necessities march 2012

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Happy New Year and welcome to the first ever issue of Necessities. We hope 2012 has been good to you so far and that you are sticking to all your resolutions. 2011 was a difficult year for many of us, with the VAT increase, job losses, pay freezes and prices going up on almost everything from a loaf of bread to a litre of petrol. The forecasts suggest that 2012 will be more of the same, but it is not all doom and gloom. Necessities is here for you now and each month our dedicated team of experts will be bringing you the best money advice, whether you are looking to invest, take out a loan or even spend your hard earned cash on the high street. Necessities is here to look after all your money needs. The past few months have been very exciting for all our team at Necessities. It has been hard work but it has now paid off and we have a fantastic first issue for you. January can be a difficult time of year for many people, with

the combination of post-Christmas blues, huge credit card bills, the cold weather and to top it all off the extra few pounds from all that turkey and chocolate you had. That is why this issue of Necessities is packed full of the best tips to make 2012 the year to turn your finances around. You can learn how to transform your lunch money into a tidy little nest-egg, how to beat those rising energy prices and best of all, get the most from those unwanted Christmas presents, like the hideous cardigan you mother in law got for you. Also don’t forget to enter our competition for a chance to win a fantastic weekend break for two to Dublin!

Welcome to Necessities!

EDITOR’S LETTER

Greg Bedson,Editor, Necessities

Necessities onlineFor your all your latest money needs, exclusive money off deals and fantastic tips, scan the QR code below. Alternatively, log on to necessities.co.uk, where you will also be able to take advantage of our fantastic introductory suscription offer. You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter which will bring you sneaky peeks from the next issue.

KEEP IN TOUCH! www.facebook.com/necessitiesmagazine www.twitter.com/necessities_mag www.necessities.co.uk

[email protected] Necessities, Southampton International Business Park, SO18 2RZ

G.Bedson

1. Use a company’s ‘overseas’ number: Look for a +44 number and dial that, the chances are this will typically be a 01 or 02 number.2. saynoto0870.com: This website allows you to search for alternative numbers for thousands of British companies, it also has a facility which allows you to upload numbers yourself. 3. Call the sales team: Some companies, especially insurance providers, will have a free number to dial for Sales but a premium rate number for other enquires. If there is an option of a free number, dial it and you’ll get put through to the correct department.

Tip of The monTh08 numbers can prove to be expensive, especially when calling from a mobile. Here’s a solutions to bring your phone bill down.

6 Leave it to usGot a Money problem? 6 Alvin’s Advice

29. Five Quick Tips- Investing Secrets30. Introduction- Clear guide for first time investors35. The Smart money- Where to put your money this month37. Their future- Set up a nest-egg for the children

Regulars

24 Alvin’s AdviceThis month Alvin Hall tells you how to get back to basics

66 Readers StoryLearn how Katherine went from being jobless to having the world at her feet in just 6 months

17 Competition Win a fantastic, all expenses paid weekend break to Dublin

26 Trueman’s True TipsTop financial author Justine Trueman shares some of her top money secrets, exclusively for Necessities readers

94 Your ShoutGot some money tips? Let us know for a chance to win money off your weekly shop!

41. Five Quick Tips- Your guide to borrowing.42. Manage your debt- Clear your debts this year

46. Best money lenders- Where to find the top rates50. Pay Day Loans- Why they should be avoided at all costs.

5. Five Quick Tips- How to save more this month 6. Save £3490 in 2012- Start preparing for next Christmas now8. Return Unwanted Christmas Presents- Don’t let the shops say no

19Looking out for the little ones

56Supermarket Scams

10. Train Hikes- How to avoid the costly fares

16 . Coupons- The best deals this month19. Junior ISAs- Looking out for the little ones

BorrowingSaving Investing Scams

8Return Unwanted Presents

January 2012

6

ReviewsBorrowing Scams Home Life55. Five Quick Tips- Your guide to scams56.Supermarket offers- Are they really as good as they seem?

60. Online Scams- How to spot them65. 10 most common scams- Why do they catch us out?

70. Top Valentines Day presents- What he really wants this year72. What to look out for? The products due to hit the shelves in 201276. A fresh start- The best value for money electric tooth brushes.

79. Five Quick Tips for the Home- Transform it without spending a penny

80.Get that promotion you deserve- Increase your salary in 201286. Decorate on a budget- why it doesn’t need to cost the earth

90. More time with the children- The importance of spending quality time with the little ones.

COVER STORY Ways to save in 2012

17Escape to Dublin

10 Necessities www.necessities.co.uk

5mORE fOR LESSOur simple tips will help you to get the most out of your pay packet

quick tips

TRavEL wISELy uSE cOupOnS Own bRanDS2 3Whether you’re looking to save a few quid on your weekly shop or want to treat the family to a great day out without the huge expense that usually goes with it, Necessities is here for you. Each month Necessities will bring you exclusive vouchers, ranging from money off a loaf of bread to fantastic discounts at some of the UK’s most popular attractions. Turn to page 34 to find out what you can save money on this month. Also if you sign up to our weekly newsletter on necessities.co.uk, you’ll get even more vouchers sent directly to your inbox!

