Christmas is gone. Time to dust off the implements of torture and build yourself a home money saving workout!

How Many Calories Does Gardening Burn?

If you don’t like the thought of physical exercise regime but you have a garden you’re in luck. An hour of gardening will burn off between 120 and 350 calories. This amount will vary depending on the effort you put in. If you don’t have a garden but you’re still interested in flexing your green muscles then why not try a little Urban farming. Join groups of like-minded people and invest your time in growing food as part of a group effort.

For a list of local urban farming groups take a look at CityHarvest.

Wii Fit Plus Console Calorie Burners

The Nintendo Wii is probably the finest example of a games console for the family. It’ll keep the kids entertained for hours and, after they’re in bed, it’s your turn for some serious fat burning.

The Wii Fit is a great way to get yourself fit without every stepping outside the front door. From aerobics through to timed races against an electronic counterpart; there’s something for everyone.

It may not be as effective as putting on your trainers and heading out into the great unknown but every little helps.

The Wii Fit+ site has more information.

Fat Burning Workout DVD’s

Jane Fonda in a leotard might not be your thing but that’s fine. Just about every celebrity under the sun has launched a workout DVD.

Beginners through to experts are catered for so there’s something for everyone. If you’re not sure you’ll like the DVD see if you can borrow one from a friend first. Failing that, Cosmopolitan has some excellent reviews on all the workout DVD’s.

Bodyweight Exercises For Fat Loss

If pumping iron isn’t your thing, then why not use your bodyweight as a weapon against the excess pounds? A simple routine consisting of squats, burpees, press ups, dips and stair climbs will be enough to get you started. Like any exercise routine, take it easy to start with. If necessary, book an appointment with your GP for a checkup.

Now, for any of you that might think bodyweight exercises won’t pay off, the guys and girls over at muscleandfitness.com might disagree with you. If you’re lacking inspiration take a look at About.com for some ideas.

Fitness Bands

Fitness bands are another simple yet highly effective way of staying in shape. They look like giant elastic bands with suitcases handles attached to them. In fact, that’s exactly what they are.
Bands come with different resistance levels i.e. a blue band typically provides the same resistance as a 5kg dumbbell, red 10kg, etc.

Lightweight and portable, they won’t clutter up your house like a set bars and plates.

Kettle Bell Exercises

Kettle bells are a very effective way of melt those excess calories even though it looks like some kind of medieval torture device. The kettle bell was originally used by the Russian artillerymen in the Crimean war as a means of staying fit and strong which is why the apparatus looks like a cannonball with a handle.

A decent 40 minutes training session can work off up to 1200 calories (based on a one hour session). More info here: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20100212/kettlebell-workouts-burn-calaories-fast.

If you’re feeling adventurous, there are plenty of training ideas to be found at bodybuilding.com. Don’t be put off by all the images of finely sculpted muscles – we all have to start somewhere.

More Sedate Ways To Stay In Shape

If big, sweaty workouts aren’t you thing then there are plenty of other ways to keep in shape. You’ll burn fewer calories but, done regularly, they’re enough to shift some of the excess left over from your Sunday roast.

Washing the car will burn off around 234 calories per hour.

Vacuuming and mopping your house will burn off around 114 calories per hour.

Ironing will burn off around 114 calories per hour.

*Figures courtesy of http://www.caloriecounting.co.uk/.

Free Accommodation

Going on holiday soon? I know Christmas has only just passed by but some of you may have missed out. Instead of paying through the nose for your holiday why not try some free accommodation? Surprisingly, there are many families around that will offer you a place to stay in return for some good, old fashioned friendship.

How To Get Free Accommodation

First off, you’ll need to subscribe to Couchsurfing.org (don’t worry, it’s a free service). Once signed up, simply type your preferred destination into the search bar. Once you’ve identified potential hosts, get in touch with them.

Free software

A little while ago I wrote about free office apps for the iPad. For some of you, Microsoft’s Office productivity suite might be just fine. At over £100 for a home user license, this software might be a little too expensive to justify.

How To Get Free Software

For word processing, spreadsheets and anything else productivity related try OpenOffice.org. For everything else you’ll ever need for you PC, Mac, etc then take a look at my little guide to iPad office apps.

Free Audio Books

Some of you like to read, some to watch and some you like to listen. Ebook readers are all well and good but how well can you read one when you’re running or driving (not recommended)? Audio books bridge the gap. Free audio books are just the ticket.

How To Get Free Audio Books

Librivox.org has a massive selection of free audio books. The audio books they offer are all in the public domain i.e. there is no copyright on them. Don’t expect to find the very latest best selling audio books there. If you’re feeling helpful, you can even volunteer yourself as a recorder.

Free Food For Children

When your monthly budget is tight you want to maximise the savings. Getting free food for your kids is something that you might not have considered. I’m not talking about school meals or sneaking one more into the birthday party! Restaurants need customers to survive which means you get to reap the rewards

How To Get Free Food For Children

You’ll have to a little digging to get these gems. Take a look at places like Pizza Hut and Pizza Express to find out dates of their promotions.

