A friend of mine has just released a Kindle Quiz eBook in multiple choice format (can be viewed on PC/Mac if you don’t have a Kindle) it’s on special launch offer at only 77p and worth checking out if you’re a quiz/facts lover. Click Here for details

 Hi

Just a quick word about the latest splurge of so called ‘phishing’ emails. In case there is anyone left out there who doesn’t know what that it, it’s an email from a company/bank etc. enticing you to click on a link & enter details or download an attachment. We have all seen the ones from the large banks, but we are now starting to see them from HM Customs, Amazon some catalogue sites and the latest is from Very.com, the gist is that you are owed a tax refund, are being credited for an order, have a voucher to claim etc. Even though these have been around for years, these crooks are always refining their methods & finding more convincing ways to con people and it is easy to be fooled if you are expecting an email for a tax refund, shopping voucher etc., and believe me people do fall for these every day. If they send out hundreds of thousands of these emails they only need a fraction of a percent to fall for them to make a lot of money. It is very difficult to spot a fake as most have an email address that looks authentic, but look out for the ‘To’ section of the email, if it’s not genuine it usually will not have your name in this field and don’t click on any links or download any attachments in an email from these sources.

Ten reasons you might not get credit

If you’re in the market for some credit, whether it’s a new credit card, loan or mortgage, there are a number of hazards to avoid. Read this article from Yahoo Finance

How much tax should you be paying?

‘Our tax calculator for 2011-12 helps you work out how much tax you should pay, whether you’re owed a tax refund for 2011-12 and it shows how much of your income is tax-free’. Check out this facility from Which?

If you have your own ideas, tips or just want to comment, contact me at brian@moneysaverstrategies.co.uk

Well that’s it for today; watch out for your next newsletter.

Brian Philips

Was £179.99 now ONLY £109.99

Asda Direct has some super offers on Trampoline Bundles from £99. Check out the details here.

Hi

Well here we are in the midst of another bank holiday weekend, I hope you have a good one, I’ve just read an article that reveals attending football matches is officially the most expensive leisure activity in the UK, just as well I’m not a football fan methinks !!

Speaking of holidays, as I have highlighted before, this is the time of year when people incur the second highest level of debt (the highest being Christmas) to book a summer holiday. If you are going on holiday it pays to shop around and before you book anything abroad, Google the hotel and check what other people are saying. An acquaintance of mine booked a holiday last year which was an absolute disaster, consisting of partly built hotel, nasty rodents and a pool which couldn’t be used etc. On returning he checked the place out on the internet and found dozens of bad reports warning people not to stay at that hotel….if only he’d checked before he booked!!. Additionally, as I mentioned recently, book travel insurance, but not with the travel operator, get it from a recognised insurer preferably for a year and you will save a lot of money.

An edible emergency fund

Building up a stock of surplus food is a good way of getting ahead so that you can manage longer if disaster did strike, and even if it doesn’t you can save money by cashing in on good deals and cutting out last-minute trips to the shops. Read the article from Yahoo Finance.

Four common sales techniques people fall for

In some ways, sales representatives are the masters of consumer psychology. Tasked with turning window shoppers into paying customers, they employ a series of techniques that can persuade even the most grizzled consumer into making a purchase he or she hadn’t planned on. See this report from Investopedia.com

If you have your own ideas, tips or just want to comment, contact me at brian@moneysaverstrategies.co.uk

Well that’s it for today; watch out for your next newsletter.

Brian Philips

Amazon has 100 different ‘Greatest Hits’ Albums from £3.99 check to see if your favourite artist is listed.  Click here

 Hi

It’s hard to believe we are in the midst of a drought with the constant rain we’ve been experiencing lately, but hey, it will soon be summer!!

Just come across a website that is dedicated to anyone wanting to buy or sell second hand children’s goods. This site may be interesting not only to parents but also to other relatives or friends looking to buy a present for a child. The site is easy to use, has a photograph of all items and you can buy easily online. The seller’s email address is also listed so you can easily contact them directly and if you want to advertise items you simply fill in the online form with the details. There is even a section dedicated to items that people are giving away for free and they are all good quality items. If you are interested you can check it out at http://www.mumscentre.com/

Low mileage diesel drivers may be wasting their money

Most diesel car owners are wasting money – because they don’t do enough miles to get the benefit from their engine, according to new research. See this report from Telegraph.co.uk

Good debt vs bad debt

At its most basic definition, debt is simply an amount of money borrowed by one party from another. Under this definition, debt sounds neither good nor bad. A closer look at the subject provides a more sophisticated way of viewing indebtedness. This report from Yahoo Finance

Well that’s it for today; watch out for your next newsletter.