When going to the supermarket it’s easy to pick up a box of Kellogg’s cereal or bottle of fFairy washing up liquid without looking at the price of the supermarket’s own brand. However, if you were to notice the price difference between both products you would find that you could save yourself an awful lot of money, and it doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality either.We sent our team out to a range of supermarkets to find out how much could be saved by switching from branded to the non-branded equivalent on 10 of the most popular items. Buying the leading brand for all these items added up to £24.59, whereas the supermarket equivalent from four different supermarkets averaged at £14.72. That’s a fantastic saving of £9.87 at the checkout.Also, check out our fantastic readers forum, which gives you the chance to rate unbranded food. It’s our little way of letting you try before you buy.

1Travelling by train can prove to be an expensive necessity. Our rail system is around 40% more expensive than those in France, Holland and Sweden and fares are set to rise 30% above inflation by the year 2014.You don’t have to pay through the roof prices though; studies have found that ticket prices can vary by nearly £200 depending on when you travel and booking in advance can often be worth it too. Turn to page 46 for 10 great tips on how to avoid the hike in fares and save money on your train journeys in 2012 and beyond.

5It can quite often pay off to spend some time shopping around. Using price comparison websites is a great way to do this and they are increasingly becoming better than ever, with the opitions to compare anything from car insurance and holidays to the price of toilet rolls in different supermarkets. If you have an Android or iPhone then you can download the Barcode Scanner App which allows you to simply scan the barcode on a product and it will give you customer reviews, as well as the cheapest place to buy it!

4When we’re at work, the easy option is to go out and buy something to eat. However, have you ever stopped and thought how much you could save by making a packed lunch?The answer is lots. Studies have found that we spend an average of £3.60 a day on lunch, which works out at £90 a month! Compare this to the cost of making your own and you’ll wish that you didn’t snooze your alarm 5 times this morning.Turn to page 9 for more advice like this to find out how easy it is to save £1200 to go towards next Christmas!

makE Lunch cOmpaRE IT

For more quick tips and other great advice, visit necessities.co.uk


10SavE £3490

In 2012Savings expert Sean Camp shares his wisdom on making a few

simple changes to turn your fortunes around

It’s January again and the optimism that came with Christmas and New Year is slowly fading away. Work hasn’t improved, the house is still a mess and your bank balance still needs a makeover. Well, don’t lose the optimism just yet because Necessities has some simple and effective tips on how to save money.These tips could save you thousands of pounds in 2012 and we give you tips on page 35 on how to turn these savings into a tidy investment.

However nice it may be to have the option

of hundreds of channels to flick through, is it

worth paying out for them each month? A Basic Sky TV package costs £20 a month or £140 a

year. If you were to cancel the Sky subscription and purchase a Freeview box for £20, you’ll save yourself a further £120 in 2012.

change The channel Just making your own sandwich or using last night’s leftovers instead of buying lunch when you get to work is enough to save you between £4-5 a day. By taking the time to prepare your own lunch you could be

pocketing a cool £20 by the end of the week. Make your lunch every morning and you’ll have an extra £1040 by this time next year. Just think how

that could that help your January bank balance.

make your lunch

With energy prices continuing to rise, it is important to ensure that you are getting the best value for money. You can expect to save an average of £250 over the course of this year, just by switching suppliers. Switching is now easier than ever before thanks to websites such as moneysupermarket.com.

Did you take out travel insurance last year? If so then the chances are you are still paying for it. So if you don’t yet have this year’s holiday booked, cancel the insurance immediately to save yourself an extra £50 in 2012. After all, you wouldn’t pay out for car insurance if you didn’t drive.

Sticking to the speed limit, not getting lost and minimising the weight you carry in your car can all help to reduce your petrol bill by £310 this year on a typical mileage of 12,000. Driving at 70mph instead of 80mph can save up to 40% fuel every 10 miles.

SwiTch SupplierScancel inSurance Slow down

easy steps to


Studies have shown that British people are wasting £37 million a year on unused gym memberships. So if you’re one of the thousands of women who signed up to a gym last January in an attempt to get fit, but would not even know where to start looking for your running trainers, then waste no time in cancelling your membership. The average cost of a gym membership is £35 a month. If you go three times a week then you may see that as good value for money, but if you’re not then cancelling it will save you an average of £420 this year. There’s nothing stopping you from sticking to your ‘get fit’ New Year’s resolution. Try running home from work, it’s free!