Alternatively, you can get the latest restaurant voucher codes emailed to you. Follow the link, type in your location and you’ll be shown the best deals currently running in your area. Simple.

Free Foreign Language Courses

Ever wanted to try and learn American but decided it would take too long and cost too much money? Learning any language doesn’t have to cost you anything (apart from a bit of your time).

How To Learn A Foreign Language For Free

The BBC has a range of free language courses available for anyone that’s interested in picking up some foreign lingo. Courses last for 12 weeks and are designed to give you a good grounding in the basics. There’s more info on the BBC languages section.

Free birthday presents

Ever wanted to shower yourself or a loved one with gifts? Wouldn’t it be even better if all those gifts came free of charge? Well, today you can have your cake and eat it.

How To Get Free Birthday Presents

This is really simple; all you need to do is sign up at http://www.thebirthdayregister.com/ . The description of the site states. “Businesses love to help you celebrate your birthday. Is there a catch? According to the site, they’ll send a ‘no purchase necessary’ coupon from a merchant in your local area. The site is still growing and you may find that there are no retailers in your area but it’s worth signing up for.

Free Anti-Virus

Yes, I could have added this to the free software list but it’s just too important. Free anti-virus software is all around. Most freebies come with limitations e.g. AVG Free is a fantastic piece of software but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the paid version (full details here: http://free.avg.com/ww-en/free-antivirus-download).

How To Get Free Anti-Virus

Go to you preferred AV supplier and download their free versions. Here’s a list of the top 5 free anti-virus suppliers:
Free AVG
Avast
Avira
PC Tools
Trend AV

That’s all the money saving tips for today. Did you like this post? If so, why not retweet on Twitter or share on FaceBook. Before you go make sure you come back soon to check out our new voucher codes (still under construction right now).

TOC
Freshly Brewed Coffee Or A Decent Holiday
Have A Little Nibble (With Your Coffee)
How Much Does Your Breakfast Cost
Die Hard Lunch Habits
Drowning In App Soup
Lunch Time Reading Habits

Figure released in December 2011 show that around 3.5 million people were considering payday loans. That was just to cover the cost of Christmas! How did it get so bad? We can blame the bankers but I’m not going to debate that topic right now. The bottom line: your daily ‘luxuries’ might just be leading you into the financial knackers yard. Here are some rough figures I’ve put together that show how much money you’re wasting over the course of one year.

Freshly Brewed Coffee Or A Decent Holiday?

Simple, day to day pleasures like your morning latte may seem like small change but the cost soon adds up. On average, you latte will cost you about £2. If you have one cup per working day you’re looking at an average £460 per year (assuming you have 6 weeks holiday per year).

Have A Little Nibble (With Your Coffee)

Do you want a little snack to go with your coffee? The daily hustle that is our work lives seems to eat into every waking hour that we have. How often are you late home from work? Do you regularly skip breakfast because it’s easier to pick up something to go with your coffee? If so, here’s some more gloom…

How Much Does Your ‘Breakfast on the go’ Cost?

Add another £2 per day and the total comes to a whopping £920 per year. Regardless of how much money you earn that figure could buy you a decent holiday.

Die Hard Lunch Habits

Lunch time is another chance for you to cut the chain that ties you to your desk. What’s the first thing most of us do? Rush out and buy something to eat. Pub lunches are cheap and, usually, they fill you up. Can you afford £3 – £5 for today’s special? Probably.

The Cost Of A Twice Weekly Pub Lunch

Like your morning coffee and mobile breakfast, the cost of a cheap pub lunch is quite literally small beer You can probably afford to eat out on a couple of times per week but what’s the real cost? Assuming 2 pub lunches a week at £5 a go, you’re adding up to a minimum of £460 per year!

Drowning In App Soup

Just because you manage to avoid the temptation of the high street that doesn’t mean you’re safe. Do you own a smartphone? If so, you probably know that Android, Apple, Blackberry, etc each have their own application stores. On demand entertainment has never been so accessible.

What’s the cost?

Fortunately, most of us don’t buy applications on a daily basis. Whilst I have to admit they are a great way of idling away the some spares hours the cost can soon mount up. Even £10 per month soon adds up to £120 per year.

Since I first bought an iPhone about 2 years ago, I’ve downloaded about 10 apps. The total cost of my ‘indulgence’ has been about £25. Not a massive drop in the ocean. The problem comes when application addiction turns bad. One of my friends convinced himself that he needed every app that could ever be invented. One month later he had 6 screens of applications. All well and good if you use them but he didn’t even know how half of them work! For that one month alone, his total spend on apps: was about £127.

Lunch Time Reading Habits

Just about everything you could ever want to read is now online. The problem is that to read it you either need to take a computer or tablet with you or download the documents for later reading. That’s where magazines come in handy. The information in them might not be up to the minute content but they fill the gap but how much does a magazine cost? On average, about £2 – £3.

How Much Do Your Reading Habits Cost?

Assuming you’re buying 2 magazines per week, you’re looking at a minimum of £104 per year. If you’re a regular reader then it might be time to invest in a subscription. Sign up for a year and you could save up to £35 off the cost of your literary indulgence.

