or cost in euros.

This small device will make you start thinking about your life style and how can you save your money on electricity.

VoIP phone

2011-09-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Benefits and more benefits when making VoIP calls!
For now we have 4 options: eircom, cable tvs bundle, mobile networks and VoIP networks. Ofcourse 4th option is the best for us.

It is better to get a broadband with atleast 30Mb transfer and VoIP account. These two together cost you less than seperate phone and broadband or a bundle. What are the benefits of VoIP account?

- you get a trial period without monthly fees to try it
- you can choose any area code you like
- your number travels with you, even abroad
- you can call from your PC
- you can use ordinary phone by connecting to VoIP gate
- fees and rates are seriously cheaper

E.g. I pay monthly fee of about €7.50 for keeping a pre-paid account and 2 land line numbers.

Call rates:
landlines: 1c / minute
mobiles: 12c / minute

You can still use your ordinary phone by connecting it to the VoIP gateway. No matter which VoIP network you choose, you win anyway and save a lot on your phone bills.

One4all cards

2011-09-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

So far the One4all cards could be used only with selected retailers. But what if you want to buy something in a place, that is not listed? Now you can exchange your One4all card to Virtual Visa Card and shop online wherever you want.

  You can combine all your gift cards, e.g. if you're planning shopping at amazon.co.uk you can use all your codes (£9 from IrishOpinions & £10 from Shop and Scan) and One4all card previously exchanged to Virtual Visa Card.

  There is a fee for purchasing virtual cards, but remember smart buying isn't about buying cheaper but about smart using your funds.

  How do purchase a Virtual Visa Card using your One4all Gift card?
1. Register card at https://gvs.prepaideurope.com/content/portlet/gvs/login.html
to recieve a online expiry date.
2. Go to http://www.one4all.ie/virtualcard/step1.aspx
to purchase your Virtual Visa Card.

Fees:
Gift cards €15 - €30 - €2.25
Gift cards €31 - €70 - €5.00
Gift cards over €70 - €7.50

M50 savings

2011-09-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

If you use M50 occasionally (e.g. driving to / from airport) I suggest you to register at http://www.eflow.ie a video account for benefits like:

- no monthly fee (compare to tag account where montly fee is €1.21).
- smaller fee (for registered video accounts fee is €2.50 while for any other users is €3).
- no worries about paying your fee (your laser / credit card will be charged once every month).

Video account means an account maintained with eFlow where the tolling system reads the customer's vehicle registration plate to enable payment of the toll.

Save 50c each way:)
Plus, you will receive your reward card, which enables you some discounts (details at www.eflowrewards.ie).

renting a house / apartment

2011-09-10T01:04:00.000-07:00

If you live in a rented accommodation and pay your rent weekly, I have a bad news for you: you overpay! Pay your rent monthly!

Two years ago I was renting a hause through the agency (first and the last time - they were completely useless). I was told that rent is 700 monthly, but landlord prefers to collect it weekly and I was asked to pay €175 per week. I left this house asap. Why?

€700 monthly equals €8 400 per year (€700 * 12 months of calendar year).
€175 weekly equals €9 100 per year (€175 * 52 weeks of calendar year).

The difference between these two is €700, which means that landlord was hoping to get extra monthly rent from my wallet. I suggested fair rent of €161,5 weekly based on monthly rent (€8 400 / 52), but he didn't want to even heard about it (same as agency), so I moved out.

As you can see on my example: don't pay weekly rent, unless it's fairly calculated!

buying at amazon.co.uk

2011-09-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Smart buying at amazon isn't about buying the cheapest items. So what if you find 5 desired items cheaper if you have to pay to 5 different retailers for shipping?
And what if shipping cost is higher than value of the item?

It's quite simple, just follow these few rules:

1. Always buy few items at once.
2. Chose items with Super Saver Delivery (although it doesn't clearly say the shipping to Ireland is for free, it is - trust me). You may find these items slightly more expensive than others, but you save on delivery.
3. Always buy for at least £25, to be eligible for free delivery.
4. Select 'group my items' to recieve them all in one dispatch and save your time on collecting them from the post office.
5. Register at survey panels like IrishOpinions and Shop and Scan for amazon vouchers.

I always claim my vouchers first, and than use Super Saver Delivery.
So I do my purchases absolutely for free!

Shop and scan panel

2011-09-09T05:41:00.000-07:00

Another panel worth your attention is called Shop and Scan.

What is the idea of Shop and Scan?
Every time you go shopping you simply scan the products you have purchased at your home, the same as cashier scans them at the counter, providing some additional informations like who, where, what, how much, offers.

You will recieve a code book which makes scanning process quicker and easier. For each shopping visit you recieve poins, which can be viewed and converted to rewards at www.shopandscan.ie. I usualy use Argos and amazon.co.uk vouchers, but there is much more.

This is very simple way of making money. Each shopping counts. You get used to scaner quick (especially if you tend to buy the same products) and scanning will become part of your routine.

How to join? Simply register at http://www.volunteer4panels.com.

Useful tip: If you tend to buy the same products, you can make your life easier:
1. Scan with your computer scaner the bar codes of products you regulary buy.
2. Edit (write brand and price under the bar code) and organize them (in rows and columns) in graphic application.
3. Print out the sheets with your products bar codes.