Make a shopping list and stick to it. Supermarkets are always thinking of new ways to make you spend more, from changing the store layout to playing your favourite songs on the radio. As a result, Tesco takes £1 in every £8 spent by UK shoppers. The easiest way to cut down on your weekly food bill is to plan your meals in advance. Taking the time to comprise a shopping list and more importantly sticking to it, could save you £520 in 2012.

For more quick tips and other great advice, visit necessities.co.uk

Buying that coffee at the station every day is costing you a fortune. Fill up a Thermos flask at home and you will be saving around £360 a year

puT The keTTle onMany people are on the wrong mobile phone tariff. If you’re paying £30 a month and only making a couple of calls each month then you might be better paying £10 on a pay as you go tariff, saving you £240 a year.

check your Tariff

Use cash instead of debit card. You spend 18% less using cash than you do if you spend money on your debit card.

McDonalds found that the average transaction rose from £2.89 to £4.49 when customers used plastic instead of cash. If the thought of carrying around all that loose change in your purse puts you off, put the change in a box and save it for something big! You can save over £50 in a matter of months. On average, using cash instead of plastic to purchase all of your clothes in 2012 will save you £180.

quiT The gymwriTe a liST diTch The plaSTic


The majority of retail stores generally treat sale items in the same way as non-sale items, which means you should be able to return them and still get a full refund.However, stores do have a right by law to change their returns policy for sale items. So you may find some difficulties once you get into the store. Also, if you do not have a receipt most stores will give you a credit voucher for the current selling price. This could be slightly annoying if you realised that jumper you’re returning is now half price! But at least you’ll be getting something back for it.

unwanTED pRESEnTS?

How to make the most of them

After the rush and stress of buying Christmas presents, the time of year has come when you have to return any unwanted gifts to retailers, whether it’s a coffee making machine, yet another biography, or that hideous jumper your mother-in-law bought you. Necessities brings you the best tips to claim a full refund or exchange without being defeated by retail ‘return jargon’.

Many shops become more lenient after Christmas to its customers, and will gladly refund or exchange your unwanted Christmas presents. They aren’t obliged to give you a full refund because an exchange is generally the most they can offer. However, as an act of goodwill, due to the New Year, they offer their customers a late Christmas present.Make sure you’re aware of retailers Christmas returns policy to ensure that you don’t miss out on the opportunity for a full refund or exchange.

Checking the small print on a receipt is vital when it comes to returning a product. Retailers catch out their customers by putting on policy details at the bottom or back of receipts in small print.This is a regular way in which they catch out their customers so make sure you read the receipt and double check it to avoid any problems.

If you are after a full refund for the unwanted gift, you will almost definitely need proof of purchase. If there was a gift receipt included with the present, then you shouldn’t face any difficulties in returning it. If the person who got you the present didn’t expect you to need a gift receipt then you will need to get the original receipt from them if you want a refund, although this could be quite difficult if you don’t want them to know you’re returning the product. Many shops will still allow you to exchange the item without a receipt, so all is not lost, unless of course nothing in the store takes your fancy.

If you purchase or have been given a product which turns out to be damaged, you will be able to return it and get your money back without the fear of being turned away by the retailers.Under the Sales of Goods Act, shops have to ensure that the product they sell to you works in the way it is described on the packaging, it is of satisfactory quality and that it is also fit for purpose. Retailers are breaking the law if they refuse to offer you a refund and could be sued for not doing so.

Amazon.co.uk have extended their usual 30 day money back policy to allow for any items purchased from the 1 November to 31 December to be returned before midnight on 31 January.

GOOD wILL GESTuRE

pROOf Of puRchaSE

chEck ThE SmaLL pRInT

DamaGED GOODS

If all else fails you can always try and stick those unwanted presents on eBay and let them go to a good home.Last Christmas, an estimated 366,000 people had put unwanted presents onto eBay by the end of Christmas night. If you’re not so savvy with computers, then just keep the present in a cupboard and give it to somebody else, just be careful who you give it to!

GIvE IT TO a GOOD hOmE

STORE pOLIcIES

Arcadia group Refunds can be given up until 31 January, providing there is a receipt and the item is in a resaleable condition. An exchange can be offered without a receipt. Debenhams have stuck to their ususal 28-day rule in regards to refunds and exchanges with a receipt. Without a receipt they can offer a Debenhams Giftcard. Additionally, items purchased online from 17 Novmber can be exchanged in store until 31 January

John Lewis are offering full price refunds for gifts returned within 28 days of Christmas Day, providing they are in a resaleable condition and in original packaging.

SaLE ITEmS

necessities march 2012

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