Got any money saving tips? Let me know in the comments or see the Contact Us page and send me email. If your idea is good I’ll turn it into an article and give you credit. Alternatively, why not write and article and email it to me?

Don’t panic! I have a selection of money savings tips and offers for parents designed to make sure you give them best while saving you some precious pennies. This is going to form the first part in an ongoing series of articles that follow your child from birth through to the day they fly the coop.

Contents:

Start Saving Before You Start

Long Term Leave From Work

Freebies and Discounts

Start Early – Baby Money Matters

Start Saving Before You Start

Babies are big business! Add up the cost of a buggy, pram, cot, mobiles, clothes for your new addition… the list goes on. Not only does the list go on but the price soon mounts up.

You’ve decided that the chubby new member of your family has now become a twinkle in your. Now it’s time to start saving. Getting some of your essentials as presents will go a long way to cutting costs but you don’t want to ruin the surprise and tell your family too soon. Time to break out the savings manual.

Forget Fashion Conscious Babies

They don’t exist. In fact, the people concerned are you, the parents. You may think it’s important to dress up your little James or Lilly in designer labels but baby really doesn’t care. Save your money and accept second hand clothes and equipment. If you’re not sure about baby bottles, spoons, etc then buy these yourself.

When you’re a baby, bed is a place to sleep (albeit for very brief periods of time). Does that cot really need to cost hundreds of pounds? If not, buy it second hand or ask relatives if they have a bed they no longer want or need.

Savings Funds For Baby

Since 2002, the government has given all parents a one-off payment. To be eligible, children must be born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. Although the Trust Fund has been wound up I’ve included a link below (just in case you’re eligible but didn’t claim).

How Much Money Do You Get?

Money

The government will give you the princely sum of between £50 and £250. This money isn’t for paying for babies clothes, etc.The fund is designed to give kids a savings fund and must be deposited in a bank account. This won’t help you pay for day to day requirements of your little bundle of joy as it can only be accessed by your child when they reach their 18th birthday.

Full details of this fund can be found over at the Child Trust Fund. You’ll need to claim this money after baby is born but it would be wise to note it down now.

How Long Will The Payments Continue?

It’s a one-off payment! You get the cash, bank it in a savings fund for your little cherub and… that’s it.

Long Term Leave From Work

Maybe you’ve decided that you can afford to take a break from work for a few years to look after your child. Getting back onto the fast moving carousel that is the job market can be intimidating.

Don’t worry; you’re not the only person that’s been through this. There are plenty of ways to help you back into the job market (there’s even money up for grabs if you’re a genuine job seeker).

Job Seeker Benefits

Once your child is old enough you might decide that it’s time to get back into the job market. This can be a daunting prospect for anyone but there are ways to ease the burden. If you’ve been out of work for some time the first thing you should do is apply for Job Seekers Allowance. In fact, you can get this allowance if you work less than 16 hours per week.

Freebies And Discounts

It’s fair to say that most retailers are mainly interested in our wallets. Companies such as Boots, Mothercare, and Pampers have a little more heart. These retailers either specialise in or have departments specialising in newborn babies. Each of the run a scheme to bring discounted goods to parents of very young and newborn children.

Tesco Baby Club

Sign up for the Tesco Baby Club to receive double points on your Tesco Reward card when you buy anything baby related. If you choose to sign up for their free monthly magazine you’ll also get a bundle of goodies from Pampers.

Boots Parenting Club

The Boots Parenting Club offers mothers to be and new mums a range of freebies. Sign up for free email newsletter and magazines that are specific to the age of your child. On top of this, for every £10 you spend in Mothercare you’ll get 10 Advantage point which can be redeemed against goods in store.

Boots will automatically sign you up for their Advantage card. Every time you shop with them you get extra points added which can be redeemed for essential goodies for your baby.

Read more information on the Boots Parenting Club

Mothercare Price Match

Mothercare run a price matching scheme. This promises to match the price of any competing product. There is a little catch – you must supply the details within 7 days of purchase but if you find a single item with a price difference of £20 you’ll get a £10 voucher from Mothercare.

Read more information on the Mothercare Price Match offer.

Asda Baby Club Free Huggies Newborn Starter Kit

Get free mailshots with details of money off vouchers, savings events and more when you sign up for the Asda Baby Club. You also get a free Huggies Starter Kit for newborn babies when you register which currently includes newborn nappies, baby wipes and a cotton hat.

Read more information on the Asda Baby Club.

Sainsburys Little Ones

Want a free baby bundle worth £9.99? How about an extra 1,000 points to go on your Nectar card? In that case, you need to sign up for Sainbury’s Little Ones club. Note: you’ll need to have an existing Nectar card to get your points but it’s free to join.

Read more information on the Sainsburys Little Ones club.

Pampers

The Pampers Village has a range free baby stuff for existing mothers and mums to be. Included in this promotion are coupons for the latest Pampers products and a custom newsletter that’s tailored to your little every stage of growth.

Read more information on the Pampers Village.

