Magical Penny

The world is in a state of constant flux. It’s perhaps most notable when it comes to the price of the things you need to buy every year.

Naturally, when looking to maximise the amount of money that stays in your wallet, it makes sense to look around for the best deal possible. Price comparison sites have made it easier than ever to gain an understanding of the cost of some of the more popular and pricy purchases we typically have to make like allowing you to compare car insurance and house insurance.

Price comparison websites, however, can only go so far. Take note of these strategies to shave even more off the cost of purchases you need to make:

Haggle

Asking for a discount can be embarrassing for some but if you don’t ask you might not get. Try starting off with a low offer, perhaps around 60% of what you are hoping to end up paying and see if there is any flexibility in the price.

Use your new knowledge 

Once you have a good price from one company (through a price comparison site or in person), use the price point as a benchmark and continue to shop around. Often companies are so keen for your business they will price-match or throw in something extra as an incentive to win you as a customer. Just make sure you get a reference number or an agreement in place so you can go back to the original company if shopping around does not work out.

Sell yourself

Are your circumstances different to the norm? When searching for insurance in particular it can be beneficial to think of how you can sell yourself as a customer – if you have an advance motoring certificate or several years of no-claims you can sometimes get better rates.

Know when to stop

Sometimes the extra effort isn’t worth the discount or price saving. Remember to value your time and sanity. That said, spending a few minutes searching for the best deal can work out to be a very profitable use of time when done wisely, and  can save you more of your hard-earned pennies, month in, month out.

Good luck.

 

Do you have any smart-spending or money saving tips? Share in the comments

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They say you have to spend money to make money.

But often ‘they’ are people who are trying to sell you something (!).

It’s certainly true that spending money is not an automatic method to riches – if it were then we would all be very wealthy. But spending money can give you access to new ways to increase your income, if you spend it wisely on the right things.

Millions of people know this to be true when they sign up to attend university, so it’s funny that it took me a while to realise that spending money on education and new experiences AFTER university, can have huge benefits.

The Saver Becomes the Spender, but with Unexpected Results

When I first graduated I was a really good saver.

• I rode my bike in the rain to save money
• I didn’t do much travel.
• I wrote about the perils of window shopping.
•  When I wanted a new phone I gave myself a 30 day challenge and decided not to buy the phone in the end.

In short, I saved.

It was really rewarding to me to watch my savings account grow and eventually I started investing my savings and watched those grow further.

I found saving so powerful and fulfilling that I even started  a blog about saving and investing (Hint: you’re reading it now).

But after saving for a few years, I reached a turning point and I ended up SPENDING LIKE CRAZY in 2011….18 flights in total, a new laptop, and even some 5 star hotel visits!

But, despite all the spending, my income and savings grew too, and I got to meet the most amazing people and became inspired to play a bigger game in life.

For me, it was money well-spent.

And I’ve experienced first-hand the ‘spend money to make money’ expression: Because I DID spend money which allowed me to make more money!

Of course I had to put in the work but I’ve become much less hesitant to spend money if I can see how I can grow as a person and learn how to earn more money in the future.

I have a long life ahead of me, hopefully, and spending money on education and building a network, should help me exponentially in the future.

 

Spending Money on Education and Inspiration

I got to meet many sources of inspiration on my recent trip to America, including Chris Guillebeau. Chris is a hugely accomplished writer and adventurer who’s travelled to almost every country in the world (soon to be all of them!).

Meeting Chris

Chris’ most recent book is called the $100 dollar startup, which details how thousands of people have started businesses with less than £70 in their pocket and become huge successes.

I’m a big believer in both Chris and his message – and have actually achieved the very thing he is writing about, now that I’m self-employed and making a 4 figure monthly income from my adventures on the internet (which I started with just a website that cost me £6 a month for hosting).

So if you want to read the book, you’re in luck.

It’s not out for a couple of weeks but you can get it shipped to anywhere in the world (including the UK). It’s currently available in a larger bundle of business products around £60. And I think you should definitely buy the lot if you want to grow your pennies!

Along with the real-life book posted to your house, you’ll get £600 worth of information products about business for around £60!

But only for the next 72 hours….

As above, in addition to the hardcover book shipped anywhere in the world, this special bundle of information products at 90% off the true value.

Below is the full low-down (prices are in dollars so just imagine 2/3rds of the price for a dollar to British pound conversion…it’s a bargain in any currency, but only for 3 days!)