Brian Philips

Click here for full details 

There are several tax considerations to be taken into account when setting up a home office. You can claim tax relief on your domestic bills for the part of your house that you use for business purposes. You may also be able to claim VAT back on things that you buy for work purposes, provided you are VAT registered. People are not always aware, however, that there may be capital gains tax implications if you come to sell your house in future.

The majority of people do not need to pay Capital Gains Tax when they sell their home, provided that it is their primary residence and used solely as living space. In such circumstances they will automatically qualify for Private Residence Relief.

The situation can change, however, if you use part of your home for business purposes. The key factor when determining if Capital Gains Tax will apply is the overall usage of the area that you have designated for business activities.

If you are still using your entire house as a home, for example, the room which is your office also doubles up as a spare bedroom, you will not need to pay Capital Gains Tax. If, however, part of your home is solely used as business premises, for example, a workshop used to make goods, then Capital Gains Tax will apply.

In such situations Capital Gains Tax does not apply to the whole of the profit made from the sale of your home, however, but only to the portion of the house that is used solely for business purposes. By way of an example, if you make £100,000 profit on the sale of your home and 20% of your home is used exclusively for business purposes then you will qualify for Private Residence Relief on £80,000 and Capital Gains Tax will be due on £20,000.

When it comes to working out how much tax will apply, you should bear in mind that nearly everyone receives an annual tax free allowance, also known as the Annual Exempt Amount. In the 2011/12 tax year this was £10,600 for individuals. Capital Gains Tax is then charged at 18% and 28%, depending on your total taxable income.

If you make a loss on the sale of your home and part of it is exclusively used for business then you should also be able to deduct the loss from your gains and, in some circumstances, from your income, as long as you notify HMRC in accordance with its procedures and timescales.

If you are working from home and will be looking to move in the future then it is important to make sure that you are aware of the implications of your home office set up. Whilst investing in a home office that forms an integral part of your home may initially cost more money saving money will be the long term outcome as you will avoid becoming liable for capital gains tax.

Special Offers in Software at Amazon, Internet Security, Driving Test, Office etc. Click for full details.

Hi

It is has been reported recently that the government has given the go ahead for utility companies to roll out their ‘smart meter’ program. Many people view this with caution, but I am a firm supporter of these types of meter & already have a water ‘smart meter’ fitted. Incidentally, I would advise anyone who has only one or two people in the household to have a water meter fitted; they are available free from the water companies and will definitely save you money. It could even save you money if you have more than 2 people in the household but are frugal with your water usage. Gas & electricity providers will fit the meters at no cost to the consumer & all readings will be automatically sent directly to the utility companies. This will alleviate consumers having to be present to let meter readers in and even if your meter is outside it will avoid the possibility of incorrect meter readings. The utility companies have come under fire for the high number of incorrect bills issued to households, and this system is set to eliminate this type of problem which is generally caused by human error and by estimating bills. By 2020 all households will have a Smart Meter fitted.

One in four families ‘wrongly billed by energy supplier’

One in four families is wrongly billed by its energy supplier, shock new research published today reveals. Read this article from independent.co.uk

The rules of money have changed

The Great Depression forced a generation to re-think what they believed were self-evident rules about how to deal with cash and 80 years later that process began again – so what are the new rules of money? Read this report from Yahoo Finance

If you have your own ideas, tips or just want to comment, contact me at brian@moneysaverstrategies.co.uk

Well that’s it for today; watch out for your next newsletter.

Brian Philips

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Check out the Spring Bargains in Video Games, full details here:

Hi

It is this time of year when everyone starts thinking about booking their summer holidays. If you are about to book yours bear in mind that travel insurance really is a must when travelling abroad, not only to protect you from lost luggage, cash etc. but most importantly to cover any medical expenses as a result of illness or an accident. I have a couple of friends that incurred medical bills on recent holidays, one as a result of sudden illness and one who was involved in a car accident & luckily they both had insurance. When taking out travel insurance it is best NOT to do so with the holiday company or travel agent, instead go to one of the recognised insurers that provide home insurance etc. These insurers are far cheaper and it is usually more cost effective to take out travel insurance on a yearly basis, this way you are covered for all holidays both abroad and in the UK, usually including short breaks as well. However, always check that the insurance covers you for your holiday destination, most cover virtually every country but it is worth checking if you are going to some obscure destination.

Not enough people are making a will

Worrying new research from Standard Life shows that despite being an important part of family financial planning, six out of ten (61%) of British adults don’t currently have a will drawn up. See this must read report from Which.co.uk

Scam of the week: the ‘ghost broker’ car insurance scam

Up to 100,000 people could be driving round with invalid motor insurance because they bought their policies through illegal insurance advisers known as ‘ghost brokers’, Moneywise can reveal, see this report.

If you have your own ideas, tips or just want to comment, contact me at brian@moneysaverstrategies.co.uk

Well that’s it for today; watch out for your next newsletter.

Brian Philips