Start Early – Baby Money Matters

If you work and you’re thinking of trying for a baby it might be wise to check how much money you’re going to get from your employer when you go on leave. Legally, the company you work for is responsible for paying a minimum salary if you’ve worked for them for more than 6 months.

How Much Are You Entitled To?

You’ll get £128.73 per week or 90% of your earnings (whichever is the lower amount). This figure is for the financial year 2011 – 2012 so hopefully this will go up again in the 2012 budget.

Duration Of Pay

Mothers get the better deal (obviously) as they do all the hard work. Currently, the minimum length of time you’ll get paid is:

Statuatory maternity pay for 39 weeks.

Paternity pay for 2 weeks.

There is a qualification period. You will need to have worked for the same employer for a minimum of 26 weeks at the point you due date is 15 weeks away. This means that you will need to have worked for a minimum of 41 weeks for your current employer before your baby is born in order to get the pay benefits.

How To Get Your Pay

Beyond letting your employer know you’re pregnant and the due date there’s not much you need to do. Your employer will handle all the payment. If you need more information take a look at these pages: maternity pay and paternity pay.

Ho, ho, oh no!

The winter chill gently taps at the window. In the living room, the open fire crackles as you bask in the luxuriant heat. What could go wrong on a day like this? Probably nothing but have you been storing up enough bad habits to give you a post-Christmas hangover of epic proportions? The money saving elves have been on a covert Reconnaissance mission. Guess what they found? 12 festive shockers that will freeze you to the core.

Payday Loans

Short of cash in the run up to Christmas? No problem; you can take out a payday loan to tide you over. There’s nothing wrong with a short term loan expect the interest rate. The realisation that many people can’t get a credit card, the loans companies leapt to ‘the rescue’. With interest rates of up to 4,000% you really do need to ask yourself if this is the best way to borrow money.

There’s Something Phishy About That Website!

Christmas is a time when we spend big. Sadly, the scammers know this. Phishing websites are out there, waiting like a shark in the depths ready to strike. Dramatic yes but so true. Scam emails hit your inbox every day. They promise everything from a stratospheric improvement in your sex life through fortunes in gold and hard cash courtesy of an, ‘Uncle Ahmed’ who named you as his sole beneficiary! Ignore those emails. Mark them as SPAM, set fire to them, etc but never, ever click a link.

If you do click a link don’t be tempted to enter your details into any site you are redirected to. Once the scammers have your personal details they’ll either empty your bank account or steal your identity and go on a spending spree. Oh and the bills will land on your doorstep!

Fake charities

Christmas is a time for charity and the bad guys know it! Before your charitable mood kicks in do you checks. Does the collector have an official badge? If so, does the badge have their photo on it? If in doubt, keep your money firmly in your pocket. It’s sad to say but there are some unscrupulous types out there who will take advantage of your good nature.

Please Sell Me A Warranty I Don’t Need

What’s on your amours list? A new iPad? Coffee perculator? Some yet uninvented gadget that will change the world (I have very imaginative children)? In that case, you’re going to need a warranty. Or, are you? It doesn’t matter if you buy online or in a store just make sure you keep your receipt. If you can prove that your new toy broke through no fault of your own then you’re entitled to get it replaced, repaired or your money refunded for up to a year.

Facebook scammers

Not so long ago, the world of Facebook was a target for all kinds of underhand goings on. Realising their reputation was at stake, the company implemented strict new rules and security measures to beat the cheats.

Unfortunately, those cheeky scamming chappies have found a way round the restricitions. Currently, in Australia, new victims are being conned by dubious adverts shown on the social networking site. The latest dodgy deal claims to offer site users discount vouchers for the Anti Virus company Sophos.. As you may have guessed, there isn’t a discount to be had. When the advert is clicked the visitor is asked to share the destination page with their Facebook friends but you’ll never get your voucher! This tactic helps to drive customers towards sites offering surveys for which the scammer gets paid.

e-cards

During the early 2000′s e-cards saw a massive surge of popularity. Esitmates suggest that aoround 500 million e-cards are sent every year. There’s nothing wrong with sending an e-card but the scammers have polluted the world of festive greetings with their own dirty form of Christmas present: malware! When you click the link to see the card a website will attempt to download and install anything from malware to undesirable adverts. Be safe; hover your mouse over the link before you click and make sure the URL showing in your browser bar matches that of the, legitimate, sender.

One more tip to combat e-card related is to ensure your AntiVirus is installed and up to date (just don’t click on any of the Facebook links).

UPS Sent Me A Tracking Notification…

…how considerate of them. It’s nice to know that they’ve gone to the trouble of letting me know where my Christmas parcels are. Hold on! What parcels? They must have sent the email to the wrong person. No problem. I’ll simply click the link to the support desk and let them know (and, whilst your at it, why not just install some malware on your computer and let the world know?)

This underhand tactic is another way of getting malware to your computer or delivering you to a website that may not be family friendly! Same advice as I gave for e-cards applies: check the email address or URL in the toolbar against the one in the email.