 

Products in this Only72 Sale (18 total):

Chris Guillebeau’s The $100 Start-up Book (Hardcover w/ shipping included)

Better Blogging ($177 in value) 

• Corbett Barr – Creating, Marketing, and Designing A Blog That Matters ($40)
• Susannah Conway – Blogging From The Heart (eBook version) ($137)

Passion-based Business ($137)

• Jonathan Mead — Identifying Your Passion Module + Workbook ($97)
• Scott Dinsmore — Live Off Your Passion (lite) ($47)

Freelancing ($111)

• Ashley Ambirge — You Don’t Need A Job, You Need Guts ($40)
• Men With Pens — Freelancer Package: Unbelievable Characters, Guest Posting Guide, Beyond Brick & Mortar eBooks ($70)

Confidence & Courage ($129)

• Johnny B. Truant — Tao of Awesome ($79)
• Marianne Elliot — 30 Days of Courage (w/ Yoga Module) ($50)

Selling & Advertsing ($144)

• Pam Slim — Ethical Selling That Works ($97)
• David Risley — Double Your Ad Income ($47)

Technology & Systems ($171)

• Joshua Kaufman — The Personal MBA Guide to Small Business Infrastructure ($49)
• Free The Apps — How to Make iPhone Apps ($97)
• Brett Kelly — Evernote Essentials ($25)

Artists & Writes ($130)

• Alyson Stanfield — Turning Your Hobby into a Career (download & audio program) ($51)
• Chris Guillebeau — Unconventional Guide to Publishing ($79)

Click here to get all the above, but make sure you do it before by Thursday at 5pm UK time.

 

 

They say you have to spend money to make money.

In this case, I hope I HAVE persuaded you to buy this great set of products for a hugely discounted price, available for 3 days only.

I can genuinely say these writers and similar products have helped me grow my magical pennies, so I had to share this with you so you can do the same.

Adam

 

 

 

 

 

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If you want to take charge of increasing energy prices before they take charge of you, you’ve come to the right place. Learning how to maintain control of your energy bills is easy to do with a little know-how and the will to start saving money.

 

Research Your Options

The first thing you should do is head to the Internet. While you can pick up the phone and call most energy companies to ask about prices, the best way to research is to go to their web sites to see what rate plans they offer. This will not only give you a visual of their pricing structures but also provide you the time to compare several different companies at once. While you’re on various web sites, also take the time to look at the company blogs and any customer comments that may appear.

 

Understand Your Needs Vs the Contract

One of the trade-offs that many energy consumers encounter when searching for better service is choosing between lower electricity prices or a more flexible contract. Once you decide which company is best for you, do some extra research (for example, by talking with a supervisor via telephone) to find out what your options are for terms of service. You may be able to negotiate a more flexible payment plan or length of contract if you reach out directly to the company.

 

Green Energy?

Next, you should consider what you want your ultimate energy goal to be. If you are into renewable power, you should definitely research some green energy companies. This is one of the largest growing sectors in the energy industry in the UK, thanks to the aggressive campaign to establish more offshore wind power. Green energy has several advantages, including the chance to have a minimal environmental impact and use some of the newest technology in the energy industry.

Renewable energy may or may not be cheaper than your current supplier, but it could provide you with better service, which is something that many subscribers value just as much as money. This is because many green energy suppliers work on a local level, meaning that they remain close to their customers and take into consideration what these consumers would like to see from their energy service.

 

Conserving Energy

Once you decide to switch to the company that offers the most financial advantages for you, you can take your energy savings even further by conserving energy at home. Inexpensive installations such as low-flow shower heads, programmable thermostats, and sturdier insulation will only cost you a few pounds but could help you save hundreds of pounds in energy per year.

You should also consider upgrading your household appliances, namely the refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, and clothes dryer. These machines are constantly being improved by manufacturers so that they give better performance and use less energy, so if you have had the same appliances for near a decade, an upgrade can actually end up saving you money in the long run.

As a financially savvy homeowner, the best approach to take to tackling your energy bill is a multi-pronged one.

 

Switching energy companies can help you save up to £400 each year, but the savings challenge doesn’t end there. Becoming more energy efficient at home can also help you keep more of your hard-earned money, so keep thinking of ways to save energy for a fuller pocket and a more stable bank account.

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