You can do the same with code book provided by Shop and Scan if you tired rummaging your book.

economical driving

2011-09-09T02:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the following I reduced my fuel consumption from 5.6 to 5.4L/100KM which means I have extra 50km to drive on full tank!!!

1. Speeding. The faster you go the higher fuel consumption.
Once I was curious how fast I can get home from Enniskillen (about 250km) and guess what? I was there 7 minutes quicker if I obey the speed limits. Speeding is not worth it!

2. Accelerating. Be gentle - save money.

Again, from my own experience I know that gentle accelerating reduce fuel consumption. Seriously! With gentle acceleration turbo (in turbo diesel engines) won't turn on, similar in petrol engines.

So when you enter the main road, accelerate gently, allow following trafic to overtake you by using hard shoulder (if it's safe to do so) reach and maintain your speed. Your car will slightly slow down when going uphill - that's fine - don't force it to speed up.

3. Braking with engine. Smart driving.

When exiting motorway or approaching the roundabout, reduce your speed by reducing gears. Save your brakes and fuel. Same as following trafic. Maintain the proper distance from car in fron of you and take your foot of acceleration when you see him braking.

4. Gear changing.

I change my gears at 2500 rpm. It's not true that car consumes more fuel at some speed. The higher rpm the higher fuel consumption. Listen to your car, when your engine gets noisy and find the best moment to change the gear.

Useful tip: if your car is not fitted with fuel efficiency sensor or you don't trust the sensor, you can simply check it yourself. Fill up your car full and reset daily mileage. When filling up next time write down how many litres it takes to fill up the tank. Record the number of miles/kilometers you drove.

You can use this calculator: (it's also available on your right hand side bar)

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Or do it manualy:

Converting units. You may need to convert some units. To do that simply use Google. Type in search bar: 'X liters to gallons' (to convert X liters to imperial gallons), or 'Y miles to km' (to convert Y miles to km) - works both way. You can also divide, multiply, add, subtract etc in google search bar.

Where X is gallons and Y miles X/Y = MPG
Where Z is liters and W is kilometers (Z*100)/W = L/100km

E.g. on my last trip i drove 300miles (482km), by refilling I know I used 26L (6.8 gallons).

Fuel efficiency:
300/6.8 = 44MPG
(26*100)/482 = 5.39L/100km

buying a used car

2011-09-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Choosing the right car is very important and it can actualy save your money
on unexpected expenses.

1. Choosing make and model.
Did you know, that car manufacturers are using the same components and suppliers, e.g. the same diesel engine is used by Fiat, Opel and Ford? What really matters is under the bonnet, not the car make - you can get similar quality for less, by choosing the cheaper brand.

2. Car technical data
When choosing model ask yourself: How will you use this car?
How many people you want to carry? Etc.
Get familiar with technical data - look at number of doors (5 is more functional than 3), fuel type (diesel is cheaper and more economical), engine size (smaller engine - smaller fees like road tax and insurance), fuel consumption (the lower the better), gear box (6 speed gear box will reduce fuel consumption and engine noise), timig belt/chain (chain preferable), popularity (used parts availability).

For example, my Astra (very popular car) has 5 doors, turbo diesel engine, engine size: 1.3 (big enough for my needs, road tax €310), fuel consumption: 43,5MPG (5,4L/100km), 6 speed gear box, timing chain (money saved on car servicing).
All the above make my car more economical in running:).

3. Dealing with dealer.
Ask about warranty and what it covers. Check tires for wear. Check wiper blades, lights, electric windows, lighter and horn. Ask about service book and car history. Check spare wheel and other equipment. Ask if car was examined by certified garage. Turn ignition key, looking for service reminder. Check engine oil level. Ask about A/C servicing. Ask about radio code. Look for stains on seats and ceiling fabric. Report all issues to the seller and negotiate the price.

Follow these three steps. Invest smart in your new car.

Irish Opinions - Online surveys

2011-09-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce to you IrishOpinions.com online survey panel. In my opinion is one of the best online survey panels at present, but let's start with the facts:

  After registration you will start receiving emails with surveys. You get paid between 50c and €2 (sometimes it's more but usualy it's 75c or €1) for each survey, if you qualify. If you don't qualify - no worries, you still have a chance to participate in another survey by clicking 'Find another survey' button.
You can claim your rewards, which are tesco/boots vouchers or amazon.co.uk code (€10 equals £9), after reaching €10. Alternatively you can donate to World Vision Ireland.

  I think the rewards here are fair, surveys are quite short and progress bar in surveys is accurate. Especially if you compare IrishOpinions to Toluna (no 1 in many ranks), where you get points for surveys (e.g. 1800) and to claim your €15 voucher you have to have 60.000 point! Plus the surveys are long and boring, and progress bar seems to be frozen.

  So far I find IrishOpinions the only one, between other survey panels, worth your time and my recommendation.

  How to start? Simpli go to http://www.irishopinions.com/join/ and register.
When you star your first survey don't get discouraged - you get used to it.

Useful tip: It's up to you will you make the survey easier for yourself or not. Usually one of the first questions is 'Mark all brands you ever heard of'. Note, you will have to answer a series of questions about all brand you have marked, so less you know - better for you;)