Job Searches…

…at this time of the year? “Are you insane?”, you ask. No. There New Year is approaching fast and many of you could well be considering a new career or job. The perfect time to start looking is during the run up to Christmas and, guess what? Scammers know this. Their army coders and content writes will be crafting email propositions that are simply too good to be true. “House wife earns millions from her living room!”, “Turn your computer into a cash-spewing internet marketing monster in three easy steps”, etc, etc. Sadly, the ‘work from home’ market has taken a real bashing thanks to these scammers. Many of them simply want you to shell out on get rich quick schemes which will not get you rich quick, if at all.

As and added bonus, once you’ve paid for that crappy ‘keep me poor’ scam you’re likely to have your credit card details stolen as well.

Not So Genuine Bargains

Fake and stolen goods are big business. If you’re using sites like eBay then stay well away from one day auctions especially when run by new sellers with no feedback. Miss a trick and you could see yourself answer to the Old Bill (by which time the seller will be long gone). Look at it another way: why would someone from Latvia (sorry, first country that came to mind) being selling a laptop on the UK market place with free shipping?

One Step Weight Loss

This scam is more prevalent following Christmas but you still need to be on your guard. Early in the New Year you’ll probably start receiving SPAM emails the have a secret for your eyes only. What is the secret? Instant weight loss, of course. Scammers know that, following the festive season, most of us are, err, slightly more rotund. They’ll use those every trick in the book to convince you that it’s time to shed some weight. Ignore them. There are few ways to really lose weight (as Slimmingworlders.com) will tell you.

12 Christmas hangovers to avoid. Will you be waking up on Christmas day bellowing ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ or ‘Oh no, no, no’? Merry Christmas to you all!

Don’t click that link. Someone wants to steal your personal information. The online auction giant has long been a magnet for scammers trying to steal personal data. Click the link in the email and you might be throwing your reputation and money to the lions.

Attempts to steal your identity are becoming ever more sophisticated. Clever scammers are constantly inventing new ways to rip off your accounts. There’s no way you can keep up with them and stay safe. Or, is there? Here are just a few examples of how you can prevent your eBay accounts from being dragged through the mud.

Avoid The Email Scams

The first thing you have need to do is see if that message really is from eBay. The simplest way to do this is by looking at the URL of the reply link. To do this simply hover your mouse button over the reply link to find out. Here’s an example of one that dropped into my inbox the other day:

Notice the link says ‘by clicking here’ but in the toolbar it shows another address (see below). Delete it now.

Tip: If you’re unsure, don’t tempted to click the link. Scammers typically using tracking software. When you click on the link, they get a notification. This shows them that you’re email address is alive and active which will result in an avalanche of spam and phishing emails being sent your way.

Don’t Use Your Email Address As Your Account Name

Using your email address as your eBay account name makes life so much simpler. It’s easy to remember. Whist you’re at it, why not use the same password? Let’s make it even easier for your account to be ripped off by using an insecure webmail account.

eBay is being monitored by malicious users every single second of the day. They’re looking for user account details that can be tied to an email address. Once they have that information they can, in theory, use software to capture a username and password combination that you use to login to your email.

Paypal Really Is Your Friend

The most sensible thing you can do is to use Paypal for all your online auction transactions as the service is owned by eBay. If you have an issue with anything you buy and the seller isn’t responding then open a dispute with Paypal. Most important of all, don’t use third party payment systems such as Western Union as it’s difficult to track where your money has gone.

Paypal insures you for up to £500 if any of your goods are lost in the post or damaged. This only applies to sellers that have Buyer Protection blue shield showing against their account. See the pretty picture below:

Will Paypal Help If The Goods I Buy Are Stolen?

In the event that you open a dispute, you can normally get your money back but it’s not always guaranteed. Smart phones and electronics are the biggest targets for thieves. If you’re going to be paying a lot of money for a mobile it’s well worth using a service such as www.checkmend.com/uk or http://www.immobilise.com/. Ask the seller to give you the EMEI number of the handset and run a check through this site. If they refuse – run for the hills!

One Day Listing Bidding frenzy!

Selling stolen mobile phones is highly profitable but many scammers now realise there are services available to help keep the buyer safe. So how do they get you to buy now? One day listings. By creating a sense of urgency they force the shopper to make a snap decision. As you a savvy shopper you probably already know this but here are a few words of advice that might save you some money: Stop, look and check.

If you don’t feel that you have time to check the goods against a database of stolen items then 5 minutes research might save the day.

Tips: Look at the sellers profile. How old is it? If it’s only a few days old then it might be worth looking elsewhere.

Look at the feedback. Does the seller have almost no or very poor feedback? If so, move along.

Email the user and ask them a few, in-depth questions. Do they reply to you? If not, move along. Are the answers they provide vague or do they smell a little fishy? You’ve guessed; move along.

5 tips to keep you safe on eBay. Can you think of anymore? Let me know and I’ll add to this post. Even better, why not email me with a post and I’ll add it to the blog (with a link back to your website).

One last snippet of info you might be interested in: according to Which, the London Met Police deals with 130 eBay related crimes per month. Don’t be a statistic. Check back soon for more money saving tips.

Insulation: he's got it!

Kids love free stuff and so do adults but how much of it is actually useful? Stress relief toys and identity card holders can become an integral part of any childs game but how much of this junk do you have around the house?

Why can’t someone give you something useful, like some free loft insulation? Problem solved (and you won’t have to eBay all those free gifts to pay for it).

I’ve been doing some snooping around the internet trying to find some great bargains and today’s winning tips are courtesy of British Gas and EDF (who says the energy companies never give anything away?)

Free Insulation Isn’t Just For Pensioners

You may, or may not, know that if you’re aged over 70. And, rightly so. At a time in life when you you should be kicking back and enjoying yourself the last thing you need is the worry of finding money to keep yourself warm. You also qualify if you or any member of your family is in receipt of disability benefits.

What’s The Deal?

British Gas and EDF are both running an offer whereby customers can qualify for free loft and cavity insulation. The savings aren’t massive as you can completely insulate your home for around £400 but who needs the added expense?

How Do I Get My Free Insulation?

Both British Gas and EDF have an application process running on their websites (links at the bottom of the page). There are also qualifying dates which you’ll find further down the page. The number of eligible customers is limited so you’ll need to hurry.

What’s The Catch?

There are a few points to note:

With both companies, any existing insulation must be less than 60mm deep.

The British Gas offer is open to existing customers until 22nd December 2011.

The EDF Energy offer is open to existing customers until 31st March 2011.

You have to switch to the respective supplier to get your hands on the offer. This might seem a little drastic for some so do your research first and compare the cost of gas and electricity before you make the switch. Calculate how much you’ll save by switching supplier and then make your move.

One other thing to consider: some homes aren’t suitable for or won’t benefit from the kind of insulation that’s being offered hence the survey of your house. I have no doubt that, if you’re home isn’t suitable for the type of insulation being given away, you’ll be offered an alternative at a price. Sneaky? Probably? Worth the effort to get something for free? Definitely.

Will This Insulation Save Me Money?

If your house isn’t already insulated, this little freebie alone could save you up to £175 per year (figures courtesy of the Energy Savings Trust). Research figures supplied by British Gas show that having an energy efficient boiler and decent insulation could save up to £350.

Show Me The Freebies!

Here are the links you need to apply:

British Gas

EDF Energy.

Not a bad something for nothing, I think you’ll agree. Check back soon for money saving tips and ideas.

Samsung Galaxy S2

Quality isn’t always at the top of our list when we go mobile hunting. For most owners there’s only phrase that springs to mind when they start searching: the cheapest smartphone. 2011 has, so far, been a time for you, the shopper, to pick up some of the best deals seen in years. Most of the glitches and hardware failures (the Apple antenna shambles or Google’s ill-fated Nexus 1 handset) are well behind us.

Manufacturers now have a good handle on what we do and don’t want. Serious innovation (i.e. a potential disaster waiting to happen) has slowed. With the exception of Apple’s Siri voice recognition software; we’re not likely to see the huge technological leaps that have driven smartphones into 2011.

I’ve put together a list of the top 10, cheapest smartphone contracts (as at 10th November 2011). Obviously, these will expire at some point as handsets are retired or new deals come online. Don’t panic – I will be updating this page on a regular basis. Without further ado, I humbly present the moneysavingzone big, bad list of cheap smartphones.

HTC Wildfire S
Launched in early 2011, This mobile doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some of the latest smartphones. That said, the HTC Wildfire S not only holds its own against newer entrants to the market but it’s incredibly cheap. Tariffs range from as low as £10.50 per month and, for your money, you get a pretty capable smartphone.

Key Features:
Operating System: Android 2.2 (upgradeable to 2.3)
Screen Size: 3.2”, 240 x 320 pixels
Built-in Memory: 384MB
Processor: 528 MHz ARM 11 CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 5MP

Best price: £15.50 per month at www.phones4u.co.uk

Samsung Galaxy S (i7500)
The now venerable version of the Samsung Galaxy is, like the Wildfire S, getting a little long in the tooth for uber-techies. If you can live without the latest software enhancements to Google’s Android OS then you’ll come to love this phone like a long lost son. Again, monthly tariffs are incredibly cheap. Xxx are giving the handset away when you sign up for a £10.50 per month plan. Compared to some of the newer phones on the market, the Galaxy S isn’t the slimmest handset you can buy. One of the biggest gripes owners have centres around software updating issues.

Key Features:
Operating System: Android 1.5
Screen Size: 3.2”, 320 x 480 pixels
Built-in Memory: 8GB storage (128MB RAM)
Processor: 528 MHz ARM 11 CPU
Max Memory: 16GB
Camera Resolution: 5MP

Best price: £22 per month at www.three.co.uk

HTC Desire
My number three handset on the list because, apart from being the third cheapest option (£15.50 per month at xxx) it’s also the first Android phone I owned. When the Desire launched it was billed as a potential iPhone killer but it tanked! Sadly, the phone didn’t live up to the hype behind it. That said, it’s still a very good handset (I keep mine as a spare) just don’t expect too much from it.

Key Features:
Operating System: Android 2.1 (can be upgraded to 2.2)
Screen Size: 3.7″ AMOLED, 480 x 800 pixels or SLCD capacitive touchscreen
Built-in Memory: 576MB
Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 5MP

Samsung Galaxy S (i9000)
Another Samsung handset that failed to live up to the marketing message behind it. The i9000 launched in March 2010 to much fanfare then promptly failed to make much of a dent in the Apple juggernaut. Personally, I wouldn’t put this smartphone anywhere near the the list if specs were anything to go by. At only £15.50 per month from xxx it’s difficult to beat if you don’t expect it to do too much gadget-like wizardry!

Key Features:
Operating System: Android v2.1 (can be upgraded to v2.3)
Screen Size: 4.0”, 480 x 800 pixels, Super AMOLED
Built-in Memory: 8/16GB
Processor: 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 5MP

HTC Desire S
What can I say about the Desire S? Hmm… it’s like the HTC Desire only slightly more expensive. Available for £15.50 per month

Key Features:
Operating System: Android v2.3 (can be upgraded to v2.3.5)
Screen Size: 3.7 “, 480 x 800 pixels
Built-in Memory: 768 MB RAM
Processor: 1GHz Scorpion CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 5MP

Best price: £22 per month at www.o2.co.uk

HTC Sensation
Back in April of 2011, HTC launched the Sensation and, for many Android fans, this smartphone really was a sensation. For the day, this mobile phone was one of the highest spec models on the market. Sadly, it blighted by poor battery life when users switched on mobile networking. Not the cheapest offering on the market, the Sensation was a reliable handset. The good news is that HTC have ironed out the problems and brought the cost of owning this phone right down.

Key Features:
Operating System: Android 2.3.3 and includes HTC Sense 3.0 UI
Screen Size: 4.3”, 540 x 960 pixels
Built-in Memory: 1GB
Processor: 1.2 GHz dual-core CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 8MP

Best price: £20 per month at www.tesco.com

Sensation XE

A significant step up in HTC’s offering came in the form of the Sensation XE. Whilst the underlying hardware was barely changed, this new Android smartphone benefitted from processor support that allowed it to supports 3D-like transitions in the menu. Funky!

Key Features:
Operating System: Android OS, v2.3.4
Screen Size: 4.3”, 540 x 960 pixels,
Built-in Memory: 4GB
Processor: 1.5GHz Qualcomm CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 8MP

Best price: £31 per month at www.vodafone.co.uk (a bit pricier than some other mobile operators but, in my eyes, this package is hard to beat).

Samsung Galaxy S2
Technology moves fast and the world of mobile phones is no exception. Whilst the Samsung Galaxy S i7500 may not have been the blazing success that it makers envisaged, the S2 has set tongues wagging. A treasure trove of new features including Near Filed Commnunications and Voice Talk speech recognition make this one this years must have handsets. Fortunately, prices have kept low which is good news for Samsung/Android fans.

Key Features:
Operating System: Android OS, v2.3
Screen Size: 4.3”, 430 x 800 pixels,
Built-in Memory: 16GB/32GB storage, 1GB RAM
Processor: 1.5GHz Qualcomm CPU
Max Memory: 32GB
Camera Resolution: 8MP

Best price: £27 per month at www.o2.co.uk

iPhone 4
Did you really not expect to find the iPhone 4 on the list. Apple’s iconic smartphone still dominates the tech talking shops (even if it doesn’t hold the biggest market share). Sleek, functional and the brain child of the late Steve Jobs, the iPhone is packed full of technology that most of will never come close to fully using.

Key Features:
Operating System: iOS 4 (can be upgraded to 5)
Screen Size: 3.5”, 640 X 960 pixels
Built-in Memory: 16GB/32GB
Processor: 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 CPU
Max Memory: 512MB RAM
Camera Resolution: 5MP

Best deals – £35 per month at www.dialaphone.co.uk

iPhone 4S
The fervour built from a barely audible whisper amongst the hordes of Apple fans to a roaring fanfare – the iPhone 5, err, no, 4S is here. So, what did this huge leap in technology bring the faithful masses? Not a great deal! I’m being unfair. A dual core processor and Apple’s Siri voice recognition software are two of the major enhancements to the iPhone 4S and these two features alone make it worth the upgrade. Ever tried Google’s voice app? Pfft! It doesn’t come close to Siri.

Best deal – £26 per month at www.vodafone.co.uk

Key Features:
Operating System: iOS 5
Screen Size: 3.5”, 640 X 960 pixels
Built-in Memory: 16GB/32GB/64GB
Processor: 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 dual core CPU
Max Memory: 512MB RAM
Camera Resolution: 8MP

*Each of the links will take you to the respective supplier’s website.

But keeping children in clothes, let alone school clothes, is expensive. Even though many supermarkets offer some incredible deals on blouses, skirts and trousers it seems like we have to renew parts of the school wardrobe on an almost weekly basis. The Summer holidays offer a short respite (but only for 6 weeks).

The argument over school uniforms has been consigned to the dustbin – they’re here to stay. Even if our kids were allowed to ditch the uniform we’d still have to fork out our hard earned cash to buy new clothes on a regular basis. Personally, I’m happier to replace a £2.50 blouse for Tesco than a £20 top from Next???

Enough! Time to look at ways to save money on back to school clothes.

Step 1. The Wardrobe Check

the wardrobe check

Children’s wardrobes can be scary, really scary. I once found an ant farm that my daughter had created over the course of several months (how and why I still don’t know)! I finally had the answer to why she was collecting leaves from the garden every day.

Take a good look. What do you need? There’s bound to be a selection of clothes that have either never been worn and are now too small. Write down a list of what you have and what you need. Also, don’t rush to throw out anything that doesn’t fit.

Tip 2: The Big Swap.

Being short of cash or simply wanting to save money is something we’re all too aware of. There are quite a few parents out there in the same boat. Your wardrobe check has hopefully revealed some pristine clothes that your little darling has never worn.Maybe they were, ‘too itchy’ or ‘not comfortable’ (even though they were all too keen to buy them at the time) but that doesn’t matter. Now you have some chips to barter with.

If you don’t know of a school uniform exchange group then it’s time to exercise that big grey lump in your head. Speak to other parents, advertise in the school or simply check the local papers for details of clothes swapping events.

If you’re not comfortable with the idea of swapping clothes bear this in mind: a lot of other parents are in the same boat but are simply too embarrassed to admit the fact. Do yourself, and others, a favour and start the ball rolling.

Alternatively, there is an online option over at http://myuniformexchange.com. The site is relatively new and doesn’t have a huge stockpile right now but with a little support from you and I it should turn into something big.

Tip 3: Charity Shop Treasure Trove.

Charity Shop Rummage

Charity shops are great. True, they don’t have the variety and range of sizes you find in places like Next but they are cheap. I mean, really cheap. Here’s an example:

Brand new school blouse (with label still attached) – 50p
School blazer (immaculate condition) – £3 (this costs £20 in the ‘preferred suppliers’ window)

I know it’s easy to turn your nose up at charity stores but, firstly, they’re there to make money for some truly good causes. Second, do you really think you’re the only parent that’s been looking around a charity shop?

Tip 4: Beat The Rush By Shopping Later

I don’t mean waiting until midnight to go shopping for new school clothes. If your little tikes aren’t looking like scarecrows hold off for a little longer before you start splashing out. Many retailers will launch a school clothes sale in the run up to the new term but how often have you found they clothing you want is out of stock?

Waiting until the a couple weeks into the new term gives suppliers a chance to restock and, in many cases, you’ll find that their sales prices still apply. Alternatively buying your kids clothes in bulk at set points in the year will help you beat the back to school rush and bag your bargains early

I’ve done some research and picked out the current cream of the free office software crop for your iPad.

Evernote

For a freebie, this has to be top of the list! Evernote is so much more than many of the paid pieces of software out there. Like many of the office automation applications available, Evernote lets you edit text files, make audio notes and create tags based on your geographic location. The really cool part about this software is the automatic synchronisation tool. Install the application on your PC, MacBook or iPad, connect to the web and let all your docs synchronise across all devices. Very nice.

Key Features:
Online storage for your docs in the Evernote cloud or offline using the Evernote client only.
Free storage up to 60MB.
Synchronisation of documents between devices that have Evernote installed.
Available for Apple, linux and Microsoft Windows.

Get it here: EverNote

Dragon Dictation

In my eyes, there’s on thing that lets the iPad down – the keyboard feature. Personally, I find it incredibly hard to touch type when there are no F and J markers to aid in positioning my hands. I know there are plenty of Bluetooth keyboards out there but the whole idea of the iPad’s minimalist approach.

Cue Dragon Dictation. This is one of the must have apps for anyone looking for an ultra mobile solution. Dragon Dictation is a cut down version of the award winning Dragon Naturally Speaking (which currently retails for about £149, upwards). Needless to say, the iPad app doesn’t have the full features of the paid version but do you really need it?

I run Dragon Dictation on my iPad Classic and ti’s an app that I will rave about for years to come.

Key features:

Voice to Text
One touch voice recording
Easy export of your text files to email, notes, etc

Get it here: Dragon Dictation

Moleskine

The Moleskine app is probably the perfect solution for anyone wanting the simplicity of a notepad but with a few added bells and whistles. This iPad application is based on Moleskines idea of creative thinking on the move.

Whilst it’s not likely to replace a full blown office software suite, the Moleskine app does handle a number of complex task with ease (and a bit of flair). One of the features I do like is the ability to add justified images into the document – something that been missing from notepad-type applications since time immemorial.

Another interesting feature the ‘map my thoughts’ tool – geo-tag your notes with a single click (don’t forget to turn off the power leeching GPS when you’re finished).

Get it here: Moleskine at iTunes.

Ok, that’s a brief intro what are some pretty amazing free office apps for the iPad. I’m going to put together a full review (with pretty pictures) and I’ll come back and update this page soon.

3 free office apps for your iPad (both Classic an version 2). Check back to MoneySavingZone.co.uk soon – I’ll be doing a more detailed review of each.